Tag: 2024

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 May 2024.

Statement by Fergus Eckersley, UK Political Counsellor, at the Security Council meeting on DPRK.

On Monday, the DPRK launched a military satellite for the fourth time. The launch failed, but make no mistake this remains a flagrant violation of this Council’s resolutions. It also recklessly endangered Japanese civilians; the launch triggered missile warnings in Okinawa and missile debris fell into Japan’s territorial waters.

The next day, the DPRK fired a volley of eighteen short-range ballistic missiles. This again violated multiple resolutions of this Council; the highest number of missiles fired in a single launch yet.

President, the UK once again reiterates that this Council must take action. Such flagrant violations of Council resolutions cannot be ignored, nor can they be explained away by false equivalence with defensive military exercises. Some Council members have argued that our inaction will somehow help the situation, that if anything we need to reduce our scrutiny and pressure on the DPRK’s illegal weapons programme. Well, that approach has categorically failed. They have blocked meaningful action to address the DPRK’s activity and it has simply got worse. Their support for DPRK has not secured compliance with this Council’s resolutions. It has led to more instability in the region and more disruption to the proliferation rules that keep us all safe.

But it goes beyond that, we are particularly disturbed to hear reports that Russian technicians may have assisted the DPRK with its space programme, following the Russian President’s pledge last year to help the DPRK with its space activities.

And we deplore the evidence found by members of the Panel of Experts that Russia is using the DPRK’s missiles in its illegal war in Ukraine.

Deliberately undermining the global non-proliferation regime and this Council’s authority is a risk to all of us.

President, the DPRK is engaged in a long-term programme of military activity, involving massive use of state resources at the expense of its people. We remain deeply concerned by the humanitarian situation in the country, and I encourage the DPRK to reopen its borders and engage with the UN and its agencies.

The United Kingdom calls on the DPRK to refrain from further launches, return to dialogue and abandon their nuclear and ballistic missile programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner.

And we call on all members of this Council to address those threats responsibly and to uphold their commitment to upholding the global non-proliferation regime.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 May 2024.

Statement by Ambassador Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on UNAMI.

The UK voted in favour of this resolution which renews UNAMI’s mandate for a final nineteen-month period. The UN Assistance Mission has made an important contribution to Iraq over the past twenty years. Now is the time for a transition to a new partnership between Iraq and the United Nations. We are pleased that this resolution prioritises support to electoral assistance, women’s political participation and human rights during the transition period.

It is also important that the opportunity for progress on Kuwait missing persons is realised during the transition. We look forward to further updates on this, and are ready, if necessary, to consider further options for Council action.

We thank the United States as penholder for their hard work and to all Council members for their constructive approach.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 May 2024.

Statements delivered by Simon Manley, the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, on 22nd and 23rd May 2024 at the WTO in Geneva.

Item 2: Report by the Chair of the Trade Negotiations Committee and Report by the Director General and Item 3: Follow-Up to Outcomes of Ministerial Conferences

Congratulations, Chair. Thank you to all our departing colleagues. Welcome, good luck and good fortune to all our new colleagues. Let me first of all welcome all the changes you are making, Chair, to the handling of this General Council. I know your new, marvellous Singaporean bell ring changes within this organisation. In the spirit of trying to focus on that work, I am going to deal with agenda Items 2 and 3 at the same time.

I have three priorities. First of all, on fisheries, we came remarkably close in Abu Dhabi, and it was frustrating that we did not deliver that agreement there and then. But we do need to use every instrument at our disposal, so we do need to make progress. As we saw last night, a fabulous image of what MC14 is going to be like – singing, dancing, great food. We can and should make progress at MC14. We can and should make progress before the summer break. So, let us do the deal on fisheries before the European summer kicks in.

Secondly, E-Commerce. As you say DG, the future of this organisation, the future of global trade, is digital. It is services, it is inclusive, it is green. Let us bring home this agreement on the JI on E-Commerce and gavel an initial deal, both before and after the summer. We need to do everything we can to bring it home in the interests of businesses and consumers across the developing and developed world.

Lastly, IFD, one of the great achievements, if I may say so, of Abu Dhabi; the finalisation of that agreement, by and for and with developing nations. We talk about how this organisation can deliver for the developing world; IFD is a means of doing exactly that. We now need to move from finalisation to incorporation and we need to do it before the summer break.

Thank you very much.

Agenda Item 6: Preserving the Current Practice of Consensus-Based Decision-Making in the WTO. Communication from the ACP Group (WT/GC/W/932) and Agenda Item 7: Responsible Consensus. Communication from Singapore et al. (WT/GC/W/933)

Thank you very much Chair. Let me start by thanking Samoa, Barbados and Members of the African Caribbean and Pacific for bringing these two excellent papers to our attention. It has provoked a real debate here, and the debate, as others have said, is an important one to have. It does spring from some of the frustrations that many of us felt. We came so close in Abu Dhabi to taking some really important decisions. We want to come back and take decisions by the end of July. The number, and passion, of interventions, underlines how important this issue of consensus is to us. Not just in this organisation, but in many international organisations as well. It has served us well, multilaterally. As the EU has said, consensus is not the same as unanimity and I’m afraid that, on too many occasions in this house, those two principals have been conflated, to the detriment to all of us – developed or developing, large or small. While we all have our interests to defend, all have our principals to promote, if we want consensus to survive and flourish, and this organisation to survive and flourish – in the interest of our countries, our businesses, our consumers, our workers – then yes, we need to exercise that principal of consensus in a responsible manner across the work of this organisation. That includes, as the US stated, explaining properly the character of the objections or problems that we may have. It also means listening – active listening. Genuinely listening to the views of every Member of this organisation, but also striving, whatever our interests or principals we may have on a particular issue or dossier, to work towards the common ground. We need to identify what is the outcome that can best deliver for this organisation, consumers, business. And in the case of fisheries, for example, our planet. So let’s try and do that.

Item 8: Reinvigoration of the Work Programme on E-Commerce. Discussion in all mandated WTO bodies, including General Council Dedicated Sessions. Statement by India

I spoke about the importance of digital trade and the Joint Initiative yesterday, but not about the moratorium. We think that the moratorium should be rendered permanent. I wanted to pay tribute to the terrific work that Usha has done on this file. Dispute Settlement’s gain is definitely E-Commerce’s loss. Clearly, we need to find someone equally talented and hard working to pick up on she leaves. This is so important to us all: to our businesses, to our consumers, whether developed or developing. We therefore need a new facilitator, a plan and a timetable (F,P,T).

Thank you very much, Chair.

Item 9: 30 Years of WTO: How Has Development Dimension Progressed? A Way Forward. Communication from India (WT/GC/W/934)  and Item 10: Reflections on Approaches to Development Issues. Communication from China (WT/GC/W/935)

It was great to have this discussion to talk about the importance of trade and development, and development and trade. That is something very much shared by the UK, as set out in our White Paper which includes a quotation from the WTO Director General. We also demonstrated our practical support for Least Developed Countries (LDC) to participate in Ministerial Conferences. There were really positive development outcomes at MC13 that we should be proud of. We were targeted, we were practical, and we were willing to compromise in the interest of ‘responsible consensus’. We delivered on LDC Graduation, on a Sanitary and Phytosanitary / Technical Barriers to Trade declaration on Special and Differential Treatment. We finalised negotiations on a ground-breaking Investment for Facilitation for Development (IFD) agreement. Like others here, we remain disappointed that we did not do even more for developing countries. Whether that be on agriculture, fisheries, or incorporating IFD into the WTO framework. It is a shame that we were so close to consensus on so many of these issues. We could have made a real difference. We can still make a real difference for developing Members. So let us really try our best over the next few weeks to deliver on those unfinished areas of work from MC13. We need to build on those MC13 development outcomes, and deliver on them without losing momentum. We do not need instructions, we need new commitment, new energy to take forward the work. Let us take one step back. Sometimes I hear that we have had no effect as an organisation. I just do not believe that is true. I do not believe that the data shows that. The data shows real advantages through the sort of open trade framework that the WTO has provided over decades for developing countries. It is shown by the eagerness of countries wanting to join this organisation, manifest in those two new accessions in Abu Dhabi. So, let us be proud of what we have achieved, and let us be committed to making sure that this organisation continues to develop the sort of sustainable growth that the developing world and the developed world needs.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 May 2024.

UK Statements delivered on 22 and 23 May 2024 at the WTO General Council in Geneva.

Item 5: Moving Agriculture Negotiations Forward. Communication from Brazil (WT/GC/W/931)

The UK appreciates Brazil’s initiative to try and move the agriculture negotiations forward, alongside efforts by the Committee on Agriculture (CoA) Special Session (SS) Chair.

We have also heard concerns raised by some groups of Members that negotiations should be transparent and inclusive; we wanted to say at this point that we fully support it. We also heard disappointment at the outcome from Abu Dhabi. We have all also stressed at the last General Council, and this General Council, the need to now ‘get back to work’. As part of getting back to work we want to stress the importance of taking a holistic approach that recognises the interests of all WTO Members. We also all need to commit to deliver progress by MC14.

We particularly welcome the idea of bringing greater structure to the negotiations in the CoA Special Session. This will support Members to look ahead, prepare, and properly engage capitals. We have heard a lot today that this discussion needs to happen in CoA Special Session but let us be honest: just leaving things to committees, despite our best efforts, does not always get stuff done. CoA-SS has an important role to play and should be where the majority of discussion happens. But we all know this issue needs input from Ambassadors and eventually, Ministers’ input. So, the role of the GC is to help set direction for Committees. In our mind this is not about creating a parallel process but about the GC giving directions, structure and guidance. Ultimately, we really need to move away from discussing process to have deeper, more focused conversations on substance. We are ready to see what is possible at the July General Council, but we should not take discussions on process beyond the summer. Members have said they want to get back to work, and we do not need to start from scratch. We want to get back to work on the substance of proposals. We need to focus on what Members actually want to see by way of agriculture reform, this will allow us to identify possible points of convergence and trade-offs. We welcome news from the Chair and DG this morning on a potential workshop and next CoA-Special Session to retry to keep up the momentum. As others have said, we support all efforts that can help move us forwards.

Item 5: Policy Space for Industrial Development – Advancing WTO Committee Work to Support Structural Transformation and Industrial Development in Developing Countries. Request from the Africa Group

Thank you Chair. We thank the Africa Group for circulating the communication on policy space and advancing WTO committee work. It was helpful to see the structures that are envisaged for this debate. The UK agrees that we need to reinforce the WTO’s role as the forum for deliberation on key global trade challenges and we believe that a conversation on industrial policy and development related issues is needed.

We recognise the challenges that some countries face in fully integrating and taking advantage fully of the multilateral trading system. The UK actively wants to engage in this conversation. We participated in the substantive conversations and discussions on subsidies during Rules Week. We are also closely engaged in conversations on Technology Transfer as seen in our paper on Voluntary Licensing and Technology Transfer. We welcomed the outcome of this in the Abu Dhabi Ministerial Declaration which we worked hard with Egypt and others to get to. But we do also need to recognise that policy space proposals go right to the heart of the multilateral trading system.

The issues highlighted in these proposals are complex and cross-cutting. Discussions need to take place by the right technical experts with sufficient time. We welcome therefore the suggestion of having technical discussions at the Committee on Trade and Development in conjunction with the technical committees. We also welcome the suggestion of using other forms of engagement, including thematic sessions, in addition to committee discussions. The UK is ready to constructively engage with these conversations and we should all come to this debate with open minds, willing to listen to each other, without prejudging solutions.

Item 11: Incorporation of the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement (IFDA) into Annex 4 of the WTO Agreement. Communication from 124 Members Parties to the IFDA (WT/GC/W/927)

DG, you asked us earlier what the next stage is for development. It is this IFD agreement. We have consistently heard evidence on the value of this agreement, including here today. So I am not going to repeat it. But what is clear, is that over three quarters of the membership made a legitimate request to incorporate this agreement under WTO rules. We need to get this done by the summer. In order to do that we need this to be on the July GC agenda for decision and we look forward to getting it done there.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 May 2024.

Several countries gave a joint statement on sanctions designations on actors and entities involved in the unlawful transfer of arms from North Korea to Russia.

Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, the UK, the USA, and the EU gave a statement on their recent sanctions designations on actors and entities involved in the unlawful transfer of arms from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to Russia:

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the High Representative of the European Union, and the Secretary of State of the United States of America affirm that the recent sanctions designations by each of our governments represent a coordinated effort to hold the DPRK and Russia to account and to impose costs on actors and entities involved in the unlawful transfer of arms from the DPRK to Russia for use in attacking Ukraine.

Our governments stand in resolute opposition to these continued arms transfers, which Russia has used to strike Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, prolonging the suffering of the Ukrainian people.

We are gravely concerned by the deepening DPRK-Russia cooperation in flagrant violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions and condemn Russia’s veto of the UN Security Council resolution that would have extended the mandate of the UN 1718 Committee Panel of Experts.

By the use of its veto, Russia has sought to deprive all UN member states of the objective and independent information and guidance they need to implement binding Security Council resolutions concerning the DPRK which all remain in effect.

We call on the DPRK and Russia to cease unlawful arms transfers and urge the DPRK to take concrete steps towards abandoning all nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles and related programmes in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner.

We urge the DPRK to respond to the numerous and genuine offers to return to diplomacy, the only path to an enduring peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 May 2024.

Ambassador Holland tells the OSCE’s Economic and Environmental Committee that Russia’s commitment to refrain from acts of economic coercion lies in tatters.

I would like to thank you and the Maltese CiO for dedicating a committee session to this topic. It is quite right that our sessions are flexible enough to address the key concerns of the day.

Mr Chair, can I start by noting that normally when one makes a complaint, it makes sense to stay to listen to the answer just in case it actually addresses or solves the complaint you raised.  We sit and listen to Russian disinformation and propaganda in this building every week with more respect than many of us feel is deserved. So I thought the behaviour of the Russian delegation in registering a complaint and leaving without bothering to listen to your explanation was rude and disrespectful to the Chair.

Chair, let us be clear when we talk about the ‘destruction of critical infrastructure in Ukraine’ – this is not destruction caused by hurricanes or floods; not even because of human mismanagement or negligence. The destruction is entirely intentional as one participating State – Russia – seeks to break down Ukraine’s resolve.

In this organisation’s 1975 Decalogue, Russia joined all other States to commit to ‘refraining from any act of military or economic coercion designed to subordinate to their own interest another participating State’s sovereignty.’ With Russia’s invasion and subsequent assault on Ukraine’s infrastructure, this commitment lies in tatters.

Mr Chair, this spring Russia has targeted power-plants, electricity sub-stations and gas storage facilities across Ukraine. Russia’s deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure have caused millions of people to experience restrictions to power, heating, and water; and thousands have been displaced. What is more, these attacks hamper humanitarian efforts to stop the situation getting even worse.

When Russia has decided to end its senseless war the OSCE could play a key post-conflict role. We were happy to support the OSCE’s assessment of the environmental impact of the war against Ukraine. This, and many other assessments, will be important in holding Russia to account.

To help, the UK has committed £44 million to the Energy Community’s Ukraine Energy Support Fund, and we encourage others to do the same. Together, we will help Ukraine repair, restore, and defend its infrastructure. We also remain committed to a sustainable recovery. The Ukraine Recovery Conference will support Ukraine’s ambition to build a modern, secure, decentralised, and cleaner energy system, fit for a Net Zero future and with greater integration with Europe.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 May 2024.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council briefing by UNHCR.

Thank you, President, and thank you, High Commissioner Grandi for your powerful remarks today.

This meeting comes at a crucial moment. As the High Commissioner has told us, the number of people who have been forced from their homes continues to rise, with direct impacts for regional stability and international peace and security.

We all have a role to play in reversing this trend, not just because it is the right thing to do for displaced people and host communities, but because it is necessary if we are to leave no one behind and meet the Sustainable Development Goals. As we raise our collective ambition in line with the 2030 goals – for inclusive education, for women and girls, and for climate resilient populations – the UK is committed to efforts to address the root causes of displacement, to tackle human trafficking and to ensure that displaced populations are not left behind.

This Council has a role in tackling rising displacement, including by addressing the conflicts that are driving it. We have discussed the very concerning situations in Gaza and Ukraine in recent days. So today, I will focus my remarks on the UK’s efforts in two contexts which require more international attention including in this Council.
First, the Rohingya have faced decades of persecution and are the largest stateless population in the world. Almost a quarter have been confined to IDP camps in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. Around one million Rohingya refugees live in camps in Bangladesh, the majority of whom arrived in 2017 after fleeing ethnic cleansing by the Myanmar military. They are heavily reliant on humanitarian aid, with very little opportunity to work and largely unable to leave. The UK is a leading donor to the Rohingya response and our humanitarian programme is focused on meeting the basic and urgent needs of refugees. Since 2017 we have provided over $57 million of support to the Rohingya and other Muslim minorities in Myanmar’s Rakhine state and over $496 million in Bangladesh to the Rohingya. We must also do more as a Council to bring an end to the conflict in Myanmar.

Second, President, the consequences of the Sudan conflict have been devastating for civilians. Both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces are responsible for appalling human rights abuses. Sudan is now the world’s largest displacement crisis, with more than 8.8 million people forced to flee their homes to escape violence and hunger, including 2.1 million who have fled to neighbouring countries. These communities remain vulnerable, often unable to access basic needs, including food, shelter, clean water, sanitation, and medicine. The United Kingdom has nearly doubled our humanitarian assistance to over $110 million to support the Sudanese people. And we will continue to work with Council members towards urgent de-escalation, in particular around El Fasher, a ceasefire and a political process to deliver sustainable peace and improved humanitarian access.

Finally, along with many other states and partners, the UK was pleased to announce new commitments to support refugees and host communities at December’s Global Refugee Forum.

In the face of unprecedented need, now is the time to renew our efforts to address the drivers of displacement and deliver meaningful change for displaced people. Under the leadership of the High Commissioner, we must now work together to translate the commitments we have all made into tangible action that helps to address the needs of the displaced and advances the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees.
The UK also remains committed to improving international efforts to tackle the scourge of people smuggling and human trafficking. It is vital that we all work together to make migration more safe, orderly, and regular. I thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 May 2024.

Following North Korea’s ballistic missile launches on 30 May, a Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson gave a statement.

An FCDO spokesperson said:

North Korea’s ballistic missile launches on 30 May are another breach of multiple UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs). Unlawful ballistic missile launches continue to destabilise the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula.

The UK strongly urges North Korea to stop such provocations, return to dialogue and take credible steps towards denuclearisation.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 May 2024.

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

We are in the 14th year of this conflict. So let me make three broad points about the changes we need to see.

First, one year on from Syria’s readmission to the League of Arab States, we have seen no real change in the regime’s behaviour. Not on human right violations. Not on the safety of civilians. And not on creating the conditions for the safe, dignified, and voluntary return of refugees. What’s more, Captagon flows have continued to increase, threatening the stability of the region. And Daesh attacks are increasing. We call on the Syrian regime to respond to the positive overtures of our Arab partners by changing its behaviour.

Second, we continue to respond to the devastating humanitarian crisis. This week, the UK and other donors met in Brussels to pledge our support to the Syrian people. The UK is proud to have committed up to $264 million in humanitarian assistance this year, bringing our total funding to over $5 billion since the crisis began. This aid will be delivered to communities across Syria, and includes $43.7 million for early recovery. We are stepping up our humanitarian funding and we call on others to do the same.

We also call on the regime to grant cross-border access for as long as is required, based on humanitarian needs. We note the renewal of permissions earlier this month for aid to cross through two border points. However, as others have said, these short-term and last-minute extensions by the regime mean access is still unpredictable. Since needs are higher than ever in Syria, humanitarians need to be able to reach people in a predictable, principled and cost-effective way. The three remaining UN border crossing points are a critical lifeline, and humanitarian agencies need safe access to reach populations in need.

Finally, President, the only long-term solution to ending this conflict is through the UN-led political process based on resolution 2254. We reiterate our support to your efforts, Special Envoy, and we call on the parties to cooperate fully towards delivering a lasting political settlement in Syria.