Tag: 2022

Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (23/08/2022) – 181 days

The speech made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 23 August 2022.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

A report on the activity during the day.

I took part in the work of a special forum of veterans. And announced changes in state policy regarding the veteran community – we must create more opportunities for veterans. Without such changes, without this reform, it is simply impossible.

Veterans of the war for independence of Ukraine have become one of the most significant and respected groups in our society. With their specificity, with their needs, with their expectations, which must be responded to so that veterans can contribute not only to the defense of our state on the frontline, but also to the post-war development of Ukraine.

And not only the state must react, but also business, which is very important, employers, education.

We will create such a system of veteran policy and services for veterans, opportunities for their transition from military affairs to civilian life, which will be on a par with the strongest similar systems in the world. You can cite the example of the Israeli model, as well as the American one.

But our goal is for the Ukrainian experience of veteran policy to eventually become a new example for others in the world to follow.

I held a large meeting with representatives of the defense and security sector. Zaluzhny, Monastyrskyi, Danilov, Budanov and others were present. The key issues are, of course, the situation on the frontline, the security situation in big cities, as well as specific security measures due to the holidays and important political events this week – meetings, negotiations.

We are already fully prepared for the second summit of the Crimea Platform. This year’s summit will be even more powerful than last year, in terms of both the number of participants and the topics of discussion. We are significantly expanding the format of the Crimea Platform – tomorrow we will announce all the details.

And today the new diplomatic and security format “Kyiv Initiative” was founded. Ukraine’s European neighbors are already participating in its work. These are Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and the Baltic states. We will gradually involve other countries. In the “Kyiv Initiative” format, the work takes place at the level of foreign policy advisors to the heads of state. From the Ukrainian side, these are Andriy Sybiha and Andriy Yermak. And this format will allow us to strengthen cooperation in the region and joint protection of our interests, primarily security. This is a very promising line of our work in the Euro-Atlantic direction.

Today there is good infrastructural news – the railway branch connecting Ukraine and Moldova has been upgraded and launched. Moreover, we did it both on our territory and on the territory of Moldova – our “Ukrzaliznytsia” did it, well done. This route has been closed for almost 25 years, and now it is working for Ukraine again. This is an important transport direction. And the average volume of cargo per year can be about 10 million tons. I am grateful to our partners from Moldova.

Search operations at the site of the occupiers’ attack on a residential building in Kharkiv have ended. The building was destroyed by Russian shelling last Wednesday. Only today we managed to get the bodies of all the dead from under the rubble. This Russian strike alone claimed the lives of 19 people. One strike. And savages have not stopped such strikes at different parts of our country for 180 days.

The total number of various cruise missiles that Russia has used against us is approaching 3,500. It is simply impossible to count the strikes of Russian artillery – there are too many of them, they are too intense. And at the same time, the terrorist state does not stop playing around with international structures and once again has the audacity to convene the UN Security Council to discuss its own provocations, its own terror at the Zaporizhzhia NPP…

I am grateful to all European politicians who do not forget that the eighth sanctions package against Russia is needed. The longer the interval between sanctions packages is, the greater Russia’s audacity is. And I am grateful to all our friends, all friends of freedom in different countries of the world, who promote the need to recognize the objective reality and legally define Russia as a terrorist state. This decision will come sooner or later, and the only question is how many more lives Russia will manage to take away before the retaliatory strikes from the international community become truly tangible for those responsible for this terror.

And, dear Ukrainians, especially these days, when we celebrate the day of our flag and the day of our independence, if you are somewhere abroad, please remind about Ukraine there, be there with the Ukrainian flag and spread the truth about the crimes of the occupiers.

Let’s all stick together, no matter where we, Ukrainians, are!

Glory to all who protect the state!

Gratitude to everyone who fights for Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

August 30, 2022
Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (22/08/2022) – 180 days

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 22 August 2022.

Good night, Ukrainians!

All our defenders!

The 180th day of our defense and a new week begin.

The week we look forward to every year, as it is the time of our main holiday, the holiday of Ukraine – Independence Day. And this week the occupiers definitely did not expect to be such… They could not have imagined that even now, after six months of such a brutal war, we will celebrate our independence on our land and in our capital.

But it is so. This is our land. This is our independence, which no one can break and no one can take away. And you know it is so. Everyone in Ukraine feels it. 180 days – almost six months – the absolute majority of our people have no doubt that we will achieve the victory of Ukraine.

We are united, we are more confident now than we have been in many decades. And this is one of the foundations of our strength, our power.

And therefore, it is one of the main targets for Russian terrorists. They strike at the feelings of Ukrainians, at the wounds in the souls of our people just as at our cities… They strike cruelly, cynically. But with a different weapon. And not only with propaganda, not only with lies. Tormenting people, all those who suffer the biggest pain, the greatest difficulties, is one of the terrible means of pressure, which has become commonplace for Russia.

And now there are enough reports in the media that in Mariupol the scenery is being prepared for an absolutely disgusting and absurd show trial of Ukrainian defenders, of our warriors who are captives of the occupiers.

No matter what the occupiers are thinking, no matter what they are planning, the reaction of our state will be absolutely clear. If this despicable show trial takes place, if our people are brought into this scenery in violation of all agreements, all international rules, if there is abuse… This will be the line beyond which any negotiations are impossible. Russia will cut itself off from the negotiations. There will be no more conversations. Our state has said everything.

All partners of Ukraine have been informed about what the terrorist state can prepare for this week.

Today I spoke with President Macron about all the threats. President of Türkiye Erdoğan is also informed about all this. The Secretary-General of the UN, I am sure, will also react. They and other world leaders received appropriate signals from us. Everyone understands everything. They understand what the occupiers are doing and what it threatens. And they understand that Ukraine will not tolerate this. It will not tolerate tormenting of people about whom only one thing can be said: they are heroes of their Homeland, they defended the freedom of their people from invaders on their land.

Even in times of war, there must be rules. The power of the world is definitely enough to bring any state, any terrorist under the power of these rules.

Well, all of us – all Ukrainians – must remember one thing: no matter what, our goal is victory.

No matter what, we are heading towards victory in spite of everything.

No matter what, glory to all our warriors!

Ukraine is above everything!

Glory to Ukraine!

August 30, 2022
Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (20/08/2022) – 178 days

The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 20 August 2022.

Dear Ukrainians I wish you health!

We are actively preparing for the new week, which is very important for all of us, for our country. Our Flag Day, our Independence Day is ahead. The commemoration of veterans of the war for the freedom of Ukraine is ahead. The Crimean platform is ahead. This year it is really special. This year, one can literally feel in the air of Crimea that the occupation there is temporary, and Ukraine is returning.

We will definitely remember our legends – this is and will be a Ukrainian tradition. Let us remember those whose lives have become a part of our national history, which can never be erased by anyone – by no enemy.

Next week, as usual, important negotiations and visits of true friends of Ukraine are planned…

A significant milestone is ahead – six months of this full-scale invasion. The war that changed everything for Ukraine, for Europe, and for the world. Of course, there will be time to tell about it. And tell in detail. But let’s still think today, take a look, assess the path we have taken. How much has been changed – what almost everyone in the world thought was impossible to change. How much it was managed to win, wrest from the Russian army, which for decades was thought to be invincible.

I remember the first days of the full-scale invasion, I remember what various “advisors” told me and advised me then… I know that many of them are now ashamed of the words that were said then.

Since February 24, during these 178 days, Ukrainians have proven that our people are invincible, our defenders are invincible. And I thank everyone who showed their strength during this time, I thank everyone who fought and is fighting for Ukraine, I thank everyone who fights and helps our soldiers, our state.

Our unity, our faith in ourselves made it possible to pass these six months and approach this week, which is always important for every Ukrainian.

We have always said and we say honestly: for the sake of Ukraine’s victory, we still need to fight, we still need to do a lot, we still need to persevere and endure, unfortunately, a lot of pain.

But Ukrainians can feel proud of themselves, their country, and their heroes. And let’s all feel it together today – let’s feel the power of our people, our beautiful people.

This power has always been and will be – as long as we believe in ourselves, as long as we preserve our unity, as long as we fight for Ukraine, and as long as we work for our common Ukrainian victory.

We should be aware that this week Russia may try to do something particularly nasty, something particularly cruel. Such is our enemy. But in any other week during these six months, Russia did the same thing all the time – disgusting and cruel.

One of the key tasks of the enemy is to humiliate us, Ukrainians, to devalue our capabilities, our heroes, to spread despair, fear, to spread conflicts… Therefore, it is important never, for a single moment, to give in to this enemy pressure, not to wind oneself up, not to show weakness.

We must all be strong enough to resist any enemy provocations – as much as it takes to make the occupiers answer for all their blows and terror – for Kharkiv and Donbas, for Azovstal and Mykolaiv, for the filtration camps, for Bucha , Irpin for all cities… We must all be strong enough to endure and go all the way to Ukrainian victory.

That’s why we stay together! We help each other! We restore the destroyed! We fight for all our people. And we cheer for those who represent Ukraine, today – definitely for Usyk, our boy!

We believe in ourselves! We believe in Ukraine!

Glory to each and every one of you!

Glory to Ukraine!

August 30, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Work begins on first major broadband upgrade under £5 billion Project Gigabit

The press release issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 30 August 2022.

– New data shows lightning-fast gigabit broadband now available for 70% of UK homes and businesses

– Prime Minister visits Dorset as first Project Gigabit contract awarded, putting more than 7,000 hard-to-reach properties in the digital fast lane by 2025

Coverage has soared from seven per cent in 2019, meaning nearly 20m premises connected since the Prime Minister took office
The Prime Minister has announced a lightning-fast broadband boost for homes and businesses in rural Dorset, as new data shows gigabit broadband now available for 70% of UK homes and businesses.

It comes as work kicks off on the first major contract under the government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit – the biggest broadband roll out in British history.

New data to be published by independent website ThinkBroadband, shows 7 in 10 UK properties can access the fastest and most reliable internet connections needed for families and businesses to take full advantage of revolutionary new advances in technology in the coming decades.

This represents a meteoric rise since Prime Minister Boris Johnson took office in 2019 when gigabit coverage stood at just 7%, demonstrating levelling up in action with a total of nearly 20 million premises connected since then and turbocharged progress by industry towards the government’s target of 85% coverage by 2025.

In the last five months alone, one million premises have been connected to gigabit networks, a tremendous achievement given the first million premises took more than eight years to connect. The rate at which gigabit-capable internet connections are installed has increased threefold, with companies like Wessex Internet connecting premises at a rate of one every seven seconds.

The Prime Minister is in North Dorset today to see plans and preparations for how more than 7,000 hard-to-reach premises struggling with slow speeds will be connected under a £6 million contract awarded by the government to Wessex Internet. The first home will be connected by the end of the year, with an expected completion date for all by 2025. The project will cover the rural outskirts of towns, villages and hamlets across the region from Sherborne to Verwood and Shaftesbury to Blandford Forum.

The signing marks the start of a flurry of Project Gigabit delivery contracts to be awarded over the coming months. As part of the programme, the government has already launched procurements totalling over £690 million aiming to cover up to 498,000 premises, with work due to begin to connect hard-to-reach areas in Cornwall, Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, and several areas across north east England before the end of the year.

Project Gigabit is the government’s record £5 billion scheme to bring the fastest, most reliable broadband to areas considered too difficult or expensive to connect under the broadband industry’s commercial plans. Government funding will complement industry investment to ensure that these harder to reach areas benefit from the same gigabit broadband as the rest of the country, enabling businesses to grow by using digital technology to boost their productivity and giving people living in more remote areas better access to good jobs.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

“From Sherbourne to Stirling, lightning-fast broadband is levelling up towns and villages across the country.

“In just three years we have increased the coverage of gigabit broadband from seven per cent of households to 70%, and I am proud that today more than 20 million households, businesses and organisations are able to tap into rapid and reliable internet, unleashing their potential, creating opportunities and driving growth across the country.”

Digital Secretary Nadine Dorries said:

“Today we enter an exciting new phase of our £5 billion Project Gigabit digital connectivity programme by signing our first major contract in Dorset. Thousands of hard-to-reach homes and businesses in the region will get access to faster connections and join the 20 million properties we’ve helped connect over the last three years.

“The benefits of better broadband connectivity cannot be underestimated and this work will mean those living in rural areas can enjoy 21st century speeds in the home and workplace, making their lives easier and more productive”

Gigabit broadband can provide speeds of more than 1,000 megabits per second, more than thirty times faster than copper-based superfast broadband, which is currently available to 97 per cent of UK premises. While superfast is fast enough for most people’s needs today, gigabit-capable connections will provide the speeds and reliability Britain needs for decades into the future.

Entire families will be able stream movies, TV and video games in high quality 4K and 8K definition onto multiple devices at the same time with no slowdowns in speed. It will underpin revolutionary new technologies such as Virtual and Augmented Reality and more internet-connected appliances in the home and the workplace to make our lives easier and more productive.

It will enable anyone to start-up and run a business of any size from even the most remote areas of the UK.

More than 740,000 premises have been connected through government funding so far, mainly through extending the government’s Superfast programme to provide gigabit-capable connections, the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme and initiatives to put public services in the digital fast lane by connecting hospitals, GP surgeries, libraries and other public buildings.

Today’s announcement for Dorset is the first large-scale scheme under Project Gigabit to deliver gigabit connections to a regional area en-masse. Millions of rural homes and businesses across the UK are in line for an upgrade thanks to dozens of these multi-million pound contracts, making Project Gigabit one of the largest national infrastructure projects of recent times.

The announcement follows the confirmation last month that hundreds of thousands of pupils living in the countryside will enjoy lessons powered by better digital connections as the government invests to level up internet access for up to 3,000 rural primary schools, with an £82 million investment to help an estimated half a million primary school children.

Now the contract in Dorset has been awarded, the government will work with Wessex Internet and the local authority to begin planning the construction of the gigabit-capable network, with spades set to enter the ground in the coming weeks.

Today’s news follows the announcement of plans to connect more than 2,600 hard-to-reach premises in Scotland to gigabit speeds as part of a £36 million investment with the Scottish Government. The expansion of the R100 network includes a £16 million boost from Project Gigabit.

The latest Project Gigabit quarterly update from Building Digital UK (BDUK), an Executive Agency of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, details the progress being made to roll out gigabit broadband across the UK and will be published later this week.

Hector Gibson Fleming, CEO of Wessex Internet, said:

“We’re thrilled to have been awarded the first contract under the government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit programme.

“As a business based in North Dorset, our priority has always been to bring fast, reliable broadband to rural communities overlooked by other providers. We believe passionately that rural areas must have access to gigabit-capable connectivity and the exciting benefits it brings for homes, businesses and communities.

“Over the last four years, we have connected thousands of homes and businesses across the South West to full fibre broadband and are excited to accelerate our roll out further with this new contract.”

Cllr Jill Haynes, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for Corporate Development and Transformation, said:

“This significant government investment in Dorset is great news for communities and businesses that would otherwise have been left behind as the country moves to gigabit-capable broadband.

“Good broadband connection has never been more important as we rebuild the economy after the pandemic.

“We look forward to working with Wessex Internet and the government on this exciting development in technology, which will greatly benefit some of the most rural parts of our county.”

Andrew Ferguson, Editor of thinkbroadband, said:

“With seven out of 10 premises now able to order a gigabit option and over half of those are actually future proof full fibre shows that the UK broadband market is generally delivering on its rollout targets.

“Of course at a time when many people are looking for savings on their household bills buying a gigabit service is going to seem a luxury but one of the advantages of full fibre is you can enjoy the improved reliability even when buying the entry level services and even an entry level Fibre to the Premise (FTTP) product will be faster than an old partial fibre service where speeds are impacted by distance to the cabinet.”

August 30, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : COP26 President to attend the G20 Climate and Environment Ministerial in Indonesia
The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 30 August 2022.
The COP26 President will lead the UK delegation at the G20 Climate and Environment Ministerial in Bali

Mr Sharma will continue to urge G20 countries to honour their commitments and revisit their 2030 emission reduction targets this year

He will also meet key Indonesian ministers as the UK Presidency continues to progress implementation of the Glasgow Climate Pact

COP26 President Alok Sharma will travel to Bali from 30 August-1 September to lead the UK delegation attending the G20. The visit is a critical opportunity to engage with G20 Climate Ministers to maintain momentum and drive action on climate, environment and biodiversity ahead of COP27.

He will use the climate sessions to lobby G20 countries to move faster to limit global temperature increase to below 1.5 degrees. The COP26 President will push for climate action through emission reductions this decade, noting that accelerating energy transitions and building net zero green sectors is crucial to long-term economic security and sustainable development.

Mr Sharma will continue to reiterate that current global crises relating to Vladimir Putin’s illegal, unprovoked and barbaric invasion of Ukraine and rises in the cost of living should increase G20 countries’ determination to accelerate the shift to renewables and deliver on the Glasgow Climate Pact.

Alok Sharma, COP26 President said:

“The current energy crisis has demonstrated the vulnerability of countries relying on fossil fuels controlled by hostile actors.

If Countries don’t want the risk of being held to ransom they should do all they can to achieve domestic energy security as fast as possible.

Climate security has become synonymous with energy security and the chronic threat of climate change is not going away.”

He added: “Some Countries have already come forward with great ambition but the science clearly shows our window to act is closing rapidly. Now is the time for the G20 to step up and deliver on the commitments made in the Glasgow Climate Pact.”

The COP President will also meet with Indonesian Ministers to welcome the country’s ongoing work to enhance its climate ambitions, encourage them to submit a 1.5C aligned Nationally Determined Contribution as soon as possible, and to place climate action and energy transition as a central aspect of their G20 Presidency.
August 30, 2022
Graham Stuart – 2022 Comments on UK calls for the End of Cluster Munitions

The comments made by Graham Stuart, the Foreign Office Minister, on 30 August 2022.

Too many innocent civilians have lost their lives to these weapons of war. Under our Presidency, the UK has driven forward work to eliminate them altogether.

Every step taken under this Convention, makes the world a safer place – but too many states still refuse to give up cluster munitions. We will continue to speak out against these murderous weapons – as we did in March when we condemned their use in the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine.

We did so on behalf of the parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Since the Convention was founded 14 years ago, 110 State Parties have ratified it, 13 States have signed up to its objectives but not yet ratified, and 35 states have cleared their stockpiles of cluster munitions.

August 30, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UK calls for the end of cluster munitions use around the world

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 August 2022.

Actor and UN Ambassador Daniel Craig and FCDO Minister Graham Stuart MP will today call for the end of cluster munition use around the world at an international conference chaired by the UK.

Cluster bombs continue to kill and maim civilians in conflicts around the world, including Syria, Libya and Ukraine, often leaving their victims with life-changing injuries. Unexploded munitions continue to threaten the lives of civilians for years afterwards, hampering post-conflict reconstruction and development.

The UK currently holds the Presidency of the Convention on Cluster Munitions of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, an international agreement ratified by 110 countries to end the use of these devastating weapons. This conference will bring together the international community and civil society organisations to work together to rid the world of these weapons, educate communities on the dangers associated with their use and support survivors and their families.

Alongside the Minister, Daniel Craig will open the conference with a video message in his capacity as the United Nations Global Advocate for the Elimination of Mines and Explosive Hazards.

Daniel Craig will say:

Civilians all too often pay the price when these brutal weapons are used. In my work with the United Nations Mine Action Service, I have seen how long after conflicts, damage caused by cluster munitions persists.

Unbelievably we are still seeing use of cluster munitions today, most recently in Ukraine.

Countries that still use and produce cluster munitions need to stop doing so, they are barbaric weapons used mainly on civilian populations to spread fear and anxiety. It is up to us to do the hard work, to do what we can to support each other and help civilians recover from the devastating impact of these weapons.

Graham Stuart, FCDO Minister responsible for Counter-Proliferation, is expected to say:

Too many innocent civilians have lost their lives to these weapons of war. Under our Presidency, the UK has driven forward work to eliminate them altogether.

Every step taken under this Convention, makes the world a safer place – but too many states still refuse to give up cluster munitions. We will continue to speak out against these murderous weapons – as we did in March when we condemned their use in the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine.

We did so on behalf of the parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Since the Convention was founded 14 years ago, 110 State Parties have ratified it, 13 States have signed up to its objectives but not yet ratified, and 35 states have cleared their stockpiles of cluster munitions.

The UK is a leading supporter of mine action, and continues to invest heavily in clearance of cluster munitions, anti-personnel mines, and other explosive remnants of war around the world. In June 2022, the UK announced a budget of up to £100million for the third phase of its Global Mine Action Programme tackling the lethal legacy of these weapons.

August 30, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : On top of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the human rights situation is stark

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 August 2022.

Statement delivered by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council briefing on Afghanistan.

Thank you President. Let me thank USG Griffiths, DSRSG Potzel and Dr Morgan Edwards for their briefings.

Let me start by offering condolences to Pakistan following the devastating flooding in their country this week. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. As my Minister Lord Ahmad has said, we are working with the Pakistani authorities to establish the support and assistance they need. The United Kingdom stands with the people of Pakistan at this time of need.

President, Russia has called for this meeting one year after the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan. As we reflect on that anniversary, we should also recall the Soviet Union’s ten year occupation of Afghanistan from 1979 until 1989 that created the conditions for devastating civil war and the rise of the Taliban in the 1990s.

Today, it is clear that the situation in Afghanistan remains critical and the needs of the Afghan people acute.

As we have heard, over 24 million Afghans are in need of humanitarian support and nearly 20 million are facing acute food insecurity. Economic stability and the delivery of basic services are essential to end the cycle of suffering in Afghanistan. There remains a vital need to inject liquidity into the country to avoid economic collapse.

While UK personnel have left Afghanistan, our commitment to the Afghan people remains resolute.

Between April 2022 and March 2023 the UK has committed $676 million in aid to Afghanistan and our Foreign Secretary co-hosted the UN humanitarian pledging conference earlier this year, raising $2.4 billion.

By contrast, Russia contributed nothing to the UN Humanitarian Response Plan, and China pledged $2m.

On top of the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, the human rights situation is stark. There are credible allegations of extra-judicial killings and detentions and disappearances, including civil society activists and former security forces and government officials.

The last few months have also seen the imposition of deplorable restrictions on the rights and freedoms of women and girls, including on access to education, jobs and services and on their freedom of movement and dress. It is clear to all but the Taliban that the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in society is a pre-requisite for a stable, prosperous Afghanistan.

The Taliban have also been repeating other mistakes from the past – not least the harbouring of the leader of Al Qaida, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, in downtown Kabul in breach of their international commitments.

We again call on the Taliban to meet its commitments:

To ensure principled, unhindered humanitarian access across the country
To uphold basic human rights, most pressingly for women and girls.
And to ensure Afghanistan is never again a permissive environment for terrorist groups.
Strong and consistent UN leadership remains crucial to ensuring a well-coordinated and prioritised response and UNAMA has our full support in delivering its mandate provided by this Council.

President,

One year ago, this Council adopted resolution 2593 which set out our shared expectations of the Taliban. We hope the Council can continue to speak with one voice to press the Taliban on its commitments, and to support the Afghan people in overcoming the challenges ahead. We thank the UN for their ongoing and tireless efforts.

August 30, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Our commitment to championing civil society participation at the UN

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 August 2022.

Statement delivered by Richard Croker, Ambassador to the General Assembly at the opening session of the UN Committee [in New York] on Non-Governmental Organisations.

Thank you Madam Vice Chair,

Let me begin by echoing the concerns raised by the representative of Estonia on the impact of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine on civil society and NGOs.

As we begin our work this session, we recall the importance of this Committee. This Committee exists because we recognise that civil society is essential to our work at the UN. Their engagement enriches the evidence base at our disposal, making our meetings more effective and more substantial. In turn, this helps ensure that what we do here has an impact on the ground.

For these reasons, the UK is committed to championing civil society participation at the UN. Regrettably, we do this in the face of opposition, with a small group of Member States opposing civil society engagement with the UN, seeking to stifle their voices, afraid of the scrutiny that civil society provides.

Those states deliberately bring inertia to this Committee. Dozens of NGOs have been deferred for eight or more Committee sessions. The politicisation of this Committee is another example of the worrying increase in reprisals against organisations who seek to engage with the UN.

We were therefore pleased to see that, during this year’s regular session, some Member States brought the arbitrary deferral of NGOs to a vote in the Committee, as has happened on several previous occasions. Those NGOs put forward to the vote, were ones that had been consistently deferred for years despite responding satisfactorily to Committee questions. We were disappointed that the vote was blocked in the committee by a no-action motion, but we were happy to co-sponsor the decision at ECOSOC, the Committee’s parent body, where it was adopted by a wide margin.

We look forward to joining the Committee in January. As we have set out previously, we plan to use our membership to work with others to improve the working methods, promoting transparency to reduce arbitrary deferrals.

This Committee’s role is to facilitate NGO access, not impede it. During this resumed session, in order to fulfil our collective commitment to inclusive multilateralism, we urge Committee Members to address the backlog of deferred applications fairly and transparently, and to promote a safe and welcoming space for civil society participation at the UN.

Thank you.

August 30, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : A renewed agreement this January will be critical to meet the humanitarian needs of the Syrian people

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 August 2022.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council briefing on Syria.

Thank you President.

Thank you to Special Envoy Geir Pedersen and ASG Joyce Msuya for their sobering briefings.

Let me join others in welcoming our new Irish colleague, Ambassador Fergal Mythen to the Council.

The UK continues to stand with the Syrian people in their desire for a sustainable solution to the Syrian conflict. As we have said many times, the only way to achieve this is through the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2254. This includes: a nationwide ceasefire; unhindered aid access; release of the arbitrarily detained; conditions for safe, voluntary and dignified refugee return; and free and fair elections pursuant to a new constitution.

Special Envoy Pederson’s ongoing efforts to deliver 2254 have our full support.

We are disappointed that the regime continues to stall discussions on political and constitutional reform. We are further disappointed that Russia has used the fallout of its own aggression in Ukraine as a pretext for undermining political progress in Syria, by asserting that Geneva should no longer be the venue for what should be Syrian-led and Syrian-owned Constitutional Committee talks.

While the Syrian regime continues to fail in its responsibility to respect the basic rights of Syrians, provide for their needs, or engage in the political process, the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate.

Currently, around 14.6 million Syrians require humanitarian assistance – more than 67% of the population and 12 million people are facing acute food insecurity this year.

The UK recognises that early recovery is necessary to address humanitarian needs. This is reflected in our support. Our funding has helped with the rehabilitation of water networks, provided agricultural training and inputs for livestock and vegetable production, and provided apprenticeships and small business grants to help create jobs.

But humanitarian assistance, and particularly cross-border assistance, remains a lifeline for millions. By reducing the UN cross border mandate from twelve to six months, resolution 2642 has caused uncertainty for the UN and its partners, impacting humanitarian operations and early recovery programming, a priority avowedly shared by Russia as well as other Council members.

We therefore call on all Security Council members to work together to ensure a renewed agreement this January to meet the critical needs of the Syrian people. Further uncertainty, or a closing of this lifeline at the height of winter, would be catastrophic for millions of people.

August 30, 2022