Tag: 2025

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 July 2025.

The Minister for International Development, Latin America and Caribbean and Peruvian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs co-chaired the 6th session of the Peru-UK Political Consultations in London on 3 July.

The Rt. Hon Baroness Chapman of Darlington, Minister for International Development, Latin America and Caribbean welcomed Peruvian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Felix Denegri to London on 3 July, where the two Ministers co-chaired the 6th session of the Peru-UK Political Consultations.

A historic relationship rooted in shared values dating back over 200 years, the UK and Peru reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their modern partnership.

Successes celebrated since the last meeting include the successful ratification of the UK’s CPTPP accession; the signing of a Double Taxation Agreement; and signing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Climate Change. The two countries celebrated the  culmination of the 200-year anniversary of Peru-UK relations in 2023 and numerous high-level visits both ways.

1. On security and defence, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to a rules-based international order and willingness to jointly tackle global insecurity. The UK and Peru agreed to drive collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding on Security cooperation, addressing transnational drug trafficking, illicit financial flows, corruption and environmental crime.
2. On growth, the parties celebrated the strengthening of bilateral trade and investment, supported by a growing framework of trade and government-to-government agreements (G2Gs). Peru acknowledged the UK’s valuable contribution to Peru’s infrastructure on health, education and flood defences. This includes the UK’s position as the largest foreign direct investor in mining in Peru. The UK also presented its recently launched Industrial Strategy and the two sides discussed collaboration on Peru’s clean energy transition, including unlocking green hydrogen potential.
3. The parties highlighted their joint efforts to address climate change, protect the Amazon Rainforest, promote green investment and tackle environmental crime. They celebrated the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Climate and Biodiversity and discussed Peru’s leadership as a key partner in Latin America ahead of COP30. The UK offered to continue supporting Peru in developing a National Bioeconomy Strategy by 2026.
4. Lastly, the UK and Peru stressed the value of shared cultural experiences as a foundation to the bilateral relationship. They celebrated the promotion of English Language learning through the British Council and academic excellence through the UK’s Chevening scholarships programme. The parties will soon drive this further through the signing of two Memorandum’s of Understanding to collaborate on quality higher education in Peru delivered by the British Council.

Speaking after the Consultations, Baroness Chapman said:

The UK and Peru share a warm and historic friendship – over 200 years strong,  grounded in our values, mutual respect and common ambitions.

Today we are working closer than ever for shared growth and prosperity. The UK is already Peru’s largest foreign investor and I had a fantastic discussion with Ambassador Denegri today on how we can build on this, from trade, to climate and security.

Vice minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru, Félix Denegri said:

We had very fruitful discussions with Baroness Chapman, in which we ratified our commitment to continuously expand and strengthen our bilateral agenda, based on our shared principles, values and interests.

I am greatly satisfied with the level of bilateral engagement between Peru and the UK, shown in reciprocal ministerial, vice-ministerial and high authorities visits in the last two years. We both highlighted the continuity of our Political Consultations Mechanism, being this the sixth since its establishment in 2018.

We look forward to welcome Baroness Chapman for our next round of Consultations, in Peru.

The UK and Peru will continue to strengthen bilateral ties across security, growth, climate and education, invigorated through their new agreements and MOUs. The parties agreed to reconvene in Peru in 2026.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 July 2025.

UK Military Advisor, Lt Col Joby Rimmer, says amid global crises, including war in Iran, the UK urges continued focus on Ukraine.

Thank you, Madame Chair. The United Kingdom remains steadfast in our commitment to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. This unwavering support is rooted in the defence of sovereignty, international law, and the multilateral system. As Ukraine continues to resist Russian aggression with resilience and determination, recent developments underscore both the urgency of sustained assistance and the growing strain on Russia’s military and economic apparatus.

On the battlefield, Ukraine continues to hold the line, and in several areas, it is pushing it back. In Sumy Oblast, Russian attempts to establish a buffer zone were reversed by Ukrainian forces in late June. On 30 June, Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed the liberation of Andriyivka and advances near Oleksiivka, halting Russia’s northern offensive. Across Kharkiv, Kherson, and Zaporizhia, Russian offensives remain stalled or inconclusive. Ukrainian counterattacks have blunted their momentum. Russia’s increasing reliance on small, dispersed assault groups, observed between 22-30 June, reflects not tactical ingenuity but strategic desperation. On 27 June, Ukraine’s Security Service and Special Operations Forces struck the Marinovka airfield in Russia’s Volgograd region, destroying two Su-34 fullback fighter jets and damaging two more.

While Russia may emphasise incremental battlefield gains, these claims frequently lack independent verification. What is verifiable reality is that Russia’s economy is buckling under the weight of its own aggression. Oil and gas revenues are falling, inflation is surging, and the rouble continues to depreciate. President Putin himself has admitted the economy is ‘overheating.’ Sanctions are biting hard, damaging Russia’s industrial base, widening the gap between military demand and production capacity, and forcing the Kremlin to rely on a dwindling National Wealth Fund to plug a ballooning deficit. Arms exports have collapsed, and production of advanced systems like the Su-57 fighter jet has been suspended due to parts shortages. This has driven Russia to search for sources elsewhere – China remains the decisive enabler of Russia’s war, and Iran has provided drones and ballistic missiles. In addition, over half of the artillery shells used by Russia since 2024 have come from North Korea. A telling sign of Moscow’s increasing dependence on foreign support.

So how does Russia respond? President Putin has escalated his campaign of terror from the skies. On June 29, Russian forces launched the largest air assault since the start of the full-scale invasion, firing over 500 aerial weapons in a single night. While most were intercepted, the attacks caused civilian casualties and widespread infrastructure damage. President Zelenskyy rightly condemned these strikes as further proof that Russia is not seeking peace, but destruction.

Finally, the Russian delegation will no doubt highlight recent NATO defence announcements as provocative. To clarify, again, in response to Russia’s increasing aggression across the Euro-Atlantic area, its illegal actions in Ukraine and its irresponsible nuclear rhetoric, the United Kingdom is reinforcing its own defence and deterrence posture. Our procurement of F-35A aircraft and participation in NATO’s dual-capable aircraft nuclear mission represent the most significant enhancement of our nuclear readiness in a generation. This is a strategic move to ensure NATO’s credibility and preparedness to respond to an increasingly volatile security environment.

Madame Chair, while the world faces multiple crises, from instability in the Middle East to tensions in the Indo-Pacific, we must not lose sight of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Russia’s invasion is not just a conflict against Ukraine; it is a direct assault on the principles that underpin global peace and security. Let us be clear: Russia’s aggression will not succeed. Its economy is faltering, its military is overstretched, and its international isolation is deepening. Ukraine, by contrast, stands strong, resilient, united, and supported by a global coalition of democracies. The United Kingdom reaffirms its enduring commitment to Ukraine. We will stand with the Ukrainian people for as long as it takes.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 July 2025.

Statement by Fergus Eckersley, UK Minister Counsellor, at the Security Council meeting on Haiti.

Mr President, the UK condemns, without reservation, the violence that continues to undermine efforts to restore democratic rule in Haiti.

Coordinated gang attacks on civilian communities, public buildings and the security services continue to destabilise the Haitian state.

The gangs’ use of sexual and gender-based violence as a tool to control the population is abhorrent.

We stand with the survivors, and we fully support efforts by BINUH and OHCHR to strengthen law enforcement efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The international community, including this Council, need to support the Haitian government’s efforts to re-establish security and stability.

We thank the pen holders for their efforts, and we stand ready to renew the mandate of the Special Political Mission to Haiti.

It is clear that more is needed, and the Haitian security forces and the Multinational Security Support mission should be adequately supported in order to stabilise the security situation.

The UK pays tribute to Kenya for its continued leadership of the MSS mission in support of the Haitian Police.

It is important now for this Council to agree a process to consider the Secretary-General’s recommendations to deliver enhanced UN security support to Haiti, as a matter of urgency.

This action must be matched by Haitian efforts to advance the restoration of democratic rule.

We note the recent publication of decrees to facilitate constitutional reform and the establishment of an electoral framework.

This is a positive step, but more action is needed to lay the groundwork for inclusive and credible elections.

We recognise the complex security environment and the considerable pressures facing the Transitional Presidential Council, and we encourage Haitian authorities to continue this work, while prioritising security and justice efforts to stabilise the country.

The UK firmly rejects those seeking to undermine such a transition and is committed to maintaining accountability, including through the implementation of sanctions on those who seek to destabilise Haiti.

Mr President, the people of Haiti deserve stability and a lasting peace.

Collectively, we must find a way to deliver that.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 July 2025.

His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo Alyson King’s speech on the King’s Birthday Party delivered on 19 June.

Your Excellency the President of the Republic, represented here by his principal advisor in charge of the College of Environment, Urban Planning and Mobility, HE Ambassador Tosi Mpanu Mpanu,

Honourable Senators and Members of Parliament,

Your Excellencies, distinguished members of the national and provincial governments, and their representatives here present,

Madam SRSG and Head of MONUSCO,

Excellencies, my fellow Ambassadors and heads of international organisations,

Dear members of the diplomatic corps and international organisations,

Distinguished religious and civil authorities, members of political parties,

Dear partners,

Eminent representatives of civil society and the world of culture,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Distinguished guests,

Dear friends,

All protocol observed

Boyei malamu na moto nyonso! (Welcome to everyone!)

Thank you all for coming. Your presence helps to create a special atmosphere as we celebrate the official birthday of King Charles III. It’s also an opportunity to celebrate the links between the UK and the DRC.

The UK established its first diplomatic mission here in 1902, when a British consulate was built in the then capital, Boma.

But even though our relationship is 123 years old this year, I think we’re just getting started!

I’m going to repeat what I said last year:

We still do not know each other as well as we might. It remains my firm conviction that the more we know and understand each other, the more opportunities we will find to do good things together.

That’s enough recycling, at least for words!

The past year has been marked by undeniably negative events, and I’d like to say a few words about them before turning to more encouraging aspects.

In January, the battle for Goma began when Rwandan troops and the M23 attacked. Many civilians died, as did members of MONUSCO and SAMIDRC. Many people were forced to move – once again – and numerous human rights violations were committed by all the actors on the ground. I was forced to close our office in Goma.

A few days later, several embassies – both African and Western – and diplomatic residences in Kinshasa were attacked and looted. Perhaps the oldest principle of international public law is “don’t shoot the messenger”. Peaceful demonstration is an essential democratic right and freedom; as diplomats, we are there to understand and convey messages, particularly when the situation is difficult. But this type of violence is unacceptable and counter-productive. It delayed the international response to events in the east of the country rather than encouraging it.

Today, a record 5 million people live under occupation in the east of the DRC, under the administration of a UN-sanctioned rebel group.

I want to be very clear.

The UK Government condemns the actions of all illegal armed groups in eastern DRC, including the M23. The UK Government has expressed its deep concern about the support of the Rwandan Defence Forces (RDF) to the M23 in offensives that violate the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In response, the UK Government has announced a major reassessment of its policy towards Kigali, including the suspension of the majority of its financial support.

Security Council Resolution 2773, adopted unanimously by its 15 members, calls for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the M23 and the RDF. It has not yet been implemented. We welcome all the efforts currently being made to find a political solution to this situation.

At a time when the international system based on norms and international law is being called into question, whether in the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan or the DRC, leadership is required more than ever.

This leadership must be both courageous and wise, ready to take the necessary difficult measures and brave reforms.

Against this backdrop, there are many reasons to be optimistic about relations between the UK and the DRC.

You’ll see many examples of our collaboration in this garden.

I’m delighted to welcome back some of our Chevening alumni, and even more delighted to announce that we are increasing the number of scholarships available to talented young Congolese leaders to study for a Masters degree, fully funded by the UK, in the UK.

Much of the UK’s work in the country is targeted at communities in the east. For example, new UK funding will provide clean water and sanitation to around 200,000 displaced people, in partnership with UNICEF and the SAFER consortium.

On this day, International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, I would like to underline the priority that the UK Government gives to supporting survivors of sexual violence and fighting impunity. I reiterate my congratulations to the DRC for being the first state in the world to condemn the crime of forced pregnancy. I hope we can work together to provide global leadership on these vital issues in the years ahead.

We congratulate the DRC on its election to the Security Council as of 1 January and look forward to working together on issues crucial to international peace and security.

In the field of health, our partnerships with UNICEF and the WHO are supporting the government’s response to the ongoing Mpox and cholera epidemics, and helping more than 4.4 million Congolese people. I was delighted to meet some Mpox survivors in Kinshasa recently; one young man thought he would never get out of hospital alive because he was so ill. Looking at him today, you’d never guess, he’s so healthy and cheerful.

On climate and the environment, the UK co-chairs the Donor College of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership in the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI). Our new £90 million action programme supports local communities around the Yangambi Biosphere Reserve, improving economic livelihoods while preserving forests and nature.

And I’m proud that our programme is also building the DRC’s capacity in climate science in collaboration with British universities.

I would like to salute the work of the Head of State, for his renewed commitment to economic reform. Tangible improvements to the business climate, such as simpler and more predictable procedures and taxation, as well as greater transparency, will attract foreign direct investment and lead to the creation of well-paid jobs.

British companies have shown their interest in the economic potential of the DRC. For example, British International Investment’s investment alongside DP World in the DRC’s first deep-water container port at Banana will open up new infrastructure and international trade opportunities for the country.

As a global centre of mining expertise, trade and finance, the UK is particularly well placed to support the DRC’s ambition to develop its mining sector and bring its critical minerals, which are vital to global economies, to all Congolese.

This evening, I’m delighted that several Congolese companies with links to the UK are here, and in particular several of them have been able to contribute to this fantastic event.

I would like to thank our generous sponsors: Socimex, Rawbank, Vodacom, G4S, Helios Towers, HJ Hospital, Médecins de Nuit, Diageo, Canalbox, Manga Flore Gardening Services, Centre Médical Diamant and BAM’s Clean, without whom this evening would not have been possible.

My thanks also go to my team who work tirelessly, not just for this event, but also for their dedication on a daily basis enabling the Embassy to function well and for us make a difference.

Dear guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Democratic Republic of Congo is an important partner and friend for the United Kingdom. In recent years, the ties of friendship between our two countries have grown stronger. H.E. President Felix Tshisekedi was one of the first heads of state to meet His Majesty King Charles III after his accession to the throne.

We salute the work of H.E. Mrs Judith Suminwa, the first female Prime Minister of the DRC, and all the members of the Government present here today.

My country’s wish is to embark on the next phase of this relationship, working in collaboration with the DRC’s leaders, civil society, businesses and health and climate experts.

I sincerely hope that we’ll get to know each other better and that we’ll achieve even more great things together.

Here’s to the next 123 years of friendship!

Feti malamu (Enjoy the party!)

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 July 2025.

Joint Statement of the G7 Foreign Ministers on Iran and the Middle East.

Joint statement:

We the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, met in The Hague on June 25, 2025, where we discussed recent events in the Middle East.

We reiterate our support for the ceasefire between Israel and Iran announced by U.S. President Trump, and urge all parties to avoid actions that could further destabilize the region.

We appreciate Qatar’s important role in facilitating the ceasefire and express our full solidarity to Qatar and Iraq following the recent strikes by Iran and its proxies and partners against their territory. We welcome all efforts in the region towards stabilization and de-escalation.

We reaffirm that the Islamic Republic of Iran can never have nuclear weapons, and urge Iran to refrain from reconstituting its unjustified enrichment activities. We call for the resumption of negotiations, resulting in a comprehensive, verifiable and durable agreement that addresses Iran’s nuclear program.

In order to have a sustainable and credible resolution, we call on Iran to urgently resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as required by its safeguards obligations and to provide the IAEA with verifiable information about all nuclear material in Iran, including by providing access to IAEA inspectors. We condemn calls in Iran for the arrest and execution of IAEA Director General Grossi.

We underscore the centrality of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. It is essential that Iran remains party to and fully implements its obligations under the Treaty.

We reiterate our commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East. In this context, we reaffirm that Israel has a right to defend itself. We reiterate our support for the security of Israel.