Tag: 2024

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 October 2024.

Deputy Ambassador Brown condemns Russia’s treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians, which violates the Geneva Conventions.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Good morning, colleagues.

This year we commemorated the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Geneva Conventions of 1949. Born out of the horrors of the Second World War, they are a recognition that, even in times of hostilities, there must be limits on the suffering that we inflict upon our enemies.

The four Geneva Conventions have been ratified by all of us and, along with the Additional Protocols, serve as the foundation of International Humanitarian Law. Indeed, the fulfilment in good faith of our obligations under international law is the tenth principle from the Helsinki Final Act, the bedrock of this organisation.

It is deeply concerning, therefore, to see a substantial and growing body of evidence demonstrating the disregard Russia has shown for International Humanitarian Law.

Article 13 of the Third Geneva Convention states “Prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated.” This week the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights published their latest report, which concluded that torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) by Russia is widespread and systematic. They reached this conclusion after interviews with 174 POWs, 97% of whom described experiencing torture or ill-treatment. 68% said they had experienced sexual violence. The report finds it highly unlikely that the authorities were unaware of how prisoners were being treated; it also suggests there is a significant level of coordination between different state entities and widespread knowledge of the use of torture. These findings are consistent with those by other independent international organisations, including the Moscow Mechanism report published in April this year.

Senior Russian officials have even called for the execution of Ukrainian POWs. We are alarmed that, just yesterday, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General reported that Russian troops had allegedly executed sixteen surrendering Ukrainian soldiers near Pokrovsk.

The Fourth Geneva Convention concerns the protection of civilians in times of war. It prohibits unlawful violence to life, cruel treatment and torture, and it places strict legal grounds on the deprivation of a civilian’s liberty. In that Moscow Mechanism report, the panel of independent experts found that Russia had arbitrarily detained thousands of Ukrainian civilians. It also found that civilians had been denied the guarantees that should have been afforded to them under international law and subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. The UN’s latest report shows how arbitrary detention and torture of civilians has continued in recent months. We demand that Russia allows independent observers full access to all places where Ukrainian POWs and civilian detainees are held – just as Ukraine does for Russian detainees.

We remain appalled by the ongoing detention of the three staff members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission, who have been wrongly imprisoned for more than two years for activities carried out while working for the OSCE. We call again for their immediate release.

Madam Chair, 75 years ago, mankind’s barbarity required us to bolster the laws of war. We must not pass on a similar burden to our successors. Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 October 2024.

UK highlights support for the OSCE, governments, and civil society organisations, which work to protect the most vulnerable from the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking.

Thank you Madame Moderator. And thank you to the panellists for their insightful presentations.

The United Kingdom believes that international coordination is critical to tackling trafficking in human beings. Conflict, humanitarian crises, irregular migration, and the devastating impacts of climate change are all contributing to growing numbers of people in modern slavery and subject to human trafficking, with women and children particularly at risk.

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has precipitated the largest forced displacement of people in Europe since the Second World War.

Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced persons continue to face a heightened risk of trafficking.

To better inform the response, the UK has supported analysis by a regional Observatory on Organized Crime. The Observatory’s report on ‘The vulnerable millions’ provided valuable insight into the organised crime patterns, drivers, and risks in Ukraine’s mass displacement.

Building on this, the UK supports the OSCE, governments and civil society organisations with work to protect the most vulnerable from the risks of modern slavery and trafficking.

We have, for example, supported adaptation of awareness materials on the risk of human trafficking into Ukrainian, as well as the development of apps to support and track refugees vulnerable to exploitation on their relocation journeys.

We especially welcome the work of the Special Representative for Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings and her Office, as well as the efforts of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, to support states in the region to increase prevention efforts and protection of Ukrainian refugees.

Last year, the UK was also pleased to participate in a workshop delivered by the Special Representative’s Office on reducing trafficking risks for Ukrainian refugees in the UK. The Office shared positive practices and tools to prevent the trafficking of refugees vulnerable to exploitation, and provided relevant UK agencies with recommendations on tailoring responses to reduce those risks.

Finally, the UK continues to strengthen our relationships with partner governments in the region through bilateral agreements – including the Joint Action Plan we have agreed with Romania. This aims to reduce the number of Romanian nationals trafficked and exploited in the UK, as well as to strengthen national responses.

Across the OSCE region, we must do more: both for those forced to flee anew, and for the longer-term displaced. Stopping trafficking before it happens, protecting and assisting victims, and bringing perpetrators to justice.

Beyond the statistics are countless individual stories of tragedy and hardship. Let us continue to work together to end this heinous crime. Thank you Madame Moderator.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 October 2024.

Foreign Secretary makes historic visit to Dublin as part of government’s drive to reset relations with Europe.

• UK and Ireland to welcome current and future collaboration on growth and climate, and global issues
• delivering on UK government commitment to reset with Ireland and the EU as a whole, David Lammy visits Ireland alongside Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations Nick Thomas-Symonds
• new chapter of UK-Irish relations focussed on rebuilding bridges and re-establishing trust as international partners.

David Lammy will arrive in Dublin today (3 October), the first Foreign Secretary to do so in over 7 years.

This historic visit will reiterate the government’s commitment to resetting ties with Ireland and Europe and follows the Prime Minister’s visit to Dublin last month where he announced the first UK-Ireland Summit will take place next year.

Ireland is the UK’s closest neighbour, the relationship is built on close economic and cultural connections – from infrastructure and energy markets to family ties, stretching from Limerick to Liverpool. Working with Ireland powers homes, protects people and drives growth.

As part of this government’s ongoing work to reset the UK’s relations with Europe, the Foreign Secretary will hold high level talks with Tánaiste Micheál Martin.

David Lammy and Micheál Martin will seek to ensure the British-Irish partnership can reach its full potential and drive forward a modern foreign and development policy partnership.

The Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, said:

For too long our relationship with Ireland has not delivered to its full potential – but now, together, we are setting out on a new path.

Ireland is our closest neighbour in many more ways than just geography. Our energy systems, infrastructure, economic markets, culture, sporting pursuits and family trees are deeply intertwined.

Let’s use this unique connection to strengthen our partnership to help both the UK and Ireland forge a more secure and prosperous future.

As a key member of the European Union, a closer friendship with Ireland will ensure the UK’s relationship with the EU can continue to improve – echoing the Prime Minister’s determination to move beyond Brexit, including work towards a security pact and the implementation of the Windsor Framework.

The Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations will also meet the Minister of State for Europe, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, to discuss a number of issues including the reset in the UK’s relationship with the EU, following the Prime Minister’s meeting with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday.

Minister for the Constitution and European Union, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said:

As the Prime Minister and President von der Leyen confirmed yesterday, our shared challenges require stronger cooperation between the UK and EU.

I’m delighted to be in Dublin today with the Foreign Secretary to discuss how the UK, Ireland and the EU can start to build the stable, positive and forward-looking relationship we need for long term cooperation.

The reset relationship will also focus on delivering climate-conscious growth for businesses and workers in both the UK and Ireland. This will help to protect the economy, create jobs, and seize the opportunity of the transition.

The Foreign Secretary, a year on since the launch of the 2 Co-Centres for Climate, Biodiversity, Water and for Sustainable Food Systems, will visit Trinity College Dublin to see the work being done to address the climate crisis first hand.

Collectively, the Co-Centres house research for innovation and policy across climate, biodiversity and water challenges. Together the UK and Ireland are deploying the brightest minds to ensure collective, multilateral action on the defining challenge of our times.

Whilst at Trinity, the Foreign Secretary will meet with Mary Robinson – Ireland’s first female President – who now serves as Adjunct Professor for Climate Justice at the College. The Foreign Secretary will hear from Mary Robinson and her colleagues how the UK and Ireland can employ these strategies to tackle the climate crisis.

This follows the Foreign Secretary’s Kew Lecture, where he outlined how action on climate is vital to our security, prosperity and future.

On the world stage, the UK and Ireland share an unbreakable commitment to the UN, to the European Convention on Human Rights, to justice, accountability and the rule of law. Both countries stand together against Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine and for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East.

The UK and Ireland know how to work together for peace; the Good Friday Agreement is one of the nations’ proudest shared achievements and a cornerstone of modern conflict resolution. The foreign ministers will discuss how the UK and Ireland can work more closely on peacebuilding efforts around the globe.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 October 2024.

UK and Mauritius have reached a historic agreement to secure the strategically important UK-US military base on Diego Garcia.

• UK government agrees a deal with Mauritius today to settle historic sovereignty claims, protect our national security and close a potential illegal migration route
• deal ensures long term secure operation of the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, a vital facility for maintaining international security
• agreement protects UK interests and those of international partners, with strong US backing

The UK and Mauritius have reached a historic agreement to secure the strategically important UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, which plays a crucial role in regional stability and international security.

For the first time in more than 50 years, the status of the base will be undisputed and legally secure, following a political agreement between the UK and Mauritius.

The agreement underpins the UK’s steadfast duty to keep the country safe, with the operation of the military base unchanged, in an increasingly volatile world.

The previous government started negotiations on the future of British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)/Chagos Archipelago, but years after the negotiations began issues have remained unresolved.

The agreement is strongly supported by international partners including the United States, which has joint operation of the strategic military base.

Without today’s agreement, the long-term, secure operation of the military base would be under threat, with contested sovereignty and legal challenges – including through various international courts and tribunals.

The agreement demonstrates the UK government’s commitment to safeguarding global security and averting threats to peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean and wider Indo-Pacific. It sees Mauritius assume sovereignty over BIOT, with the UK authorised to exercise the sovereign rights of Mauritius on Diego Garcia.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

This government inherited a situation where the long-term, secure operation of the Diego Garcia military base was under threat, with contested sovereignty and ongoing legal challenges.

Today’s agreement secures this vital military base for the future. It will strengthen our role in safeguarding global security, shut down any possibility of the Indian Ocean being used as a dangerous illegal migration route to the UK, as well as guaranteeing our long-term relationship with Mauritius, a close Commonwealth partner.

Diego Garcia has also seen a small number of vulnerable migrants arrive since 2021, subsequently launching asylum claims. The agreement will shut down any possibility of the Indian Ocean being used as a dangerous illegal migration route to the UK, with Mauritius taking responsibility for any future arrivals.

This week’s political agreement is subject to a treaty and supporting legal instruments being finalised. Both sides have committed to complete this as quickly as possible.