Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Russia used its veto alone to end Security Council measures aimed at supporting peace in Mali – UK statement at the UN General Assembly [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 September 2023.

Statement by UK Political Coordinator Fergus Eckersley at the UN General Assembly.

Thank you Mr President, and let me start by joining others in expressing our condolences to the Kingdom of Morocco and its people after this weekend’s tragic earthquake.

Mr President, General Assembly Resolution 76/262 is an important mechanism to ensure that permanent members who use their veto must justify its use in front of this General Assembly. So, it is deplorable that once again we find ourselves holding Russia to account for abusing the veto in a way that undermines international peace and security,

Russia likes to claim it stands up to so-called Western hegemony. Yet it is Russia alone that has repeatedly used its veto to impose its will on the rest of the world where it has failed by force of argument or logic to win the votes to support its positions.

Amid escalating violence in Mali, and as the Peace Agreement comes under increasing pressure, the decision to renew the mandate should have been straightforward and following tireless efforts by the co-penholders, they produce a compromised text that passed the rest of the Council with 13 votes in favour. But instead of working for a compromise Russia tabled a take-it-or-leave-it last minute resolution of its own, which would have dissolved the Panel of Experts.

The Russian text received no support. Literally not a single other vote. That summarises better than anything else the legitimacy of Russia’ arguments.

Russia’s latest actions set a dangerous precedent as the first time a UN sanctions regime has been ended with the veto. There is no justifiable explanation for this, and today, Russia failed to provide one.

The simple truth is that Russia used its veto, alone, to end Security Council measures aimed at supporting peace in Mali. This veto will undermine the implementation of Mali’s Peace Agreement, reduce the Council’s access to information and harm Mali’s prospects for long-term stability.

And it is no wonder that Russia wanted to censor the Panel of Experts. Their final report exposed the Wagner Group’s role in human rights atrocities in Mali, and it showed that under Wagner’s watch the so-called Islamic State in the Greater Sahara has almost doubled its area of control. A security partnership with Russia is clearly not in the interest of Mali’s people but nor is it the solution to Mali’s insecurity.

The United Kingdom remains committed to supporting the peace process in Mali, as well as security across the wider continent. We urge the Transitional Administration to comply with its responsibilities under international law. And we urge the rest of the world to unite in order to help stabilise the situation in Mali.

September 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Stars descend on Downing Street to throw support behind new laws to make UK safest place to be online [September 2023]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 12 September 2023.

Technology Secretary meets nation’s best-known personalities to discuss new laws which would make the UK the safest place in the world to be online.
Famous faces who are vocal about online abuse – including the most-capped Lioness and reality TV stars – will discuss the issue with Tech Sec Michelle Donelan in No10

New laws set to be introduced as landmark legislation completes its final stages in Parliament to make the UK the safest place in the world online

Technology Secretary will tell the influential group that she stands shoulder to shoulder with them in their campaign against vile online abuse

Some of the nation’s best-known personalities from reality TV to sports, journalism and music will today (Tuesday 12 September) meet the Technology Secretary to discuss new laws which would make the UK the safest place in the world to be online.

Coming together at Downing Street later today, they’ll shine a light not only on the impact cowardly online abuse has had on them in the past, but the need to pass powerful new laws to tackle it permanently for future generations, protecting our kids and our mental health.

Stars in attendance to discuss the UK Government’s Online Safety Bill include Georgia Kousoulou, Emily Clarkson, Georgia Harrison and Fara Williams who have been some of the most passionate and dedicated advocates in the UK for a safer internet over the past few years.

The online world plays a huge role in our personal and professional lives, and those in attendance have all have experienced trolling and other forms of abuse online, with new parents including Emily Clarkson, Georgia Kousoulou and others previously raising concerns about their children’s safety growing up online.

Those joining the roundtable have previously echoed their support for the landmark piece of legislation, praising how the new rules will protect their kids from harmful and illegal content, such as bullying, pornography, the promotion of self-harm and eating disorders and online sexual exploitation and abuse.

Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said:

The message from government and these brave campaigners is clear. Enough is enough – it’s time to pass our online safety law and crack down on the sick and cowardly trolls who prowl out of sight online. We stand shoulder to shoulder in our determination to protect our children and other vulnerable groups from a host of vile content that is currently all too easy for them to access.

Former The Only Way is Essex star Georgia Kousoulou said:

Like any mum, I want my son to grow up feeling safe. These new internet safety laws are so important and will make sure our kids are protected from cyberbullying and illegal content they shouldn’t be seeing.

The Online Safety Bill is the UK Government’s flagship piece of legislation that will make the UK the safest place in the world to be online. It will do this by:

Tackling criminal activity online – if it’s illegal offline, it’s illegal online. Platforms will be forced to quickly remove terrorist material or child sexual abuse and exploitation once they are alerted to its presence and will not be allowed to promote it in their algorithms.

Protecting children from harmful or inappropriate content such as, bullying, pornography and the promotion of self-harm and eating disorders.

Increasing the transparency and accountability of online platforms and ensuring they keep their promises to their users.

In just a matter of weeks, we expect the Bill to become law, with it currently completing its final stages in Parliament, following boosted protections to make sure it is as strong as possible and truly future-proofed.

NSPCC Chief Executive, Sir Peter Wanless, said:

The Online Safety Bill is a landmark piece of legislation and will become a central pillar of the child protection framework in the UK. The Government and politicians of all sides have worked tirelessly with survivors of abuse, bereaved families and civil society to ensure the legislation results in a much safer online world for children.

We are tantalisingly close to passing the Bill, so its real-world impact can begin. Once MPs and parliamentarians have finished their work, it is over to tech companies to work with the regulator Ofcom and child protection experts to make sure their products and services do not put children at risk any longer.

Former Love Island star Georgia Harrison said:

Violence against women and girls is so common, with one in three women in the UK having experienced online abuse or harassment.

The Online Safety Bill is going to help bring this to an end, by holding social media companies accountable to protect women and girls from online abuse.

Fara Williams, EE Hope United squad member and former England international, said:

I’m pleased to show my support of the amendments to the Online Safety Bill that will hopefully see more protection for women and girls online. It is clear that the online abuse that happens across social media platforms is something that needs to change and so this a very positive step towards creating a safer and more inclusive online environment for everyone.

Under the new laws, all social media firms will be forced to proactively tackle priority illegal content, and ensure they have systems and processes in place that will quickly take down other criminal content once they become aware of its presence.

The largest platforms with certain functionalities will also be legally forced to take down any material that breaches their own terms of service and provide adults with greater controls over posts containing legal material they may not wish to see.

The Bill will ensure that all users will have the ability to filter out any users that are unverified on websites and can prevent them from interacting with any content which they upload, generate or share, if they so wish.

Platforms will legally have to ensure they have effective reporting and redress mechanisms in place that enables any user to raise concerns about illegal content and companies’ enforcement of their terms of service.

The Bill will also ensure tech companies proactively tackle the use of their platforms to commit fraud. All companies in scope of the Bill will need to tackle fraud offences, this includes, user generated content or content accessed via search results.

Furthermore, the largest and most high-risk services will have additional duties in relation to fraud facilitated through paid for adverts. They will face hefty fines if they do not.

In addition, the regulator, Ofcom, will have a broad power to require information from companies to assess compliance with providers’ duties to tackle illegal content and content that is harmful to children.
September 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Careless driver, Keilan Roberts, has sentence increased [September 2023]

The press release issued by the Attorney General’s Office on 11 September 2023.

A man who got behind the wheel with a lethal cocktail of alcohol and drugs in his system before killing a girl he had met on the same night has had his sentence increased.

Keilan Roberts (22), from Rhymney, Caerphilly County, has had his three years and nine months prison sentence overturned by the Court of Appeal and increased to five years and three months after the Solicitor General referred the original sentence as being unduly lenient.

Roberts also saw his driving disqualification increased from 10 years to 12 years and seven-and-a-half months.

The court heard that on the evening of 24 July 2022, Keilan Roberts met Chloe Hayman in a nightclub while on a night out in Pontypridd, Wales.

The pair had been given a lift home by a mutual friend before Keilan Roberts and Chloe Hayman continued their journey in Keilan Roberts’ car.

But as Keilan Roberts approached a cattle grid just outside Fochriw, near Bargoed, Caerphilly, he mounted the kerb and collided with a metal railing and stone wall. Chloe Hayman sustained grave injuries and died at the scene.

Keilan Robert’s blood sample taken at his arrest showed he had a lethal cocktail of alcohol and drugs in his system.

The Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson KC MP said:

“This was a tragic case where a young person died because of the offender’s careless actions. I want to express my sincere sympathies to Chloe’s family for their loss.

“When you get behind the wheel of a car while under the influence you are not only putting yourself in danger but your passengers and everyone else on the road. The court’s decision to increase the sentence should serve as a strong warning that reckless behaviour will be punished to the full extent of the law.”

Keilan Roberts pleaded guilty to four counts of causing death by careless driving and was sentenced on 6 June 2023 at Newport Crown Court to three years and nine months imprisonment. He also was disqualified from driving for 10 years.

On 8 September 2023, the Court of Appeal increased Keilan Roberts’ sentence after it was referred under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

September 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [September 2023]

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

During his visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories this week, the Foreign Secretary met the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said:

The Foreign Secretary met Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu today during his visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The Foreign Secretary emphasised the strength of our bilateral relationship and welcomed the free trade negotiations underway.

The Foreign Secretary underlined the importance of the UK and Israel’s shared democratic values that underpin our strategic partnership and encouraged Prime Minister Netanyahu to seek any judicial reform through the achievement of the broadest possible consensus.

He and Prime Minister Netanyahu welcomed the UK and Israel’s continued cooperation on major geopolitical challenges, in the region and around the world.

The Foreign Secretary reaffirmed the UK’s support for Israel’s right to self-defence in line with international law. He expressed the UK’s solidarity with Israel following repeated terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians.

He also outlined his concern with ongoing tensions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and the importance of both Israelis and Palestinians taking meaningful action to de-escalate tensions, including by addressing settler violence.

September 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary meets Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen [September 2023]

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

During his visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories this week, the Foreign Secretary met the Foreign Minister of Israel, Eli Cohen.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said:

The Foreign Secretary met with Foreign Minister Cohen this afternoon during his visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the UK and Israel’s thriving partnership, building on their meeting in London in March to sign the UK-Israel 2030 roadmap.

The Foreign Secretary welcomed the work underway to negotiate an enhanced and modernised Free Trade Agreement and encouraged Israel to demonstrate increased ambition in order to secure the best possible deal.

The Foreign Secretary emphasised continued UK concern about any departure from the democratic values that underpin our strategic partnership.

The Foreign Secretary acknowledged the heightened tensions in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. He expressed his condolences following repeated terror attacks against Israeli citizens and reaffirmed the UK’s support for Israel’s right to self-defence in line with international law.

The Foreign Secretary urged both Israelis and Palestinians to take meaningful action to de-escalate tensions and to preserve the two-state solution including, in the case of Israel, to stop settlement expansion and act to prevent settler violence and the culture of impunity.

He and Foreign Minister Cohen welcomed the UK and Israel’s continued cooperation on tackling the threat posed by Iran. The Foreign Secretary also reaffirmed the UK’s steadfast support for Ukraine and highlighted the importance of Israel’s support, including towards Ukrainian reconstruction.

September 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC54 – UK Statement on Afghanistan [September 2023]

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

Statement for Item 2: Interactive dialogue with Special Rapporteur on human rights situation in Afghanistan. Delivered by Human Rights Ambassador Rita French.

Thank you, Mr President.

Let me start by thanking the Special Rapporteur for his longstanding and determined efforts to continue to shed light on the human rights situation in Afghanistan.

We have all watched in horror and sadness as the Taliban have continued their campaign of repression and violence against Afghan women and girls. The ongoing restrictions to the rights of women and girls across every sphere of their lives – in education, in health, in employment, and in freedom of movement – is deplorable. The impact on their wellbeing and livelihood is truly unimaginable. One recent outrage was the closure of beauty salons, severely impacting thousands of women, a number of whom were then punished for bravely protesting the decision.

This coincides with tens of millions of Afghans who are also now in need of humanitarian aid, including many women and children. The UK stands with the international community in helping the Afghan people.

Special Rapporteur,

The Taliban must respond to the needs of the Afghan people. Their call for “work, bread, justice” must be heard.

How can we best communicate our concerns to the Taliban in a way they will understand? How can we better support those who are standing up for human rights in Afghanistan?

Thank you.

September 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New intelligence shows Russia’s targeting of a cargo ship [September 2023]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 September 2023.

New intelligence shows the intended target of a Russian missile attack in the Black Sea was a cargo ship.
- intended target of a Russian missile attack in the Black Sea was a civilian cargo ship
- attacks thwarted by Ukrainian forces who shot down multiple missiles heading towards Odesa port
- since Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Russian attacks have destroyed enough grain to feed more than one million people for a year
Intelligence shows that the Russian military targeted a cargo ship in the Black Sea with multiple missiles on 24 August.

The missiles, which included 2 Kalibr missiles fired from a Black Sea Fleet missile carrier, were successfully shot down by Ukraine’s forces on 24 August.

Intelligence shows that an intended target was a Liberian-flagged cargo ship berthed in the port.

This attack followed US government warnings that the Russian military may launch attacks against civilian shipping in the Black Sea.

Thanks to Ukraine’s air defence, the attack on the civilian ship failed. Not one of the Kalibr missiles reached its intended target.

Despite its failure, this is a clear demonstration of Russia’s continuing attempts to choke Ukraine’s economy, and President Putin’s disregard for the lives of civilians and the interests of countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Putin is trying to win a war he will not win, and these attacks show just how desperate he is.

In targeting cargo ships and Ukrainian infrastructure, Russia is hurting the rest of the world.

This is part of a pattern of Russian aggression in the Black Sea. In July, the Foreign Secretary said the UK believed Russia may target civilian ships in the Black Sea. The US has observed Russia laying more sea mines around Ukrainian ports, and footage showing the detonation of a sea mine in July.

Since July, Russia has systematically targeted Ukrainian port and civilian infrastructure. The attacks have so far destroyed 280,000 tonnes of grain – enough to feed over 1 million people for a year, and more than the total Russia promised to donate to African countries.

Russia has stopped even attempting to justify that these attacks are against legitimate military targets and is cynically targeting civilian infrastructure. President Putin’s intentions are clear for all to see. This is a brutal attempt to choke the Ukrainian economy.

While the UK and our partners continue to do all we can to ensure Ukraine’s exports reach those who need it most, this pattern of deliberately targeted attacks in the Black Sea by Russia demonstrates President Putin’s willingness to weaponise food and innocent trade at the expense of the rest of the world as they block food from reaching world markets.

Since its withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Russia has:
- damaged 26 port infrastructure facilities in Odesa, Chornomorsk and Reni
- destroyed 280,000 tonnes of grain – more than the total amount Russia promised to donate to African states, and enough to feed over 1 million people for a year
- because of Russia’s decision to withdraw, up to 24 million tonnes of foodstuffs from Ukraine may now not reach global markets over the coming year
- before Russia’s invasion, Ukraine was feeding 400 million people worldwide and accounted for 8 to 10% of global wheat exports and 10 to 12% of corn and barley exports.
- Ukraine provided over 50% of the wheat for the World Food Programme in 2022 – without the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI) the World Food Programme (WFP) will have to replace this with more expensive or lower quality wheat
September 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Big steps forward in capital markets cooperation with India [September 2023]
The press release issued by HM Treasury on 11 September 2023.

Indian firms could soon list in London, it has been announced as part of a package of plans unveiled today by the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt alongside Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, as they met in Delhi for face-to-face talks.
Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, today unveiled a series of shared economic and financial commitments with India, following talks with Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi

the Chancellor welcomed India’s confirmation to explore London as a permitted jurisdiction for overseas direct listings of securities

agreements also include the launch of a partnership to boost cross-market investment by the insurance and pension sectors and an initiative to share expertise in structuring and financing major infrastructure projects

The news that India will explore potential London listings follows recent changes to Indian regulation to allow domestic companies to access global markets and underlines the UK capital’s strength as a hub for international capital raising.

In addition, a new UK-India Pensions and Insurance Partnership will support the growth of the sector in both countries. The partnership will focus on knowledge sharing, growing bilateral investment and diversifying risk, including through pension fund trade missions to encourage increased bilateral investment.

The launch of a UK-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge was also announced today. Co-led by Indian public policy think tank NITI Aayog and the City of London Corporation, the initiative will focus on sharing expertise in structuring and financing major infrastructure projects.

The announcements are part of a series of commitments unveiled following high-level meetings as part of the 12th UK-India Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD).

Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said:

“I’m very proud of the progress we’ve made through the UK-India EFD this time. It’s a big step forward to hear India confirming that they’ll explore the London Stock Exchange as an international destination for the direct listing of Indian companies.

“I see India as Asia’s Silicon Valley and the UK as Europe’s Silicon Valley, so there’s a lot we can work on together.”

Total trade between the UK and India was worth £36.6 billion in the last financial year, up over 34% year on year, with an £82 million increase in UK-Indian financial services trade over last year. EFDs are a regular way of deepening ties to grow the economies of both countries.

Investment between the UK and India so far already supports over half a million jobs across both economies, and UK businesses sold goods and services worth around £15 billion to India in 2022.

Today’s EFD was the first face to face meeting of its kind between a UK chancellor and Indian counterpart since 2017, with the most recent taking place virtually in 2021. India-UK trade has more than doubled since the first EFD in 2007.

Other major announcements as part of the EFD, include:

The signing of the UK guarantee to the World Bank to unlock an additional $1 billion of green financing in India. This will promote clean energy investment and support green growth targets, accelerating India’s climate transition and ability to meet COP26 commitments. It is hoped that it will encourage other international partners to support India and shape the world’s climate transition.

Agreement to explore new investment opportunities in areas of shared priority, including leveraging institutional capital to invest in climate adaptation and green businesses in India. This builds on the success of the Green Growth Equity Fund, India’s first dedicated climate change fund backed by British International Investment.

The EFD follows Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s visit to Delhi for the G20 leaders’ summit, where he announced that the UK will provide $2 billion to the Green Climate Fund – the biggest single funding commitment the UK has made to help the world tackle climate change, which will make a significant contribution towards the UK’s pledge to spend £11.6 billion on international climate finance, cementing our global climate leadership.

It also comes after the recently announced ‘Alive with Opportunity’ campaign from the UK government, designed to showcase the deep bond between Britain and India and build on the continuous exchange of people, ideas and culture. The campaign is part of the UK’s ambitions to double trade with India by 2030.

Bill Winters, CBE, Group Chief Executive, Standard Chartered and UK Chair of the India-UK Financial Partnership (IUKFP), said:

“I was delighted to lead a delegation of UK business leaders to accompany the Chancellor of the Exchequer to New Delhi and participate in the EFD. The IUKFP is a crucial platform for UK-India cooperation on issues of critical importance to our respective financial and related professional services industries.

“This innovative public-private partnership has delivered real benefits for both our nations. We look forward to working with both governments to advance our shared goals, including deepening our bilateral trade and investment relationship, greening our financial systems, enhancing collaboration on financial innovation, and enabling cross-border data flows. India and the UK are natural partners, and there are valuable opportunities for us to learn from our respective successes and benefits to be gained by harnessing our full potential.”

Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman of the City of London Corporation, said:

“I am delighted that the City of London Corporation is able to play a part in the Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) through the India-UK Financial Partnership and our co-sponsorship of the UK-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB) with the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog). This new infrastructure initiative is aimed at leveraging the City of London’s expertise in structuring and phasing major projects to meet India’s infrastructure needs – smoothing the path for long-term sustainable investment into India.

“The EFD marks the strength of the partnership between UK and India and lays an excellent foundation for future ventures between our financial and professional services sectors.”
September 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC54 – UK Statement on Sri Lanka [September 2023]

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

Statement on report of OHCHR on promoting reconciliation, accountability & human rights in Sri Lanka. Delivered by UK Ambassador to the WTO & UN Simon Manley.

Thank you Madam Vice President,

Deputy-High Commissioner, let me thank you for your report and update.

The UK welcomes Sri Lanka’s initial commitments to implement devolution in line with the constitution, to address land issues, and to advance governance legislation. It is important that these commitments are matched by tangible progress on the ground.

We also note longstanding commitments to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and urge the Government to ensure terrorism legislation is consistent with Sri Lanka’s international obligations. We encourage too the further release of long-term detainees.

We call on Sri Lanka to safeguard the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and to freedom of expression. The right to freedom of religion or belief must be respected, and communities must be allowed to remember their loved ones.

The discovery of another mass grave [in Mullaitivu] highlights the urgent need for an adequately resourced, independent, and transparent approach to dealing with the past.

Justice, accountability, and reconciliation are at the heart of our approach and we hope in Sri Lankans. We acknowledge commitments to make progress in transitional justice and urge Sri Lanka to ensure any process carries the support of victim communities, builds upon past recommendations, and meets international standards.

Thank you.

September 13, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC54 – Joint Statement on Sri Lanka [September 2023]

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

Statement by Sri Lanka Core Group comprising Canada, N Macedonia, Malawi, Montenegro, United Kingdom and United States. Delivered by UK Ambassador, Rita French.

High Commissioner,

We welcome your report on Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has made important recent commitments on land issues and devolution of political authority. We encourage Sri Lanka to turn these commitments into meaningful action and deliver long-awaited results. Sri Lanka still has a long way to go to fulfil commitments to justice, accountability, and reconciliation.

We note preparations for a truth and reconciliation commission, and emphasise the importance of an inclusive participatory process in the establishment of any mechanisms to advance transitional justice, to gain the confidence of all affected communities, in line with international best practices.

We are concerned by continued incidents of intimidation and harassment of civil society and journalists, and by the arbitrary use of laws to suppress dissent.

As Sri Lanka takes forward its economic recovery, we stress the importance of effective governance reforms and note the recent anti-corruption legislation. This must be accompanied by safeguarding established independent institutions, and democratic processes.

We call on Sri Lanka to work with the High Commissioner and his office [and remain ready to support Sri Lanka in addressing HRC resolution 51/1.]

September 13, 2023