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The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 May 2025.

Mr Bilal Zahid has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Slovak Republic in succession to Mr Nigel Baker OBE MVO who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Zahid will take up his appointment during September 2025.

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Full name: Bilal Zahid

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 May 2025.

Ambassador Holland reflects on the framework for stability that we have collectively built since the end of WW2 which, when respected, has the potential to prevent further conflict.

Thank you, Madam Chair.  This week marks the 80th anniversary of the end, on the European continent, of the most devastating conflict in human history.  The scale of human loss and suffering during the Second World War was vast: tens of millions of people killed; a Holocaust resulting in the destruction of Europe’s Jewish communities; entire cities and regions totally flattened; and, populations permanently displaced.

This week is an opportunity to pay tribute to the brave men and women who fought to end this war and who made peace possible.  It is an opportunity to reflect on the terrible costs of conflict.  But it is also an opportunity to recall and cherish what we have collectively built since this dark episode in our shared history.

Because, from the ashes of war, a new epoch was born, one with international collaboration and shared values at its core.  It led to the creation of new institutions, principles and commitments that have played a pivotal role in maintaining peace and stability across our continent and beyond for decades.  In declaring a vision to make war between historic rivals not merely unthinkable, but materially impossible, Robert Schuman captured the spirit of the time.

Key elements of this framework include the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act and the Charter of Paris.  They clearly set out how we should expect countries to behave towards each other and to their citizens.  These fundamentals – such as sovereignty, territorial integrity and respect for human rights – have proven, when respected, to be a recipe for stability, prosperity and mutual security.  It should be no surprise that, when we examine the conflicts that have taken place on our continent since 1945, all of them can trace their origins to a violation of one or more of these fundamental principles.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is a clear example.  Russia invaded Ukraine without provocation, in violation of the UN Charter and Helsinki Final Act.  This war, and the disinformation campaign that seeks to justify it, disrespects the memory of those who died fighting genuine tyranny.  It could end tomorrow if Russia made the right choices and lived up to its commitments.  Instead of tokenistic ceasefires drawn up at whim, it could choose to engage seriously and agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, as Ukraine has done, to create space for talks on a just and lasting peace.  As the post-Second World War record shows, a just peace that lives up to these principles would be the best guarantee of our mutual security, including Russia’s.

The sacrifices made by previous generations compel us to protect and stand by the principles we have all signed up to. It is our duty to preserve the legacy they fought so hard to achieve.  And to spare our own and future generations from the burden of picking through the ashes of conflict to rebuild our continent once again.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 May 2025.

Statement by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley, at Kuwait’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Mr President,

Let me welcome the Minister and the delegation to Geneva, and welcome too the role Kuwait has played as a member of the Council.

We recognise the positive steps Kuwait has taken to improve and protect women’s rights. These include the abolition of Article 153 of the Penal Code and raising the marriage age to 18.

However, some areas warrant attention, including the nationality campaign’s disproportionate effect on women, the reported re-emergence of capital punishment and shrinking space for public debate.

We recommend that Kuwait:

1. Implements policies to ensure that ’Article 8’ women, whose Kuwaiti nationality has been revoked, continue to receive access, without discrimination, to employment, justice and social services.

2. Strengthens protections for migrant workers.

3. Returns to a position of non-application of the death penalty.

4. Ensures that freedoms of opinion and expression are protected in line with Kuwaiti law.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 May 2025.

UK Statement on Guyana, delivered at Guyana’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you, Mr Vice-President,

We welcome the steps taken by Guyana to improve the legal framework for human rights, including efforts to advance gender equality.

Yet challenges remain, particularly in protecting the rights of vulnerable groups, including LGBT+ individuals and persons with disabilities, as well as safeguarding fundamental freedoms such as press freedom and civic space.

Ongoing efforts to strengthen human rights must be complemented by tangible action to address these concerns and ensure that all citizens, including marginalised communities, can fully enjoy their rights without fear of discrimination or violence.

We recommend that Guyana:

1. Takes steps to safeguard press freedom and ensure the independence of the media, by refraining from intimidation, ensuring equitable access to state resources for all media outlets and committing to international press standards.
2. Strengthens civic participation by establishing formal and transparent mechanisms for regular consultations with civil society organisations on policy development.
3. Continues to strengthen legal protections for LGBT+ individuals, by decriminalising consensual same-sex relations between adults, and combatting discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 May 2025.

The ceremony involved wreath laying by invited guests, including the Governor General of Solomon Islands, His Excellency David Kapu and other dignitaries.

On Thursday 8 May, the British High Commission in Solomon Islands celebrated Victory in Europe (VE) Day 80 years on from when the Second World War ended in Europe.

Held at the High Commissioner’s official residence at Tanuli in Honiara, the ceremony involved the laying of wreathes by invited guests, including the Governor General of Solomon Islands, H.E David Kapu; Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands H.E Rod Hilton and his Acting Defence Advisor Bret Verity and New Zealand High Commissioner to Solomon Islands H.E Jonathan Curr.

Others included the Japanese Ambassador H.E Keiichi Higuchi; United States Chargée d’Affaires Ms Kristine Marsh, Reverend Wilfred Kekea from the Anglican Church of Melanesia; Westminster Foundation for Democracy Country Director Vatina Devesi; Rosalind Manekaea from the Guides and Joe Billy Oge from the Scout Movement.

Speaking at the service British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands and Non-Resident High Commissioner to Nauru, His Excellency Paul Turner said:

More than ever, it is important to remember and honour those who sacrificed their lives to fight fascism in Europe. The war in Ukraine and the unprovoked attack by Russia showed that peace and security in Europe and across the world was in a perilous state. Systems of international law and justice – which we had grown up with since the end of World War II – were now under attack from regimes such as the one in Russia.

The war in the Far East did not end until 15 August 1945, when Japan surrendered, which was celebrated across the world as ‘Victory over Japan’ (VJ Day). The 80th anniversary of VJ Day takes place on Friday 15 August 2025, commemorating the end of the Second World War.

The Second World War touched every aspect of life and had a devastating impact on those who experienced it, and for the generations after. From the sailors, soldiers and aviators who fought, to children who were evacuated, and all those who stepped into essential roles on the home front, we owe it to the Second World War generation who 80 years ago fought for our freedom and paid the ultimate sacrifice in giving generations lasting peace.

Through a series of national and local events, we unite to pay tribute to the millions of people across the UK and Commonwealth who served in the Second World War as well as echoing the same celebrations 80 years ago as the population welcomed the end of the war.

While VE and VJ Day 80 have been an opportunity for celebration, as it was across the streets of Britain in 1945, these commemorations were also one of the last opportunities to honour our living Second World War veterans.

There is also a younger generation for whom the events of the Second World War – the sacrifices made, and the reasons for them – seem like distant history. It will be a time for us to come together to listen to their stories and reflect on their values that ensured the Allied victory – service and selflessness across our nation.

In an increasingly uncertain and fragmented world, this anniversary has never been more important. It is only by learning from conflicts such as the Second World War and listening to their devastating effects from those who experienced them, that we bring to life the realities of war, especially for younger generations, so that they can learn about the horrors that it entailed and the sacrifices necessary to preserve peace and freedom.

This year is particularly poignant, as it is one of the last opportunities to honour the living Second World War veterans, who fought so hard to preserve peace and freedom that enables our shared way of life.

It is vital that we learn from their stories and ensure they are told to generations to come, in order that younger generations understand what they were fighting for and the horrors that conflicts on this scale can bring.