Category: Press Releases

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 December 2023.

Government announces new unit to clamp down on companies evading sanctions.

Companies who are found to be dodging strict trade sanctions, including those imposed since the war in Ukraine, will face tougher penalties with the creation of a new Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI).

Industry and Economic Security Minister Nusrat Ghani is today [11 December 2023] announcing the creation of a new unit to crack down on companies dodging Russian sanctions.

The OTSI will be responsible for the civil enforcement of trade sanctions, including those against Russia. The unit will help businesses comply with sanctions and investigate potential breaches, issuing civil penalties and referring cases to HMRC for criminal enforcement where needed.

Its remit will involve activity by companies who may be avoiding sanctions by sending products through other countries.

The news comes as the UK is expected to announce fresh sanctions targeting the latest items Ukraine has found on the battlefield such as machine parts and electronics, as well as products that raise revenue to fund Putin’s war machine.

Industry and Economic Security Minister Nusrat Ghani said:

Our package of sanctions, the most severe ever imposed on a major economy, is working – goods imports from Russia to the UK have already plummeted by 94%.

But we are leaving no stone unturned in our commitment to stopping Putin’s war machine. That means clamping down on sanctions evaders and starving Russia of the technologies and revenues it needs to continue its illegal invasion.

Today’s announcement will help us do that, and send a clear message to those breaking the rules that there is nowhere to hide.

The UK and our international partners have implemented the most severe package of sanctions ever imposed on a major economy, with an unprecedented £20 billion of UK-Russia goods trade now sanctioned. The evidence shows the sanctions are working, with UK-Russia trade falling to historic lows.

Sanctions Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

Today’s announcement will further strengthen the UK’s sanctions system and allow us to maximise the impact that trade sanctions have on those who continue to flout the global rules.

Without international sanctions, we estimate Russia would have over $400 billion more to fund the war, enough to fund the invasion for a further four years. We are hitting Russia where it hurts and starving Putin of the resources he needs to fund his illegal war on Ukraine.

OTSI will launch in early 2024 once the new legal requirements are in place and will reinforce existing work the government does to ensure UK trade sanctions are adhered to.

Background

• reductions in UK goods imports from Russia calculated comparing March 2021 to February 2022 to March 2022 to February 2023

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 December 2023.

The UK government has announced funding to support the documentation, investigation and prosecution of war crimes in Ukraine.

• UK announces £3.7 million package to support the documentation, investigation, and prosecution of war crimes committed in Ukraine
• package includes funding for the training of Ukrainian prosecutors in the use of open-source intelligence to identify potential crimes, and the expansion of the OPORA War Crimes Documentation Centre in Poland
• latest announcement builds on previous pledge of up to £2.5 million and will help Ukraine hold Russian forces accountable for atrocities committed against the Ukrainian people

The UK government has today announced a further £3.7 million of funding to support Ukraine as it pursues justice for the victims of Russian atrocities.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Office of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General has recorded more than 110,000 cases of war crimes. In the face of Russian atrocities, the UK has stood with Ukraine, and played a leading role in ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable.

Backed by a previous UK pledge of £2.5 million, Ukrainian authorities have already made significant progress in bringing those responsible for atrocities against the Ukrainian people to justice, successfully prosecuting over 50 Russian individuals for war crimes committed in Ukraine.

The UK has now committed an additional £3.7 million of funding to support the documentation, investigation and prosecution of war crimes. UK-funded projects will give the Ukrainian authorities new skills in verifying and utilising open-source intelligence, including materials uploaded by mobile phones to social media, and train prosecutors in preparing strong and well-evidenced legal cases.

FCDO Minister of State, Lord Tariq Ahmad said:

The despicable atrocities we’ve seen in Ukraine have required the Ukrainian authorities to adapt to unprecedented challenges, necessitated by Russia’s illegal invasion of a sovereign democratic state.

Through our financial backing and legal expertise, the UK will continue to stand with Ukraine as they hold perpetrators to account and ensure that survivor-centred justice is served. Our support for our Ukrainian allies is unwavering.

Alongside support for war crimes investigations, the government has also allocated over £200,000 to expand the OPORA War Crimes Documentation Centre in Poland, which documents witness testimonies from Ukrainians who have been forced to flee the war. This funding is a key component of the new Trilateral Partnership on War Crimes Documentation, involving the UK, Poland, and Ukraine, which seeks to hold members of the Russian state and military accountable for their actions.

It follows Security Minister Tom Tugendhat’s visit to the centre in early 2023. During this visit, the minister met Ms. Olga Aivazovska, Chair of OPORA, and was briefed on the centre’s work to collect preliminary testimony from Ukrainian refugees who were witnesses of war crimes conducted in Ukraine.

Operated by Ukrainian staff, the non-governmental organisation OPORA provides a professional service, building trust within the diaspora left deeply affected by the conflict. In the past year, over a thousand Ukrainians have contributed their testimonies to the centre.

UK Government Security Minister, Tom Tugendhat said:

When I visited the OPORA War Crimes Documentation Centre, I heard first-hand about the horrendous crimes committed by members of the Russian military in Ukraine.

It brought home to me not only the horrors of this war but also the importance of ensuring those responsible face the full consequences of their actions when this shameful war comes to an end.

By ensuring the war crimes committed against the Ukrainian people are properly documented we can help ensure that those responsible are held to account for their barbarity and begin to offer some sense of redress for its victims.

Chair of OPORA, Olga Aivazovska said:

Unpunished evil is only growing, therefore, the investigation of war crimes committed by the Russian Federation in Ukraine is an integral component of comprehensive security in Europe.

According to OPORA’s sociological research conducted in Ukraine, 16% of citizens have witnessed war crimes, and 51% believe victory and peace without justice are impossible. That is why our work, together with the UK and the law enforcement bodies of Poland and Ukraine, helps the witnesses staying in Poland achieve justice.

We believe that every victim who is now safe should be informed what war crimes and crimes against humanity are, what legal actions are possible in this case, and what is the role of a witness in the justice process.

We help everyone get psychological and legal help as much as possible. We are grateful for the trust of the UK and Security Minister Tom Tugendhat, who have offered their help, and we are all committed to the end-result for the sake of justice.

Today’s announcement builds upon a range of existing UK-backed initiatives designed to support accountability efforts in Ukraine and to strengthen the national response to conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).

To date, UK support has enabled hundreds of police officers, investigators, prosecutors and judges to work more confidently and effectively on complex investigations and forensic responses, improving the quality of their evidence-gathering and judgements and strengthening survivor-centred practices.

Over 200 civil society representatives have also received training in psychosocial and legal support for CRSV survivors, while over 30,000 forensic medical kits have been supplied to Police Officers for CRSV cases. Vital expertise from the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative Team of Experts has supported the development of a Ukrainian national CRSV Action Plan.

Alongside funding for Ukraine’s domestic investigations, the UK is supporting the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC), in Ukraine and across the world, including through an additional £2 million of funding announced to help improve their capacity and capability to conduct investigations.

Following Ukraine’s invitation, the UK is participating in the Core Group shaping thinking on how to ensure criminal accountability for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. This includes exploring options for a new ‘internationalised’ tribunal – a specialised court integrated into Ukraine’s national justice system with international elements.

In November, the UK, alongside the US and EU, launched the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA) Multi-National Fund. This fund will allow more international partners to provide funding for Ukraine’s domestic accountability efforts through the ACA, enhancing international support for the investigation and prosecution of war crimes in Ukraine.

Background

• read more information about OPORA on the OPORA website
• the UK was a founding member of the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA) in May 2022, joint with the US and the EU, and previously pledged £2.5 million in July 2022 to support Ukrainian prosecutions and investigations in coordination with this group. This latest announcement of £3.7 million will also be coordinated with the ACA and its implementing partners

The UK’s funding so far has enabled:

• 153 judges and 36 prosecutors to receive training in forming war crimes judgements
• more than 150 regional prosecutors and investigators to be trained to ensure that robust, evidenced war crimes cases can be brought to trial
• 78 members of the National Police of Ukraine to be trained in forensic response
• the deployment of Mobile Justice Teams 14 times to sites of alleged war crimes to aid the collection of evidence
• 227 representatives of civil society organisations to be trained in psychosocial and legal support for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV)
• police officers to receive 30,000 forensic testing kits for gender-based violence and CRSV cases
• the appointment and deployment of former ICC judge Sir Howard Morrison KC as independent adviser to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine
• a member of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Team of Experts to support the Ukrainian Office of the Prosecutor General to develop their standards and procedures for investigating and prosecuting cases of CRSV in Ukraine
• in addition, the UK continues to support the work of the ICC and its independent investigation into the situation in Ukraine, welcoming the coordination of investigations, as seen by the opening of an ICC field office in Kyiv in September

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 December 2023.

Minister for the Middle East Lord Ahmad is attending the Doha Forum and holding meetings with senior Qatari leaders to discuss the Israel and Gaza conflict.

• Minister of State for the Middle East Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon returns to Qatar to attend the annual Doha Forum which will bring together regional leaders in policy to discuss critical challenges facing our world
• In addition, Lord Ahmad will hold meetings with the senior Qatari leaders for discussions on the crisis in Israel and Gaza
• The Minister will also hold meetings on Afghanistan focusing on humanitarian, development, security and human rights issues

Minister for the Middle East Lord Ahmad is in Qatar today (Sunday) to attend the Doha Forum and meet with senior partners to discuss the ongoing crisis in Israel and Gaza.

Lord Ahmad will be attending the annual Doha Forum which will run under the theme of “Building Shared Futures.” The Forum will host discussions and panel events on key issues, including Afghanistan and the conflict in Israel and Gaza given Qatar’s important role as mediator between Israel and Hamas.

During the visit, the Minister is expected to meet with senior Qatari leaders where he will reiterate the UK’s gratitude to Qatar for their central role in facilitating humanitarian access into Gaza which enabled more desperately needed aid to enter, as well as securing the release of hostages.

He will also emphasise the UK’s commitment to working with partners on preventing the crisis from spreading across the region and delivering a viable two-state solution.

Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for the Middle East, said:

I am pleased to be returning to Qatar following my recent visit to reiterate the UK’s thanks to our Qatari partners for their huge efforts in securing the recent humanitarian access into Gaza.

It is absolutely critical that we now redouble our efforts to facilitate unhindered and sustainable humanitarian access into Gaza, further substantive agreements to bring respite and deliver vital aid to civilians, and secure the release of hostages out of Gaza.

I will be discussing with leaders in the region how we must work together to find long term solutions to the conflict, to reduce regional escalation and to progress towards a two-state solution that secures peace for both Israelis and Palestinians.

In addition to his discussions on Israel and Gaza, Lord Ahmad will also be meeting with policy leaders to discuss the situation in Afghanistan focussing on humanitarian, development, security and human rights issues.

Notes for editors:

• The Doha Forum is a platform for dialogue, the forum brings together leaders in policy to discuss critical challenges facing our world, and builds on innovative and action-driven networks to address these challenges.
• Lord Ahmad also visited Qatar and Bahrain last month (November 18 and 19) for discussions on the crisis in Israel and the OPTs. In a speech at the Manama Dialogue to senior decision makers from the region during his last visited, the Minister reiterated urgent calls for agreements to allow for vital humanitarian aid to be delivered, get hostages released and to facilitate an end to hostilities as a pathway to deliver a viable two state solution.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 December 2023.

UK scales up support for sustainable, climate-resilient farming practices, and improved access to clean water in climate-vulnerable countries.

• UK support will help farmers around the world adopt sustainable, climate-resilient practices.
• Further new funding will help countries work towards water security and unlock investment in water management.
• Smallholder farmers and rural organisations in Africa will have help to boost incomes without damaging forests.

The UK is scaling up a partnership with the World Bank to boost climate-resilient farming practices around the world, the UK’s International Development and Africa Minister Andrew Mitchell will announce at COP28 today (10 December).

While agriculture is vital for global food security and rural livelihoods, it is also a key driver of climate change and nature loss. Farmers on the front line of climate change suffer ever more frequent, severe weather impacts, including drought and floods.

Improving soil health, land management and efficient use of fertiliser are some of the changes the Just Rural Transition Support Programme will work with climate vulnerable partner countries to adopt so their agriculture policies are more productive and sustainable.

The UK will also provide £10 million through the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to help smallholder farmers and others improve their incomes in ways which reduce the impact on the natural world, particularly forests.

Climate change and deforestation mean that countries like Zambia are suffering droughts, which negatively affect their economies and food production. One example of how the programme will help is by supporting smallholder farmers in Zambia – many of whom are women in rural communities – to expand their businesses, by growing new crops, or improving the quality of their produce, linking them to export markets and planting trees to create more sustainable sources of raw materials.

These announcements follow on from last month’s UK hosted Global Food Security Summit, which brought together countries and international organisations to galvanise support for lasting solutions to prevent famine, wider food insecurity and malnutrition.

Today at COP28, the focus is also on water alongside food and agriculture. Agriculture accounts for 70% of freshwater use globally and causes 70% of water pollution. With the world facing an unprecedented and accelerating water crisis, rapid action is needed to ensure sustainable access to clean water. By 2030, it is estimated there will be a 40% shortfall in freshwater supply, with drastic consequences for people, planet and nature. Growing water insecurity, accelerated by climate change, is rapidly undermining the achievement of all the Sustainable Development Goals.

At the climate summit, Minister Mitchell will set out up to £39 million new funding for the newly launched Just Transitions for Water Security programme, to help countries manage water resources responsibly for the future.

The Just Transitions for Water Security programme will provide technical assistance to low-income and climate vulnerable countries so they can better manage their water resources. This in turn will strengthen climate resilience for the most vulnerable, support more sustainable food systems and improve drought and flood management, all while making sure everyone has access to clean water.

The programme will also help countries work towards water security and mobilise much-needed investment in water, such as large-scale rainwater harvesting.

International Development and Africa Minister Andrew Mitchell said:

Water is at the centre of the climate crisis. Water security must be driven up the global agenda.

My message is clear: we must protect water properly if we are to ensure equitable access for all. UK funding set out today will support water resilient supply chains, and boost investments to ensure this basic and vital source of life is available to vulnerable communities on the frontline of climate change.

Part of the Just Transitions for Water Security programme involves the Resilient Water Accelerator, led by WaterAid, which aims to boost investment in water systems.

Chief Executive of WaterAid Tim Wainwright said:

The climate crisis is a water crisis, with communities in low and middle income countries struggling daily with too little, too much, or too dirty water. WaterAid welcomes the UK government connecting the drops between climate change and water, committing at COP28 to invest up to £39 million into global water security.

WaterAid is happy to be supporting the Resilient Water Accelerator in unlocking private investment at pace. We hope other nations will join the UK in supporting adaptation projects that will build life-saving sustainable, climate-resilient water resources and services.

At COP28 the UK has also signed up to the Freshwater Challenge – launched at the UN Water Conference in March this year by the governments of Colombia, DR Congo, Ecuador, Gabon, Mexico and Zambia – to boost the restoration and conservation of freshwater ecosystems, recognising the essential role these habitats play in tackling climate change and supporting people and nature.

Last month as part of the recently published International Development White Paper, the UK committed to establish a cross-government global water security strategy that sets out the UK’s work on water security in the context of climate change and ensures coherence across sectors in water-related policy making.

These announcements demonstrate the UK’s commitment to deliver the objectives of the Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action. The UK was one of the first countries to endorse the declaration at the Global Food Security Summit last month and it is now supported by more than 130 countries.

Background

The Global Commission on the Economics of Water estimated in its report Turning the Tide that by 2030 there will be a 40% shortfall in freshwater supply, with drastic consequences for people, planet and nature.

The White Paper on International development in a contested world: ending extreme poverty and tackling climate change was published in November 2023.

The UK announcements today at COP28 form part of the £1.6 billion package announced by the Prime Minister at the start of COP28, and include:

• Up to £45 million in support over the next 5 years through the Just Rural Transition Support Programme, in partnership with the World Bank (‘FoodSystems 2030’ Trust Fund).
• Up to £39.1 million for the Just Transitions for Water Security programme, launched on 1 December.
• £10 million for the FAO-led Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) to support organisations that represent smallholder farmers, rural women’s groups, local communities and indigenous peoples’ groups. FFF provides grants, training and expertise to these groups to help improve their incomes in ways that reduce the impact on the natural world, particularly forests. It also works to amplify the voice of smallholders so they can influence important policy decisions over land tenure and natural resource rights. The UK’s £10 million funding to FFF is specifically for Africa.
• The Freshwater Challenge is a country-led initiative, launched at the UN Water Conference in New York in March 2023 by the governments of Colombia, DR Congo, Ecuador, Gabon, Mexico and Zambia. The initiative is supported by a group of core partners who have supported it since its inception – WWF, IUCN, UNEP, The Nature Conservancy, Wetlands International, Conservation International, and the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 December 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN General Assembly meeting on humanitarian aid.

Thank you, Mr President. Colleagues, every year we meet here to reflect on global humanitarian needs. Yet again, we are faced with a sobering picture. 258 million people do not know where their next meal is coming from. One in five children are living in or fleeing from conflict. One in 73 people are displaced, a number which has doubled in the last ten years. We are simultaneously witnessing dire humanitarian situations in Israel and Gaza, Sudan, Syria, and in Ukraine. Alongside many more across the world. The levels of need are overwhelming the humanitarian systems. Colleagues, we all have a role, and a stake, in reversing these worrying trends.

President, on 20 November our Prime Minister launched the UK’s International Development White Paper. This sets out our commitment to getting the Sustainable Development Goals back on track. And it includes a strong commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in the face of ever-growing needs driven by conflict and climate. We will focus on three key areas.

First, we will invest in an effective humanitarian system. We will contribute $1.2 billion to humanitarian assistance from 2024 to 2025. And we will also establish a UK Humanitarian Crisis Response Fund for specialist technical expertise, search and rescue, and emergency medical teams. We call on all Member States, including new and emerging donors and partners, to step up their support.

Second, we are shaping a system that is accountable to the people it serves. The UK is proud to have supported the START network from its inception to deliver rapid, early and locally-led humanitarian action around the world. We will invest more in local leadership on humanitarian action and will explore how our engagement, terminology, delivery, and approach can change to support local partnerships.

Third, we will build a system which can anticipate shocks and act early. This is proven to mitigate the impacts of disasters, save more lives and deliver value for money. We will continue to champion the CERF’s scale up of a system-wide approach to ‘Early Action’, including through our contribution of a further $65 million to the fund this year. Finally, colleagues, we must prevent today’s problems from turning into tomorrow’s crises.

This will need a whole of system response, in partnership with the UN, civil society, the International Financial Institutions, and, increasingly, the private sector. This is why, alongside our humanitarian efforts, we are supporting initiatives that will reduce need and prevent humanitarian caseloads.

We will scope a separate fund alongside our humanitarian funding, to build in climate resilience and adaptation alongside delivery of humanitarian relief. This will reduce the impact of future disasters and help communities to prepare and adapt for crises that we can anticipate.

And we will continue to advocate for compliance with international humanitarian law and for sustainable and inclusive ends to conflicts which remain the greatest blocker to development and prosperity. We look forward to working with you all to deliver this.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 December 2023.

Statement on Behalf of the United Kingdom: Session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute 7 December, 2023.

Madam President, Your Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates. I welcome this opportunity to address the Assembly on behalf of the Government of the United Kingdom.

This anniversary year marks a significant milestone in the Court’s history.

The Rome Statute is a landmark treaty, given life through the collective determination of the international community to address impunity and ensure accountability for the most egregious crimes.

It is worth reflecting that twenty-five years ago there were those who thought the Court would be a symbolic but ultimately toothless body. Such pessimism has been proved wrong. The Court continues to grow – including with Armenia’s welcome ratification of the Rome Statute.

Madam President,

The United Kingdom would like to express its deep gratitude to President Hofmański, whose term as President of the Court expires next year.

We also offer our sincere thanks to you, Madam President. As a judge, President of the Court and now as Assembly of States Parties (ASP) President, you have been a loyal servant and champion of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its values.

And we thank outgoing ASP Vice Presidents Ambassadors Sequensová and Rae for their exemplary service to the Court.

Finally, we congratulate Mr Osvaldo Zavala Giler on his election as ICC Registrar, the incoming ASP President, Vice Presidents and newly elected judges. You can all count on the UK’s support in the execution of your important mandates.

Madam President,

We commend the Court for its work this year, demonstrating its capability to successfully run three parallel trials, including the conviction of Dominic Ongwen for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

We commend the work of the Trust Fund for Victims in ensuring that the interests of victims are central to the work of the Court.

We also commend the Office of the Prosecutor for its careful prioritisation and use of resources. Concluding the investigative phase of four situations since the last Assembly is part of an effective prosecutorial strategy to achieve better and more focussed results. An agile approach to the Court’s work is more important than ever given the growing pressures it faces on its limited resources.

Madam President,

It is a perhaps a reflection of the Court’s successes that we have seen increased attempts to intimidate the Court and undermine its work. The criminal proceedings initiated by Russia against six ICC Judges and the Prosecutor and the cyber-attack were both cynical responses from those who fear the Court’s ability to deliver accountability and justice. Now more than ever, the Court needs our support.  We stand in support of the principled stance of the Prosecutor.

Of course, such support need not be blinkered to the challenges the Court faces.

While we welcome the progress made to improve its performance, effectiveness and efficiency, there is more to be done. We congratulate the Review Mechanism and all stakeholders in the Independent Expert Review (IER) process on completing the assessment this year of almost all 384 IER recommendations.

Some of those recommendations have already been implemented, but the majority have not. It is vital that momentum is maintained to deliver the change that is needed.

The UK firmly believes that States must help the Court to meet its existing mandate before asking it to do even more. Great caution needs to be exercised by States considering adding more crimes to the Rome Statute, particularly where doing so risks division amongst States Parties.

And while we welcome the Court’s three courtrooms being in full use this year, we remain concerned by the lack of trials in the pipeline.

But of course the ICC does not exist or operate in a vacuum. When considering what more the ICC should do to meet the expectations of the States Parties, we should also consider what more we, the States Parties, can do for the ICC.

While States Parties rightly seek the Court to be more effective and efficient, to avoid judicial or prosecutorial overreach, and to respect complementarity, it must equally be properly resourced. The United Kingdom supports an increase to the Court’s budget this year to ensure that it has the resources to deliver what it is being asked to do.

The Court also needs States Parties to cooperate on fugitive tracking and execution of arrest warrants to ensure that, where necessary, individuals suspected of atrocity crimes are held accountable in The Hague. This will help ensure the pipeline of future trials.

Madam President,

Justice is a precursor to lasting peace. The intricate relationship between peace and justice underscores the indispensable role of the ICC in the pursuit of a more just and harmonious world.

The United Kingdom has been a steadfast supporter of the Court since its establishment, and we continue to stand with the court in its global fight against impunity.

Thank you.