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The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 April 2025.

Statement by UK Spokesperson to the UN Letisha Lunin at the UN Committee on Information General Debate.

Thank you Chair, let me begin by congratulating you and the members of the Bureau on your election.

I would also like to thank the Secretariat and Under-Secretary-General Fleming and the Department of Global Communications for its work, including on the UN’s Global Principles for Information Integrity, which we are proud to support.

The UN’s footage and testimony from war zones shines a light on humanitarian crises. Its news and campaign services raise awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals, and equip us with accurate information on the climate and nature crisis.

As we mark the UN’s 80th anniversary, the Department’s work has never been more important.

It is vital audiences understand the nature and magnitude of the current global challenges we face, and how the UN has made a difference, maintaining international peace and security, in accordance with the UN charter.

Chair, I will make three points:

First, the UK is extremely concerned at the rapidly growing threats to information integrity, fueled by artificial intelligence.

Mis and disinformation operations are being used to exacerbate tensions and conflicts, and compromise the integrity of elections, undermining trust in democratic institutions.

The recent World Economic Forum Global Risks Report for 2025 lists mis and disinformation as the most severe global risks over the next two years.

Mis and disinformation is being weaponised by state and non-state actors to deceive populations at scale.

Since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, Russia has been using disinformation to undermine global support for Ukraine. The UK has been proactive in identifying and acting against these malign information operations. This includes exposing and sanctioning the Russian state-funded Social Design Agency, whose sole purpose is to weaken international support for Ukraine by spreading false social media content.

Recently, the UK shared information that Proxies, directed by the Russian state, have plans to interfere with elections in the Central African Republic, including through suppressing political voices and conducting disinformation campaigns to interfere in political debate.

Russia has also been exploiting the Security Council as a platform for disinformation. Russia has invited dozens of individuals as briefers to spread conspiracy theories about what has happened in Ukraine.

Member States all have a responsibility to protect the integrity of the UN as a trusted source of information.

The UK condemns disinformation about UN Peacekeeping operations. The spread of false allegations not only erodes trust between the Blue Helmets and the communities they serve, it is also damaging their ability to implement their mandate, and it is putting peacekeepers’ lives at risk.

We are proud to support the UN’s Mis and Disinformation in Peacekeeping Settings Project.

Second, independent journalism reported freely, without fear, is essential in a democratic society.

But in many parts of the world, the freedom of the media is under threat.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports that more journalists were killed in 2024 than in any other year since it began collecting data over three decades ago.

The conflict in Gaza has become the deadliest ever recorded for media and journalist workers.

In Sudan, reporters are also taking significant risks to document the horrors of war.

Journalists should be able to carry out their work safely and free from censorship and harassment.

The UK is proud to have co-founded the Media Freedom Coalition, with 51 countries as members, advocating for the safety of journalists.

And we also thank the Department of Global Communications for its work supporting journalists.

This brings me to my third point, Chair. The UK is committed to doing all we can to protect information integrity with a human rights-based approach.

That is why we are proud to support the Global Digital Compact.

The UK’s Online Safety Act ensures platforms tackle harmful content by requiring companies to take steps to remove illegal content, including illegal mis and disinformation.

Finally, the UK supports multilingualism.

And while a third of the world’s population remains offline, the UK supports collective efforts to close the digital divide and ensure those who come online have access to accurate and reliable information.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 April 2025.

Statement by Lord Collins of Highbury, Minister for Africa and the UN, at the UN General Assembly debate on the International Impartial and Independent Mechanism in Syria.

Thank you Assistant Secretary-General Robert Petit for the briefing and the debate today.

Let me also welcome Foreign Minister Al Shaibani to the Assembly. Your presence here today is a powerful signal of the opportunities that lie ahead for Syria to carve out a more secure, peaceful and prosperous future.

I will make three points today.

First, we welcome progress in Syria’s political transition since the fall of the Assad regime.

This includes the formation of a new Syrian Government and their commitment to hold free and fair elections in Syria.

We also welcome the important steps taken since December towards social cohesion amongst the Syrian people.

This includes the first-ever consensus on the Human Rights Council resolution supported by the Syrian Government, and commitments by the Syrian Government to establish national committees to address transitional justice, missing persons and chemical weapons.

However, as the horrific events in the coastal areas in March remind us, significant challenges remain to address the legacy of 14 years of war and brutality, and to begin the process to provide closure to all those affected.

Second, we commend the IIIM for the valuable progress it has made since December on the international pursuit for accountability.

The volume of documentation and witness interviews that the IIIM team have collated is a testament to your tireless dedication to provide a credible evidence base for future prosecutions.

The appointment of an IIIM Liaison Officer in Damascus is also a promising example of UN-Syria cooperation, and we urge all parties to work collaboratively to ensure that survivors receive the justice that they demand, and that they deserve.

Third, the UK had a leading role in supporting international and civil society accountability efforts during the Assad regime.

And we remain committed to pursuing accountability for victims, survivors and families in Syria, and for that reason, we continue to see the IIIM as a crucial component for the future Syrian-led Transitional Justice processes.

We were proud to have co-sponsored the UNGA resolution which established this mechanism in 2016 and remain committed to ensuring that it has the political backing and operational remit it requires to succeed.

And this year, the United Kingdom has allocated a further $940,000 in funding to our partners in support of this effective evidence collection and preservation.

We thank IIIM for your contribution to the fight against impunity and for amplifying the voices of survivors throughout your work.

The UK will continue to support the Syrian Government and its people in their efforts on reconciliation and accountability to ensure a stable and prosperous future for the people of Syria.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 April 2025.

Statement by the UK’s Ambassador for Human Rights to the UN, Eleanor Sanders, at Lao PDR’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you Mr Vice President.

The United Kingdom welcomes the Lao PDR’s engagement with UN human rights mechanisms and its efforts to address human rights challenges. We are pleased with the inclusion of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in Laos’ action plans.

However, the UK remains concerned over restrictions on freedom of expression, assembly and religion. We are also concerned by limited land rights for vulnerable communities and the worsening issue of human trafficking linked to serious organised crime.

We urge the Government to act on these issues and uphold its international obligations. In particular, we recommend that Laos;

1. Takes immediate steps to protect and promote civic space, ensuring that all individuals can freely exercise their rights without fear of reprisal.
2. Ensures that development projects respect the rights of affected communities, including noting the principle of free, prior and informed consent.
3. Implements its international obligations under the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children and to collaborate with regional and international partners to address this issue.

Thank you.