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The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 October 2024.

£10 million humanitarian package will support thousands of people who have been displaced and impacted by the conflict.

• the Foreign Secretary continues to work with his counterparts to reduce tensions in the Middle East
• comes as the UK government has chartered more flights to help British nationals leave Lebanon

The UK is boosting its humanitarian support for Lebanon with a further £10 million to respond to the mass displacement of people, as well as the growing number of civilian casualties.

The funding comes as the UK continues to urge all British nationals to leave the country as soon as possible, and for an immediate ceasefire between Lebanese Hizballah and Israel. A ceasefire would provide the space necessary to find a political solution in line with Resolution 1701 and enable civilians on both sides to return to their homes.

The aid package responds to serious concerns over a widespread lack of shelter, and reduced access to clean water, hygiene and healthcare. It will be delivered through trusted humanitarian organisations, who have a long-established presence delivering aid within Lebanon.

The announcement follows the £5 million humanitarian package delivered through UNICEF to support access to clean water and sanitation, health, and nutrition supplies.

The UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which the UK is the largest donor to, this week also allocated £7.6 million to respond to the urgent conflict-related needs and displacement in Lebanon.

Anneliese Dodds, Minister of State for Development and Minister of State for Women and Equalities, said:

The human cost of the conflict in Lebanon is clear for all to see. This additional funding from the UK will help to address the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, providing relief for people displaced by the continuing violence.

This lifesaving aid is vital, but not a long-term solution. The only way to truly address the growing humanitarian crisis is an immediate ceasefire adhered to by both sides.

We continue to urge British nationals in Lebanon to leave immediately.

The government yesterday (3 October) announced that it is also chartering more flights to help British nationals leave Lebanon. More than 150 British nationals and dependants left Beirut on a government-chartered flight on Wednesday (2 October).

British nationals and their spouse or partner, and children under the age of 18 are eligible. All passengers must hold a valid travel document. Dependants who are not British nationals will require a valid visa that has been granted for a period of stay in the UK of more than 6 months.

The UK continues to work with partners to increase capacity on commercial flights for British nationals. Around 700 troops and Foreign Office and Home Office staff, including Border Force officers, have been deployed to Cyprus for contingency planning.

Defence Secretary John Healey travelled to Cyprus yesterday to meet and thank deployed military personnel.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 October 2024.

More than 250 British nationals have left Lebanon on flights chartered by the UK government. Remaining British nationals who want to leave should register immediately or use commercial routes.

The UK has chartered a flight to leave Beirut on Sunday (6 Oct) as tensions in the region escalate.

There are no more scheduled flights, due to a decrease in demand. However, the situation will be kept under constant review.

Any remaining British nationals who want to leave Lebanon are urged to register with the government immediately.

The government has been advising British nationals to leave Lebanon since October last year due to a deteriorating security situation. So far 3 chartered flights organised by the government have left Beirut, with a fourth to leave on Sunday.

The government added the extra capacity due to high demand for places on commercial flights and has enabled more than 250 additional people to leave in the last week.

The government committed to charter flights as long as there was demand and the security situation allows. However, demand has now significantly reduced, and this Sunday’s flight is currently the only one scheduled.

Any British nationals who have not booked a place and still wish to secure a seat on the flight are advised to register immediately.

British nationals and their spouse or partner, and children under the age of 18 are eligible. All passengers must hold a valid travel document.

Dependants who are not British nationals will require a valid visa that has been granted for a period of stay in the UK of more than 6 months.

UK government officials have been working round the clock in London, Beirut and the wider region to provide support to British nationals. An FCDO Rapid Deployment Team has also arrived in Lebanon to bolster the support offered by British Embassy officials.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

The situation in Lebanon remains volatile, so I am glad that we have helped the many people who have heeded our advice to leave the country immediately.

With demand falling, and the security situation deteriorating, there is no guarantee other options to leave quickly will become available. I urge anyone who wants to leave to register now.

Sunday’s flight will depart from Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport and British nationals who have registered their presence with the government will be sent details on how to request a seat.

British nationals and their dependants should not travel to the airport unless they have a seat booked on a plane.

The FCDO urges everyone to continue to follow the relevant travel advice, exercise caution, and monitor media in Lebanon for developments.

The safety of British nationals is the top priority and around 700 troops and Foreign Office and Home Office staff, including Border Force officers, have been deployed to Cyprus for contingency planning.

The UK continues to call for a ceasefire between Lebanese Hizballah and Israel. A ceasefire would provide the space necessary to find a political solution that enables civilians on both sides to return to their homes in safety.

Background

• British nationals and dependants will be eligible to request a space on the flight. Any non-British dependants will require a visa to enter the UK, granted for a period of stay in the UK of longer than 6 months, in line with usual immigration rules and entry process
• the FCDO launched the register your presence service on Wednesday 25 September 2024
• a limited number of commercial flights are still operating and the FCDO has been working with partners to increase capacity to enable British nationals to leave
• the FCDO has been advising British nationals to leave Lebanon since October 2023

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 October 2024.

UK Statement for Item 9 General Debate on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related forms of intolerance. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

Thank you Mr Vice President,

The UK condemns all forms of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia and related forms of intolerance. We remain steadfast in our commitment to combatting it, at home and abroad.

We celebrate Black History Month this October in the UK. That is a moment to reflect on the impact of black heritage and culture on our country and our place in the world. It’s a chance to celebrate the enormous contribution of black Britons in all walks of life. It is also a chance for us to acknowledge some of our country’s most painful history.

As in all societies, challenges persist. Ongoing efforts to address racial and ethnic inequalities are essential to ensure better outcomes for all communities.

The UK stands firmly against the scourge of racism and is committed to taking further meaningful action domestically and internationally to shape a better society for all. This includes bringing forward new legislation to tackle persistent racial inequalities. We are dedicated to fostering a society where everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity or background, can thrive and live a life free from discrimination and intolerance.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 October 2024.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Somalia.

I will make four points on behalf of the UK.

First, we express our deepest condolences to the families of the 37 civilians killed in al-Shabaab’s horrific attack on Mogadishu’s Lido beach on the 2nd of August, and of all other civilians killed in Somalia in the recent months. We commend the continued efforts of the Federal Government of Somalia to tackle al-Shabaab.

Second, we thank Somalia and the UN for their consultation on the future of the UNSOM mandate. As we look towards UNSOM’s two-year transition, the UK is working with stakeholders to ensure a gradual, responsible and sustainable drawdown of the mission, including the progressive and phased transfer of the mission’s tasks to the Federal Government of Somalia, the UN Country Team and other stakeholders.

It is essential that during the transition the mission has the resources and capabilities necessary for continued delivery on those areas critical to Somalia’s needs. We thank the SRSG for the continued, constructive execution of his responsibilities.

And as we move into the transition period, the role of SRSG remains vital. We also look forward to working closely with all Council members this month on the transitional mission’s mandate.

Third, we note the upcoming Federal Member State elections. We echo the Secretary General’s call for all stakeholders to work together to resolve differences on electoral modalities and timelines, and we are watching closely the outcomes of the National Consultative Council meeting this week.

I support Ms. Elman’s comments on the importance of an approach inclusive of civil society, women and youth in Somalia’s political and peacebuilding processes.

Fourth, we welcome the continued progress on the planning for the African Union-led successor mission to ATMIS. We underline the importance of the UN and AU consulting broadly, in line with resolution 2748, to ensure the overall mission design and financing options are viable and deliverable. We look forward to next week’s interim update, and the detailed reporting on the 15th of November.

Finally President, I would also like to welcome Somalia and all incoming members as they begin observing Council proceedings this month. We look forward to working closely with Somalia from January on the full range of Security Council business.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 October 2024.

Deputy Ambassador Brown condemns Russia’s treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians, which violates the Geneva Conventions.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning, colleagues.

This year we commemorated the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Geneva Conventions of 1949. Born out of the horrors of the Second World War, they are a recognition that, even in times of hostilities, there must be limits on the suffering that we inflict upon our enemies.

The four Geneva Conventions have been ratified by all of us and, along with the Additional Protocols, serve as the foundation of International Humanitarian Law. Indeed, the fulfilment in good faith of our obligations under international law is the tenth principle from the Helsinki Final Act, the bedrock of this organisation.

It is deeply concerning, therefore, to see a substantial and growing body of evidence demonstrating the disregard Russia has shown for International Humanitarian Law.

Article 13 of the Third Geneva Convention states “Prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated.” This week the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights published their latest report, which concluded that torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) by Russia is widespread and systematic. They reached this conclusion after interviews with 174 POWs, 97% of whom described experiencing torture or ill-treatment. 68% said they had experienced sexual violence. The report finds it highly unlikely that the authorities were unaware of how prisoners were being treated; it also suggests there is a significant level of coordination between different state entities and widespread knowledge of the use of torture. These findings are consistent with those by other independent international organisations, including the Moscow Mechanism report published in April this year.

Senior Russian officials have even called for the execution of Ukrainian POWs. We are alarmed that, just yesterday, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General reported that Russian troops had allegedly executed sixteen surrendering Ukrainian soldiers near Pokrovsk.

The Fourth Geneva Convention concerns the protection of civilians in times of war. It prohibits unlawful violence to life, cruel treatment and torture, and it places strict legal grounds on the deprivation of a civilian’s liberty. In that Moscow Mechanism report, the panel of independent experts found that Russia had arbitrarily detained thousands of Ukrainian civilians. It also found that civilians had been denied the guarantees that should have been afforded to them under international law and subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. The UN’s latest report shows how arbitrary detention and torture of civilians has continued in recent months. We demand that Russia allows independent observers full access to all places where Ukrainian POWs and civilian detainees are held – just as Ukraine does for Russian detainees.

We remain appalled by the ongoing detention of the three staff members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, who have been wrongly imprisoned for more than two years for activities carried out while working for the OSCE. We call again for their immediate release.

Madam Chair, 75 years ago, mankind’s barbarity required us to bolster the laws of war. We must not pass on a similar burden to our successors. Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 October 2024.

UK highlights support for the OSCE, governments, and civil society organisations, which work to protect the most vulnerable from the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking.

Thank you Madame Moderator. And thank you to the panellists for their insightful presentations.

The United Kingdom believes that international coordination is critical to tackling trafficking in human beings. Conflict, humanitarian crises, irregular migration, and the devastating impacts of climate change are all contributing to growing numbers of people in modern slavery and subject to human trafficking, with women and children particularly at risk.

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has precipitated the largest forced displacement of people in Europe since the Second World War.

Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced persons continue to face a heightened risk of trafficking.

To better inform the response, the UK has supported analysis by a regional Observatory on Organized Crime. The Observatory’s report on ‘The vulnerable millions’ provided valuable insight into the organised crime patterns, drivers, and risks in Ukraine’s mass displacement.

Building on this, the UK supports the OSCE, governments and civil society organisations with work to protect the most vulnerable from the risks of modern slavery and trafficking.

We have, for example, supported adaptation of awareness materials on the risk of human trafficking into Ukrainian, as well as the development of apps to support and track refugees vulnerable to exploitation on their relocation journeys.

We especially welcome the work of the Special Representative for Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings and her Office, as well as the efforts of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, to support states in the region to increase prevention efforts and protection of Ukrainian refugees.

Last year, the UK was also pleased to participate in a workshop delivered by the Special Representative’s Office on reducing trafficking risks for Ukrainian refugees in the UK. The Office shared positive practices and tools to prevent the trafficking of refugees vulnerable to exploitation, and provided relevant UK agencies with recommendations on tailoring responses to reduce those risks.

Finally, the UK continues to strengthen our relationships with partner governments in the region through bilateral agreements – including the Joint Action Plan we have agreed with Romania. This aims to reduce the number of Romanian nationals trafficked and exploited in the UK, as well as to strengthen national responses.

Across the OSCE region, we must do more: both for those forced to flee anew, and for the longer-term displaced. Stopping trafficking before it happens, protecting and assisting victims, and bringing perpetrators to justice.

Beyond the statistics are countless individual stories of tragedy and hardship. Let us continue to work together to end this heinous crime. Thank you Madame Moderator.