Tag: David Lammy

The statement made by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, on 15 August 2024.

We are at a crucial moment for global stability. The coming hours and days could define the future of the Middle East. That is why today, and every day, we are urging for our partners across the region to choose peace.

As the UK made clear at the UN Security Council this week, the situation in Gaza is devastating. The strike on the al-Tabeen school demonstrated that Palestinians in Gaza have nowhere safe to turn.

These talks are an opportunity to secure an immediate ceasefire that protects civilians in Gaza, secures the release of hostages still cruelly held by Hamas and restores stability at a dangerous moment for the region.

The UK will continue to use every diplomatic lever to bring about a ceasefire. In the last week, I have spoken with partners from across the region on the urgent need to bring this conflict to an end and the Prime Minister has spoken to his US, French and German counterparts, as well as the Iranian and Egyptian Presidents.

It’s clear from these conversations that a ceasefire would not only protect civilians in Gaza, but also pave the way for wider de-escalation and bring much-needed stability for the Middle East.

It is in the interests of both Israelis and Palestinians for a deal to be agreed, urgently. I urge all parties to engage in the negotiations in good faith and show the flexibility needed to reach an agreement.

I thank Qatar, Egypt, the US and all international partners for their efforts in co-ordinating this vital moment.

The statement made by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, on 9 August 2024.

The UK welcomes the appointment of the interim government in Bangladesh, led by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus. The interim government has the UK’s support as it works to restore peace and order, for the sake of the Bangladeshi people. We urge all actors to prevent further violence and loss of life.

The people of Bangladesh deserve accountability and a peaceful pathway to an inclusive democratic future.

The statement made by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, on 5 August 2024.

The last 2 weeks in Bangladesh have seen unprecedented levels of violence and tragic loss of life. A transitional period has been announced by the Chief of the Army Staff.

All sides now need to work together to end the violence, restore calm, de-escalate the situation and prevent any further loss of life.

The people of Bangladesh deserve a full and independent UN-led investigation into the events of the past few weeks.

The UK wants to see action taken to ensure Bangladesh a peaceful and democratic future. The UK and Bangladesh have deep people-to-people links and shared Commonwealth values.

The statement made by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, on 1 August 2024.

I strongly welcome the news that Russia has released a number of prisoners today, and am particularly relieved that British nationals Vladimir Kara-Murza and Paul Whelan will soon be reunited with their families.

Mr Kara-Murza is a dedicated opponent of Putin’s regime. He should never have been in prison in the first place: the Russian authorities imprisoned him in life-threatening conditions because he courageously told the truth about the war in Ukraine. I pay tribute to his family’s courage in the face of such hardship and hope to speak to him soon.

Paul Whelan and his family have also experienced an unimaginable ordeal. I look forward to speaking to him as he returns home to his family in the United States after over 5 years in detention.

The speech made by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, in Laos on 26 July 2024.

Thank you, Your Excellency Dato Erywan, for your kind words and all your work as UK Country Coordinator. And thank you, Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, for hosting us in your beautiful country.

As Foreign Secretary, I have a clear mission: reconnecting Britain with the world. Joining you at the end of only my third week in office shows my long-term commitment to this relationship.

Britain’s new government recognises that the world is changing rapidly. That we are all stronger when we work together. And that in the Indo-Pacific in particular, ASEAN has a distinct and important voice, working to affirm ASEAN’s centrality for over 50 years.

So I am delighted that Britain is now ASEAN’s 11th Dialogue Partner. We have made good progress on over 80% of our Plan of Action commitments, and we are showing a genuine spirit of partnership together.

Take health. COVID sharply illustrated how interconnected the world has become. Today, UK experts have been involved in drafting the ASEAN One Health Plan. And I just launched a new Health Security Partnership Programme, so that together, we can prevent, detect and address health threats of the future.

Our first joint statement shows our desire to take that spirit of partnership further.

Let me highlight 3 areas where I see potential to do more.

First, security. You founded ASEAN during the Cold War. Today, geopolitical rivalry is again on the rise. From Ukraine to Gaza, there are more active conflicts than at any time since 1945. We cannot treat these conflicts in isolation – prosperity and stability in the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific are indivisible.

And so Britain is committed to working with you to promote peace and security in this region and beyond. By supporting ASEAN’s Five Point Consensus on Myanmar. And seeking to join the ASEAN Regional Forum and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus.

Second, economic growth. Our trading relationship is worth almost £50 billion.

The UK is a top 10 investor in southeast Asia and the region’s third largest partner in financial services. If ASEAN were a single nation – and don’t worry, I recognise this disguises the great diversity of your membership – you would be Britain’s eighth biggest trading partner.

We can deepen those ties, creating economic opportunities for all.

Third, climate. Our new government is determined to be back at the forefront of climate action. We will take more action at home, and deepen partnerships abroad, including through our planned ASEAN-UK Green Transition Fund.

Together, we need to seize the opportunities of the clean energy transition.

It’s vital to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals – one of your priorities in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, and to building more resilient economies on a liveable planet.

Today is about dialogue. So I want to hear your priorities.

Our goal must be to become even more closely connected. So that we can meet the challenges of this rapidly changing world.

The statement made by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, in the House of Commons on 19 July 2024.

With permission, Mr Speaker, I shall make a statement on the middle east. I was very disappointed to miss yesterday’s foreign affairs debate due to the European Political Community summit, and I welcome this early opportunity to come to the House.

Last weekend, I visited Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, meeting leaders on both sides. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has also spoken to both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas, and I have discussed the issue with colleagues from the G7 and, of course, the region. This has been a priority from day one because of the desperate situation in Gaza, and the serious risk of escalation in Lebanon in particular. I must be frank: Britain wants an immediate ceasefire. The fighting must stop. The hostages must be released. Much, much more aid must enter Gaza—Israel promised a “flood of aid” back in April, but imposes impossible and unacceptable restrictions—and there must be de-escalation on the Israeli-Lebanese border. I sincerely hope the parties will agree a ceasefire as a matter of urgency.

I have been discussing with partners the need for planning for what follows, on reconstruction, governance and security, and for reforming and empowering the Palestinian Authority, but President Biden presented his proposals nearly two months ago, so we in this new Government have not sought to cloak our position in qualifications or conditions. This horror must end now.

My visit brought home the conflict’s appalling impact. I met the families of those murdered and taken hostage so cruelly by Hamas, now separated from their loved ones for so long. I told them that the UK would continue to push for the immediate release of all hostages. I also met Palestinians displaced by settlers. Settlement expansion and settler violence have reached record levels. The Israeli Government have seized more of the west bank in 2024 than in the past 20 years. That is completely unacceptable. This Government will challenge those who undermine a two-state solution.

Finally, I met aid workers from the United Nations agencies operating in Gaza. More aid workers have been killed in Gaza than in every other conflict globally combined this year. Those who risk their life to save others are heroes. With journalists banned from entering, aid agencies are a vital source of information from the Gaza strip, and their reports are devastating: almost 40,000 killed, mothers so malnourished that they cannot produce milk for their babies, rivers of sewage in the streets, a surge in disease among children—with 40 times the normal rate of diarrhoea, and with polio now detected—and looting; one aid truck driver was killed only yesterday. I announced on my visit new funding for field hospitals run by UK-Med, which has treated more than 60,000 Gazans since the conflict began.

Humanitarian aid is a moral necessity in the face of such a catastrophe, and it is aid agencies that ensure that UK support reaches civilians on the ground. UNRWA is absolutely central to those efforts; no other agency can deliver aid on the scale needed. It is already feeding over half of Gaza’s population. It will be vital for future reconstruction, and it provides critical services to Palestinian refugees in the region. I was appalled by the allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attacks, but the UN took those allegations seriously. I have spoken to UN Secretary-General Guterres and Commissioner-General Lazzarini. Following Catherine Colonna’s independent review, we are reassured that UNRWA is ensuring that it meets the highest standards of neutrality and is strengthening its procedures, including on vetting.

UNRWA has acted. Partners such as Japan, the European Union and Norway have also now acted, and this Government will act too. I can confirm to the House that we are overturning the suspension of UNRWA funding. Britain will provide £21 million in new funds, with some directed at supporting the management reforms recommended by the Colonna review. UNRWA supports more than 5.5 million Palestinians, and almost 200 of its staff have died in this conflict. I thank the agency for its lifesaving work.

As we look for a pathway out of the wider crisis, I am conscious of this conflict’s complexities and am determined to listen to all sides. I approach every decision I must take carefully. Our overarching goal is clear: a viable and sovereign Palestinian state, alongside a safe and secure Israel. There is no way out of this crisis without a route to both Palestinians and Israelis enjoying security, justice and opportunity in lands that they can call their own. We are committed to playing a full diplomatic role in a renewed peace process, and to contributing to that process by recognising a Palestinian state at a time determined by us, not anyone else.

I know that other aspects of this crisis are of great interest to the House, including the Government’s assessment of Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law in Gaza, the investigation by the International Criminal Court, and what further measures might help to deter malign activity by the Iranian regime. Let me reassure the House that I take those issues extremely seriously. Our commitment to international law is clear, and we are following the necessary processes. As soon as I took office, I tasked officials with a comprehensive review of Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law, and that process is now under way. I will update the House again once the process is complete.

Twenty-four years ago, just weeks after I first joined the House, President Clinton hosted the Camp David summit—a reminder that this tragedy has lasted far too long. There are those in this House who, like me, represent constituents who are convinced that the world does not understand Israel’s predicament. To them I say that Israel is in a tough neighbourhood and is threatened by those who want it annihilated. There is no equivalence between Israel’s democratic Government and Hamas, a terrorist organisation responsible for an act of barbarism on 7 October that sought to kill countless Israelis and provoke wider conflict with Palestinians. I fully supported the UK’s role in defending Israel when Iran launched its unprecedented attack, and I utterly condemn the Houthi attack on Tel Aviv overnight.

There are also those who, like me, represent constituents who are convinced that the world does not understand the depth of Palestinian suffering. To them I say that civilians in Gaza are trapped in hell on earth. The Palestinian people have been in purgatory for decades, and have been denied the state that is their inalienable right.

As Foreign Secretary, I understand both those perspectives. I recognise the pain and anguish felt on all sides. It makes me only more determined to do all I can in this office to advance the cause of peace. I commend this statement to the House.

The statement made by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, on 17 July 2024.

On the tenth anniversary of the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, a passenger plane travelling between Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur, my thoughts remain with the families and friends of all those who died. 298 innocent people, including 10 British nationals, lost their lives that day – future dreams and ambitions suddenly destroyed.

A decade on from that dreadful day, the devastating impact of this tragedy is still felt by thousands around the world, as they continue to mourn their loved ones. I remain grateful to the Joint Investigation Team for their efforts to uncover the truth. The conviction of 3 individuals in relation to the downing of MH17 was an important step in securing justice for the families of the victims.

All States have a responsibility to cooperate in full with efforts to establish accountability, truth and justice for the families. We deeply regret the Russian Federation’s decision to withdraw unilaterally from ICAO proceedings on MH17 and we continue to call on Russia to cooperate in full with efforts to establish accountability so that justice can be fully delivered.

The speech made by David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, on 5 July 2024.

It is the honour of my life to stand before you as Foreign Secretary. A descendant of enslaved people. A black, working class, man from Tottenham. A community which has never produced a Foreign Secretary before.

This speaks to what a modern, multicultural Britain can be. Proudly internationalist. Determined to deliver for working people. And committed to building a better future for us all.

Britain has enormous potential. But the world faces huge challenges. More countries engaged in conflict than at any time since World War II.  Rapidly changing technology. And a climate emergency.

This government will reconnect Britain for our security and prosperity at home. What happens here in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is essential. Diplomacy matters.

We will begin with a reset with Europe, on climate and with the global South.  And a gear-shift when it comes to delivering on European security, global security and British growth.

My story is a story of progress. Progress won by all those who fought for a better future.

Together, let us fight for a better future once again. Change begins now.

The speech made by David Lammy, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, in the House of Commons on 17 April 2023.

The violence being inflicted on the Sudanese people is heartbreaking: the Sudanese people want peace, not violence. I am very grateful to the Minister for advance sight of his statement. They want calm, not fear, and they want a full transition to civilian-led Government, not conflict, but the hopes of the Sudanese people have yet again been smashed by the self-interest of a few generals.

The violence comes after months of faithful negotiations and a consistent commitment to peaceful demonstrations in the face of hardship and brutal repression. As of this morning, almost 100 civilians have been killed, including three World Food Programme workers. The violence is spreading across the country, and an already dire conflict could get even worse. Hospitals are running out of crucial supplies, aid access is now severely limited and there was already a food crisis across Sudan.

The UK has a special responsibility as the penholder for Sudan in the United Nations Security Council. We now need a plan for worst-case scenarios, including famine. We need regional international partners to join our calls for an immediate end to hostilities and to refrain from any action that could fuel the violence. I note the Foreign Secretary’s joint statement alongside Secretary Blinken this morning, of course, and I hope that the Government are sending the same message loud and clear to our partners in the Gulf and north Africa, as well as to those who may wish to exploit this tragedy.

One issue could be at stake: whether Russia is given its long-desired Red sea military base at Port Sudan. What is the Minister’s assessment of the risk that Russia, the Wagner Group or Eritrea will take advantage by backing the RSF? We need to face the reality that, if there is no ceasefire and no quick victory for either side, the conflict could spread and intensify further in Darfur, the south and the eastern regions. If that happens, the risks of mass atrocities and of regional destabilisation will increase. This year is the 20th anniversary of the start of the acts of genocide in Darfur. The lack of accountability and resolution for those crimes against humanity is part, of course, of today’s conflict, and we must do all we can to avoid the risk that such abuses will return, as the scale of the consequence would be great.

The integrated review refresh announced the abolition of the conflict, stability and security fund and that its replacement, the UK integrated security fund, would merge national and international security. I ask the Minister: how will the new UKISF engage with the situation in Sudan?

Chad, the Central African Republic, Libya and South Sudan are all vulnerable to spreading violence and are ill-prepared to cope with massive further flows of refugees. There are welcome steps towards an African-led mediation, with the African Union chairperson and the Presidents of South Sudan, Kenya and Djibouti all expected in Khartoum now for that to take place.

The whole House will recognise that this is a crisis of great severity and urgency. The risks to life and regional security are massive. We must clearly work together across this House with our allies, partners and through the UN to do all we can to end this brutal violence. The Sudanese people’s dreams of long-term peace must now be realised.

Mr Mitchell

I thank the shadow Foreign Secretary for his words, the tone of his comments and the advice he has eloquently given. I also thank him for what he said about the dreadful disaster of the deaths of the humanitarian workers and standing in solidarity, as we all do, across the House, about that.

The right hon. Gentleman asked about the UN. As he rightly said, we hold the pen and there is a meeting later today. He asked about the messages that have been given. He will know that both the Troika and the Quad are engaged in this, as the Foreign Secretary said this morning. In respect of Russia and other regimes, we are of course watching very carefully any response from other members of the international community.

The right hon. Gentleman rightly mentioned what happened in Darfur. I first went to Darfur in 2005 to see for myself what George Bush, the President of the United States, referred to as a genocide then, and we are living today, as the right hon. Gentleman said, with many aspects of its legacy. Both the SAF and the RSF are again showing total disregard for the will and hopes of the Sudanese people, who deserve so much more and so much better.