Tag: 2022

Christopher Cocksworth – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II (Bishop of Coventry)

The tribute made by Christopher Cocksworth, Bishop of Coventry, in the House of Lords on 10 September 2022.

My Lords, it is a great honour to follow the noble Lord, Lord Triesman. I will offer some words of tribute on behalf of the people of Coventry and Warwickshire, especially to express our great thanks for the Queen’s part in the renewal of Coventry after its wartime destruction and its discovery of a new identity, aspiring to be a city of peace and reconciliation.

A few days after the worst of the bombing of Coventry, the Queen’s father stood in the ruins of the cathedral and wept. In 1956 the young Queen laid the foundation stone of the new cathedral—a new cathedral for a new Queen, in an ancient city now being rebuilt for a modern age, in a nation finding its place on the international stage in a new Europe and a new world. In 1962, 60 years ago this year, the Queen—herself a consecrated monarch, of course—returned to Coventry for the consecration of the new cathedral. There was hope in the air, and Coventry became a national symbol of the traumas of war, with all its suffering still evident in the ruins, and the possibilities of peace built on reconciliation rising from the ashes of the past into the simple grandeur of the new cathedral. What better person than Queen Elizabeth to lay the foundation stone of a new future and to see a building, a people, a nation consecrated to serve the ways of peace?

Serving the cause of reconciliation for which Coventry Cathedral and its city have become known was remarkably demonstrated through the Queen’s service to the nation and the world, as we have heard in many ways. The Queen helped the nation to celebrate its past and carry forward its great traditions and noblest values while, at the same time, reaching out to the future, accepting its challenges, welcoming its opportunities and easing its coming. Whether steering the nation from imperial power to shaper and sharer in a Commonwealth of Nations, or facing head-on the harm that peoples have inflicted on themselves in families, in communities and between nations, and showing them how we may live better together, the Queen well used the strength of her character and the powers of her office to create new conditions for co-operation.

Among the many examples on the world stage, I pay particular tribute to the Queen’s part in Coventry’s and the country’s reconciliation with Dresden, that symbol of the brutality of war and its challenge to face our own past. Her visit in 1992 with one of my predecessors was a brave act and not without cost to her. It exposed emotions that were still raw in that city, but I know from my own many visits and close relationships that it was deeply healing, transformative even, on the long road to reconciliation.

As we have heard powerfully from the noble Baroness, Lady Coussins, and the noble Lord, Lord Alderdice, the Queen’s words and gestures—the way she used the combination of her status and credibility of character to serve the good of the future—were breathtaking in their effect during her state visit to the Republic of Ireland in 2011 and then Belfast in 2012. Again, we saw something, as we have heard, of the risk and cost that walking the road of reconciliation involves. There are many other examples, of course, in her long years of service, as indeed there are in the untiring, unstinting work of her son, our King, in his now former life.

As has been acknowledged, the Queen’s own foundation, the rock on which she built her life, is well known. The cause for which she felt and knew that she was consecrated—God’s kingdom, peace, justice and mercy—served her well. We know that it will also serve our King well. It makes me wonder whether all our foundations and all the causes to which we give ourselves will be as secure and enduring as hers.

The most reverend Primate the Archbishop of York referred to his granddaughter crying when she heard the news. I cannot resist saying the same about my mother. She is 93 and frail. She wept for the Queen and, I think, all that great generation that is passing. She said, “She was always there”—we all feel that—but she also said something that got it for me: “The Queen had such a beautiful face. It was her smile.” That has been referred to already. I was blessed by that smile in the encounters I had with Her Majesty our late Queen. Genuine life-giving smiles can restore relationships that once looked irreparably damaged. Our world is a better place because of the smile of that gracious lady.

October 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister welcomes ‘powerful show of solidarity’ at European leaders’ meeting [October 2022]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 6 October 2022.
Prime Minister pays tribute to “collective resolve” of leaders to oppose Russian aggression

UK agrees new regional energy cooperation and progress on Sizewell C nuclear development at Prague summit

Ministers to take forward enhanced operational cooperation to address migrant crisis

The Prime Minister has welcomed the strong show of unity against tyranny at the summit of European leaders today, as the UK secures new commitments on energy and migration.

Convening 44 leaders from across the continent, the meeting in Prague reaffirmed the steadfast resistance to Russia’s aggression.

In a meeting with French President Macron, both leaders confirmed their full support for the new nuclear power station at Sizewell C and committed to take all necessary steps to finalise investment decisions within the next month, progressing the next generation of the UK’s nuclear power.

The UK and France will ramp up wider cooperation on civil-nuclear development ahead of a planned UK-France Summit in 2023, working together on issues including new innovation, infrastructure and workforce training.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala also confirmed plans to renew the UK’s participation in the North Seas Energy Cooperation group, which supports the construction of wind farms and interconnectors in the region. The Prime Minister used the summit to push for the development of new, next-generation hybrid interconnectors in the North Sea to accelerate renewable energy capacity.

Prime Minister Liz Truss said:

“Leaders leave this summit with greater collective resolve to stand up to Russian aggression. What we have seen in Prague is a forceful show of solidarity with Ukraine, and for the principles of freedom and democracy.

“The UK will continue to work with our allies to deliver on the British people’s priorities, including ending our reliance on authoritarian regimes for energy and reducing costs for families, tackling people smuggling gangs, and standing up to tyrants.”

The Prime Minister also discussed the benefits of energy partnerships with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Støre, highlighting today’s announcement from London-based firm Neptune Energy that it will increase gas production at the Duva field as a successful example. Gas from Norway’s Duva subsea field serves households in the UK.

On migration, the UK Prime Minister agreed with President Macron and Dutch Prime Minister Rutte to intensify cooperation on tackling illegal migration. The UK and France confirmed that their interior ministers would conclude an ambitious package of measures to address pernicious people smuggling gangs in the Channel this autumn.

The Prime Minister will attend the closing plenary session and dinner at the European leaders’ summit this evening.
October 7, 2022
Liz Truss – 2022 Comments on European Leaders’ Meeting

The comments made by Liz Truss, the Prime Minister, on 6 October 2022.

Leaders leave this summit with greater collective resolve to stand up to Russian aggression. What we have seen in Prague is a forceful show of solidarity with Ukraine, and for the principles of freedom and democracy.

The UK will continue to work with our allies to deliver on the British people’s priorities, including ending our reliance on authoritarian regimes for energy and reducing costs for families, tackling people smuggling gangs, and standing up to tyrants.

October 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Recognising the clear link between illicit trading of natural resources and conflict [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 October 2022.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council debate on strengthening the fight against the financing of armed groups and terrorists through the illicit trafficking of natural resources.

Thank you very much, President.

President Excellency, thank you for convening this important debate, and I thank our briefers as well this morning for their insights. I’d like to highlight three considerations.

First, as today’s briefers and previous speakers have underlined, we recognise the clear link between illicit trading of natural resources and conflict. From Somalia to Sudan to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the illicit trade in natural resources of charcoal, timber and gold has helped fund conflict and the activities of armed groups.

And we should bear in mind that increased global demand for critical minerals – essential to decarbonisation and our green growth goals – risks exacerbating the illegal sourcing of natural resources without appropriate action.

So we do need a concerted and coordinated effort to tackle illicit trafficking as a root cause of conflict, and in this context, I welcome the African Union’s efforts including conflict prevention, including the work of Commissioner Bankole and his department. As a Council, too, we should look at ways to strengthen the UN Security Council’s sanctions regimes both against individuals and entities that illegally exploit natural resources to fund or prolong or provoke conflict. The Council acted in Somalia by banning the export of charcoal to inhibit Al-Shabaab’s revenue streams; we can and should do more across other mandates.

Second, President, we need stronger regulation and governance efforts to tackle the illicit trafficking of natural resources, including stringent certification and verification processes.

And in this context, the UK is proud to support a number of international mechanisms that deliver this, including the OECD’s Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains and the Kimberley Process that helps stem the flow of conflict diamonds.

Finally, President, we share the view of previous distinguished speakers of the dangerous consequences of the exploitation of Africa’s natural resources by private military companies.

There is significant independent reporting outlining the exploitation of gold resources in Sudan and the Central African Republic through Wagner Group’s subsidiaries like Meroe Gold. Gold extraction and smuggling operations risk undermining local stability, present significant ecological and human rights risks and are a significant loss to Sudan.

The United Kingdom reiterates our concerns over Wagner Group’s activities in Africa, which undermine effective resource governance and offer no sustainable solutions to Africa’s security challenges.

In concluding, President, I thank you again for convening this important debate during Gabon’s Security Council Presidency.

Thank you.

October 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UK-France Joint Statement [6 October 2022]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 6 October 2022.

Prime Minister Liz Truss and President Emmanuel Macron met in the margins of the first Summit of the European Political Community in Prague.

They underlined their determination to provide all necessary support to Ukraine for as long as it takes to restore Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, to resist Russian aggression, and to hold Russia to account for its actions.

The President and the Prime Minister reaffirmed the strong and historic ties between their two countries. They agreed to hold the next UK-France Summit in 2023 in France to take forward a renewed bilateral agenda.

Energy transition and decoupling from Russian hydro-carbons are common challenges. The Prime Minister and the President discussed advancing bilateral cooperation in particular on energy. They reaffirmed their belief that both renewable and nuclear energies are part of consistent strategies to achieve energy transition and strategic autonomy. They confirmed the full support of the UK and French Governments for the new nuclear power station at Sizewell and expect the relevant bodies to finalise arrangements in the coming month.

The leaders committed to advance and increase UK-France civil-nuclear cooperation, including on innovation, infrastructure development and workforce skills, ahead of next year’s UK-France Summit.

They further agreed to deepen cooperation on illegal migration within the bounds of international law, to tackle criminal groups trafficking people across Europe, ending in dangerous journeys across the Channel. Interior Ministers should conclude an ambitious package of measures this autumn. Leaders agreed to reinforce cooperation with near neighbours, including through an early meeting of the Calais group.

President Macron and Prime Minister Truss welcomed the quality of the discussions during the first summit of the European Political Community and look forward to next steps.

October 7, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 51 – UK statement on slavery resolution [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 October 2022.

Ambassador Simon Manley, Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, introduced the resolution on the renewal of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, its causes and consequences.

Thank you, Mr President,

I have the honour to present draft resolution L.30 on the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, its causes and consequences on behalf of the Core Group.

At the start of this session, the ILO and IOM informed the international community that 10 million more people are in situations of modern slavery compared to 2016. This means that the global estimate of people in modern slavery is almost 50 million, of which 28 million people are in situations of forced labour and 22 million people are trapped in forced marriages.

These numbers are simply appalling.

Mr President,

The resolution presented today seeks to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, its causes and consequences for a further three years. The core group have only made minor technical updates to the text.

This mandate has enjoyed more than 15 years of consensus and long-standing cross-regional support. And these staggering recent figures underline the ongoing need for this mandate to continue.

I sincerely thank all those colleagues who have engaged constructively in the negotiation process on this resolution and, in particular, our more than 50 co-sponsors. I hope that all members of this Council can join consensus on this important issue.

Thank you

October 6, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UKHSA monitoring Ebola outbreak in East Africa [October 2022]

The press release issued by the UK Health Security Agency on 6 October 2022.

The risk to the public in the UK is very low and there are currently no cases of the disease confirmed in the UK. A public health alert has been issued to urge healthcare professionals to be vigilant to the symptoms in patients who have recently returned from affected areas and to remind them of the established procedures for infection control and testing.

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a rare but severe infection. It is caused by the Ebola virus, a filovirus that was first recognised in 1976 and has caused sporadic outbreaks since in several African countries.

Dr Meera Chand, UKHSA Director of Clinical and Emerging Infection, said:

UKHSA constantly monitors emerging infection threats in collaboration with partners across the world. We are aware of an outbreak of Ebola cases in Uganda and are monitoring the situation closely. The risk to the public in the UK is very low.

Background

There has never been a case of Ebola virus disease contracted in the UK. Two cases contracted overseas were transported to the UK in 2014. Both recovered after treatment in specialist high consequence infectious disease (HCID) units.

October 6, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Ukraine – EU agrees on eighth package of sanctions against Russia [October 2022]

The press release issued by the European Commission on 6 October 2022.

The Commission welcomes the Council’s adoption of an eighth package of hard-hitting sanctions against Russia for its aggression against Ukraine. This package – which has been closely coordinated with our international partners – responds to Russia’s continued escalation and illegal war against Ukraine, including by illegally annexing Ukrainian territory based on sham “referenda”, mobilising additional troops, and issuing open nuclear threats.

This package introduces new EU import bans worth €7 billion to curb Russia’s revenues, as well as export restrictions, which will further deprive the Kremlin’s military and industrial complex of key components and technologies and Russia’s economy of European services and expertise. The sanctions also deprive the Russian army and its suppliers from further specific goods and equipment needed to wage its war on Ukrainian territory. The package also lays the basis for the required legal framework to implement the oil price cap envisaged by the G7.

Specifically, this package contains the following elements:

Additional listings

Additional individuals and entities have been sanctioned. This targets those involved in Russia’s occupation, illegal annexation, and sham “referenda” in the occupied territories/oblasts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions. It also includes individuals and entities working in the defence sector, such as high-ranking and military officials, as well as companies supporting the Russian armed forces. The EU also continues to target actors who spread disinformation about the war.

EU restrictive measure target key decision makers, oligarchs, senior military officials and propagandists, responsible for undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

Extension of restrictions to the oblasts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia

The geographical scope of the restrictive measures in response to the recognition of the non-government controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine and the ordering of Russian armed forces into those areas has been extended to cover all the non-government controlled areas of Ukraine in the oblasts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

New export restrictions

Additional export restrictions have been introduced which aim to reduce Russia’s access to military, industrial and technological items, as well as its ability to develop its defence and security sector.

This includes the banning of the export of coal including coking coal (which is used in Russian industrial plants), specific electronic components (found in Russian weapons), technical items used in the aviation sector, as well as certain chemicals.

A prohibition on exporting small arms and other goods under the anti-torture Regulation has been added.

New import restrictions

Almost €7 billion worth of additional import restrictions have been agreed.

It includes, for example, a ban on the import of Russian finished and semi-finished steel products (subject to a transition period for some semi-finished), machinery and appliances, plastics, vehicles, textiles, footwear, leather, ceramics, certain chemical products, and non-gold jewellery.

Implementing the G7 oil price cap

Today’s package marks the beginning of the implementation within the EU of the G7 agreement on Russian oil exports. While the EU’s ban on importing Russian seaborne crude oil fully remains, the price cap, once implemented, would allow European operators to undertake and support the transport of Russian oil to third countries, provided its price remains under a pre-set “cap”. This will help to further reduce Russia’s revenues, while keeping global energy markets stable through continued supplies. It will thus also help address inflation and keep energy costs stable at a time when high costs – particularly elevated fuel prices – are a great concern to all Europeans.

This measure is being closely coordinated with G7 partners. It would take effect after 5 December 2022 for crude and 5 February 2023 for refined petroleum products, after a further decision by the Council.

Restrictions on State-owned enterprises

Today’s package bans EU nationals from holding posts in the governing bodies of certain state-owned enterprises.

It also bans all transactions with the Russian Maritime Register, adding it to the list of state-owned enterprises which are subject to a transaction ban.

Financial, IT consultancy and other business services

The existing prohibitions on crypto assets have been tightened by banning all crypto-asset wallets, accounts, or custody services, irrespective of the amount of the wallet (previously up to €10,000 was allowed).

The package widens the scope of services that can no longer be provided to the government of Russia or legal persons established in Russia: these now include IT consultancy, legal advisory, architecture and engineering services. These are significant as they will potentially weaken Russia’s industrial capacity because it is highly dependent on importing these services.

Deterring sanctions circumvention

The EU has introduced a new listing criterion, which will allow it to sanction persons who facilitate the infringements of the prohibition against circumvention of sanctions.

More Information

The EU’s sanctions against Russia are proving effective. They are damaging Russia’s ability to manufacture new weapons and repair existing ones, as well as hinder its transport of material.

The geopolitical, economic, and financial implications of Russia’s continued aggression are clear, as the war has disrupted global commodities markets, especially for agrifood products and energy. The EU continues to ensure that its sanctions do not impact energy and agrifood exports from Russia to third countries.

As guardian of the EU Treaties, the European Commission monitors the enforcement of EU sanctions across the EU.

The EU stands united in its solidarity with Ukraine, and will continue to support Ukraine and its people together with its international partners, including through additional political, financial, and humanitarian support.

October 6, 2022
David Triesman – 2022 Tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II (Baron Triesman)

The tribute made by David Triesman, Baron Triesman, in the House of Lords on 10 September 2022.

My Lords, it is a real privilege to take part in this debate and to follow the noble and right reverend Lord, Lord Sentamu, and his inspiring words, and also the noble Lord, Lord Cormack, not least because I so strongly share his feelings about the first couple of short speeches by King Charles and the sentiments that they involved.

I do not think it would be to any purpose to repeat the many things that have been said about Her late Majesty’s graciousness, kindness and ability to respond to people in such a personal way—a pleasure which I enjoyed on a number of occasions. Those things have been said. It may well be that what we should remember are her comments when she described her first speeches as having been “green” but that none the less she was delighted to have made the commitments that she made and to have seen them through. I sometimes think that the best one can expect of one’s children is that after their long experience, we hope, of you as a parent they will say that they thought you a good parent and that you have contributed in a significant way to their lives. That is certainly the way I think with affection and humility about the late Queen.

A number of us have inevitably reached for anecdotes because they are not just expressions of the good luck and good chance of having met Her Majesty—in my case, a number of times—but illustrate things about her which, if you had not gone through those experiences, you would not necessarily know. When I first went as a Lord in Waiting, I had the great good luck of her inviting me to have lunch, and we sat, just the two of us, at a small table. She said, “I always have a light lunch”—I think I am allowed to say something about what she said—“I have ordered a ham salad but I thought you would not want a ham salad, so I have ordered a smoked salmon salad for you”. I thought how nice and good to have thought that, as it was absolutely true that, for various religious reasons, I would not have been able to eat a ham salad. It was a most enjoyable discussion and a very enjoyable lunch.

The noble Lord, Lord Jay—we do not sit on the same Benches, but I think of him as a very good friend, as many people in the Foreign Office become very close to the Diplomatic Service—was in Buckingham Palace at the time. As noble Lords probably saw yesterday, he is a very tall man and, wearing a hat with plumes which stuck up about another two feet, he looked like a basketball player on day release. He was introducing ambassadors, as he described. Her Majesty commented on the fact that there were more ambassadors arriving in London than she had ever seen in the course of her reign and that many of them were from countries she had had to look up. Bosnia-Herzegovina was one that day, and there were one or two others. It created in me a very strange memory. My father gave me stamp album—it did not have many stamps in it—when I was a small child, and I would looked through it and see all these countries, such as Bosnia-Herzegovina, and wonder where on earth they were. There were all sorts of places. I kept that stamp album because it was such a strange moment in history. Her Majesty very graciously said that her grandfather had collected stamps and had some wonderful albums. She asked whether I would like to see them and said that perhaps they would compare with my stamp album. I thought that was extremely unlikely, but I was delighted to take up her offer.

That was not the first time I met her. The first time was in the context of a football match. I have to say that I never thought of Her Majesty as being a very keen football person. There are no horses involved in the game and, try as we might to devise it, we could never find a way of involving horses in football. I had been told that she had a wonderful sense of humour and that she was at the match. She was indeed very gracious and, at the end, when I asked whether she thought anybody had played particularly well, she said, “The band of the Scots Guards”. I thought that was probably a pretty accurate reflection.

Funnily enough, the Scots Guards come into another memory I have, of when President Lula of Brazil made his state visit. At the state banquet, one of the things that Her Majesty liked was to have the pipes of the Scots Guards walk round the outside of the banquet table playing, as only they can. This playing “as only they can” gave a profound shock to President Lula, who thought it was either a declaration of war or something which he had never come across before. He said, “Do you always do this?”, and before I could answer Her Majesty said, “Of course we always do it”.

I have those memories and I couple them with affectionate memories of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, who was also so important on so many of those occasions and who also deserves great credit.

It has been said in this House that, during the course of her long reign, a huge number of things changed. I want to focus briefly on one of them. The invention of atomic weapons took place earlier, and the first explosion of atomic weapons took place during the war. But when thinking about those 70-plus years it struck me that, in that time, we have created circumstances among humanity where we have a capability we did not have, and which was not really thought of when Her Majesty was in the forces, to destroy ourselves completely and wipe out everything we know about human existence. We have the capability not only to obliterate the whole of the past but to obliterate what would have been the accomplishments of the future. I think Her Majesty had a strong sense of the value of the accomplishments of the future as well as of the traditions of the past, and she was well able to talk about them and make you feel them. That is something that I feel at the moment.

At the heart of it was a love of peace and democracy. She espoused both of those, though not in the sense that she would not wish to stand up to ruthless dictators who would try to interrupt peace or destroy democracy; quite the contrary, she would certainly always have wanted to do that, but in the cause of peace and democracy. I treasure having lived through a period in which a monarch felt so strongly about those things.

Yesterday, the noble Lord, Lord Polak, said a little about Jewish tradition at the end of a person’s life, and with great respect to those who are going to shelter my faith under their umbrella—although it does not always seem to me to happen, but none the less I am very keen that they should—I want to do one other thing which is also from Jewish tradition. Many noble Lords may well know it: we wish the family and the people closest to the person who has died long life. It is not just because we wish for them a long life—though we do, of course—but because it is in the lives of the people who survive that memories survive to the greatest extent. We carry the memories. God bless the King. May he have long life and cherish those memories.

October 6, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 51 – UK welcomes resolution on Sri Lanka [October 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 October 2022.

FCDO Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia and the United Nations Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon has issued a statement on the UN resolution.

Responding to the UN resolution, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office Minister of State for the Middle East, South Asia and the United Nations Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon said:

We welcome the result of today’s vote on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHCR). This resolution will support progress on human rights, justice, and accountability. It has renewed the mandate of the Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to report on Sri Lanka and to protect and preserve evidence of past human rights abuses to use in future accountability processes. This is integral to establish truth and achieve lasting justice and reconciliation, as well as to improve human rights in the country.

Our focus should now turn to our collective and renewed ability to work with the new Government of Sri Lanka to take forward their commitments to the Council. We call on UNHRC members to support this effort, and to work together to address the economic challenges faced by the people of Sri Lanka.

Notes to editors:

The UK has supported efforts to promote peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka, including at the UNHRC for many years. This new resolution acknowledges the challenging economic situation in Sri Lanka, and the progress made in addressing this in recent months. It continues the international community’s efforts to centre and support victims of Sri Lanka armed conflict. The UNHRC framework is integral to establish truth and achieve lasting justice and reconciliation, as well as to improve human rights in the country.

The UK is the penholder on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council, meaning we lead on preparing resolutions and other products, and has held this position since 2017. The UK is a member of the Core Group on Sri Lanka, along with United States, Canada, Germany, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Malawi.

The FCDO has a range of UK-funded programmes which support a number of human rights priorities, including UK’s £11.3 million Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) programme (2022 to 2025) for Sri Lanka which focusses on addressing the legacy of conflict in the country.

The UK is providing £3 million of lifesaving humanitarian support for Sri Lanka. The funding will be delivered through Red Cross and UN partners. It will provide access to food, seeds, and tools to help grow crops as well as mental health care, including for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.

October 6, 2022