Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 August 2024.

The UK government is providing an additional £450,000 (BDT 7 crores) of vital humanitarian assistance to support more than 36,000 people affected by flooding in eastern Bangladesh, where more than five million people have been impacted.

This builds on the £33,000 (BDT 52 lacs) of initial emergency funding released on Monday 26 August. It brings the UK government’s total support to disaster preparedness and response across Bangladesh this year to over £1,500,000 (BDT 23.4 crores) and is additional to the UK government’s ongoing support to help increase Bangladesh’s resilience to climate change.

This assistance will support people in seven of the worst affected districts: Feni, Cumilla, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Moulvibazar, Khagrachari and Chattogram. Some areas are facing their most severe flooding in 40 years.

One component of this new UK support will be managed by Start Fund Bangladesh and implemented by NGOs. This will support over 36,000 people with food, cash transfers, clean water, sanitation and hygiene supplies.

A second component will be managed by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and provide emergency maternal, newborn and reproductive health services to 4,500 women and adolescent girls. This includes helping to establish and run 30 mobile medical camps, which will provide essential medicines and healthcare.

Sarah Cooke, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, said

“The UK government stands beside all of those affected by the current flooding in eastern Bangladesh. I am pleased to announce the UK government is providing further humanitarian assistance to support those impacted.

“This includes £450,000 of new funding released today (BDT 7 crores) to provide vital supplies and services to over 36,000 people. This is in addition to the UK government’s responses to Cyclone Remal and flooding earlier this year in Bangladesh, and our broader support to increase Bangladesh’s resilience to climate change.”

“This contribution complements the active and ongoing response of the interim government of Bangladesh, civil society and local communities.”

Notes to editors:

1. The UK government’s response to the current flooding builds on the £530,000 (BDT 8.2 crores) provided this year in Bangladesh to support those affected by flooding in Sylhet and Cyclone Remal.
2. The UK government’s response to the current flooding in eastern Bangladesh will be managed by Start Fund Bangladesh. It will be implemented by ASHIKA Development Associates, Center for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS), Coastal Association for Social Transformation (COAST) Trust, UTTARAN, ActionAid Bangladesh, Caritas Bangladesh, Christian Aid, and Islamic Relief Bangladesh.
3. The UK’s ongoing support to the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and CARE Bangladesh, totalling £495,000 (BDT 7.7 crores) this year, is helping coordinate responses and produce needs assessments in Bangladesh when disasters hit.
4. The UK government is also working to help increase Bangladesh’s resilience to climate change. This includes ongoing support to CARE Bangladesh, totalling £33.6m (BDT 52.4 crores) over four years. This is working to increase climate resilience for one million vulnerable people, including by helping to protect and restore two Ecologically Critical Areas (ECA), the Sundarbans Reserve Forest and Hakaluki Haor.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 August 2024.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Colleagues, as we discuss the situation in Ukraine today, we are once again compelled to highlight the continued barbarity of President Putin’s tactics against the Ukrainian people.

Last weekend, Ukraine marked its third Independence Day since Russia’s illegal invasion. Instead of celebrating, Ukrainians were fighting for their country, their land and their families.

They are also fighting on behalf of all our countries, in defence of the principles that this institution, the United Nations, was founded: that every Member State has the right to sovereignty and territorial integrity, and borders cannot be redrawn by force.

Let us be clear: under Article 51 Ukraine has a right of self-defence. The UK and other allies fully support Ukraine in exercising that right.

President Putin thought Kyiv would fall within days. He was wrong. And Ukrainian courage continues to prove him wrong every day.

Russia is getting increasingly desperate as we heard again today. And as it does, the attacks become more cowardly.

On Monday, Russia launched a wave of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, striking numerous civilian areas. Further attacks took place on Monday night and Tuesday morning. At least 7 people were killed and many more injured. We were deeply saddened to learn that a British national, Ryan Evans, was also killed in recent attacks.

Over 35,000 civilians in Ukraine have been confirmed killed or injured since Russia’s invasion began. These most recent attacks represent continued evidence that Russia is intentionally targeting civilian energy infrastructure, risking further humanitarian crisis this coming winter.

To be clear: intentionally directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects constitute a war crime.

At the same time, the consequence of Putin’s miscalculation for the Russian people is increasingly evident.

This week’s attack alone cost Russia almost $1.3 billion. It is estimated that more than 1,000 Russian troops were either killed or wounded on Monday alone. So once again, we call on Russia to end its illegal invasion and immediately withdraw its forces.

The UK, along with our international partners, will not falter in our support for Ukraine. We will stand with the Ukrainian people for as long as it takes to secure a just and sustainable peace based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 August 2024.

UK Statement for Universal Periodic Review Adoption of the Republic of Mauritius.

To note, this statement was not delivered.

The United Kingdom welcomes the engagement of Mauritius with the Universal Periodic Review process and its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights. We thank Mauritius for its consideration of our recent recommendations.

We welcome Mauritius’ acceptance of our recommendation to fully implement and report regularly on progress of the National Gender Policy and the National Strategy & Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence.

We also welcome that Mauritius, as a Small Island Developing State, accepted our recommendation to report on the impact of climate change on its human rights situation.

The UK invites Mauritius to clarify its position on amending Section 250 of the Criminal Code. This is a vital step in fully implementing the Supreme Court’s decriminalisation of same-sex sexual relations in November 2023, which the UK welcomed, and for safeguarding the rights of LGBT people in Mauritius.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 August 2024.

UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on High Commissioner’s report on technical cooperation in Colombia. Delivered in Geneva on 8 July 2024.

Thank you, Mr President,

First, let me thank OHCHR for their report which, despite restricted access to critical locations, has managed to highlight the serious human rights violations which continue unabated across Libya.

The participation of victim and civil society  is essential for delivering transitional justice. We therefore welcome that some victims’ representatives were engaged in capacity-building activities. However, we remain deeply concerned by reports of shrinking civic space, and call upon Libya to enable the safe and meaningful participation of civil society in transitional justice and reconciliation.

We welcome House of Representatives’ endorsement of the draft law aimed at protecting women from violence and the engagement of women in capacity-building activities. We encourage the Libyan authorities to ensure and enhance women’s safe and meaningful participation in politics and public life.

The UK would also like to thank Libya for bringing once again its Item 10 resolution renewing the OHCHR technical assistance and capacity building. It is clear from the reports of continued gross and widespread human rights violations that this is the very minimum required. Libya must stay on the Council’s agenda.

Finally, we urge the Libyan authorities to  grant OHCHR and United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) unhindered access to all locations as requested in HRC resolution 52/41.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 August 2024.

The British High Commissioner to Kenya, Mr Neil Wigan, on Tuesday 27 officially opened the 6th Annual Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) conference at KCB Leadership Centre in Nairobi. Also present at the event was Kenya Army Lieutenant, General David Kimaiyo, Director International Peace and Security Training Centre, Brigadier Joyce Sitienei and British Peace Support Training – Africa (BPST-A), Commander Col. Andy Pitt.

The three-day conference brings together security experts in the region with the aim of discussing current Counter-IED trends and threats, and highlight lessons learnt from Peace Support Operations (PSO) across the continent. Furthermore, the conference seeks to provide a platform from which the African Union (AU) can deliver direction and updates on the African Counter – Explosive Ordinance strategy.

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) continue to proliferate both in number and complexity. IEDs have been used to target peacekeeping personnel, national security forces, aid workers and civilians.

Speaking during the opening of the conference, the British High Commissioner, Neil Wigan said:

Improvised Explosive Devices continue to be a critical threat across the continent, including on the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the Kenyan borderlands. The severity of their impact and the speed of development by our adversaries demands that we leverage our respective expertise and work together. The UK remains committed to tackle shared threats, and support efforts to address the underlying drivers of fragility and conflict.

We congratulate Kenya for hosting this conference and we will continue working closely with the AU and the UN to provide the much-needed training and operational direction to deter the influence of IEDs, al-Shabab and other violent extreme organisations alike.

The UK’s support through the British Peace Support Team (Africa) BPST(A) is strengthening the C-IED capability of ATMIS and partner nations personnel. Since 2016, BPST(A) and Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) have trained more than 1,700 military and police from 22 countries in detecting and disarming IEDs.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 August 2024.

UK explanation of vote delivered by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, following the Security Council vote to renew the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

With the situation on the Blue Line the most precarious it has been for years, we cannot overstate the importance of UNIFIL for calming the situation on the border.

That’s why we voted in favour today.

We commend the UN troops and staff of the Mission who are working in such difficult circumstances – risking their lives – to fulfil the mandate.

Near daily exchanges of fire across the Blue Line have killed and injured civilians. UN peacekeepers have been wounded too. This is deeply concerning and we welcome the mandate’s call for all parties to protect civilians in accordance with international law and to take all measures to respect the safety and security of UN Peacekeepers.

Over the weekend, my Foreign Minister spoke with Lebanon’s PM Mikati and Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Dermer to reassure them of our support for security on both sides of the Blue Line.

But while the UK is supporting Lebanon’s security and stability through its government and Armed Forces, Iran is sowing further conflict and chaos by supplying advanced weaponry to Hizballah.  We urge Iran to stand down their proxy and we call on Hizballah to deescalate immediately.

Only a political solution can deliver the peace we so desperately need.

As my Foreign Minister said earlier this month: a widening of this conflict is in nobody’s interest – the consequences could be catastrophic. One miscalculation is all it takes. All parties need to engage immediately with diplomatic efforts based on the principles set out in UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 August 2024.

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

First, this month we have seen yet another series of attacks by Iranian-backed militia groups against Coalition forces in Syria. Malign actors continue to seek to capitalise on the instability to secure their influence and in turn destabilise the region.

Violence by regime forces, backed by Iran, against the Syrian Democratic Forces along the Euphrates River risks further destabilising a country already marred by conflict. This instability will continue to play out across the borders in Lebanon and in Iraq.

Second, a number of anniversaries this month have been a stark reminder of the devastating impact of the conflict on the lives of Syrians. It is 11 years since the Assad regime used chemical weapons to kill over 1,400 people in Ghouta.

A decade has passed since Daesh began committing genocide against the Yazidis. I want to highlight the plight of missing Yazidi women and of the families that have been torn apart by these horrendous acts.

As we mark the International Day of the Disappeared, we recall that forcibly disappeared persons account for around five percent of the total Syrian population. All parties must engage in good faith as the Independent Institution on Missing Persons is established to clarify the fate of the missing.

Third, President, despite the deep trauma of these horrific crimes, the Syrian people have continued to demonstrate bravery and resolve in demanding freedom and democratic rights. There has now been a year of protests in Sweida standing up to and demanding change from the Assad regime.

The demonstrations serve as a dramatic testimony to the unresolved issues that first drove people to the streets in 2011. We continue to call on the Assad regime to realise the protestors’ demands for political, civil, and human rights. And to end the systematic subjugation of Syrians fairly seeking freedom, democracy and change.

President, ultimately it is within the Assad regime’s gift to implement UNSCR 2254.  This offers a pathway out of conflict that would protect the rights of all Syrians. The United Kingdom honours the perseverance of those bravely seeking truth, justice, freedom and stability.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 August 2024.

This visit underscores the UK’s dedication to fostering peace, prosperity, and sustainable development in collaboration with Angola.

Luanda, Angola – From August 14 to 16, Lord Collins of Highbury, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Africa, made his inaugural visit to Africa, marking a significant step in strengthening UK-Angola relations.

During his visit, Lord Collins met with President João Lourenço to discuss Angola’s pivotal role in mediating peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The UK acknowledges and supports Angola’s efforts in conflict resolution in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Lord Collins also engaged with key ministers, including Finance Minister Vera Daves and Transport Minister Ricardo Viegas d’Abreu, to highlight the UK’s commitment to trade, growth and addressing climate and sustainability challenges. His visit to the Province of Huambo included a meeting with Governor Pereira Alfredo, where he witnessed the impactful demining work of The HALO Trust, funded by the UK and Angola.

In the Province of Benguela, Lord Collins met with the Vice Governor for Technical Services and Infrastructure, Adilson Gonçalves to gain insights into the Lobito Corridor, further emphasizing the UK’s support for regional development initiatives.

Expressing optimism about the future of the UK-Angola partnership, Lord Collins stated:

This was my first visit to Angola and Africa since my appointment, and I am delighted to be here at such an exciting time for the UK-Angolan partnership. Meeting President Lourenço and other key leaders has reinforced our shared commitment to regional stability and development.”

I visited Huambo to understand more about the Lobito Corridor and how it will improve cross-border economic activity across the region. During my visit, I also saw how UK funding is having a positive impact on demining efforts in the country, thanks to the fantastic work of The HALO Trust, transforming land for growth.”

I look forward to seeing the UK and Angola partnership continue to thrive and improve outcomes that benefit all of us.”

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 August 2024.

Indo-Pacific Minister Catherine West will announce £12.9 million in new climate funding on her first overseas visit.

• UK supporting Pacific-led climate solutions with £12.9 million in new funding
• announcement comes as Indo-Pacific Minister Catherine West joins Pacific leaders for regional ministerial meeting in Tonga

The UK is providing targeted funding and expertise to support Pacific-led climate action, Indo-Pacific Minister Catherine West will tell a meeting of regional leaders in Tonga later this week.

Minister West’s first overseas travel saw her arrive in New Zealand Sunday (25 August) for discussions focused on climate, defence and trade before travelling to Nuku’alofa on Tuesday 27 August to attend a meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

Ahead of the meeting, Minister West said:

The government is seeking to reconnect the UK with partners around the world and to return to the forefront of international climate action.

The climate crisis needs global, long-term action – but we must also take rapid steps to support countries on the frontline, like our partners in the Pacific.

That is why the UK is supporting Pacific-led action to equip vulnerable communities facing the impacts of climate change with £12.9 million in new funding.

The programmes being announced are:

• technical support worth £1.3 million to establish a new Pacific Resilience Facility, a regionally-governed investment fund through which countries will be able to access long-term, reliable climate finance
• £5 million further funding for the UK’s Transforming Energy Access (TEA) Pacific programme, which supports early testing and scaling of new technology to provide communities with clean, affordable energy. Among the projects already being supported by the TEA fund are a solar and hydrogen powered ‘mini grid’ system providing clean water and oxygen to a remote hospital in Papua New Guinea, serving 15,000 people
• technical assistance and training worth £2 million to develop evidence-based financial and climate finance policy, provided through the International Monetary Fund
• £3 million for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the foremost Pacific-led organisation for environment and nature conservation
• £1.6 million for the new Digital Earth Pacific programme, a regional initiative which monitors how environments are changing over time through satellite data, enabling governments and communities to better understand and respond to the impacts of climate change

In addition to climate action, the minister will discuss UK work to strengthen defence and economic links with PIF members including through police training and the UK’s Trade Partnerships Programme. While in Tonga the minister will also celebrate the role of sport in tackling gender inequality, with the delivery of UK-funded rugby kit for local women and girls’ teams.

In Wellington, talks focused on joint action to protect regional and global security including support for Ukraine and New Zealand’s ongoing contribution to Operation Interflex, which has so far trained over 30,000 Ukrainian troops in the UK.

Minister West will set out the UK’s ambition to reach zero carbon electricity by 2030 with a visit to Octopus Energy, a UK clean energy provider. Clean energy cooperation is among the sectors boosted by the implementation of the UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which entered into force in May 2023 and is expected to increase total 2-way trade by 60% by 2035.

Since taking office in July 2024 Foreign Secretary David Lammy has pledged to reconnect the UK with global partners to ensure security and prosperity at home and around the world. This includes pushing for global coordinated action to address the climate and nature emergency, in partnership with countries facing its worst impacts.

Background

New funding for the Transforming Energy Access Pacific programme includes:

• £4 million contribution to the World Bank’s Accelerating Sustainable Energy Transition (ASET) programme, which will increase renewable energy generation capacity and enhance the financial and environmental sustainability of the power sector in the Pacific (including Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga)
• £1 million to support the Pacific Community’s Framework for Energy Security and Resilience in the Pacific (FESRIP) including development and implementation of robust national energy policies and regulations, capacity development and improve gender balance in the energy sector

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 August 2024.

David Wallace started in the role following departure of Ailsa Terry who has returned to London to be the Prime Minister’s Private Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

Malaysia is not new to Wallace as he has been serving as the Deputy High Commissioner to Malaysia since July 2022. He is now the Charge d’Affaires until a new High Commissioner arrives in Malaysia in 2025.

On his new role, Wallace said:

The UK and Malaysia share strong historical ties and deep people-to-people links. I want to build on this and develop a modern partnership based around many shared interests.

The UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will be a milestone in our bilateral relationship. By the time CPTPP enters into force in December this year, both our countries are set to benefit from the first ever free trade agreement, giving bilateral trade and economic growth a major boost.

Wallace added that the UK also looks forward to working with Malaysia on issues affecting regional security, stability and prosperity especially during the Malaysian chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025.

In his 22-year diplomatic career, Wallace has covered a range of political, economic and security roles, focused in central Europe and East Asia. Prior to Kuala Lumpur, Wallace was previously posted to Berlin, Warsaw, Seoul and Baghdad.  In the Foreign Office Head Office he has worked on sanctions, counter proliferation, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Wallace, who hails from Edinburgh Scotland, has a BA (Hons) in Philosophy and an MA in International Economics.  He speaks English, German and Polish. During his free time, Wallace enjoys reading, diving and baking. The Scotsman, who loves curry puffs in Malaysia, has travelled to almost all states around Malaysia including scaling Mount Kinabalu and diving off Pulau Tioman, Kapas and Gaya.