Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 April 2024.

The Foreign Secretary will travel to Washington DC to urge US partners to unlock additional funding for Ukraine, giving them the tools they need to win its war with Russia.

The Foreign Secretary will travel to Washington DC today (Tuesday 9 April) to urge US partners to unlock additional funding for Ukraine, giving them the tools they need to win its war with Russia.

He will hold talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the UK’s continued support for Ukraine against Russian aggression which aims to redraw European borders by force. He will engage with key figures across Congress to call for them to change the narrative on Ukraine this year and provide the extra $60bn (over £47.5 billion) in supplementary funding that’s going through Congress.

Over $184 billion (over £145 billion) has already been committed to Ukraine by European nations including over $15 billion (nearly £12 billion) from the UK, in addition to the nearly $74 billion (nearly £59 billion) already committed by the US – which is making a huge difference on the battlefields of Ukraine and the waters of the Black Sea. Ukraine has proven time and time again that with the right tools it can succeed.

The Foreign Secretary will reassert the importance of stepping up economic pressure on Russia now and continuing to give Ukraine the military and humanitarian support it needs to hold the line this year and go on the offensive in 2025.

David Cameron will highlight how Europe and the US are united in their support for Ukraine, with European countries providing more than half of the total support. He will emphasise that nothing can match the pace and scale of US support which remains “the key stone in the arch” in the fight for freedom, democracy and the right of free countries to choose their own future.

The Foreign Secretary, David Cameron said:

Success for Ukraine and failure for Putin are vital for American and European security.

This will show that borders matter, that aggression doesn’t pay and that countries like Ukraine are free to choose their own future.

The alternative would only encourage Putin in further attempts to re-draw European borders by force, and would be heard clearly in Beijing, Tehran and North Korea.

US support for Ukraine has massively degraded the military capacity of a common adversary, Russia has lost half of its pre-invasion land combat power, and a quarter of its original Black Sea fleet, while creating jobs at home and strengthening the Western alliance and NATO.

Two years on from Russia’s illegal invasion, it’s more important than ever that as NATO allies, the UK and US continue to defend its shared values, including by upholding Euro-Atlantic security. The visit will build on the strong ties between the US and the UK and our shared commitment to defending freedom and democracy around the world.

While Ukraine continues to make gains against Russia, they are increasingly being overmatched by Russian artillery on the battlefield, underlining the importance of agreeing further US support.

Talks will also focus on the Middle East, including the path to a sustainable ceasefire and the delivery of greater quantities of humanitarian aid in Gaza. Six months on from the 7 October attacks, the UK and US have stood united in their support for Israel who suffered the worst terror attack in its history at the hands of Hamas and have been clear in Israel’s right to self-defence in accordance with international law.

The Foreign Secretary will continue to push for a full, urgent, and transparent investigation into the terrible events in Gaza last week, which saw 3 British aid workers lose their lives. He will underline that the deaths of World Central Kitchen humanitarian workers are completely unacceptable and that major changes need to be made to ensure the safety of aid workers on the ground.

Alongside the US, the UK and other partners recently announced plans for the opening of a maritime route, which will see aid delivered by sea to a new temporary US military pier in Gaza, through a maritime corridor from Cyprus. Partners including the United Nations, Cyprus, European Commission, the UAE, Qatar, Germany, Greece, Italy and The Netherlands, have joined the UK and the US in the creation of the route.

The Foreign Secretary also will reinforce UK support for the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti by announcing a £5 million contribution to its deployment. The MSS, working with the Haitian National Police, will help to tackle gang-related violence which is destabilising the country, worsening the humanitarian situation and causing daily pain and suffering to the people of Haiti. He will emphasise that a Haitian-led political solution is the only way to tackle this insecurity head on and long-term.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 April 2024.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN General Assembly debate on Gaza.

President, Sunday marked six months since Israel suffered the worst terror attack in its history. Six months that over 100 innocent hostages continue to be held by Hamas in Gaza. The UK condemns the October 7th attacks unequivocally and calls for the unconditional and immediate release of all the hostages.

Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas in line with international humanitarian law, as we have said from the outset.

President, over 200 aid workers have died, over 33,000 Palestinian civilians, including 12,000 children have died. Civilians in Gaza are facing a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis. There must be a reduction in civilian casualties.

President, I wish to make three points:

First, we need to see an immediate humanitarian pause, leading to a sustainable ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life. This is the fastest way to get the hostages out, and much needed aid in. Security Council resolution 2728 called for that, and we call on all parties to implement its provisions urgently. We welcome the ongoing negotiations led by Qatar, Egypt, and the US to this end.

Second, more must be done to ensure significantly more live-saving aid reaches people in need in Gaza. We have reiterated the need for Israel to put in place an effective deconfliction mechanism immediately and urgently scale up humanitarian access.

Israel has committed to significant steps to increase the amount of aid getting into Gaza, including allowing the delivery of humanitarian aid through the Port of Ashdod and the Erez checkpoint. For a long time, the UK has urged Israel to take these steps and they are welcome.

We also need to see an improvement in the operating environment within Gaza, so that as more aid gets in, it can be distributed quickly and effectively. We are calling on Israel to make progress on the UN’s minimal operating requirements, including more visas and driver approvals and more trucks permitted to cross into Gaza.

For our part, the UK has trebled our aid commitment this financial year. We will keep doing everything we can to get more aid in by land, sea, and air to reach people in desperate need in Gaza.

Thirdly, finally, we need to focus on the vital elements for a lasting peace. These include the release of all hostages; the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza accompanied by an international support package; removing Hamas’s capacity to launch attacks against Israel; Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza; and a political horizon which provides a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 March 2024.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on Yemen.

Thank you President and thank you Special Envoy Grundberg and Director Wsornu for your briefing. We are grateful for all the work you and your teams are doing to bring sustainable peace and humanitarian relief to the Yemeni people.

President, since we last met, the Houthis have continued their reckless attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.

The UK offers our condolences to the families of the innocent crew killed and injured during their recent attack on the MV TRUE CONFIDENCE, targeted while en-route from China to Saudi Arabia.

In recent days, similar actions have resulted in the sinking of the fertiliser laden MV RUBYMAR and continue to risk exacerbating the humanitarian crisis Yemen. These attacks are impacting all of us. Ships from around the world are being targeted.

It has also been more than 100 days since the seizure of MV GALAXY LEADER and its crew, who continue to be unlawfully detained. We call for the immediate release of the vessel and her crew.

The Houthis alone are risking further escalation.

The United Kingdom condemns these abhorrent attacks and we call on the Houthis to stop the attacks, to respect the freedom of navigation of all vessels, and to de-escalate tensions in the Red Sea.

President, today the Council will hear an update from the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism, UNVIM, which monitors ships entering Yemeni ports.

The inspection of vessels is fundamental to interrupting illicit arms entering Houthi-controlled areas, while preserving the flow of goods into Yemen. Nearly 90% of all food in Yemen comes through commercial imports so maintaining the integrity of these ports is vital.

Reports of Iranian ships circumventing these inspections are therefore extremely concerning. The UK calls on Iran to cease its unlawful support for the Houthis. All ships entering Hudaydah must comply and report to UNVIM for inspection.

We recommit our support to UNVIM, so it has the necessary capacity and funding to ensure Yemenis have access to essential goods while abating the smuggling of illicit arms.

Finally, President, the peace process in Yemen remains critical, as Special Envoy Grundberg has set out. We urge all stakeholders and parties to the conflict to prioritise the peace process and build on the progress made by the Special Envoy. This is the best opportunity for sustainable peace in Yemen in nine years. We must take it.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 March 2024.

The Foreign Secretary announces a new security package to support UK Overseas Territory amid Haiti violence.

The UK government is today increasing support for the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) to secure their borders in response to worsening violence in neighbouring Haiti.

TCI is a British Overseas Territory located less than 200 miles from the coast of Haiti. Together with the local government, the UK has a responsibility for the safety and security of its people.

Additional support agreed by the Foreign Secretary includes equipment for the Royal Turks and Caicos Island Police Force, border security upgrades and coastal sensors.

A reconnaissance team from the Ministry of Defence and Home Office, made up of UK Border Force and International Policing Assistance advisors, has also been urgently dispatched to assess what further support the TCI requires.

This builds upon existing assistance provided by the UK to respond to the risk of gang violence and illegal migration from Haiti spilling over into the wider Caribbean. The TCI has been experiencing a surge in violent crime in recent years.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

The safety and security of people in the Turks and Caicos Islands is vital following the terrible escalation of violence we have seen in Haiti.

In addition to our existing support, these measures will help the brave officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Island Police Force to tackle the threat of illegal migration and gang violence.

In this fast-moving situation, the UK continues to support regional efforts to restore stability and security for the people of Haiti.

Last month, the UK government dispatched extra specialist firearms and investigative police officers to TCI, in addition to the serious crime team already deployed since November 2022. It is also providing equipment and border security worth £4.25 million this year and a further £3 million next year.

Following a call yesterday between Minister for the Overseas Territories David Rutley, TCI Premier Washington Misick and Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, the support agreed includes:

• police equipment to combat serious crime, including new capabilities on forensics, body-worn cameras and CCTV
• border security upgrades to the TCI’s drone surveillance capability, portable scanners, new engines for patrol vessels, and support for the implementation of electronic borders to tackle illegal migration
• advanced coastal sensors as part of a comprehensive package to upgrade maritime security capability, with the support of the UK’s Joint Maritime Security Centre

Additionally, the UK is sourcing marine patrol craft to send to the TCI and is working with the Governor’s Office on a further package of assistance.

The UK remains committed to supporting a Haitian-led political solution to the escalating violence in the country and the efforts of Caribbean partners to agree a return to security and stability.

The government assists Haiti through its financial contributions to UN agencies and the World Bank.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 March 2024.

UK’s Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict. Delivered at the United Nations.

Thank you Mr President,

The alarming number of grave violations committed against children is of deep concern. No child should have to endure the suffering, fear and grief that comes with armed conflict.

Madam Special Representative, the conflict in Gaza is having a catastrophic impact on children.

30% of casualties are children. 10% of these children did not see their first birthday. Over 17,000 children are left unaccompanied, each with a story of loss and grief. The WHO reports that 10 children have died of starvation in northern Gaza. 1 in 6 children under 2 are acutely malnourished. These harrowing statistics are unacceptable.

Children are paying the highest price for this conflict. Israel must abide by obligations to protect children under applicable international humanitarian and human rights law, and urgently improve humanitarian access, and increase the flow of life-saving aid. Children should not suffer the consequences of Hamas’ brutality.

Mr President,

Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine continues to gravely violate children’s rights. Over 19,500 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred or deported to Russia or Russian temporarily controlled territory by Russian authorities. We call for the immediate safe return of all forcibly transferred or deported Ukrainian children and for Russia to cease its aggression.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 March 2024.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on conflict prevention.

Thank you, President, and let me join others in thanking our briefers, USG DiCarlo, Ambassador Danese, Dr Williams and Ms Bhagwan-Rolls for their briefing today.

In 2014, the United Kingdom led the development of Security Council resolution 2171. That resolution, unanimously adopted, underlined the “moral, political and humanitarian imperative and the economic advantages” of preventing conflict. It called for intensified efforts to prevent conflict, drawing on a range of tools.

Ten years on, that call is even more relevant. The United Kingdom is grateful to Japan for convening today’s debate.

President, I will make three points on how this Council and the wider international architecture can better promote conflict prevention, empowering all actors.

First, we can do more to empower women as agents of peace. Gender equality is a strong indicator of sustainable peace, and peace processes are more durable when women are at the table.

This Council could be even more robust in advocating for women’s full, equal, safe and meaningful inclusion in peace, development, mediation and decision-making processes. We need to do so from Afghanistan to Sudan. And globally, we should continue striving to increase the proportion of women peacekeepers and peacebuilders.

Second, we can help generate broad, inclusive national ownership of conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Peace is not organic; the need to nurture it is universal. Yes, states have that primary responsibility but the evidence shows that inclusive, nationally-led, and locally-rooted efforts deliver more sustainable results. Young peacebuilders are often best placed to break the cycle of violence in local communities: a principle we apply to our own violence reduction strategies in the UK.

So, this Council can throw its weight behind inclusive national processes to build and sustain peace, as we have in Colombia. We can empower the Peacebuilding Commission to play its part as a space to mobilise political and financial support. And we can advocate for the Peacebuilding Fund and the UNDP-DPPA Joint Programme on strengthening national capacities for conflict prevention, both of which the United Kingdom is proud to support.

Finally, we can empower the wider international architecture as a companion in conflict prevention by working to deepen partnerships and advance integrated approaches. We should insist on application of the Secretary-General’s Integrated Assessment and Planning policy in UN Mission settings. We should pursue closer cooperation with regional organisations. And we should continue to encourage collaboration between the UN and the World Bank in countries affected by fragility, conflict and violence. This partnership is increasingly generating peace dividends, from The Gambia to Somalia and beyond.

President, the Summit of the Future and the 2025 Peacebuilding Architecture Review are opportunities to reinvigorate our collective efforts to prevent conflict. Let us seize them.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 March 2024.

Statement on report on crisis-related ILO work in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley.

Thank you Chair, dear brother, for giving me the floor.

1. Let me start by focusing our thoughts on all Palestinians and Israelis who have suffered or have seen loved ones killed. We are shocked by the sheer scale of people killed and the loss of livelihoods of both Israeli and Palestinians, including workers and employers.
2. Let’s recall that Israel suffered the worst terror attack in its history on 7th October at the hands of Hamas, and Palestinian civilians are facing a devastating and growing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
3. Like so many others here, we want the fighting to stop now.
4. In our view, the best way to achieve a sustainable, permanent ceasefire – without a return to further destruction, further fighting and further loss of life – is to start with an immediate pause and agreements to get aid in and hostages out.
5. The UK wants to open all routes and crossings into Gaza. There is a desperate and immediate need for increased humanitarian support in Gaza. The UK itself has trebled its aid commitment this financial year.
6. The UK thanks the Director General and the ILO for their vital engagement. And we note the ILO report on ‘crisis-related ILO work in the Occupied Palestinian Territory’. We commend, in particular, the ILO’s staff who are implementing the emergency response programme under immensely challenging circumstances. Both Palestinian and Israeli labour markets have been gravely affected by the crisis and in Gaza there is clearly no effective economy operating.
7. Like others here, we support a two-state solution that guarantees security, stability and sovereignty for both the Israeli and Palestinian people. The UK and our partners will continue to help by confirming our commitment to a sovereign, viable Palestinian state, including recognition at the UN, and our vision for its composition.
8. Chair, in these difficult and dividing times, we must all strive for consensus to ensure that the ILO’s vital emergency response programme is unimpeded, and the people of Gaza receive this much needed support that they deserve.

Thank you, Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 March 2024.

Ambassador Neil Holland thanks Cyprus for its calm chairing of the Forum for Security Cooperation, despite Russia’s attempts to distract from its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Thank you, Mr Chair. And a warm welcome to Permanent Secretary Louka.

Mr Chair, dear Andreas, I want to start by thanking you for your calm and professional stewardship of this Forum over the past trimester and to thank you and your whole team for ensuring that this Forum has remained relevant and able to fulfil its mandate.

We fully support your efforts to keep this Forum focused on Russia’s unprovoked, full-scale and illegal invasion of Ukraine, an invasion in its third year which continues to challenge the foundations of European security; which continues to violate the UN Charter; and which continues to flagrantly disregard the Helsinki Final Act’s core principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the non-use of force. Under your stewardship, we have shown that these principles and this Forum continue to matter; and that we will keep on defending both. This matters and we do not take it for granted.

Mr Chair, your Security Dialogues this trimester focused different thematic lenses on Ukraine. On issues including Humanitarian Mine Action, International Humanitarian Law, Environment and Security, and Women, Peace, and Security (WPS). I was particularly encouraged by the strong turn out last week for the WPS Security Dialogue and at your Side Event on gender. It remains essential that we continue to champion women’s full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation in political and peace processes.

Since 24 February 2022, we have seen the extraordinary determination of the Ukrainian people to defend their homeland. Each week, we have voiced our unequivocal support for Ukraine. And each week, we have condemned President Putin’s grave miscalculation of invading a sovereign neighbour. Russia thinks it can wait this war out, and that the West will eventually turn its attention elsewhere. Each week, we prove that is untrue.

Sadly, Russia has continued its destructive path in the OSCE. For a second trimester in a row, Russia blocked consensus on holding formal FSC Security Dialogues on International Humanitarian Law. On both occasions, Russia proposed speakers with no relevant expertise, before incorrectly implying that the Rules of Procedure conferred on it an entitlement to have panellists. Last week, Russia – once again – warned future FSC Chairs to hold what Russia considers ‘balanced’ Dialogues with speakers of its own choosing. The Rules of Procedure are clear – selecting security dialogue topics and speakers remains the prerogative of the FSC Chair. Russia’s threats have no basis in our rules – or indeed in diplomatic etiquette.

Mr Chair, Russia’s actions in the FSC this trimester are sadly a continuation of what I said last Trimester. The Russian delegation can throw up as much chaff as they like about the work of the FSC and other States’ interactions with this Forum. But there is one simple fact that lies behind any dysfunction in the FSC. And that is that one participating State, Russia, has invaded another and in doing so trampled over the principles of this organisation and of international humanitarian law. Everything else is subordinate to and derivative from that act of brutality. Perhaps that is why Russia continues to do everything it can to avoid a discussion on these issues. Thank you again, Mr Chair, for standing up to such behaviour.

I wish to conclude by thanking Canada as it leaves the FSC Troika, and to welcome Denmark. The incoming Chair, Croatia, can count on the UK’s full and continued support next trimester – including in its prerogative as Chair. Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 March 2024.

UK statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children. Delivered by UK Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French.

Thank you, Mr President.

We welcome the report and advocacy of the Special Representative to end violence against children around the world, and for bringing our collective attention to the specific vulnerabilities faced by children on the move.

Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine continues to gravely violate children’s rights. Over 19,500 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred or deported to Russia or Russian temporarily controlled territory by Russian authorities. Only 388 children have so far been returned to Ukraine.

We are also deeply concerned by reports that Ukrainian children forcibly taken from Ukraine are being adopted in Russia. This is a despicable and systematic attempt to erase Ukrainian identity, and with it, Ukraine’s future.

We are determined to hold to account those responsible for forcibly deporting and attempting to indoctrinate Ukrainian children.

We call for Russia to cease its aggression and for the immediate, safe return of all Ukrainian children so that they can rightly be reunited with their families and loved ones, where they belong.

Madam Special Representative,

In your report you highlight the importance of the right of the child to preserve their identity in the context of conflicts. How can your mandate contribute to our collective endeavour to safely return all Ukrainian children?

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 March 2024.

On 13 March the UK announced a further £5.2 million to support Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, at the launch of the 2024 Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya humanitarian crisis in Geneva.

UK statement delivered at the launch of the 2024 Joint Response Plan, hosted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and the Government of Bangladesh.

High Commissioner Grandi, Director General Pope, Foreign Secretary and Principal Secretary, and colleagues.

I would like to begin by recognising the significant efforts of the Government of Bangladesh in hosting almost one million Rohingya refugees for over six years. I would also like to thank our humanitarian partners, their staff and the volunteers on the ground, for continuing to deliver such a comprehensive response.

The UK remains deeply concerned by the Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh and the worsening situation in Myanmar, including for the Rohingya in Rakhine state. Their suffering has only been compounded by the escalation of the conflict. We will continue to use our role as UN Security Council penholder to seek to address the worsening situation in Myanmar and to push for a long-term solution to the Rohingya’s suffering.

Until the conditions in Myanmar allow for the refugees to return in a voluntary, safe and dignified manner, the UK remains committed to supporting the Rohingya in Bangladesh, as emphasised in our pledge at the Global Refugee Forum in December.

I am therefore pleased to announce today that the UK is providing a further £5.2 million of humanitarian assistance, including food and cooking gas, to the Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar. This brings the UK’s support to the Rohingya and neighbouring communities in Bangladesh to £379 million since 2017. The UK has also provided over £30 million for Rohingya and other Muslim communities in Rakhine State in this period, and we commit to providing further assistance in 2024.

We welcome this year’s Joint Response Plan. The response in Bangladesh continues to provide vital assistance and we welcome the positive progress, including the completion of the Myanmar curriculum rollout, and an increase in skills development opportunities.

However, we are deeply troubled by the overall deterioration in conditions for the refugees last year. As we have heard today, protection incidents and insecurity rose significantly; two ration cuts pushed malnutrition to emergency levels, the highest since 2017; and the number of Rohingya undertaking dangerous journeys at sea rose by 22%.

We all know that globally the gap between humanitarian needs and funding continues to grow. It is therefore essential that the response continues to work in the most effective and efficient way possible to meet the needs of those affected.

We recognise the challenges that the Government of Bangladesh faces in managing this situation. The UK will continue to work supportively and collaboratively with your government, Foreign Secretary and Principal Secretary, taking into account your concerns about the impact of the refugee presence, in order to find a sustainable way forward. This involves:

• continuing to support the Rohingya and affected Bangladeshi communities;
• addressing the worsening protection and security challenges in the camps;
• providing safe shelters that protect the Rohingya against cyclones and fires; and,
• offering the Rohingya more self-reliance, and less dependence on humanitarian aid.

Let me end by reiterating the UK’s commitment to the Rohingya, and the communities that host them, and to working with you all to resolve the underlying causes of this tragic crisis.

Thank you.