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Tag: 2025

  • PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer call with leaders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer call with leaders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania [March 2025]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 2 March 2025.

    The Prime Minister spoke to President Alar Karis of Estonia, Prime Minister Evika Siliņa of Latvia and President Gitanas Nausėda of Lithuania this morning.

    The Prime Minister reiterated that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are key partners of the UK, including through the Joint Expeditionary Force, and welcomed their leading contributions in support of Ukraine since Russia’s illegal invasion began.

    The Prime Minister updated them on his discussions with the leaders of Ukraine, France and the United States in recent days – and underlined his focus on securing a lasting peace in Ukraine that ensures their future sovereignty, backed up by strong security guarantees.

    They all agreed that Europe must unite and drive forward urgent action that will secure the best outcome, which will be vital for Europe’s future security.

    The Prime Minister updated on his plans to convene leaders in London later today for further discussions and they agreed to stay in close contact in the coming weeks.

  • Keir Starmer – 2025 Remarks Following International Leaders Summit

    Keir Starmer – 2025 Remarks Following International Leaders Summit

    The remarks made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, at Lancaster House in London on 2 March 2025.

    Good afternoon.

    The first priority of this government – of any government…

    Is the security and safety of the British people…

    To defend the national interest…

    Particularly in these volatile times.

    That’s why, last week…

    I announced the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War.

    That’s also why I met President Trump last week…

    To strengthen our relationship with America –

    As indispensable partners in defence and security.

    And it’s why, this weekend, I have been hosting European leaders here in London…

    To work together…

    For the security of the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Europe as a whole.

    Through my discussions over recent days…

    We have agreed that the UK, France and others…

    Will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting…

    Then we’ll discuss that plan with the United States…

    And take it forward together.

    The purpose of today’s meeting was to unite our partners around this effort…

    To strengthen Ukraine…

    And to support a just and enduring peace…

    For the good of all of us.

    Our starting point must be…

    To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position now…

    So that they can negotiate from a position of strength.

    And we are doubling down in our support.

    Yesterday evening…

    The UK signed a £2.2 billion loan…

    To provide more military aid to Ukraine –

    Backed, not by the British taxpayer…

    But by the profits from frozen Russian assets.

    And today, I am announcing a new deal…

    Which allows Ukraine to use £1.6 billion of UK Export Finance…

    To buy more than 5,000 air defence missiles…

    Which will be made in Belfast…

    Creating jobs in our brilliant defence sector.

    This will be vital for protecting critical infrastructure now…

    And strengthening Ukraine in securing the peace, when it comes.

    Because we have to learn from the mistakes of the past.

    We cannot accept a weak deal like Minsk –

    Which Russia can breach with ease.

    Instead, any deal must be backed by strength.

    Every nation must contribute to that in the best way that it can.

    Bringing different capabilities and support to the table…

    But all taking responsibility to act…

    All stepping up to their own share of the burden.

    So we agreed some important steps today.

    First, we will keep the military aid flowing and keep increasing the economic pressure on Russia…

    To strengthen Ukraine now.

    Second, we agreed that any lasting peace must ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and security.

    And Ukraine must be at the table.

    Third, in the event of a peace deal…

    We will keep boosting Ukraine’s own defensive capabilities…

    To deter any future invasion.

    Fourth, we will go further to develop a “coalition of the willing” to defend a deal in Ukraine…

    And to guarantee the peace.

    Not every nation will feel able to contribute.

    But that can’t mean we sit back.

    Instead, those willing will intensify planning now – with real urgency.

    The UK is prepared to back this…

    With boots on the ground, and planes in the air…

    Together with others.

    Europe must do the heavy lifting…

    But to support peace on our continent.

    And to succeed, this effort must have strong US backing.

    We’re working with the US on this point, after my meeting with President Trump last week.

    And let me be clear – we agree with the President on the urgent need for a durable peace.

    Now we need to deliver, together.

    Finally, we agreed that leaders will meet again very soon…

    To keep the pace behind these actions…

    And to keep working towards this shared plan.

    We are at a crossroads in history today.

    This is not a moment for more talk –

    It is time to act….

    Time to step up and lead…

    And to unite around a new plan…

    For a just and enduring peace.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Historic £1.6bn deal provides thousands of air defence missiles for Ukraine and boosts UK jobs and growth [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Historic £1.6bn deal provides thousands of air defence missiles for Ukraine and boosts UK jobs and growth [March 2025]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 2 March 2025.

    Deal will create 200 jobs in Northern Ireland and provide 5000 air defence missiles to Ukraine.

    200 new jobs will be created and hundreds more supported at one of the UK’s leading defence manufacturers, after a £1.6 billion deal was announced by the Prime Minister today to supply thousands of advanced air defence missiles to Ukraine.

    The latest measures in the UK’s support for Ukraine to achieve peace through strength, the deal will also provide a major boost to the UK economy and support 700 existing jobs at Thales in Belfast, which will manufacture more than 5,000 lightweight-multirole missiles (LMM) for Ukraine’s defence. The deal will see production of LMMs at Thales’s factory treble and will also benefit companies in the Thales Supply Chain across the UK – putting more money in working people’s pockets.

    It is the largest contract ever received by Thales in Belfast and the second largest MOD has placed with Thales, building on a previous contract with Thales, signed in September 2024 for 650 missiles. The first batch of missiles were delivered before Christmas, and this new contract will continue deliveries.

    The deal comes after the Prime Minister announced the Government’s commitment to increase spending on defence to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027 and confirmed an ambition to spend 3% of GDP on defence in the next parliament, in order to keep Britain safe and secure for generations to come. This investment will be an opportunity to translate defence spending into British growth, British jobs, British skills, and British innovation.

    The deal helps deliver on the Government’s pledge in its Plan for Change to improve the lives of people in every corner of the UK by growing the economy. By spending more on defence we will deliver the national security that underpins economic growth, and unlock new jobs, skills and opportunities across the country.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    My support for Ukraine is unwavering. I am determined to find a way forward that brings an end to Russia’s illegal war and guarantees Ukraine a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security.

    I am also clear that national security is economic security. As well as levelling up Ukraine’s air defence, this loan will make working people here in the UK better off, boosting our economy and supporting jobs in Northern Ireland and beyond.

    By doubling down on our support, working closely with key partners, and ensuring Ukraine has a strong voice at the table, I believe we can achieve a strong, lasting deal that delivers a permanent peace in Ukraine.

    Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

    Three years since Putin launched his full-scale invasion, we are now at a critical moment for the future of Ukraine and the security of us all in Europe.

    We all want a secure and lasting peace. As today’s meeting has showed, the UK will continue to lead international efforts to support Ukraine in securing a ceasefire and durable peace. And we will not jeopardise the peace by forgetting about the war. This new support will help protect Ukraine against drone and missile attacks but it will also help deter further Russian aggression following any end to the fighting.

    This new deal delivers on the UK’s ironclad commitment to step up military support for Ukraine, whilst boosting jobs and growth at home.

    ​Today’s deal marks a historic step for industrial relations between the UK and Ukraine, building on the 100 Year Partnership signed recently by the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy in Kyiv. The contract will enable Ukraine to draw on £3.5 billion of export finance to acquire military equipment from UK companies, boosting both the UK’s and Ukraine’s defence industrial bases and support investment in further military capabilities.

    Ukraine has already put the highly capable LMM missile to use as part of its air defences where it has proven to be incredibly effective in protecting civilians and critical infrastructure from Russia’s bombardment. A £162 million contract announced in September last year saw 650 LMM missiles supplied to Ukraine as an initial order to ramp up production – deliveries started in December 2024.

    Thales Northern Ireland will deliver the contract – worth an initial £1.16 billion with the potential for around a further £500 million of work to be added – in collaboration with a Ukrainian industry partner, which will manufacture launchers and command and control vehicles for the missiles in Ukraine.

    The contract has been placed by the MOD’s procurement arm Defence Equipment & Support on behalf of the Ukrainian Government, to be funded by a loan underwritten by United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF) after a deal signed last year to allow Ukraine to draw on £3.5 billion worth of support from UKEF to spend with UK industry.

    As set out in the Plan for Change, national security is the first duty of the Government – and a strong economy is built on the bedrock of strong security. Increased defence spending will support highly skilled jobs and apprenticeships across the whole of the UK. Last year, defence spending supported over 430,000 jobs across the UK, the equivalent to one in every 60, and 68% of defence spending goes outside of London and the Southeast, benefitting every nation and region of the country.

    Andy Start, DE&S CEO and UK National Armaments Director said:

    The UK’s Defence Industry has supported Ukraine from the start of the war and this important contract underlines industry’s ability to scale up production at pace to deliver the world-class defence equipment Ukraine requires.

     This contract is a critical next step in the work of Task Force HIRST in developing lasting partnerships between the UK and Ukraine’s defence industries. The substantial increase in LMM production capacity will benefit both Ukraine’s fight tonight, as well as the longer-term security of the UK.

    The deal marks the next milestone in the work of the MOD’s Taskforce HIRST and the first of a series of “mega projects” to be delivered for Ukraine, with the HIRST team working to build long-term relationships with Ukrainian industry to restore and modernise their defence industrial base, support its future defence and economic growth.

    Earlier this month, the Defence Secretary announced a new £150 million military support package to support Ukrainian troops fighting Russia on the frontline, part of the UK’s unprecedented £3 billion annual pledge to Ukraine.

    The UK has committed to spending £3 billion next financial year to support Ukraine, with an additional £1.5 billion from interest on seized assets through the Extraordinary Revenue Accelerator – taking the total to £4.5 billion. This will ensure Ukraine can achieve peace through strength and underscoring the new 100 Year Partnership between the UK and Ukraine.

  • Keir Starmer – 2025 Statement on the Leaders Meeting on Ukraine

    Keir Starmer – 2025 Statement on the Leaders Meeting on Ukraine

    The statement made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 2 March 2025.

    Today, I hosted counterparts from across Europe including Türkiye, as well as the NATO Secretary General and the Presidents of the EU Commission, EU Council and Canada, in London to discuss our support for Ukraine.

    Together, we reaffirmed our determination to work for a permanent peace in Ukraine, in partnership with the United States. Europe’s security is our responsibility above all. We will step up to this historic task and increase our investment in our own defence.

    We must not repeat the mistakes of the past when weak deals allowed President Putin to invade again. We will work with President Trump to ensure a strong, just, and lasting peace that ensures Ukraine’s future sovereignty and security. Ukraine must be able to deter and defend itself against future Russian attack. There must be no talks on Ukraine without Ukraine. We have agreed that the UK, France and others will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting which we will discuss further with the US and take forward together.

    Equally importantly, we discussed further rapid steps to enhance our support for Ukraine in pursuit of ‘peace through strength’. We will step up our military support, ensuring Ukraine has the support it needs to train its armed forces and accelerating our support in areas of greatest need. To help bring President Putin to the table, we will put further pressure on Russia by increasing sanctions, including on Russia’s energy revenues, while tightening enforcement of existing measures.

    We also agreed that Ukraine must have robust security arrangements in place at the time of any future peace deal so that Russia does not invade again. We will accelerate plans to build up Ukraine’s own armed forces and border defences after any deal, and ensure that Ukraine can draw on munitions, finance and equipment to defend itself.

    In addition, many of us expressed readiness to contribute to Ukraine’s security, including through a force consisting of European and other partners, and will intensify our planning.

    We will continue to work closely together to drive forward next steps, and will take decisions in the coming weeks.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister Keir Starmer to host leaders summit on Ukraine [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister Keir Starmer to host leaders summit on Ukraine [March 2025]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 2 March 2025.

    The Prime Minister will intensify his efforts in pursuit of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine by convening international leaders at a summit in London today.

    The Prime Minister has this weekend reiterated his unwavering support for Ukraine and is determined to find a way forward that brings an end to Russia’s illegal war and guarantees Ukraine a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security.

    The summit rounds off a week of intense diplomacy for the Prime Minister, which has seen him raise UK defence spending and travel to Washington D.C. for productive talks with President Trump in support of UK and European security. The Prime Minister spoke again with both President Trump and President Zelenskyy on Friday evening following the events of yesterday at the Presidents’ meeting in Washington D.C.

    The Prime Minister will welcome Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to Downing Street this morning, before being joined at the summit in central London by the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Canada, Finland, Sweden, Czechia and Romania. The Turkish Foreign Minister, NATO Secretary General and the Presidents of the European Commission and European Council will also attend.

    The Prime Minister has been clear that there can be no negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine, a determination he reiterated when he warmly welcomed President Zelenskyy to Downing Street on Saturday evening ahead of the summit.

    Discussions at the summit will focus on:

    • Strengthening Ukraine’s position now – including ongoing military support and increased economic pressure on Russia.
    • The need for a strong lasting deal that delivers a permanent peace in Ukraine and ensures that Ukraine is able to deter and defend against future Russian attack.
    • Next steps on planning for strong security guarantees.

    Following the announcement earlier this week that the UK will spend 2.5% of its GDP on defence by 2027, the Prime Minister will be clear on the need for Europe to play its part on defence and step up for the good of collective security.

    The UK has already been clear it is willing to support Ukraine’s future security with troops on the ground.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    Three years on from Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, we are at a turning point. Today I will reaffirm my unwavering support for Ukraine and double down on my commitment to provide capacity, training and aid to Ukraine, putting it in the strongest possible position.

    In partnership with our allies, we must intensify our preparations for the European element of security guarantees, alongside continued discussions with the United States.

    We have an opportunity to come together to ensure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine that secures their sovereignty and security.

    Now is the time for us to unite in order to guarantee the best outcome for Ukraine, protect European security, and secure our collective future.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government and Nuffield Health support NHS staff to get back to work [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government and Nuffield Health support NHS staff to get back to work [March 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 1 March 2025.

    Thousands of frontline NHS staff to benefit from a free rehabilitation programme with Nuffield Health to get them back to work.

    • The partnership will support thousands of NHS workers suffering from chronic joint conditions like arthritis or back pain
    • Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are second leading cause of absence among NHS staff and this initiative will help them regain quality of life
    • Programme will help deliver Plan for Change’s ambition to build an NHS fit for the future and shift healthcare from hospitals to community

    Four thousand frontline NHS staff will benefit from a free rehabilitation programme Nuffield Health are rolling out in partnership with the government to get them back to work, the Health and Social Care Secretary announced today.

    Nuffield Health’s Joint Pain Programme will support NHS workers with chronic and long-term joint conditions like arthritis, helping them regain their quality of life and focus on bringing down waiting lists.

    It will work with NHS teams to identity staff suitable for the programme and initially offer it at 10 trusts in London, Birmingham and the North West before a national rollout later this year.

    MSK conditions are the second leading cause of absence among NHS staff and this groundbreaking partnership will help them recover and focus on supporting patients.

    Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting said:

    NHS staff cannot treat patients if they’re in debilitating pain themselves.

    This partnership with Nuffield Health will help get thousands of NHS staff back to work, improve their quality of life and allow them to continue to cut waiting lists.

    We’ll care for them so they can care for us and deliver our Plan for Change’s goal to build an NHS fit for the future.

    Alex Perry, CEO, Nuffield Health said:

    Nuffield Health’s mission is to build a healthier nation and our free-to-access Joint Pain Programme is a key part of that. This unique programme has helped over 35,000 people to date improve their health and quality of life.

    By offering this free programme directly to NHS staff – including nurses, porters and paramedics – we are providing them with support to recover, return to work and continue delivering essential care.

    This not only improves their health but also reduces pressure on the NHS by lowering sickness absence and keeping skilled staff where they are needed most.

    In August 2024, more than 2 million days were lost due to NHS staff sickness.

    Back and MSK problems led to over 314,000 lost days and over 10,000 members of staff off work.

    Nuffield Health’s programme has already benefitted 35,000 people and participants experienced 35% improvement in joint pain and 37% improvement in joint function after taking part in 2024.

    On top of this, it prevented 86,226 sick days and resulted in a 29% reduction in GP appointments in 2024.

    The programme will deliver the Plan for Change’s ambition to build an NHS fit for the future as part of a decade of national renewal.

    It provides 12 weeks of exercise and support led by a personal trainer who has been upskilled to deliver rehabilitation programmes, followed by 12 weeks of access to Nuffield Health fitness facilities – all at no cost.

    It will help keep NHS staff healthy and fulfil one of the 10 Year Health Plan’s key ambitions of shifting care from hospital into the community.

    Keeping more NHS staff at work will boost productivity – ensuring they can focus on delivering the highest-quality care for patients and continue to cut waiting lists.

    Between July and November last year, the NHS carried out almost 2.2 million more elective care appointments compared to the same period the previous year – delivering on the government’s mission to fix the NHS.

    The government reached the target 7 months earlier than promised – with 100,000 more treatments, tests and scans for patients each week, and more than half a million extra diagnostic tests delivered.

    It follows figures published this month which showed the waiting list has been cut by almost 160,000 since the government took office, compared to a rise of almost 33,000 over the same period the previous year.

    The Health and Social Care Secretary announced the partnership at an event attended by 100 NHS staff in Peterborough earlier this week to gather their views on how to fix the health service.

    The public engagement event will help shape the government’s 10 Year Health Plan and forms part of a nationwide series of debates about how to make the NHS fit for the future.

    Ministers and NHS clinicians have carried out engagement events with NHS workers throughout this month – while thousands of NHS staff and the wider public have already submitted a range of ideas on Change NHS. These ideas will inform the government’s Plan for Change, which will drive a decade of national renewal and transform the health service.

    A new survey was recently launched on Change NHS, focusing on patient choice, how to support staff to care for patients and using technology to improve people’s experiences of the NHS.

    Further information

    Find out more on the Nuffield Health website or on their Instagram and LinkedIn pages.

    The Joint Pain Programme will be available to NHS staff in the following Nuffield Health locations:

    • Wandsworth
    • Wandsworth Southside
    • City
    • Covent Garden
    • Shoreditch
    • Paddington
    • Battersea
    • Chiselhurst
    • Fulham
    • Wimbledon
    • Twickenham
    • Brondesbury Park
    • Stoke Poges
    • Friern Barnet Hendon
    • Birmingham Central
    • Preston
    • Bolton
  • PRESS RELEASE : UK reinforces support for Ukraine with £2.26 billion loan to bolster Ukrainian defence capabilities [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK reinforces support for Ukraine with £2.26 billion loan to bolster Ukrainian defence capabilities [March 2025]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 1 March 2025.

    Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Ukraine’s Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko will today (Saturday 1 March) sign the UK-Ukraine Bilateral agreement.

    • The £2.26 billion loan will bolster Ukrainian military capability, and will be paid back using profits generated on sanctioned Russian sovereign assets.
    • Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko will sign the formal loan agreement today (Saturday 1 March), with the first tranche of funding expected to reach Ukraine later next week.
    • The loan demonstrates the UK’s commitment to Ukrainian defence. A strong Ukraine is vital to UK national security – the first duty of any government and central to the Plan for Change.

    Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Ukraine’s Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko will today (Saturday 1 March) sign the UK-Ukraine Bilateral agreement.

    This agreement will deliver £2.26 billion in funding to Ukraine, which will be paid back using the extraordinary profits generated on sanctioned Russian sovereign assets held in the EU.

    This is the UK’s contribution to the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) Loans to Ukraine scheme, through which G7 countries will collectively provide $50 billion to support Ukraine.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

    A safe and secure Ukraine is a safe and secure United Kingdom. This funding will bolster Ukraine’s armed forces and will put Ukraine in the strongest possible position at a critical juncture in the war.

    It comes as we have increased our defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, which will deliver the stability required to keep us safe and underpin economic growth.

    The loan will be fully earmarked for military procurement to bolster Ukraine’s defences, with the first tranche of funding expected to be disbursed to Ukraine next week.

    Russia’s obligation under international law to pay for the damage it has caused to Ukraine is clear and this G7 agreement, backed by the profits generated on sanctioned Russian sovereign assets, is an important step to ensuring this happens.

    The funding will be delivered in three equal annual payments of £752m.

    The announcement of the loan agreement is on top of the £3 billion a year commitment by the UK to provide military aid for Ukraine. The Prime Minister has been clear that a strong Ukraine is vital to UK national security.

    This loan follows the announcement by the Prime Minister committing the Government to increase UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with an ambition to spend 3% of GDP on defence in the next parliament as economic and fiscal conditions allow.

    This represents the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, safeguarding our collective security and funding the capabilities, technology and industrial capacity needed to keep the UK and our allies safe for generations to come.

    As set out in the Plan for Change, national security is the first duty of the government, and investment in defence will protect UK citizens from threats at home while also creating a secure and stable environment for economic growth.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine [March 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer meeting with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine [March 2025]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 1 March 2025.

    The Prime Minister welcomed President Zelenskyy to Downing Street this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister reiterated his unwavering support for Ukraine, adding that the UK will always stand with them, for as long as it takes.

    The Prime Minister re-stated his determination to finding a path that ends Russia’s illegal war and ensures a just and lasting peace that secures Ukraine’s future sovereignty and security.

    The leaders looked forward to continuing these discussions at tomorrow’s leaders’ summit in London.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer call with President Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan [February 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : Keir Starmer call with President Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan [February 2025]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 28 February 2025.

    The Prime Minister spoke with the President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan earlier this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister reflected on his recent visit to the US and the importance of working with international partners to uphold European security.

    Discussing the war in Ukraine, the Prime Minister reiterated the UK’s commitment to supporting Ukraine for as long as necessary to deter Russian aggression.

    The Prime Minister went on to set out his aims for the Leaders’ Summit he is convening in London on Sunday and said he was looking forward to Türkiye’s Foreign Minister participating in these talks.

    The leaders agreed to stay in touch.

  • PRESS RELEASE : COP16 concludes in Rome with a landmark agreement to mobilise resources for people and nature [February 2025]

    PRESS RELEASE : COP16 concludes in Rome with a landmark agreement to mobilise resources for people and nature [February 2025]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 28 February 2025.

    The UK welcomes the positive conclusion to negotiations at the resumed meeting of CBD COP16, which saw the international community make progress towards halting and reversing nature loss by 2030.

    • The agreement sets out a strategy for global collaboration on raising finance from all sources
    • A finalised Monitoring Framework will allow the international community to increase transparency on the global effort to address the nature crisis

    The extended session of COP16 in Rome ended today (Friday 28 February), after participants landed on a significant new agreement to address the global nature crisis.

    The deal will see global collaboration on raising finance for biodiversity, and details of the monitoring framework of the Global Biodiversity Framework targets finalised to accelerate nature recovery.

    An agreement on resource mobilisation creates a clear strategy for global collaboration on raising finance from all sources to fund the work necessary to achieve the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

    The finalisation of a Monitoring Framework and the global approach to reviewing progress in delivering the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, will ensure shared approach to tracking progress with transparency and accountability.

    Ruth Davis, UK Special Representative for Nature, who was present at the negotiations in Rome said:

    “This agreement is a significant step forward in the effort to tackle the nature crisis.

    “As the need for action becomes ever more urgent, a moment of genuine progress like this is heartening to see. Now, we must build on the spirit of co-operation shown in Rome to mobilise the resources needed to restore nature.

    “This is essential to help maintain food security, store carbon and tackle the impacts of floods and droughts.”

    UK Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

    “Nature provides everything we need to live. Our prosperity at home and around the world relies on the health of the natural world.”

    “The UK has been active in calling for an ambitious agreement to achieve our international targets to protect and restore the natural world.”

    “This agreement follows through on that ambition, and we look forward to working with other nations to protect and restore nature across the globe.”

    The UK played a key role in working with the parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity to finalise complex discussions on nature finance, and to agree a monitoring framework which will enable all Parties to measure and report in a consistent manner the delivery of their national actions. This will significantly enhance the ability of the international community to monitor the global state of nature, as well as understanding how best to focus future interventions.

    Negotiations in Rome saw the launch of the Cali Fund for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources. This is an important step to allow companies who utilise genetic databases derived from nature, such as the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and biotech sectors, to direct funds on a voluntary basis towards the Indigenous Peoples and local communities who safeguard biodiversity.

    The Government also published the UK National Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan (NBSAP) during the resumed COP16, which commits to achieving all 23 targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework at home. It highlights the UK’s international leadership to halt and reverse nature loss as work continues to halt the decline of species by 2030.

    This extended session follows the original meeting of COP16 in Cali, Colombia in November 2024. The UK will seek to build on the success of COP16 at the UNFCCC COP30 in Brazil later this year and CBD COP17 in Armenia in 2026