Tag: 2024

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 June 2024.

Statement by UK Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on North Korea.

Since 2006, this Council has adopted nine resolutions on the DPRK. All nine condemned the DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic missile activity. They called on the DPRK to cease this activity and imposed sanctions, including prohibiting the transfer of arms and related materiel between the DPRK and any UN Member State. All nine were unanimously adopted by this Council.

Russia has violated these resolutions repeatedly. There is now a continuous flow of cargo between Russia and the DPRK. This includes munitions and ballistic missiles, as reported by UN experts in April and our briefer today. As well as weapons and the flow of goods between Russia and the DPRK, the DPRK is also procuring refined petroleum from Russia, which is likely to exceed the UNSCR-mandated cap.

Russia does not even attempt to hide its behaviour. Russia brazenly vetoed the renewal of the 1718 Panel of Experts, and during President Putin’s visit to Pyongyang this month, Kim Jong-Un praised the active cooperation between the two countries, including in military affairs.

Colleagues, in return for the weapons, and Russia’s protection in the Council, DPRK is seeking trade and military assistance, in further circumvention of UN sanctions and increasing the risks to regional security and stability. These violations have serious consequences for millions of people worldwide.

North Korean missiles are being used, as we’ve heard today, in the destruction of Kharkiv, bringing misery, injury and death to Ukrainian civilians. Ammunition is helping Russia prolong its war, which continues to exact a heavy toll on women and children.

The DPRK built its missile programmes by diverting resources from the North Korean people. It continues to use forced labour. And by damaging the fabric of the non-proliferation regime, and reducing constraints on the DPRK’s military programmes, Russia’s actions are making the world a more dangerous place, for all countries.

The UK will work with all willing countries to identify, expose, and counter Russian attempts to acquire military equipment from DPRK, and to protect the global non-proliferation regime. It is an abuse of this organisation and its principles that Russia so openly and deliberately violates the UN sanctions regime, on top of its flagrant breach of the UN Charter in Ukraine. This is all unacceptable. All of us who believe in this Council must call Russia out clearly and must commit to working together to protect the UN, the non-proliferation system, and global peace and security.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 June 2024.

Annual Discussion on Women’s Rights, Joint Statement on Women’s Economic Empowerment delivered by Kyrgyzstan during the 56th session of the Human Rights Council.

Mr President

This joint statement is on behalf of 83 States.

Gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls are enshrined in several human rights treaties and are key to progress towards implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Yet economic empowerment remains a distant goal for millions of women and girls around the world. One in ten women live in extreme poverty, and more than 2.7 billion women face legal restrictions that prevent them from accessing the same job opportunities as men. In addition, many countries still have laws constraining women’s decision to work.

For women to have full agency, power, and autonomy, and enjoy human rights fully without discrimination of any kind, states should ensure that women have equal access to, control over and ownership of resources. It is also essential to address the structural and non-structural barriers that limit women’s economic empowerment.

As a priority, we should:

1. Address and eliminate institutional and structural discrimination against women and girls.
2. Remove all barriers that prevent or limit the full, equal, and meaningful participation of all women and girls in society.
3. Address harmful social norms and legal constraints that limit women’s agency in the public and private spheres and their economic independence.

We are committed to making further progress on women’s economic empowerment and to achieve gender equality by 2030.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 June 2024.

Joint statement by the embassies of a number of Western countries in the Russian Federation on the occasion of Pride Month.

We, the undersigned Embassies of Australia, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States to the Russian Federation, celebrate Pride Month by upholding the human rights of each individual as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Those rights apply to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) community as they do to every other individual.

Throughout the year, but particularly during Pride Month, we celebrate the bravery and successes of LGBTQI+ activists and their allies around the world, who continue in the face of adversity, to advocate for the rights of LGBTQI+ individuals. Everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics, has the right to receive full protection of the law. We stand by the principle that human rights are universal, including the right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 June 2024.

UK statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on Discrimination Against Women and Girls.

Thank you Madam Vice President,

We would like to start by thanking the Working Group for their continued research and steadfast efforts to end discrimination against women and girls around the world. Their recent report shines a much-needed light on the challenges we face, particularly the erosion of women’s and girls’ rights, as well as the opportunities for progress.

The UK was particularly pleased to read of the 40 plus constitutional changes to advance women’s and girls’ rights over the past decade. However, we share your concerns around the heightened backlash and recognise the need for concerted collective efforts to counter it.

Until we end all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls, we cannot ensure empowerment. Until we ensure that every girl and woman realise their right to education, we cannot achieve gender equality.

To make this a reality, we must take urgent collective action around the world to ensure that we leave no one behind.

Members of the Working Group,

We would welcome more information on how your report could shape the upcoming Summit of the Future.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 June 2024.

Mr Nick Abbott has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to Albania in succession to Mr Alastair King-Smith.

Mr Nick Abbott has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Albania in succession to Mr Alastair King-Smith who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.  Mr Abbott will take up his appointment during September 2024

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Nicholas Robert John Abbott

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 June 2024.

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

First, we welcome the efforts of the Government of the Central African Republic to deliver local elections in the autumn. Local elections will be critical to strengthening democracy in CAR ahead of presidential and legislative elections next year. However, the detention of political opponents threatens the credibility of future elections. And we encourage the full inclusion of women, youth, returnees, IDPs and refugees in elections.

Second, we remain concerned by the activities of armed groups, particularly around border areas, mining regions and “transhumance corridors” who continue to conduct cross-border arms smuggling in violation of the arms embargo, to pursue their military aspirations. In this context, MINUSCA’s mandate remains vital for supporting stability in CAR. We welcome the continued productive cooperation between the CAR authorities and MINUSCA.

The UK also welcomes the Government of CAR’s commitment to implementing the 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation. We encourage the authorities to continue their decentralisation efforts and to continue to support sustainable security through its disarming, demobilisation and rehabilitation programme and local peacebuilding initiatives.

Thirdly, we call on all Council members to support MINUSCA’s ability to deliver its mandate. The UK has information that Russian proxies are likely trying to undermine MINUSCA’s continued presence in CAR, including through disinformation campaigns against the Mission, in violation of the Security Council’s resolutions and CAR’s sovereignty.

Russia’s targeted actions against UN Peacekeeping missions, including MINUSCA, highlight their intent to destabilise states to achieve their own foreign policy objectives. The presence and activities of Russian proxies impact communities, exacerbate existing conflicts and undermine long-term economic development.

Attempts by proxies, acting on behalf of a permanent member of the Security Council, to impede the operations of MINUSCA’s unmanned aerial systems threaten the safety of UN personnel. This is unacceptable. We urgently call on the CAR authorities to lift all restrictions on MINUSCA’s movements and reconsider the involvement of destabilising Russian proxies. President, the UK is committed to working with CAR to provide long-term stability and development that delivers on the aspirations of all Central Africans.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 June 2024.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council open debate on Children and Armed Conflict.

The Secretary General’s report is horrifying. Grave violations regarding children and armed conflict rose by 21% in 2023. 35% more children were killed and maimed. 32% more children were denied humanitarian access and 25% more children suffered sexual violence. These grave violations have risen on a shocking scale. The devastating impact of conflict on children demonstrates the need for this Council to come together, as former Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said, to uphold international peace and security, resolve conflict and protect children.

The Children and Armed Conflict mandate is crucial, and its achievements are many. In the almost 28 years since its inception, up to 40 action plans have been agreed and over a dozen parties to conflict have been delisted by engaging constructively with the UN in the interest of child protection. In 2023 alone, over 10,600 children formerly associated with armed forces or groups received protection or support. The Children and Armed Conflict mandate must continue this vitally important work.

President, we have heard today about many grave violations against children from the DRC, to Sudan, to Myanmar. Let me highlight two contexts in particular. First, in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. On October 7, Hamas committed appalling acts of terror against Israeli children. 47 Israeli children were abducted on October 7, 36 of whom were held hostage and suffered ill-treatment by Hamas in Gaza. Babies have been separated from their mothers and fathers. Three children were killed in captivity. It is abhorrent that eight months on, children remain as hostages, and we reiterate our call for Hamas to release all hostages immediately. With the ongoing operations in Gaza, Palestinian children are suffering terribly, and children are paying the highest price for this conflict.

Israel must abide by obligations to protect children under applicable international humanitarian and human rights law, urgently improve humanitarian access, and increase the flow of life-saving aid. We need to see a stop in the fighting, to end the suffering of children. The fastest way to do this is for Hamas to accept the terms of the deal on the table.

Second, Russia’s illegal war continues to devastate the lives of Ukrainian children. This latest report highlights once again Russia’s appalling campaign of forced deportation and subsequent attempts to change children’s nationalities. We call on Russia to end its unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine, to cease the forcible transfer of Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation, and its efforts to force them to become Russian citizens. Russia should return these children to where they belong: Ukraine. We underline our determination to hold those responsible to account.

President, we call on all parties to adopt and implement concrete and time bound action plans to prevent and end these grave violations against children. As a Council we must uphold the specific rights and vulnerabilities of children and amplify their voices. Last month our Minister, Lord Benyon, convened our annual roundtable with children affected by conflict. He heard from girls from the DRC, South Sudan, Ukraine and the West Bank, about how conflict has impacted their childhood.

We must remember that children are not numbers. Every grave violation is a tragedy. Let us work today to deliver on the promise of the Children and Armed Conflict mandates and protect children, wherever they are.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 June 2024.

Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. Delivered by UK Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French.

Madam Special Rapporteur, we welcome your report and recognise the threats faced by exiled journalists, as well as their vital role informing audiences at home and abroad.

We are committed to the safety of all journalists, reflecting their contribution to an open, functioning democracy.  We oppose all attempts to restrict press freedom, silence debate, abuse journalists, or spread misinformation – whether online or offline.

The UK has supported journalists exiled from Myanmar with emergency grants and taken strong and effective action against Iran-backed plots to kill journalists on UK soil. We continue to raise the suppression of independent local media in Hong Kong, exemplified by the closure of Stand News and the prosecution of Jimmy Lai, and to call for the release of all those detained for their reporting in China.

In the UK, we have refreshed our National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists and are working across Government Ministries, relevant agencies and law enforcement to protect journalists and others identified as being at risk.

Mr Vice President,

Given the specific threats to journalists in exile, will the UN Plan of Action be updated to reflect this?

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 June 2024.

Speaking at the Annual Security Review Conference (ASRC), Director Matt Baugh outlines why Ukraine’s fight matters to all OSCE participating States.

Thank you, Madam Chair. My thanks to you and to the Secretary General for your leadership under such challenging circumstances. Let me start by reiterating the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine.

Chair, we meet together in this forum for the third time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, an invasion that has fundamentally changed the landscape of European security. It is worth reiterating the facts:

Russia initiated this war and bears sole responsibility for it. With the support of Belarus, Russia has violated the UN Charter and contravened core OSCE principles. Principles on the non-use of force, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. This is why Ukraine’s fight matters to each of us in this room.

As Russia began this war, so it can end it. And yet, Russia is now into the third year of a war fuelled by North Korea, Iran, and China, and by callously throwing Russian lives at the front. Ukraine has retaken almost 40,000 square kilometres of its territory. Ukraine has damaged or destroyed nearly a quarter of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine’s maritime exports have resumed. All this is a testament to the bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people who did not seek this war but who are determined to prevail – and who most certainly will.

Chair, together with our allies and partners, we continue to confront Russian aggression across Europe and repeatedly in this room, challenging the lies by which the illegal invasion has been justified and the barbaric conduct with which it is carried out. Russia has no defence against these challenges – its war demonstrates contempt for both the UN Charter and OSCE principles. In the face of the facts, Russia continues to weaponise the OSCE’s consensus principle, blocking even the most basic meetings of the Forum for Security Cooperation, hamstringing rightful discussion of its invasion of Ukraine.

Such tactics only reinforce Russia’s isolation and its desperation. By contrast, Ukraine and over 50 of its partners stood together in support of Ukraine’s self defence earlier this month in Switzerland.

Chair, in times such as these our support for the OSCE is more crucial than ever, and I am happy to re-state the UK’s commitment to the OSCE and the principles it stands for: from the Vienna Document to the Moscow Mechanism.

From Central Asia to the South Caucasus to the Western Balkans, the OSCE continues to demonstrate its value every day. Those decades of experience supporting States to manage and resolve conflicts through its toolbox, Missions and instruments all are of value and can help Ukraine rebuild and recover. All continue to matter to the wider OSCE region.

Chair, we continue to support the OSCE’s efforts to achieve peaceful resolutions to the protracted conflicts in Georgia and Moldova. We welcome the progress between Armenia and Azerbaijan and urge both parties to seize the opportunity to reach a lasting peace agreement.

Next year we will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act. That landmark agreement forms the bedrock of the OSCE. Ten core principles that have never been more relevant as they are today. Ten principles that Russia flagrantly and repeatedly contravenes in Ukraine. Ten principles that the rest of us remain solemnly committed to uphold.

Chair, Russia’s attempts to undermine and weaken the security of Europe will fail. The OSCE remains unique. The OSCE matters, and with all of our support, the OSCE will endure. Thank you.