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The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 September 2024.

Statement by Jess Jambert-Gray, Deputy Political Coordinator, at the UN Security Council meeting on chemical weapons in Syria.

It is eleven years this month since Syria ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention, and since this Council unanimously agreed resolution 2118, calling on Syria to immediately cease its production, storage and use of chemical weapons.

In 2013, Bashar Assad’s forces used sarin against the people of Ghouta, killing over 1400 people. In 2018, a chemical weapon attack in Douma killed 43 men, women and children and affected dozens more.

Yet the Syria chemical weapon issue has still not been confined to history. The Syrian authorities have failed to account for thousands of munitions and hundreds of tonnes of chemical agent, despite the diligent efforts of the OPCW and its Declaration Assessment Team.

We have had 150 technical meetings yet outstanding issues still remain with Syria’s declaration. Nineteen outstanding issues remain unresolved regarding the Syrian declaration to the Chemical Weapons Convention.

And two were added in July 2024, opened – set out in the OPCW Director General’s report to the Council – because of Syria’s failure to sufficiently explain traces of undeclared chemical warfare agents or their indicators in samples previously collected by the Declaration Assessments Team.

This suggests potentially undeclared full-scale development and production of chemical weapons at two formally declared chemical weapons sites. This is deeply concerning.

Colleagues, Syria’s ongoing non-compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention has grave implications for both regional and international security.

Since Bashir Assad first used chemical weapons against Syrian civilians in 2013, chemical weapons have been used again and again. In Iraq, Malaysia, in my own country, the UK, and now in Ukraine.

All of us have a responsibility to hold up the global taboo against the use of chemical weapons. Chemical weapons use cannot become normalised. I urge Syria to comply with the OPCW and its Declaration Assessment Team.

And I urge all members of this Council to make clear their opposition to the use of chemical weapons anywhere, and to support the efforts of the OPCW. The UK applauds the continued diligent efforts by the OPCW under DG Ambassador Fernando Arias’ leadership.

We will continue to work tirelessly to support the OPCW and to uphold the Chemical Weapons Convention, and to one day finally achieve the total elimination of chemical weapons.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 September 2024.

Stephen Doughty makes first visit to Canada as North America Minister to formally open the most environmentally friendly building in the UK’s diplomatic estate.

• UK’s greenest diplomatic building formally opened at gala reception in Ottawa by newly-appointed North America Minister Stephen Doughty
• unveiling of new British High Commission building highlights the UK’s commitment to tackling climate change and global Net Zero leadership
• minister also using first visit to Canada since the UK General Election to meet federal and provincial leaders as key allies refresh the UK-Canada partnership

The UK has underlined its commitment to be a global leader in tackling climate change by formally unveiling its most environmentally friendly diplomatic building in Ottawa.

Stephen Doughty is making his first visit to Canada since becoming the UK’s North America Minister following the General Election in July and has officially opened the new British High Commission building on Sussex Drive.

The building is the most environmentally sustainable building in the UK’s diplomatic network – including using reclaimed materials for the construction, having an energy efficient design, and targeting reduced water consumption – underlining the UK’s commitment to delivering on its 2050 Net Zero goal.

Minister Doughty, who has strong personal and family ties with Canada, was joined at a reception by High Commissioner Susannah Goshko, the Chief of the Air Staff, senior figures from the Canadian Armed Forces and senior representatives of the Government of Canada to mark the official opening.

Minister for Europe, North America and the Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty said:

The UK and Canada are the closest of partners across the most pressing global challenges, from standing united with Ukraine to our relations as NATO allies and key partners in the Commonwealth. Our partnership is also crucial in the fight to tackle climate change, and it’s fitting that the greenest building in the UK’s diplomatic estate is here in Ottawa.

The UK continues to show leadership in the green transition and it’s an honour for me to formally unveil a building that lays down an important marker for environmentally friendly design.

Canada is a country with which I have significant personal ties and have such great affection for, and I’m thrilled to be back here for my first trip to the region as the UK’s Minister responsible for our relations.

During the gala reception, there was a fly-past by the Red Arrows over the new High Commission building providing a stunning backdrop to the VIP event as part of an ongoing tour of Canada by the RAF’s world-famous aerial display team.

The location of the new High Commission building is opposite the Global Affairs Canada building, providing a physical demonstration of the strength of the UK-Canada relationship.

Minister Doughty is also travelling to Montreal and over the course of his 2-day visit, meeting with political leaders to discuss UK-Canadian collaboration on global security issues, including Ukraine, the Middle East and as key partners and allies in NATO, and with business leaders to further UK-Canada economic ties.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 September 2024.

The UK and others mark the four-year anniversary of the fraudulent presidential election in Belarus in 2020.

Thank you, Mr Chair.

I am delivering this statement on behalf of the following participating States, who are members of the Informal Group of Friends of Democratic Belarus:  Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, and my own country, Iceland.

The following participating States are also joining this statement: Albania, Austria, Liechtenstein and Moldova.

August 9 marked four years since the fraudulent presidential election in Belarus. Despite the lack of a democratic mandate from his country’s citizens, Aleksandr Lukashenko declared himself the winner and ensconced himself for a sixth term in office. Authorities responded to the peaceful protests that sprung up across the country with widespread and brutal crackdowns. Security forces arrested and imprisoned thousands of Belarusians, including mothers and fathers, teachers, students, tradespeople, human rights defenders, journalists, pensioners, and others, many of whom reported being subjected to torture and ill-treatment. Those demanding new, free and fair elections are labelled “extremists” and, according to the amendments to the Criminal Code, may even face the death penalty.

In the four years since that fateful day, Belarusian authorities have only intensified the repression that has accompanied Lukashenko’s complete disregard for democratic principles and the will of the people. Authorities have unjustly detained tens of thousands of Belarusian citizens, simply for exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms. According to Human Rights Center Viasna, Belarus has convicted at least 5,400 people in politically motivated criminal cases. Despite some recent releases, approximately 1,400 political prisoners remain behind bars, although the real number is likely much higher. Since July 11, when a group of 38 participating States invoked the Vienna Mechanism to inquire about the conditions of detained prisoners, Belarus has refused to provide any response to the questions raised. Belarus has also failed to comply with the recommendations of the 2020 and 2023 Moscow Mechanism expert missions’ reports.

Mr Chair, we call for the immediate and unconditional release of the roughly 1,400 political prisoners and a large-scale reform of existing laws to end systemic political repression in Belarus. We call on the Belarusian authorities to fully implement their international obligations and OSCE commitments, including by taking all necessary steps to create conditions for free, fair, and democratic elections. We also urge them to implement the recommendations in the 2023 Moscow Mechanism report, including but not limited to:

• Bringing criminal and administrative codes into full compliance with international obligations and commitments; and
• Repealing laws targeting independent organizations and media for political purposes.

In the meantime, we will continue to speak out about the horrible repression taking place in Belarus, engage with Belarusian civil society to promote accountability for human rights violations, and support international efforts to hold the perpetrators to account. The Belarusian people’s refusal to be muzzled and their continued call – even at great personal risk – for democratic elections and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are a testament to their strength, bravery, and resilience.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 September 2024.

Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown underlines the UK’s concerns following the recent operation by Kosovo Police against Serbian-run municipal offices in the north of Kosovo.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

The United Kingdom shares the concerns of international partners regarding the recent operation by Kosovo Police against Serbian-run municipal offices in the north of Kosovo.

We have been clear, including with Kosovo’s leaders, that actions which fundamentally affect the wellbeing of Kosovo-Serbs and other non-majority communities require careful consultation with Kosovo’s friends and security partners, in order to avoid fuelling tensions and disadvantaging the most vulnerable. We continue to urge the Government of Kosovo to ensure that non-majority communities are fully integrated into a multi-ethnic Kosovo.

We continue to urge the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia to engage constructively and in good faith in the EU-facilitated Dialogue, to implement all their commitments to normalise relations between their two countries, and to deliver the peaceful, stable and prosperous future that their citizens deserve.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 September 2024.

Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown delivers a joint statement condemning enforced disappearances of Ukrainian civilians by Russia.

Thank you Chair.

I have the honour of delivering this statement on behalf of Canada, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and my own country, the United Kingdom.

30 August marked the annual International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. As such, at today’s Permanent Council, we would like to state our strong condemnation of enforced disappearances.

We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to ending this serious human rights violation. In addition, we recall and reiterate the OSCE commitments we all made in adopting the 2020 Tirana Ministerial Council Decision on the Prevention and Eradication of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Enforced disappearance is inexcusable and despicable, wherever and whenever it takes place in our region.

However testimonies collected by this year’s Moscow Mechanism experts, international organisations and civil society actors suggest that the Russian Federation has consistently and deliberately used incommunicado detention with respect to Ukrainian civilians. In some cases the Moscow Mechanism experts found that family members had received no information about detained family members for periods of more than two years. In these circumstances, they concluded that the Russian Federation had violated the absolute prohibition on incommunicado detention and enforced disappearances under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

We unreservedly condemn the actions of the Russian authorities. Russia must confirm who it is holding, where, and why. It must also comply with its obligation to grant unhindered access to the ICRC and other appropriate humanitarian organisations. Russia must cease committing enforced disappearances and release all of those who have been detained in contravention of international law. Or, to repeat the Moscow Mechanism experts’ recommendation to the Russian Federation, Russia must:

“Immediately cease the practice of holding people incommunicado and/or subjecting them to enforced disappearances … ensure that persons deprived of their liberty are held only in  officially recognized places of detention and accurate information on the detention of such persons and their place or places of detention … is made promptly available to their family members, their counsel or to any other persons having a legitimate interest in the information”.

In closing, we jointly reaffirm our commitment to ending enforced disappearances. We stand in solidarity with the victims and survivors of enforced disappearances, as well as their loved ones, in Ukraine, across the OSCE region and around the world.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 September 2024.

Ambassador Holland condemns the impact of Russia’s illegal war on the safety, education, identity and future of Ukraine’s children.

Thank you, Mister Chair. As children around the world returned to school this week, in Ukraine they continue to face significant obstacles due to Russia’s ongoing war of aggression.

Across Ukraine, thousands of schools and children’s facilities have been damaged or destroyed by Russia’s military attacks. Over the last week, Russia has intensified its aerial attacks against Ukraine, hitting, among other civilian locations, schools in Lviv, nurseries in Kyiv and a centre for the social and psychological rehabilitation of children in Sumy. These have caused a number of casualties, including a 14-year-old girl who was killed in a Russian attack on a playground in Kharkiv. Our thoughts are with all the victims and their loved ones.

The UN now estimates that over 600 Ukrainian children have been killed since February 2022. This constant threat of violence has made it unsafe for two thirds of children in frontline regions to attend school in person. Most schools in these regions are closed due to ongoing hostilities, while elsewhere thousands cannot reopen because they do not have protective shelters.

Nationwide, half of school aged children rely on some level of remote based education. Yet frequent power outages, caused by Russia’s targeted attacks on Ukraine’s energy facilities, have only led to further disruptions and obstacles to their learning. Instead of experiencing a normal school year, Ukrainian children are often forced to seek shelter from air strikes, to navigate disrupted communities, or even to flee their homes.

At the same time, Ukrainian children going back to school in the Russian-controlled territories of Ukraine are faced with a different kind of challenge. We are seeing growing reports of the systematic indoctrination of children in these areas. The illegitimate Russian authorities have implemented re-education programmes designed to erase Ukrainian identity and to instil pro-Russian sentiments among the youth. Children in these areas are subjected to a curriculum that distorts historical facts, glorifies Russian military actions, and promotes allegiance to Russia. The indoctrination efforts include history lessons that frame Ukraine as part of Russia, and in some cases, military training.

Russia’s strategy to indoctrinate Ukrainian children dates back to its illegal annexation of Crimea ten years ago, before being enforced in the Russian-held parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts since 2022. And Russia’s forced deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children forms part of this strategy. These children are separated from their families and communities, and then deported or forcibly transferred to Russia or Russian-held territories where they are subjected to these indoctrination practices. Reports detail the psychological impact on the children, who are confused and distressed by the forced assimilation and the separation from their families.

Mister Chair, Russia’s deportation of these children is a clear violation of international law and it aims to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty. It represents a grave human rights abuse, as the Russian state attempts to erode Ukraine’s future by reshaping the identities and loyalties of its youngest citizens. The UK and our international partners condemn these practices and call for an immediate end to the deportation, exploitation and manipulation of children in these regions. Russia must be held accountable for its actions. Ukrainian children deserve to learn and grow in a safe environment, free from Russian aggression. Thank you, Mister Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 September 2024.

Ambassador Holland thanks the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly for their work, including continued support for Ukraine and election observation missions, and noted the wider impact of the situation in Gaza.

Thank you Madam Chair. Madam President, on behalf of the United Kingdom, welcome back to the Permanent Council and congratulations on your re-election as the President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. Thank you for your address.

Your presentation, as well as the committee reports from this year’s Annual Session in Bucharest, testify to the wide range of issues with which the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly engages. First and foremost is continued support to Ukraine in the face of Russia’s illegal invasion. I welcome the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s focus on Ukraine at the top of the agenda. National parliaments have played a tremendous role in maintaining political commitment in capitals and monitoring the OSCE and national governments’ actions to support Ukraine.

We were disappointed to see the Russian parliament’s recent decision to withdraw their participation. It is not for us to speak for the rationale behind the decision to do so, but one can only conclude from such an action that the delegation were not interested in genuine dialogue or security cooperation. Clearly the best way to return to cooperation is for Russia to stop its illegal war, but I hope that in the meantime the Russian parliamentary delegation reengages, rather than turn away from messages that it may not like to hear.

Beyond the war in Ukraine, in your report you highlighted the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s discussions on the situation in the Middle East. We recognise the direct impact the ongoing conflict has had on our Partners for Co-operation, as well as the wider impacts on the security of the OSCE region, so let me say a few words on this.

The death and destruction in Gaza is intolerable – the fighting must stop now. A resolution to this conflict has been a priority for the UK. We want to see an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages still detained by Hamas terrorists, and much more aid entering Gaza. We want to avoid further escalation in the region. The UK will play our full diplomatic role in ending this conflict and creating a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.

Madam President, you also mentioned the Assembly’s work on election monitoring. We are now more than halfway through this year of elections, with several still to take place in the OSCE region. Election monitoring is an integral part of democratic scrutiny, supporting electoral integrity and documenting whether elections are credible and inclusive. It is inspiring to hear you report that we literally have hundreds of parliamentarians observing elections this autumn, coming together in a collective exercise to strengthen democracy across the OSCE. I would like to thank them for their dedication, and especially Michael Creed and Lucie Potůčková for leading the mission to Azerbaijan to observe early parliamentary elections last Sunday.

Madam President, our new Minister with responsibility for the OSCE, Minister Stephen Doughty, worked for the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly from 2003 to 2004 and looks forward to collaborating with you again from his new position. The UK thanks you, Secretary General Roberto Montella and the wider Assembly for the work you are doing. We offer our full support and look forward to continued co-operation and collaboration.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 September 2024.

UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins has announced new funding to scale up early-stage agribusinesses and boost climate resilience across Africa.

• Lord Collins announces £25 million investment into African food and agriculture sector during keynote speech at the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) in Kigali, Rwanda
• Africa Minister reiterated the UK’s commitment to partner with Africa on boosting its food trade, tackling the climate crisis and strengthening food and nutrition security to senior African leaders
• Lord Collins will also meet the President, Foreign Minister and other senior Rwandan decision-makers to strengthen bilateral relations between the UK and Rwanda

Africa Minister Lord Collins has today [4 September] announced UK backing for a new investment facility that will accelerate the growth of Africa’s food and agriculture sector.

During his keynote speech at the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) 2024, Lord Collins committed to providing £25 million for AgDevCo, a UK-based social impact investor dedicated to investing in African agribusinesses.

In the face of conflict and climate change, communities across Africa are grappling with high levels of hunger and malnutrition. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 1 in 4 are undernourished. Investing in Africa’s food markets is a crucial means of working with farmers, helping those at the forefront of the climate crisis and moving towards a world free from poverty.

The UK’s contribution is expected to yield an increase in income of £128 million for the farmers who benefit by 2036.

The Minister for Africa, Lord Collins of Highbury said:

Improving food markets will have a game changing impact on individuals and families across Africa. Giving hard working farmers stable incomes, creating jobs for the youth and helping end malnutrition.

Without access to funding, no matter the drive and ingenuity, too many businesses can’t get off the ground.

That’s why I’m pleased to announce that the UK intends to back a new $50 million facility called AgDevCo Ventures. The UK will put in over half the funds, with AgDevCo collecting funds from other investors. AgDevCo’s funding and expertise will enable early-stage African agribusinesses to grow and increase Africa’s resilience to climate change.

This funding will support the creation of AgDevCo Ventures, which will channel early-stage investment into small and medium-sized enterprises working within Africa’s agriculture sector. The UK government is contributing over half of the funds with matching contributions being raised from other investors, resulting in $50 million overall for the planned launch of AgDevCo Ventures in early 2025.

The new funding facility will work with small agricultural enterprises across Africa, with a particular focus on African owned and managed businesses.

Daniel Hulls, CEO of AgDevCo said:

We are very grateful for the continued collaboration with the UK government.

This funding will allow us to leverage third-party capital and go back to investing in small, early-stage businesses.

We are excited about developing a new AgDevCo Ventures portfolio, and expect it to be high impact, deliver jobs and increased rural incomes by building the next generation of African agri-SMEs.

There is evidence that small to medium-sized enterprises lack the financing options necessary to scale up. As a result, the UK is working alongside partners to pioneer new ways to finance agribusiness and mobilise other investors.

The demand for food and animal feed in Africa is projected to triple between 2010 and 2050, with the demand for food globally set to increase by 50%. UK investment will look to improve both African and global food and nutrition security by enabling enterprises in the agriculture sector to be better able to cater to the rising demand.