Tag: 2024

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 August 2024.

The UK will donate essential security equipment for Ecuador’s fight against organised crime as part of the new British Minister for Latin America’s first official overseas visit.

Baroness Chapman met senior members of the Ecuadorean Cabinet to discuss how the UK and Ecuador can deepen security co-operation.

They also signed a double-taxation agreement between the UK and Ecuador – removing tax barriers to doing business in both countries, boosting growth, trade and investment.

The Minister will later meet National Police officers at an anti-narcotics base to learn about the challenges they face.

On behalf of the UK, she will donate four vehicles and other equipment. The items will make police officers safer and bolster capability in combating criminal gangs.

Ecuador is the first country the Minister is visiting in Latin America since being appointed last month.

Baroness Chapman, Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean, said:

The new UK Government is committed to renewing our partnership with Latin America – co-operating closely on shared priorities including climate change, security and economic prosperity.

I’m making my first visit, as Minister, to Ecuador – a country with which we share democratic values – to offer my unequivocal backing in your fight against organised crime.

Which is why the UK is donating essential security equipment to brave police officers putting their lives on the line daily to protect the Ecuadorean people.

Violence must never be allowed to prevail over democracy and the rule of law.

Baroness Chapman’s programme – which will also include travel to the Amazon and meeting indigenous leaders – reflects the growing environmental, trade and security ties between the UK and Ecuador.

The UK manages over $200 million of projects in the Ecuadorean Amazon – including $34 million in direct funding to communities – to enable sustainable use of land and reduce deforestation.

Trade is also increasing between the two countries. In 2023, it grew by 10 per cent to total £329 million per year.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 August 2024.

Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry Maria Eagle met with Ukrainian counterparts and UK defence industry leaders in Ukraine.

• UK government and defence industry leaders visit Ukraine.
• Leaders initiate negotiations for contracts under the Defence Export Support Treaty.
• This will enable Ukraine to access UK Export Finance to acquire military equipment from UK companies.

Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry Maria Eagle met with Ukrainian counterparts and UK defence industry leaders in Ukraine in recent days to initiate negotiations for contracts under the Defence Export Support Treaty, signed during President Zelenskyy’s visit to the UK two weeks ago.

The treaty, signed by Defence Secretary John Healey and Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov on 19 July, will enable Ukraine to draw on £3.5 billion of export finance to acquire military equipment from UK companies. This will help to boost both the UK’s and Ukraine’s defence industrial bases and support investment in further military capabilities.

Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry Maria Eagle said:

“The UK stands united with Ukraine. Our government has already pledged to step up support, confirming £3bn a year to support Ukraine and a new package of crucial ammunition, anti-armour missiles and artillery guns.

“My visit is another demonstration of our commitment to work in partnership with industry to boost production of essential military kit, both for Ukraine and to replenish UK stocks.”

The Minister met with Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Strategic Industries for European Integration, Serhiy Boyev, and the Ukrainian National Armaments Director, Oleksandr Serhii, and toured UK industrial facilities in Ukraine, seeing first-hand how the UK is enhancing Ukraine’s industrial capacity.

The Minister’s visit comes just weeks after she and the Defence and Business Secretaries met with President Zelenskyy and industry leaders in London. From industrial sites at home, to facilities in Ukraine, the UK defence industry has been providing critical equipment to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Working with local partners, UK firms are providing maintenance and repair for UK-supplied weapons and helping to get vehicles and equipment back onto operations from facilities in Ukraine.

From recommitting to spending £3 billion a year of military support to the Government’s recent commitment to fast-track deliveries, the UK continues to stand with Ukraine.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 August 2024.

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

There is only one possible conclusion from the Famine Review Committee’s data: there is famine in Sudan, and that famine is entirely man-made.

Today, one hundred Sudanese civilians, men, women and children will die from starvation.

Tomorrow, one hundred more.

This appalling loss of life will continue until the warring parties put the Sudanese people before power.

President, the level of suffering in Sudan is unimaginable. It exists far beyond Zamzam camp, and it is a direct consequence of the actions of the warring parties.

The Sudanese Armed Forces are obstructing aid delivery into Darfur, including by shutting the Adre crossing, the most direct route to deliver assistance at scale.

The Rapid Support Forces’ ongoing assault on Darfur has forced thousands to flee and created the conditions for starvation to spread. It does not need to be this way. The warring parties and those with influence can take immediate action to prevent further suffering.

First, we call on the warring parties to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access. This includes opening the Adre crossing, lifting bureaucratic obstacles and taking measures to protect aid workers, so they can deliver food to starving communities.

Second, there is no military solution to this crisis. We call on the warring parties to join talks in Geneva and engage in good faith, to agree steps to a durable ceasefire, full humanitarian access and the protection of civilians.

And third, in March, the Secretary General released a White Note under Security Council resolution 2417 to warn this Council of the risk of famine in Sudan. The UN’s warnings and calls for action have been ignored by the warring parties just as they have ignored international calls for a ceasefire, including by this Council.

In the face of such blatant disregard for human life, this Council should consider all necessary tools to end this man-made crisis.

President, it is not too late to prevent further suffering. The time to act is now.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 August 2024.

Statement by Legal Adviser Colin McIntyre at the UN Security Council briefing on ICC Sudan.

Mr. President, the UK is alarmed by the escalation of violence inside Sudan, including in Darfur. The ongoing fighting in El Fasher has caused significant civilian loss of life and has forced thousands to flee their homes. There are also a growing number of reports alleging that serious international crimes are being committed in Darfur as well as elsewhere in Sudan. This includes the recruitment of child soldiers, conflict-related sexual violence, and violence targeted at specific ethnic groups. We are gravely concerned by such reports.

In this context, we particularly welcome the progress that the Office of the Prosecutor has made in advancing accountability as outlined in the 39th report including through continued engagement with Sudanese civil society organisations and through the extensive deployment of investigators to Chad to collect further testimonial evidence.

The UK also welcomes some signs of improved cooperation from those in power in Sudan, including through the provision of visas, the facilitation of a field visit to Port Sudan and engagement in relation to certain priority Requests for Assistance. It is essential that this cooperation continues to improve.

The UK is also pleased to note the continuing progress in the trial of the former Janjaweed commander, Mr Abd-Al-Rahman, also known as Ali Kushayb. As this landmark case moves forward towards its final stages we pay tribute to the more than 100 victims and witnesses who have participated in the trial. Such trials are critical to ensuring accountability and justice. Indeed the progress in this trial serves to highlight the crucial importance of ensuring that the other individuals subject to outstanding arrest warrants are surrendered to the Court. We call upon the Sudanese authorities to do more to respond substantively to the Office of the Prosecutor’s request for information concerning the whereabouts of Ahmed Harun, Omar Al-Bashir and Abdel Raheem Hussein.

Finally, we note that in October last year, the Human Rights Council adopted the ‘Sudan Core Group’ resolution to establish an independent and international Fact-Finding Mission. We believe that this represents a further important contribution to ensuring impartial investigations of human rights violations and abuses.

Mr. President, the UK reiterates its continued support for the International Criminal Court and for its important work in this situation. This conflict must not be forgotten and we remind all parties to the conflict that the Prosecutor’s mandate is ongoing.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 August 2024.

The Government announced that the 2024 edition of the UK-France Local Government Forum will take place in Leeds on 12 and 13 December, co-hosted by Leeds and Bradford City Councils and supported by the West Yorkshire Mayor. This will be the third edition of the forum, following on from the successful 2022 event in Nancy.

The forum is an opportunity for mayors, leaders, cabinet members, councillors and officers from sub-national government – be that district, borough, city, unitary or county councils, as well as combined authorities – to meet and exchange with French counterparts on subjects of common interest, as well as be part of a dialogue with national government representation. This year’s forum will focus specifically on social inclusion and placemaking and will be extra special in this 120th anniversary year of the Entente Cordiale, which ushered in a new era of cooperation between Britain and France. The ties between the UK and France are deep, historic and vital, and it is the partnerships between our communities that sustain and enrich those ties.

The Government welcomes interest to attend or participate in the forum, in particular from leaders of councils or combined authorities with active partnership projects and or twinning arrangements with their equivalents in France and those who might be interested in establishing or re-invigorating such links.

The Government will share further details of the programme and how to register in due course. If you require further information or have any questions, please contact: UKFRLocalGovForum@fcdo.gov.uk