Tag: 2023

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 16 February 2023.

Deputy Ambassador Brown says that the UK, together with partners, will accelerate efforts to ensure Ukraine wins the war and secures a just and lasting peace.

Thank you, Mr. Chair,

This time last year, Russia had assembled a military force of over 130,000 troops and a massive accumulation of weaponry and equipment along Ukraine’s borders and in illegally annexed Crimea, preparing to invade its sovereign neighbour. Since then, Russia has committed atrocity upon atrocity: indiscriminate strikes on civilian areas and critical infrastructure; human rights abuses, childhoods stolen; sexual violence and abuse; “filtration centres”; attempted illegal annexations. Most recently this morning we woke up to reports of missile strikes in central, Western and northern Ukraine. Throughout, the United Kingdom has stood firmly with the Ukrainian people as they resist this brutal and unprovoked invasion. Our enduring commitment to Ukraine was exemplified during President Zelenskyy’s visit to the UK last week. My statement today will focus on this support to Ukraine.

As Ukrainians enter their second year living under relentless and full-scale bombardment, the UK, together with partners, will accelerate our efforts to ensure Ukraine wins the war and secures a just and lasting peace.

Firstly, on the battlefield, the UK is proud to be the largest European supplier of military aid to Ukraine, with support of £2.3 billion in 2022. As announced last week, the UK will be expanding our training for Ukraine’s Armed Forces to include fighter jet pilots and marines.

Secondly, we will support a better future for Ukraine. In the short-term, the UK has pledged £1.5 billion in economic and humanitarian support, which has funded the delivery of more than 11 million medical items. In June, we will co-host with Ukraine the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London. And we will continue to pursue justice and accountability initiatives to ensure those responsible are held to account.

Thirdly, we will continue to defend the values of the international system that Russia is shattering with no remorse, including the Helsinki Final Act principles which are the cornerstone of this organisation.

Mr Chair, next week we will mark one year since the start of this unnecessary and horrific war. A day we hoped would never come. President Putin himself did not calculate the war would last this long. He believed his forces would be welcomed with open arms, that Ukrainians would not fight, and that the West would get tired, bored, and fragmented. He has been proved wrong on all counts. Putin has backed himself into a corner with strategic error after strategic error. The path to peace is clear: Putin must unconditionally withdraw all Russian troops from the entire territory of Ukraine. Russia must pay for the damage it has inflicted. And those individuals responsible must be held to account. Russia will not succeed. The international community is united, and the United Kingdom will not tire. Ukraine will prevail and see a brighter future.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 16 February 2023.

Deputy Ambassador Brown again calls on the Belarusian regime to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners and to respect OSCE commitments.

Thank you Mr Chair.

On 8 February, a Belarusian court handed down an eight-year jail sentence to Andrzej Poczobut. Poczobut is a Polish-Belarusian journalist who lives in Belarus and has been imprisoned several times for his work since 2011. The sentencing comes almost two years after he was rearrested and detained on 25 March 2021, his home searched and IT equipment confiscated.

Poczobut is known for his reporting on the anti-Polish nature of Lukashenka’s policies and the treatment of the Polish minority by the Belarusian regime. The approximately 300,000 Poles in Belarus have seen the regime abolish their Polish-language schools, and destroy their cemeteries and memorial sites. Poczobut also reported on the many other human rights violations in Belarus, which those present will sadly be familiar with. In 2021, while he was imprisoned in Belarus, he won Poland’s most prestigious journalism award – Grand Press Journalist of the Year.

And what is Poczobut’s crime according to Belarus? The Belarusian authorities have charged him with “calling for actions that threaten the national security of Belarus” and “incitement to hatred” and placed him on a list of “terrorists”. The UK stands with Poland and others in condemning the sentencing of Andrzej Poczobut. We commend his commitment to the people of Belarus and especially the Polish minority, through his work as a journalist and activist for a marginalised community.

Let me be clear, independent journalism is not a crime. The actions of Belarusian government are at odds with their obligations under international law and their OSCE commitments. OSCE participating States agreed in Budapest in 1994 that “freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and a basic component of a democratic society”. We believe that people must be able to discuss and debate issues freely and challenge their governments. Access to information provided by a strong, robust and independent media allows people to do this. Belarus has once again shown its disregard for these freedoms.

33 media representatives are currently imprisoned in Belarus. The safety of journalists is the key to media freedom. We need to hold to account those who threaten and harm journalists around the world. This is why the work of the OSCE’s Representative on Freedom of the Media is vital – to promote and protect the fundamental freedoms we all committed to as OSCE participating States.

As we raised in the Permanent Council only a few weeks ago, there are over 1,400 political prisoners in Belarus. Hundreds of ordinary people are being brutally punished for protesting the fraudulent 2020 Presidential elections, and many others for speaking out against the war in Ukraine. Journalists, media actors, opposition figures, and human rights defenders sentenced for peacefully exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and the freedom of peaceful assembly and association. We once again call on the Belarusian regime for their immediate and unconditional release.

Thank you Mr Chair.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 16 February 2023.

Dozens more former police officers and detectives with experience of managing dangerous offenders will be recruited as part of plans to toughen up the parole system.

A national recruitment campaign launched on Wednesday (15 February 2023) will see the number of Parole Board panellists from policing backgrounds almost double, from 26 to 51.

Panellists are responsible for making finely balanced risk assessments when deciding whether to release prisoners on life and other indeterminate sentences once they’ve served their minimum term.

Recruiting 25 more Parole Board panellists will double the number who have first-hand policing experience of managing serious offenders and the risk they pose – placing a greater focus on public protection in parole hearings.

The government will also legislate to make sure parole reviews of ‘top-tier’ cases will involve members with policing backgrounds. This category includes the most dangerous offenders convicted of murder, rape, causing or allowing the death of a child and terrorist offences.

Deputy Prime Minister, Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor, Dominic Raab, said:

The public want to know that parole decisions are being made by those with good insight into offenders’ behaviour like police officers and detectives.

Their first-hand experience and understanding of risk will give parole boards an even greater focus on public protection and make our streets safer.

Since the root and branch reforms of the parole process were announced last year, the government has already introduced a raft of changes to toughen up the parole system and restore public confidence.

This includes tightening up the rules around open prison moves so all indeterminate sentence offenders – those who have committed the most serious crimes, including murder and rape – face much stricter criteria to move from closed to open prison.

Further reforms, including a tougher release test for parole prisoners and new powers for the Justice Secretary to block the release of dangerous offenders, are also set to be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows.

New panellists are expected to be in place before the end of the year and will at least double the proportion of Parole Board members from policing backgrounds from 8% to 16%.

Currently, parole hearings are conducted by a panel of one to three members who come from a variety of backgrounds, including judges and psychiatrists. The panel considers a wide range of evidence and hears from the professionals working with a prisoner, such as probation officers or prison psychologists, and listens to victims about the impact the crime had on their lives.

In order to direct release, the panel must be satisfied that it is no longer necessary for an offender to be in prison in the interest of public protection. In practice this means ensuring that any risk presented by a prisoner can be safely managed in the community.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 16 February 2023.

UK Minister for Development visits Niger and announces support for vulnerable communities in the Sahel.

• new UK funding will support vulnerable communities in the Sahel who are suffering from rising violence, displacement and food insecurity
• the commitment was made by the UK Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, during a 3-day visit to Niger – his first visit to the Sahel region since his appointment
• the FCDO is launching the Sahel Regional Fund, alongside leading NGOs this month to deliver effective, evidence-led assistance to the region

The UK is teaming up with leading local and international NGOs to deliver protection, family planning and vital humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities across the Sahel.

This new fund, the Sahel Regional Fund (SRF), will provide urgent life-saving aid and lasting, dignified solutions to people displaced by conflict and violence in hotspots of humanitarian need in the Sahel region, which covers countries from Chad to Mauritania.

UK Minister for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell kicked off the fund during a visit to Niger this week with an opening £33 million commitment from the UK up to 2026.

The Sahel is facing growing instability and humanitarian need from conflict, climate change, extremism and high food prices – exacerbated by Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine – and Niger is a country on the frontline of this regional challenge.

The Sahel Regional Fund will help to meet this challenge, enabling national and international NGOs to provide humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable in humanitarian hotspots of the region. In Niger, this includes parts of Tillaberi, Dosso, Tahoua, Maradi and Diffa.

It will build the capacity of local NGOs who are directly engaging with the people most affected, understanding the realities on the ground and adapting approaches to suit their long-term needs and improve their future prospects. By funding projects over multiple years, partners are able to build relationships and improve direct communications over the long-term with these local populations.

Following his visit, UK Minister for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell said:

The introduction of our Sahel Regional Fund aims to transform how we deliver aid across a troubled region, informed by the reality on the ground. It empowers local organisations and targets the most vulnerable in a way that listens to them and delivers lasting impact, and we hope others with follow us in this.

By addressing the root causes of this growing regional instability, we can look to harness the true potential of our positive relationship with Niger as a vital regional partner.

That includes continuing to increase access to education, improving lives, and preparing communities to mitigate against future impacts of climate change. The aid we provide today, helps ensure these communities can prosper and thrive tomorrow.

The International Development Minister’s 3-day visit to Niger highlighted the breadth of the UK offer across the country, providing long-term support to Nigeriens.

He saw how alongside humanitarian interventions, the partnership is increasing access to education, improving lives and prospects for Nigeriens, and preparing communities to mitigate the long-term impacts of climate change.

During the visit, Andrew Mitchell met with his Nigerien government counterparts including President Bazoum to discuss Nigerien leadership on climate, security, and crucially education ahead of Thursday’s (16 February) Education Cannot Wait Summit in Geneva.

Ahead of this, the Minister visited an Education Cannot Wait-funded school in Ouallam, Niger, which is supporting children to receive education despite ongoing regional conflict which continues to devastate livelihoods and communities.

Andrew Mitchell was also able to see first-hand our work with partners, including a Marie Stopes International (MSI) family planning community site, seeing how the UK is supporting family planning services through the Marie Stopes Ladies scheme.

He also highlighted to his Nigerien counterparts the UK’s work with the Nigerien security forces to keep people safe, through training, including on countering the threat from improvised explosive devices and responding to conflict related sexual violence.

UK support to Niger has focused on ensuring our interventions can go further, improving planning for and anticipation of recurrent shocks and targeted community interventions, meaning greater long-term impact.

UK Aid to Niger totalled £80 million last financial year.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 16 February 2023.

New UK funding for Education Cannot Wait (ECW) will provide safe learning spaces, teaching materials and support for world’s most vulnerable children.

• funding for Education Cannot Wait (ECW) will provide safe learning spaces, teaching materials and psychological and social support to the world’s most vulnerable children
• around the world, 222 million children and adolescents affected by war, disaster and displacement need education support
• since 2017, ECW has supported over 30 crisis-affected countries and reached 7 million children – most recently announcing $7 million in response to the deadly earthquake in Turkey and Syria
• we refuse to give up on the 222 million children and adolescents affected by the horrors of war, disaster and displacement

Minister for Development Andrew Mitchell will today (Thursday 16 February) announce UK funding to help provide education for 20 million children living in humanitarian crises around the world, from Ukraine to Syria.

The £80 million contribution to the work of Education Cannot Wait (ECW) over the next 4 years will help to keep children safe and offer them education during extreme weather events, conflicts and pandemics. ECW is the UN global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises.

Since its inception in 2017, the fund has given multi-year support to over 30 crisis-affected countries, trained 87,000 teachers and reached 7 million children and adolescents, of whom 48% were girls. In response to the deadly earthquake in Turkey and Syria, ECW has recently announced $7 million in funding to provide vital support for vulnerable children and young people to keep them safe and learning.

The UK is proud to be a co-founding member of ECW and remains a leading donor. These contributions reflect the UK’s commitment to prioritising education in emergencies, including for girls and the most vulnerable.

Andrew Mitchell will make the announcement at a financing conference for ECW in Geneva.

Andrew Mitchell said:

I’ve just returned from Niger where I saw how education is transforming the lives of young people who have been displaced by conflict and food shortages.

Educating children and young people affected by crises is one of the biggest challenges we face – from Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, to the recent devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria and not forgetting a generation of girls being cruelly banned from attending school in Afghanistan.

We are renewing our commitment to education in emergencies because we refuse to give up on the 222 million children and adolescents affected by the horrors of war, disaster and displacement. Education can provide a lifeline through to a better future.

Today the UK is pledging £80 million over the 4-year period 2023 to 2026 to ECW, as part of a £90 million package to provide support for education in crises. ECW aims to support 20 million children in crisis affected countries during this period.

As well as supporting ECW the UK is investing in other partners to ensure expert education support can be quickly mobilised in the event of a crisis – such as responding to the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, says:

This ground-breaking pledge from the United Kingdom is a crucial step towards making good on our global promise to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals in armed conflicts, climate disasters and forced displacement: for the 222 million crisis-affected children and adolescents who urgently need quality education. This is our investment today to empower them and build a better world for generations to come.

Children in fragile and conflict-affected countries are more than twice as likely to be out of school than those in countries not affected by conflict. A recent study by ECW estimates that 222 million children affected by crises need educational support.

Girls are particularly affected and are at higher risk of sexual violence and trafficking. In crisis-affected countries, only 27% of refugee girls are enrolled in secondary school.

The UK has a longstanding commitment to support global education needs, spanning early years, primary and secondary education, to higher education and skills.

Today’s pledge will  make an important contribution to the G7 global objective to get 40 million more girls in school by 2026 and 20 million girls reading by the age of 10 or the end of primary school. The UK secured agreement to these key global targets during its Presidency of the G7 in 2021.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 15 February 2023.

The UK is committing a further package of support to address urgent humanitarian needs in Turkey and Syria.

As the situation on the ground moves into in a new phase, from rescue to recovery, the UK is committing a further package of support to address urgent humanitarian needs in Turkey and Syria.

The £25 million in new overseas aid will fund additional emergency relief, such as tents and blankets for families made homeless in freezing conditions, and the ongoing deployment of world-class UK medical expertise through the joint MoD–FCDO Field Hospital established in Turkoglu.

It will support the work of the UN and aid agencies on the ground in Syria, helping communities ravaged by war and this national disaster, as well as the recovery effort in Turkey led by the government. There will be a particular focus on protecting women and girls, including by helping with childbirth and midwifery and reducing the risk of gender-based violence for communities who have been displaced.

This builds on the UK’s early response to the earthquake when we deployed a UK International Search and Rescue Team in Turkey, increased support to the White Helmets in north west Syria and rapidly delivered shipments of life-saving items such as emergency shelter, medical equipment and blankets.

The joint MoD–FCDO Field Hospital, which includes an emergency department, 24/7 operating theatre and accompanying medical staff, is providing lifesaving medical care working side-by-side with Turkish medics.

UK funding is helping the UN, International and NGO partners to ensure that aid reaches the millions in need, including 4.9 million who need cross-border aid in north west Syria following the devastating earthquakes.

UK Minister for Development Andrew Mitchell said:

As this evolving situation transitions from rescue to recovery, we are seeing thousands of families left homeless by the earthquake, packed into crowded tents or lined up in the streets queuing for hot meals.

The UK’s priority is to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches people who need it most and that is why I am pleased to announce this additional funding today, which will be so vital in ensuring those affected can begin to rebuild their lives.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 15 February 2023.

This will make it easier for aid agencies to operate and facilitate earthquake relief efforts in Syria, without breaching sanctions that target Assad’s regime.

• The UK has issued two General Licences, building on existing humanitarian provisions, to further facilitate humanitarian relief efforts in Syria following last week’s earthquakes.
• These Licences will strengthen the timely and effective delivery of relief efforts by removing the need for individual licence applications.
• The UK remains committed to holding the Assad regime accountable, including through comprehensive sanctions regulations, for its heinous crimes against the Syrian people.

The UK is taking steps to make it easier for aid agencies to operate in Syria without breaching the sanctions that target Assad’s regime. These Sanctions General Licences will further facilitate earthquake relief efforts in Syria.

The UK’s sanctions regulations already contain robust provisions for humanitarian efforts. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) is acting to further facilitate relief efforts in Syria by issuing a General Licence. The General License will authorise activities which would otherwise have been prohibited by the asset freeze for specified groups or organisations, and their service providers.

The Export Control Joint Unit’s (ECJU) General Licence will extend the protection offered by the current humanitarian exception to petroleum prohibitions for UK-funded persons to all those conducting earthquake relief efforts in Syria and Turkey. This covers persons delivering the specified activities and their service providers.

Minister of State for International Development, Andrew Mitchell commented:

UK sanctions do not target humanitarian aid, food, or medical supplies, but we recognise that the current requirements for individual licencing are not always practical during a crisis response.

After significant engagement with partners and NGOs, these General Licences build on existing humanitarian provisions, and should provide extra clarity to actors on the ground responding to this devastating earthquake.

UK sanctions will continue to target the Assad regime and its backers, maintaining pressure in order to encourage an end to the violent repression of civilians in Syria. They are targeted against entities responsible for some of the worst crimes, including murder, chemical weapons use, and the systematic torture of civilians.

There are notification and record keeping requirements attached to the General Licence issued by ECJU. Both licences are valid for 6 months from the date of issue. Further detail on General Trade Licences is on gov.uk. Further detail on the General Licence regarding the asset freeze is on gov.uk.