Tag: 2025

PRESS RELEASE : Historic Hillsborough Castle to host high-level international meeting on Western Balkans [August 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 August 2025.

Northern Ireland’s historic Hillsborough Castle will provide the backdrop for a foreign ministers’ meeting on the Western Balkans later this year.

Northern Ireland’s historic Hillsborough Castle will provide the backdrop for a foreign ministers’ meeting on the Western Balkans later this year. The Government is putting lasting reconciliation between neighbours in the Western Balkans region at the heart of discussions as the region faces growing threats from instability, corruption and criminal gangs that compromise UK security and growth.

Foreign Secretary, David Lammy will welcome over 15 European Ministers to Belfast from 8 October, to lead talks to promote peace, stability and cooperation in the Western Balkans, strengthen Europe’s collective security and combat organised crime and people smuggling gangs.

The County Down location played host to vital moments in UK and Irish politics, including intense negotiations which salvaged peace talks from the brink of collapse, resolving decades of division between Northern Ireland communities and forging the way for the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, signed in 1998 under the last Labour government.

With unresolved disputes and increasing ethnic tensions in the Western Balkans challenging European aspirations and leaving the region vulnerable to malign influence, the Foreign Secretary will draw on experiences of the peace process and the practical examples of the inter-community cohesion present in Northern Ireland today.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

“Hillsborough Castle is a poignant reminder of the power of diplomacy to transform conflict and division into long-term peace and cooperation.

“By harnessing Northern Ireland’s experience, we hope to support partners in the Western Balkans to overcome the challenges of the past through meaningful reconciliation and help build a safe and prosperous future.

“As part of the Plan for Change, this government is committed to strengthening partnerships with Europe, ensuring strong foundations of economic stability, secure borders and national security.”

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said:

“Northern Ireland’s experience of securing peace through the Good Friday Agreement after decades of conflict has set a powerful example of reconciliation to the world.

“This provides a legacy of hope as well as practical experience which I believe will prove invaluable to our Western Balkans partners as they travel a similar path to peace and prosperity.

“As a long-standing forum for peace-building and politics, it is fitting that Hillsborough Castle has been chosen to host this significant international event.”

Laura McCorry, Head of Hillsborough Castle said:

“For centuries, Hillsborough Castle has been a place where people come together to shape a shared future.

“The castle stands as a living testament to the power of dialogue and reconciliation in a place where peace has been hard won.

“We hope it will provide an inspiring setting for the meeting and look forward to hosting the Ministers this autumn.”

The UK has a longstanding role and an important legacy in promoting security in the region including in Kosovo, where it has maintained a presence through NATO’s KFOR mission since 1999.

Since the election last year, the UK has stepped up engagement with Western Balkans countries to deliver on the Plan for Change, including smashing people smuggling networks exploiting the region as a gateway to Europe. In 2024 alone, more than 55,000 people were trafficked to other countries along routes through the Western Balkans. This government is taking practical steps to make change, including a joint agreement on organised immigration crime signed with Serbia during the Foreign Secretary’s visit to the region in April, when he also visited Kosovo. In May, he visited Bosnia and Herzegovina amid political instability in the country, part of the UK’s increased activity and engagement in the Western Balkans. This year, the Prime Minister has also expanded the Joint Migration Task Force with Albania and Kosovo to include North Macedonia. The task force brings together specialists from the countries involved to design and execute operations to detect, deter and manage illegal migration.

Last month, the Government launched the world’s first sanctions regime targeting irregular migration and trafficking criminals – including those from the Western Balkans – going directly after the vile networks profiting from human misery.

The Foreign Minister meeting forms part of the UK’s chairing of the Berlin Process in 2025: the key international forum instigated by Germany which brings together all six Western Balkans countries alongside partner European nations to drive regional and economic cooperation in the Western Balkans.

Also in October, the Home Secretary will host a migration-focused Interior Minister meeting, and the Prime Minister will host a Leaders’ Summit in London.

August 15, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Parole Board – reappointment of judicial members [August 2025]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 8 August 2025.

The Lord Chancellor has approved the reappointments of His Honour Jeremy Roberts KC and His Honour Peter Rook KC to the Parole Board.

His Honour Jeremy Roberts KC has been reappointed for a period of 2 years from 1 August 2025 until 31 July 2027.

His Honour Peter Rook KC has been reappointed for a period of 4 years from 1 February 2026 until 31 January 2030.

The Parole Board is an executive Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. It works with its criminal justice partners to protect the public by risk assessing prisoners to decide whether they can be safely released into the community. It was established by the Criminal Justice Act 1967.

Parole Board members are appointed, by ministers, under the Criminal Justice Act 2003. Appointments and reappointments to the Parole Board (with the exception of judicial members) are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Biographies

His Honour Jeremy Roberts KC

His Honour Jeremy Roberts KC has enjoyed a distinguished judicial career, including a decade of service as a judge at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) from 2001 to 2011. He was called to the Bar in 1964 and took Silk in 1982. He has also served as a Recorder and Tutor Judge, demonstrating a longstanding commitment to the legal profession.

His Honour Jeremy Roberts KC was first appointed as a judicial member of the Parole Board in 2010.

His Honour Peter Rook KC

His Honour Peter Rook KC was called to the Bar in 1973 and took Silk in 1991. In June 2005, he was appointed a Senior Circuit Judge to sit at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) retiring in 2017. He also sat as a judge in the Court of Appeal. He sat as a Coroner between 2017 and 2019. He sat as a judge in retirement until September 2024. He was appointed Parole Board Vice Chair in January 2020 and will serve in this role until 5 December 2025.

His Honour Peter Rook KC was Chair of the Criminal Bar Association from 2002 until 2003. He was Head of Chambers, at 18 Red Lion Chambers, from 2002 until 2005. He is the co-author of a leading textbook now in its sixth edition “Sexual Offences: Law and Practice” – seventh edition to be published in 2025.

August 15, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Government speeds up reforms to protect children from harm [August 2025]
The press release issued by the Department for Education on 8 August 2025.

Extra £18 million injected into councils in England to roll out children’s social care reforms that prioritise earlier intervention.

Vulnerable children are to be better protected from harm after the government speeds up children’s social care reforms that prioritise prevention through its Plan for Change.

An extra £18 million will be spent on rolling out early intervention child protection reforms to councils in England to stop families from reaching crisis by strengthening leadership and speed up delivery.

The reforms include the roll out of Family Group Decision Making, an approach to involve extended family members in helping keep children at home rather than in care, and thousands more family help workers to provide earlier support for families experiencing challenges, such as substance misuse or poor mental health.

It comes after funding for this vital work has already been doubled to £523 million compared to last year, with a further commitment to increase funding by at least £300 million over the next two years.

Plans are also progressing to test the NHS number as a unique identifier to help piece data together across frontline health, schools and police services to detect concerns about children before they escalate.

A pilot between Wigan Council and NHS England is live and testing linking their systems to use the NHS number as the unique identifier. This will then be assessed to see how efficiently it helps to share information about safeguarding concerns with children before rolling it out further.

The identifier will ensure there is a more joined up and less piecemeal approach that ensures frontline safeguarding professionals share concerns about a child as early as possible to provide a holistic picture of when they may be, or are at risk of harm, before it escalates even further.

These updates mark significant progress in delivering key measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the biggest piece of safeguarding legislation in a generation.

Children and Families Minister Janet Daby:

Time and again we’re told how failing to share information and intervene early enough means vulnerable children fall through the cracks.

These deep-rooted problems are symptomatic of a children’s social care system that has clearly been stretched to breaking point.

We’re putting an end to sticking plaster solutions through our Plan for Change by investing even more focus and funding into preventative services and information sharing.

Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution Jim McMahon OBE:

Through our Plan for Change we are getting councils back on their feet, working with local leaders to fix the foundations and rebuild the sector to deliver the vital public services local people rely on.

A key part of this involves reforming children’s social care to tackle problems at their root and give every child the best start in life.

In addition to the £523 million we are providing this year to the Families First Partnership Programme, this new £18 million from the Transformation Fund will further support local authorities and safeguarding partners to help us achieve this.

Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said:

Children in care told me in my Big Ambition survey they want the same things as other children: love, safety and stability in their family life. It’s absolutely right that we prioritise supporting families earlier on when challenges arise, with the goal of keeping them together safely.

I welcome this investment in caring for children and families but also in strengthening leadership locally, because my research has shown that decisions about children in care are too often driven by local capacity and resources, instead of what’s right for those children’s needs.

The introduction of a unique ID for every child will help identify problems early on and prevent any child becoming invisible to services, so robust and effective implementation will be essential, using evidence of what does and doesn’t work through this first pilot.

The latest announcements help to deliver on key measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, including:
- A unique number for every child – in the same way every adult has their own national insurance number – to join up systems and make sure no child falls through the cracks. A consistent identifier will allow those responsible for the safeguarding and welfare of children to better join relevant data and identify children who will benefit from additional support.
- Improved information sharing between agencies through a new information sharing duty to make sure that data that should be shared for safeguarding reasons, is shared.
- Rolling out Family Help reforms which will ensure children, young people and families experiencing multiple and complex challenges, including substance misuse or poor mental health, receive wraparound support and protection at the earliest opportunity before problems get worse.
- Requiring all local authorities to offer Family Group Decision Making – a service that brings extended family members together to keep children with families rather than entering care.
- Making sure every council operates best practice ‘multi-agency’ safeguarding panels, that bring together all the professionals that can best make sure children are kept safe both inside and outside the home.
It comes hand-in-hand with the government rolling out Best Start Family Hubs across every local authority to support 500,000 more children. The hubs will act as a one stop shop for parents seeking a range of support, including on difficulty breastfeeding, housing issues or children’s early development and language, reassuring families that they have convenient access to support in their local area or can be efficiently connected to specialist local services.

It also comes on top of £555m that was announced at the Spending Review to deliver children’s social care reforms and £560 million to refurbish and expand children’s homes, bringing the total investment to over £2 billion.
August 15, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : Armed Forces to mark VJ Day 80 with flypasts, music and commemorations around the world [August 2025]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 8 August 2025.

VJ Day 80 celebrations will include flypasts, music and commemorations across the globe.

The Armed Forces will lead the nation in marking the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan (VJ Day 80) with a series of spectacular ceremonies next week.

The military contribution to the commemorations will include:
- Flypasts, musicians and a guard of honour at the Royal British Legion’s national commemorative event at the National Memorial Arboretum
- A sunset ceremony and lightshow recognising the contribution of the Commonwealth to the Second World War on the eve of VJ Day
- Performances by military bagpipers at dawn on VJ Day to mark 80 years since peace was restored to the Far East
- A service of remembrance on board the flight deck of aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, as the UK Carrier Strike Group continues its deployment to the Indo-Pacific
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

The bravery and sacrifice of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth Armed Forces during the Second World War continue to inspire us today.

The nation will come together on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day to thank those who served and remember those who died.

Our UK Armed Forces today continue the legacy of the Greatest Generation – protecting the peace they secured through their courage and commitment across the world.

Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said:

The Armed Forces are proud to be at the heart of commemorations for the 80th anniversary of VJ Day this month.

The service and sacrifice of the Second World War generation continues to inspire the men and women of today’s Armed Forces.

The alliances and partnerships forged during the Second World War – in NATO, the Commonwealth and in the Far East – still keep us safe today.

Around 400 members of the Armed Forces will pay tribute to Second World War veterans at the National Memorial Arboretum for the national commemorative event hosted by the Royal British Legion (15 August).

The national event in Staffordshire will include a guard of honour of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force and flypasts by the Red Arrows and The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

The historic Second World War-era aircraft appearing during the ceremony will include The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’s Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster.

Gurkhas from the British Army’s Brigade of Gurkhas will also form part of the guard of honour in recognition of the contribution of 120,000 Gurkha soldiers during the Second World War, particularly in Malaya, Burma and Singapore.

The VJ Day 80 commemorations will begin on the evening of 14 August with a spectacular sunset ceremony at the Memorial Gates in London to pay tribute to Commonwealth personnel who served and died in the Far East.

An emotive lightshow projected on to the Memorial Gates, using images and stories from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s digital story-sharing platform For Evermore, will tell the story of people from around the world who served in support of the allies during the Far East campaign.

Lord Boateng, Chairman of the Memorial Gates Council, will lay a wreath on behalf of HM The King during the ceremony.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Torch for Peace will be lit to close the ceremony, in a reminder of our shared commitment to peace and security.

The Ministry of Defence will also lead a moment of reflection at The Cenotaph, the United Kingdom’s national monument to UK and Commonwealth personnel who died in the world wars.

At dawn on VJ Day itself, military bagpipers will perform the lament Battle’s O’er at The Cenotaph, in the Far East section of the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, and at Edinburgh Castle.

The dawn lament will coincide with a remembrance moment at a Japanese peace garden to reflect the reconciliation which has taken place between the UK and Japan in the decades since the Second World War.

The simultaneous performances will be broadcast live in the UK at dawn as the nation gathers to mark 80 years of peace in the Far East and remember those who died during the campaign.

They will be joined in unison by military pipers performing in key locations around the world to recognise the contribution of communities across the Indo-Pacific to the Second World War, including on board HMS Prince of Wales, at sea in the Far East.

This includes performances by UK Armed Forces pipers in Japan, Nepal, Brunei and New Zealand.

The ship’s company of HMS Prince of Wales will hold a short service of remembrance on board the aircraft carrier’s flight deck, led by a Royal Navy chaplain and including a minute’s silence.

The aircraft carrier is currently leading the UK Carrier Strike Group on deployment to the Far East, where the flagship is leading a convoy of 12 allies to demonstrate their operational capability, bolster the UK’s commitment to NATO and to protect peace and prosperity in the region.

Armed Forces personnel on duty in the UK and on operations and exercises around the world will pause to mark the anniversary, remembering those who died and thanking veterans of the Second World War for their service.
August 15, 2025
Keir Starmer – 2025 Statement on the Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza

The statement made by Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 8 August 2025.

The Israeli Government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately. This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages. It will only bring more bloodshed.

Every day the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens and hostages taken by Hamas are being held in appalling and inhuman conditions. What we need is a ceasefire, a surge in humanitarian aid, the release of all hostages by Hamas and a negotiated solution. Hamas can play no part in the future of Gaza and must leave as well as disarm.

Together with our allies, we are working on a long-term plan to secure peace in the region as part of a two-state solution, and ultimately achieve a brighter future for Palestinians and Israelis.

But without both sides engaging in good faith in negotiations, that prospect is vanishing before our eyes. Our message is clear: a diplomatic solution is possible, but both parties must step away from the path of destruction.

August 15, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : New ‘restriction zones’ to boost protection for victims [August 2025]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 8 August 2025.

New restriction zones will curb the freedoms of the most serious sexual and violent offenders by ‘locking’ them into specific areas where necessary.
- ‘Restriction zones’ to lock offenders – not their victims – into specific areas
- Breaches, when boundaries are crossed, could result in prison recall
- Move part of Plan for Change to boost protection for victims and make our streets safer
Under plans outlined today (Friday 8 August), offenders will be pinned down to certain areas with tough monitoring supported by proven technology – with the possibility of time behind bars for those who breach restrictions.

This will provide an additional tool to protect victims from the most serious offenders. Whilst existing “exclusion zones” are a valuable tool to stop offenders from entering a location where their victim lives, new “restriction zones” go further and instead limit the movement of offenders, who are confined to an agreed area, allowing victims to travel anywhere else without fear of meeting their offender.

Probation officers will conduct a detailed risk assessment and work hand-in-hand with victims on the creation of restriction zones, making sure zones prevent contact while giving survivors the maximum freedom to rebuild their lives.

The change was announced after Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones visited the charity Advance, which supports women and girls who have experienced trauma from domestic abuse to rebuild their lives in their communities.

Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones, said:

Through our Plan for Change, we’re putting victims first.

This move will strengthen safeguards for victims. I’ve heard firsthand how this innovative approach will give them the peace of mind they deserve and rebuild their lives without fear.

Wider reforms throughout the probation system will also see tens of thousands more offenders tagged – backed by a huge boost in funding of up to £700 million by 2028/29.

In addition, at least 1,300 new trainee probation officers will be brought in next year to increase capacity and new technology will lighten the administrative burden and free up time for workers to effectively supervise the most dangerous offenders and keep the public safe.

Diana Parkes CBE and Hetti Barkworth-Nanton CBE, who are co-founders of the Joanna Simpson Foundation, said:

For far too long, victims have had to reshape their lives to avoid their offenders. Exclusion zones have made victims feel trapped as though they are the ones serving a sentence, with the victim carrying the weight of someone else’s crime.

This announcement from the Ministry of Justice is the much-needed change that has long been called for and is a powerful step forward. By placing restrictions on offenders instead, this will now give survivors the freedom they deserve to live, move and heal without fear. It will also be more cost-effective for those monitoring the perpetrators as they will be locked in specific areas rather than having to monitor the exclusion zones where the victims live.

We are proud to have campaigned for this reform over the course of many years, including in our meeting with the Lord Chancellor and Victims Minister earlier this year, and truly grateful to the Ministry of Justice for listening, for believing in change and for putting survivors first.

In order to further protect victims and ensure they see justice done, there will be further changes to:
- Increase tagging for domestic perpetrators – enabling the closer monitoring of cowardly abusers to reassure victims and remove the onus from them to prove breaches have occurred.
- Identify perpetrators of domestic abuse at sentencing – requiring judges to flag domestic abuse at sentencing so prisons, probation and police can better identify and manage abusers.
- Expand Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts – bolstering support for victims and ensuring their abusers are properly supervised and rehabilitated.
- Bolster transparency for victims at sentencing – including the provision of free copies of judges’ sentencing remarks for victims of rape and other sexual offences, and ensuring they receive the information and support they need to navigate the criminal justice system.
This builds on action the government has already taken to meet its commitment to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, including:
- A National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection backed by £13.1 million to enable policing to better target these crimes.
- Raneem’s Law which embeds domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms in the first five police forces to improve the police response to domestic abuse.
- Nearly £20 million in funding for specialist VAWG services which support victims of abuse including a range of vital helplines.
- Introducing a new criminal offence for spiking and new spiking training for thousands of pub, club and bar staff to ensure they have the skills to support victims and prevent incidents.
- Launched new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in select police forces and courts. These orders enable victims to obtain protection for as long as needed, cover all forms of domestic abuse and can impose tougher restrictions on perpetrators including electronic monitoring and mandating assessments for perpetrator programmes.
- New measures to tackle stalking, including giving police guidance on a victim’s right to know the identity of online stalkers for the first time and widening the use of Stalking Protection Orders.
- The roll out of The Drive Project across England and Wales which, backed by £53 million, will target high-harm, high-risk domestic abuse perpetrators – taking the responsibility for the abuse away from the victim and putting it firmly on the perpetrator where it belongs.
- Criminalising pornography that depicts acts of strangulation through the Crime and Policing Bill.
August 15, 2025
Keir Starmer – 2025 Letter to Rushanara Ali Accepting her Resignation

The letter sent by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, to Rushanara Ali on 7 August 2025 accepting her resignation.

The Prime Minister
7 August 2025

Dear Rushanara

Thank you for all you have done to deliver this Government’s ambitious agenda.

Your diligent work at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, including your efforts to put in measures to repeal the Vagrancy Act, will have a significant impact.

You have also begun the process of delivering landmark reforms including tackling harassment and intimidation in public life and encouraging more people to engage and participate in our democracy. This will leave a lasting legacy.

I know you will continue to support the Government from the backbenches and represent the best interests of your constituents in Bethnal Green and Stepney.

All best wishes,

Keir Starmer

August 15, 2025
Rushanara Ali – 2025 Resignation Letter to Keir Starmer

The letter of resignation sent by Rushanara Ali to Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 7 August 2025.

Rushanara Ali
Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Stepney
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA

Labour Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Stepney

7 August 2025

Dear Prime Minister,

It is with a heavy heart that I offer you my resignation as a Minister. It has been the honour of my life to have played my part in first securing and then serving as part of this Labour Government. You have my continued commitment, loyalty and support.

Further to recent reporting, I wanted to make it clear that at all times I have followed all relevant legal requirements. I believe I took my responsibilities and duties seriously, and the facts demonstrate this.

However, it is clear that continuing in my role will be a distraction from the ambitious work of the government. I have therefore decided to resign from my Ministerial position.

I am proud to have contributed to the change this government has delivered in the past year. Working alongside the Deputy Prime Minister, we secured record investment in social and affordable housing, and nearly a billion pounds of funding to alleviate homelessness and rough sleeping. I am proud to have delivered this government’s election strategy, leading to legislation that will protect and enhance our democracy, with tough new laws on foreign donations, extending the vote to 16 and 17 year-olds, and tackling harassment and intimidation in public life.

More widely, I have been proud to serve in a government that is investing in the NHS, rebuilding communities, securing trade deals, delivering jobs and growth, and rebuilding Britain’s place on the world stage. Under your leadership, Britain is showing international leadership on a range of issues, from standing up for Ukraine against Russian aggression, to working with our allies on developing a pathway to end the war in Gaza, including recognition of Palestinian statehood.

I want to thank you and the Deputy Prime Minister for your support and for giving me the opportunity to serve the British public in this Labour Government.

Please be assured of my continued support.

Yours sincerely,

Rushanara Ali
Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Stepney

August 15, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : UK highlights importance of sustainability ahead of COP30 [August 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 August 2025.

The British Ambassador to Guatemala, Juliana Correa, participated in a workshop with representatives of government and private sector to stress the need to achieve an ambitious COP30.

During the meeting, Ambassador Correa highlighted the United Kingdom’s commitment to global climate action and the fundamental role of the private sector in the transition to sustainable economies.

She highlighted British initiatives such as climate financing through capital markets, UK’s support for funds to mitigate the impact of climate change, the commitments to decarbonize the UK’s electricity grid and submit an NDC aligned with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

The meeting reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s willingness to collaborate with Guatemala on the climate agenda, especially in the context of COP30. The active participation of the Guatemalan business sector was recognized as key to advancing climate adaptation, mitigation, and financing measures.

The event was attended by the Vice Minister of Environment, Edwin Castellanos; the Director General for Multilateral and Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Ana Isabel Carrillo; and organized by the Guatemala’s Climate Change Special Envoy, Ambassador Rita Mishaan, in coordination with Green Development Guatemala.

August 15, 2025
PRESS RELEASE : The UK encourages all parties to remain committed to prioritising security, growth and prosperity across the region – UK statement at the UN Security Council [August 2025]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 August 2025.

Statement by Caroline Quinn, UK Deputy Political Coordinator, at the UN Security Council meeting on West Africa and the Sahel.

Firstly, the United Kingdom condemns terrorist attacks in the region, including the increased use of IEDs, and the use of blockades to disrupt trade and isolate communities.

Regional unity is critical for addressing the growing security challenges and tackling transnational threats.

The UK encourages all parties to remain committed to prioritising security, growth and prosperity across the region.

We stress the need for careful consideration of external security partners, not all of whom share these goals.

We welcome the agreements between ECOWAS and the AES, which protect the strong tradition of West African cooperation and will bring benefits to citizens of the region, including freedom of movement and ease of trade.

We urge the countries of the region to extend this constructive approach to cooperation on counter terrorism and security.

Second, President, we note mixed progress on democratic processes.

The UK is concerned by recent developments in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, including the suspension of political parties, increasing restrictions on civic space and the extension of transition timelines.

We call upon the authorities in these countries to return to the principles of inclusive and accountable governance, which are crucial to long-term stability and prosperity.

Looking ahead to the Presidential elections in Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau this year, the UK stands ready to engage in support of ensuring these are peaceful, credible processes, and aligned with their respective constitutions.

We also welcome progress in promoting youth and women’s participation in governance.

Investment in education and employment is critical to reducing vulnerability to radicalisation and irregular migration and supporting inclusive and sustainable peace.

And as we heard from Ms Bahous so powerfully, investing in girls’ education, in particular, is key to ensuring women and girls can enjoy their rights and realise their full potential.

Third, President, we remain concerned by the deteriorating humanitarian situation across the region.

Conflict, displacement and restrictions on humanitarian access continue to undermine the delivery of life-saving assistance.

And we urge all parties to ensure rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access.

To conclude, President, the region’s complex challenges require collective action.

The UK supports efforts to strengthen regional dialogue and remains committed to inclusive regional cooperation.

August 15, 2025