Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 December 2023.

Ms Alexandra McKenzie has been appointed British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam in succession to Mr John Virgoe.

Ms Alexandra McKenzie has been appointed British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam in succession to Mr John Virgoe who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms McKenzie will take up her appointment during August 2024.

Curriculum Vitae

Full name: Alexandra McKenzie

Place of birth: California, USA

Marital Status: Married, with three children

Year	Role
June 2022 to present	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Deputy Director for Northern Ireland Policy
Jan to May 2022	DEFRA, Deputy Director Water, Flood and CBRN Emergencies
2020 to 2021	Bangkok, Deputy Head of Mission
2015 to 2020	Singapore, Deputy Head of Mission
2013 to 2015	FCO, Southeast Asia Department, Deputy Head
2009 to 2013	Berlin, First Secretary, Foreign & Security Policy
2007 to 2008	Paris, First Secretary Political
2004 to 2006	Beijing, Head of Communications and Media
2003 to 2004	FCO and Beijing University. Full-time Mandarin language training
2001 to 2002	FCO, EU Enlargement Desk Officer

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 December 2023.

Flagship UK-Kenya COP27 climate projects have reached milestone achievements ahead of COP28 as UK supports new Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative.

• UK and Kenya have progressed transport, geothermal and agriculture projects agreed at COP27
• The UK has helped design President Ruto’s green industrialisation initiative
• UK will also invest KES 1 billion ($7.1m) million for solar powered irrigation and 100 electric buses

Flagship climate projects fast-tracked at COP27 between the UK and Kenya have reached milestone achievements ahead of COP28 with multiple projects making progress since last year’s climate summit.

The UK has also supported the design and development of President Ruto’s new industrialisation initiative for Africa – the Africa Green Industrialisation Initiative (AGII). The projects support this initiative by creating jobs, increasing economic growth and boosting trade.

The KES 12.5 billion Menengai Geothermal project – which will generate 35MW of electricity, providing approximately 750,000 Kenyans with affordable, clean energy and create 200 jobs during construction, is proceeding to financial close with construction expected to begin shortly after.

A KES 31 billion agreement has also been reached with the Kenyan Development Corporation and UK-funded investor United Green to establish an area bigger than Nairobi National Park for climate-smart farming – this will save Kenya $200m annually on food imports and help reduce Kenya’s trade deficit.

These are the latest developments for the six deals agreed between President Ruto and Prime Minister Sunak at COP27 – which total over KES 500 billion of investment. Exactly one month after the 2022 summit in Egypt, construction began at Nairobi Railway City – a green, urban regeneration project centred around a new railway station in Nairobi. Ground was broken at Menengai Geothermal in June of this year, and the United Green-KDC agreement becomes the latest milestone.

These investments are flagship projects of the UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership – an ambitious five-year agreement which is unlocking mutual benefits for the UK and Kenya – and do not load Kenya with unsustainable debt.

British International Investment will also announce KES 1 billion ($7.1m) for two projects in Kenya, as part of a wider package of investment in Africa.

KES 321 million ($2.1m) will provide solar-powered and water-efficient irrigation systems to 9,000 farmers in Kenya, which will help to increase farmers income as well as build their resilience and adapt to the impact of climate change. The upfront cost of the irrigation systems will also be reduced by 25-40% through an innovative carbon credit facility, making the systems more affordable for farmers.

KES 765 million ($5m) will go towards the manufacture of 100 electric buses – in Kenya – that will meet Kenyan’s demand for affordable but clean public transport. As they replace diesel powered polluters, they will stop 5,000 tonnes of CO2 entering the atmosphere every year.

British High Commissioner to Kenya, Neil Wigan, said:

It is a sign of the strength of the UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership that these three projects have reached new milestones by COP28. The UK and Kenya are going far and going together. We are proud to support the President’s AGII. Combined with these investments from British International Investment, the UK and Kenya will deliver what Kenya’s people want – growth, jobs and trade – in a way that is sustainable and protects our planet”.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 December 2023.

At COP28 in Dubai, the Government of the Philippines unveiled the first Philippines’ National Adaptation Plan to build the country’s resilience to climate change. This historic initiative has been developed through a Philippines-UK collaboration under British Investment Partnerships.

The Philippines’ NAP sets the direction for the country’s adaptation priorities and identifies opportunities to mobilise investment towards these. Through British Investment Partnerships, the UK has delivered £600,000 of technical assistance through Boston Consulting Group to support the Philippines in formulating the NAP.

Welcoming the NAP, British Ambassador to the Philippines, Laure Beaufils, said:

I’m delighted that the UK has partnered with the Philippines to support the development of the country’s first NAP. The NAP is an essential tool that enables the Philippines to set out key policies, actions, and targets that it will pursue to adapt to the unavoidable consequences of climate change. This document is also an important step in enabling the Philippines to attract and deploy both public and private finance that support adaptation priorities.

The NAP process has used cutting-edge climate analytics to estimate the future impacts and cost of climate change in the Philippines. In August 2023, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Climate Change Commission, together with the UK, conducted a series of multi-stakeholder consultations for the NAP, attended by government and agencies, NGOs, CSOs, the private sector, and international development partners to gather inputs to inform sector-specific strategies.

The NAP provides a strong market signal for priority investment sectors in the coming years and offers a blueprint to guide the work of international partners operating in the Philippines.

The Philippines is one of the most climate vulnerable countries globally. The World Risk Index has identified it as the country facing the highest climate and disaster risk in the world. In response, the NAP identifies priority sectors including: agriculture and food security, water, health, ecosystems and biodiversity, land use and human settlements and displacements, livelihood and industries, and critical energy, transport and communication infrastructure. To ensure effective implementation, the NAP also outlines the key enablers, including governance, skills and capacity development, data and knowledge infrastructure, technology and innovation, adaptation financing, and stakeholder engagement.

Notes to Editors

About British Investment Partnerships

• British Investment Partnerships brings together a range of financial instruments and expertise to help incentivise investment into developing countries. Our work through BIP represents the UK’s contribution to the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 December 2023.

The UK delivered a statement during Turkmenistan’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council on 6 November 2023.

Thank you, Madam Vice-President,

The United Kingdom welcomes steps taken by Turkmenistan in recent months to allow entry to an International Labour Organization (ILO) mission to examine forced labour in the cotton harvest, though we note the allegations of continued use of state-sponsored forced labour in the annual cotton harvest. We strongly urge the government to take action on allegations of torture, and restrictions on freedom of religion, or belief, assembly and expression.

The UK remains concerned over enforced disappearances, access to information for citizens and gender-based violence. Many of the recommendations which Turkmenistan supported during its last UPR cycle, including those concerning the signature of the Rome Statute and the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, have not been carried out

We recommend Turkmenistan:

1. Sign and ratify the United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.
2. Introduce legislation which prohibits the use of forced labour and establishes preventative mechanisms and appropriate oversight structures, working closely with the ILO.
3. Remove restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly, and on access to information.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 4 December 2023.

Arts & Heritage Minister Lord Parkinson address the International Cultural Diplomacy Forum held by the Ukrainian Institute at the British Library.

Good morning. It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the British Library today on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, and my thanks to the Ukrainian Institute for organising such an important and I hope stimulating event today.

Let me start by underlining the UK’s continued horror at Russia’s ongoing aggression, and its terrible impact in Ukraine. Thousands of people have been killed or displaced and precious infrastructure and heritage have been destroyed with a brutality which shocked the whole world.

The attempted desecration of Ukrainian cultural heritage must not be overlooked. UNESCO has verified damage to more than 330 sites since February last year, a figure which includes libraries, museums, religious sites, and so many other places, which people in Ukraine and far beyond hold dear. Ukrainian culture and language has been deliberately and cynically targeted in this war.

The United Kingdom continues to stand shoulder to shoulder in the face of this terrible aggression. British families have been quick to welcome Ukrainian refugees displaced by Russia’s violence. Audiences across this country have been delighted to hear the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine when they toured earlier this summer and the UK particularly the city of Liverpool was honoured to host Eurovision, a focal moment for cultural diplomacy as well as a fun event on behalf of our friends in Ukraine to make sure that Ukrainian culture was at the centre of the global stage as it deserves to be.

Here at the British Library the team have been doing their own great work to support their colleagues in Ukraine alongside the delegation of Ukrainian librarians, which Dame Carol has just mentioned, which was welcomed earlier this year. The library curated a display about the Ukrainian poet, writer and artist Taras Shevchenko, considered the founder of modern Ukrainian literature.

It also had the pleasure of hosting Olena Zelenska the first lady of Ukraine alongside Akshata Murty the wife of our own Prime Minister for the launch of the Ukrainian Bookshelf Project in partnership with the Embassy of Ukraine that saw the donation of hundreds of Ukrainian books to the British Library so that they can be read and enjoyed by people throughout the United Kingdom for generations to come.

I was struck by the words that we heard at the opening, which reading is such a solace, in times of challenge and it’s heartening to hear that people may be reading the same books during this week and weeks to come. That project, the Ukrainian bookshelf project, is just one of many examples organised by our cultural bodies across the country which stand testament to the widespread and unwavering support for Ukraine from every corner of the United Kingdom.

In good times, as well as bad cultural diplomacy plays a pivotal role in increasing understanding cooperation and peaceful relations between nations. We’re all enriched by the sharing of cultural heritage, art, literature, music, and so much more, which forge lasting connections between people and between nations.

This summer I was very lucky to visit Delhi and Varanasi attending the meeting of G20 cultural ministers hosted by the government of India where I and other Ministers were clear in our condemnation of Russia’s actions in Ukraine. The discussions that we had in that meeting and the cultural programme which accompanied it were wonderful examples of the power of art and creativity to develop connections between people and I look forward to continuing those discussions during the Brazilian presidency of the G20 next year.

The British Council which is the UK’s cultural relations organisation helps us to maintain and deepen our relationships with other nations across the globe.

We’ve heard mentioned already the brilliant UK Ukraine season of culture, which we’ve celebrated over the past couple of years and I look forward to the forthcoming seasons with Kenya and Vietnam, and all that we’ll be able to enjoy and learn from each other during those. I’m glad that the discussions that you’ve got planned today will cover how we can use all of the opportunities of the modern age, including digital diplomacy, to foster cultural relations, and global collaboration.

Cultural diplomacy is a powerful tool for building bridges promoting peace and connecting people through our shared interests and values. Using it to foster a sense of our common humanity is perhaps now more important than ever. So thank you very much again for organising these important discussions today. And thank you for the opportunity to be here with you Slava Ukraini.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 December 2023.

Statement by UK Political Coordinator Fergus Eckersley at the UN Security Council meeting on Iraq.

Thank you President. I would like to thank the Special Adviser for his latest report and for all the work of the UNITAD team. The United Kingdom continues to value UNITAD’s important contribution to holding members of Daesh accountable for their appalling crimes.

We welcome the progress that UNITAD has made since the last briefing. As we’ve heard, it has concluded reports on two critical issues: sexual violence against women and girls, and the development and use of chemical weapons by Daesh. It has delivered 80 field missions and digitised a further five million records.

And we welcome UNITAD’s important capacity-building work including training on witness protection and victim-centred approaches to evidence collection, as well as supporting mass grave excavations.

All of this is vital to bringing justice and accountability for victims and survivors while supporting the Iraqi government in its modernisation of judicial processes and of investigatory work.

We strongly encourage UNITAD and the Government of Iraq to find a way forward for third party evidence sharing, as this Council requested in resolution 2697, which is so critical to ensuring members of Daesh cannot escape impunity by fleeing abroad.

We also encourage UNITAD to continue working with the Iraqi authorities to improve evidence sharing and to plan for the future. However, we do recognise the sharing of sensitive evidence is not straightforward, as it is often subject to, among other things, the consent of witnesses.

We hope the upcoming report of the Secretary-General will provide clarity on these matters so that the Council and Iraq can properly understand what evidence has been and can be shared, and how the Council, UNITAD, and the Government of Iraq could make further progress on this. It is critical that the evidence collected by UNITAD continues to be available for prosecutions of international crimes.

President, we all agree here on the importance of accountability for Daesh’s crimes. We owe that to the victims as the Special Adviser has said.

For our part, the United Kingdom is committed to working closely with the government of Iraq and the United Nations to ensure UNITAD’s unique work is used effectively both in Iraq and around the world.

We are grateful to the Special Adviser and his Team for their dedicated efforts in pursuit of accountability. And we stand firm in our continued international efforts to deliver justice for Daesh’s atrocities.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 December 2023.

At COP28, G7+ countries and Ukraine launched the Clean Energy Partnership, to support the sustainable recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine.

Last winter, Ukraine survived the months-long onslaught of Russian attacks on its integrated energy system, thanks to the brave efforts of the Government of Ukraine, Ministry of Energy, energy companies and the Ukrainian people, and with support from the international community. As Russia continues its unrelenting attacks on energy infrastructure, we, the members of the G7+ Coordination Group in support of Ukraine’s energy system and the Government of Ukraine continue to firmly condemn Russia’s actions and demand that all those implicated in these attacks be held responsible. We commit to continue to support Ukraine with significant emergency assistance to help repair and stabilise the energy grid and prepare for this winter. Over €300 million in funding has been provided to the Energy Community’s Ukraine Energy Support Fund for the restoration and protection of Ukraine’s critically damaged energy infrastructure. Members of this group are also supporting the provision and procurement of a least 65 high voltage autotransformers and 6 mobile gas turbine generators so far. We will continue to stand with Ukraine in the face of Russian attacks, and in their aftermath.

At the June 2023 Ukraine Recovery Conference in London, this group committed to develop a Clean Energy Partnership to support the sustainable recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine.

At COP28, we are pleased to formally launch the new, expanded Clean Energy Partnership, in recognition of Ukraine’s recent progress on key reforms in the energy sector, and significant investments from international partners in Ukraine’s clean energy future.

This Partnership brings together the Government of Ukraine, bilateral donors, key international organisations and financial institutions and voices representing the private sector.  Following  the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London, we are proud to welcome the following new partners to the Clean Energy Partnership: the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation, whose $2 billion Economic Resilience Action platform is already investing in Ukraine’s green, resilient reconstruction; the UN Global Compact’s Ukraine Energy Initiative, which will act as a voice for its private sector signatories within the Clean Energy Partnership; and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which aims to support Ukraine’s transition to a sustainable energy future by mobilising green investment.

With these additional partners, we collectively reaffirm our unwavering commitment to supporting Ukraine’s goal of building a resilient, efficient, more decentralised and smart energy system fit for a Net Zero future and with greater integration with Europe thereby also linking Ukraine’s energy reconstruction to its EU accession path and EU energy and climate policy. This group will continue to seek to help Ukraine meet its climate objectives in line with the Paris Agreement while strengthening Ukraine’s energy security and supporting a clean energy transition. The Partnership continues to complement existing bilateral energy partnerships between G7+ members and Ukraine.

All members recognise the importance of highlighting progress made on reforms to showcase Ukraine’s investment potential. We would like to congratulate the Government of Ukraine for making progress on reforms, not only in ensuring its citizens have security of supply and access to energy during the war of aggression, but also supporting the private sector’s role in Ukraine’s future recovery and reconstruction. These include:

• passing new legislation to attract investment in low carbon energy and promoting the development of small, distributed generation, with a special focus on renewable energy
• passing legislation to develop energy storage systems
• progress towards the full adoptions of REMIT (regulation on wholesale energy market integrity and transparency)
• progress made to liberalise wholesale energy tariffs
• progress in the corporatisation of state-owned enterprises including Energoatom, as well as the implementation of a proper corporate governance system for the gas transmission system operator of Ukraine

We encourage close coordination in the development of the ‘Ukraine Plan’ and the reforms necessary for Ukraine’s EU accession process. As highlighted in the World Bank Group’s recent report ‘Private Sector Opportunities for a Green and Resilient Reconstruction in Ukraine’, concerted reform efforts will create significant opportunities for the private sector to drive a green and resilient reconstruction and could generate $169 billion in private financing. We support the key recommended interventions outlined in the report that are projected to increase the share of private financing to address the needs outlined in the World Bank’s Ukraine Rapid Damage Needs Assessment:

• further electricity market liberalisation
• reduce household electricity costs through energy efficiency and energy saving, development of decentralised renewable energy generation and social support
• launch auctions for electricity from renewable energy
• gradual transition to cost-recovery tariffs with incentives to switch to efficient and decarbonised district heating
• allow commercial financing of, or gradual private participation in, state-owned enterprises without compromising energy security
• allow private participation in construction of independent high voltage lines and modernization of district heating systems

To support the transparent reporting and assessment of reforms in the energy sector, the Clean Energy Partnership would like to acknowledge the efforts of: IFC2, the Energy Community Secretariat, UN Global Compact and DiXi Group to monitor progress on reforms.

Alongside its reform efforts, we also congratulate the Government of Ukraine, and in particular the Ministries of Energy, Restoration and Economy on progressing efforts that will realise a pragmatic green and resilient recovery. These include finalising their 2050 Energy Strategy, and its commitment to developing a comprehensive implementation plan; making renewed progress on the National Energy and Climate Plan; completing several full feasibility studies in wind, solar, Bioenergy, geothermal energy production and supporting the development of electric vehicles and energy storage; and developing a new decarbonisation fund with consultation on design from IRENA. We applaud the Government of Ukraine’s continued commitment, despite the ongoing war of aggression, to phasing out state-owned coal power plants by 2035.

The Clean Energy Partnership is supporting these efforts by providing grants, guarantees, technical support and expertise in a coordinated way that reinforces the Government’s efforts to integrate with regional energy markets, harness private finance, and support the adoption of cutting-edge clean energy innovations. This group has collectively committed substantial financial support to help lay the foundations for a cleaner and more secure energy system and serve as a catalyst for Ukraine’s economic recovery.

The Clean Energy Partnership will serve as a forum for discussion, coordination and knowledge sharing to help deliver support for recovery, drive reforms and harness the private sector in Ukraine’s clean energy transition. The members of Clean Energy Partnership will continue to support Ukraine’s efforts for immediate, medium, and long-term recovery and reconstruction of the energy sector.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 December 2023.

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Ministry of Defence statement in response to attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea by Houthi militants.

A UK government spokesperson said:

The United Kingdom condemns the attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea by Houthi militants.

As we’ve previously stated, Iran has long provided military and political support to Houthi militants and it bears responsibility for the actions of its proxies and partners.

These waters are vital routes for global trade and incidents like these show the importance of the Royal Navy’s presence in the region, which we announced last week would be bolstered by the additional deployment of HMS Diamond to join HMS Lancaster.

The UK is committed to ensuring the safety of shipping in the region, including through our contribution to the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) and Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 December 2023.

Writing in The Sun on Sunday, Foreign Secretary David Cameron outlined how the UK must build up defences, stay close to partners, and reach out to new allies.

In the last fortnight, I’ve stood in a bombed out cathedral in one of Ukraine’s most beautiful cities and watched as brave Ukrainian soldiers kiss families goodbye as they left for the front to fight Putin’s illegal invasion.

I’ve walked through an Israeli Kibbutz where parents were slaughtered in front of their children. I’ve listened to stories of families whose loved ones have cruelly been taken hostage by Hamas, and heard testimony from British citizens fleeing the bombardment of Gaza.

There have been warnings that Iran could escalate the conflict in the Middle East through their proxies like Hizbollah in Lebanon or the Houthis in Yemen.

And I’ve seen briefings that make clear the risks of cyber attacks and industrial espionage, whether they are coming out of China, Russia or North Korea.

Always, the conclusion I reach is the same.

It is hard to recall in recent memory a time of such danger and uncertainty.

When I started my first political job in the late 1980s working for Margaret Thatcher, things looked so different.  The Cold War was ending and the Berlin Wall coming down.  Democracy was spreading, trade barriers were tumbling and more countries and people were embracing freedom and prosperity.

How should we respond to this new reality?

First, by understanding how profoundly our world has changed.

The forces shaping it – a warmonger in the Kremlin, a more aggressive China, Islamist extremism poisoning young minds – these things aren’t going to disappear overnight.

There’s no point hoping for some magical return to the world as it once was. Hope isn’t a policy.

And there’s no point pretending that we can somehow insulate ourselves from these crises, or pull up some imaginary drawbridge.

It’s not just that Putin’s war has hit energy and food prices here at home.  Or that conflict in the Middle East, if it flares out of control, can do the same.

It’s that if Putin isn’t stopped in Ukraine he will be back for more. And we know from our history that appeasing dictators ultimately wrecks British interests and costs British lives.

Conflict in the Middle East doesn’t stay in the region.  It can destabilise our allies and trigger mass migrations.  And it deeply affects Jewish and Muslim populations in our own countries.

Our response needs to be one of strength, resilience and unity.

We need to build up our defences, stay close to our strongest friends and partners, and reach out to new allies.

That’s why next week I will be heading to Washington DC to work with our closest and strongest ally, the USA.

The debate there – about how much to help Ukraine and for how long – is underway.

I know the arguments – that European security is American security and that dictators shouldn’t be appeased – will win the day.

But I want to reassure them that we will stay the course and galvanise other allies too.

Yes, I stood in the bombed cathedral in Ukraine, but I also heard how Ukraine’s forces destroyed a fifth of Russia’s attack helicopters in Ukraine in just one night.  How Putin’s Black Sea fleet has been pushed largely out of Crimea.  How Ukraine is shipping grain again, with its economy growing again.

Likewise, while the scenes unfolding in Gaza are appalling, we doubled our humanitarian aid to those needing support in Gaza, and have been able to use the recent humanitarian pauses to get hostages out and aid in.

In these uncertain times, we need to make sure that the assets we have really deliver the results we need.

In recent years, the government has crafted a new security strategy which wins praise from allies. We have increased defence spending. We have shown leadership on Ukraine and in NATO. We have forged stronger ties in the Gulf and Indo-Pacific. We must keep driving this work forward.

It is a privilege to return to government with responsibility for the Foreign Office.

I want to use my experience to make sure that every part of it – from world class diplomats to experts in development, from our crises response teams to our world renowned intelligence capabilities – are focused on our security and our prosperity.

With strength and resilience must come unity.

Last week I sat in NATO’s first Council meeting with Ukraine and saw the strength of the most successful alliance in history.  Add together the economies of the countries backing Ukraine against Russia and we outmatch Putin by almost 30 to 1.  With the support we give to Ukraine – whether its artillery shells or economic support – we must make that economic strength count.

And if we can bring together all those who want a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians, we may even be able to turn this horrific situation into an opportunity for real progress.

We must be clear-eyed about both the threats we face and those who want to see us fail.

But if we turn this moment of danger and insecurity into something that brings a new sense of unity between allies, there is no reason why we cannot prevail.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 December 2023.

The UK government announces measures to support climate-vulnerable countries and joins calls for bolder action on climate adaptation.

• £100 million of UK funding will help climate-vulnerable populations adapt to climate change
• at COP28 Summit today, the UK will call for bolder action to fight the impact climate change is having on health
• package that contributes towards the £1.6 billion of climate aid announced by the Prime Minister on Friday

The UK government will make commitments to help vulnerable countries strengthen their resilience to the increasingly frequent and severe effects of climate change at the COP28 Summit on Sunday (3 December).

International Development and Africa Minister Andrew Mitchell will announce £100 million to support some of the most climate-vulnerable countries to tackle climate change. This will support an initiative to strengthen early warning systems in countries on the front line of climate change, giving people advanced warning of cyclones, flooding and other extreme weather so they can move away from danger, saving lives and protecting vulnerable communities.

The funding will also help make health care in these areas more resilient and able to withstand disasters, like floods, and ready to deal with spikes in infectious diseases, like cholera and malaria, due to floods caused by climate change.

Recognising the urgency of the situation, which forces 26 million into poverty every year, the government will also join calls for bolder collective action to protect the lives, health and livelihoods of those most impacted by climate change.

This supports the Prime Minister announcing major funding for climate projects and stressing the need for ambitious, innovative and pragmatic action.

International Development and Africa Minister Andrew Mitchell, said:

The devastating effects of climate change hit the most vulnerable the hardest.

These funding commitments will help countries and people be better prepared and protected against extreme weather events and natural disasters. They will help roll out measures such as early warning systems, and open up access to climate finance to build resilient health services.

The UK will continue to press for a bold and ambitious approach to support those on the frontline of our changing climate, and to create a safer planet for us all.

On behalf of the UK, Minister Mitchell will endorse the ‘Getting Ahead of Disasters’ Charter, the ‘COP28 Declaration on Relief, Recovery and Peace’, and the ‘COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health’.

Speaking at COP28, he will outline details of the funding package, which include:

• nearly £20 million for a package of disaster risk financing and early warning systems. This will help the one-third of the world’s population who are not covered by early warning systems to prepare for climate shocks and extreme weather, reducing disaster-related mortality and damage. It will also provide affordable insurance against climate disasters, such as droughts
• funding of £36 million for climate action in the Middle East and North Africa to support long-term climate stability. This will mobilise $500 million for clean energy and green growth projects, support 450,000 people to adapt to climate change, and support 200,000 women in better protecting their families from climate shocks. This delivers on the UK’s commitment to scale up pre-arranged finance for crisis recovery
• over £4.4 million to improve access to climate finance for Small Island Developing States and enable them to adapt to the impacts of climate change, with support from the Global Environment Facility’s Special Climate Change Fund and the Alliance of Small Island States
• another £3 million for a new research hub in partnership with Canada, to help local communities address climate shocks and adapt to the long-term impacts of a changing climate. This will be delivered through the Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CLARE) programme, launched by the UK at COP26
• up to £18 million for an innovative new programme to adapt and strengthen health systems. This will help partner countries manage the growing health impacts of climate change, from infectious diseases and food shortages, to water insecurity and other health-related emergencies. It will be the first climate and health programme to be announced by a G7 country
• a further £20 million for a new research programme to guide the UK’s future work on climate-resilient health systems, recognising the fast-evolving agenda and the need for a stronger evidence base of what works to address the growing threats from climate change to health
• finally, £3 million for a new partnership with the International Rescue Committee to reduce the impact of climate-related crises on schools, students and communities. The Climate Resilient Education Systems Trial will build an evidence base of effective approaches to combatting climate change in and through education

At the COP28 Summit on Sunday (3 December), the UK will convene experts and thought leaders for a panel discussion on climate security. It will be the first time that the UK has hosted such an event, with the US, the EU, Iraq, Kenya, Mali, NATO, and United Nations Development Programme expected to attend. It aims to improve collective understanding of the security implications of climate change, including global instability and conflict, while exploring best practice to respond to these risks through data-informed policy making, stress testing, analytical foresight capability, and international cooperation.

Background:

The £20 million disaster risk financing package consists of:

• £5 million for the Climate Risk and Early Warning Systems (CREWS) initiative to enable the least developed countries and Small Island Developing States to better prepare for climate shocks and extreme weather
• £7.4 million to fund drought insurance protection for Somalia over the next 3 years through African Risk Capacity (ARC), Africa’s risk pool, which will provide rapid payouts to vulnerable communities if rains fail
• £7.1 million to fund disaster insurance cover in Senegal, Somalia, Madagascar and Zimbabwe over 2 years through the Start Network, which allows members to pool funds and risks in order to stretch funding further and provide additional cover. This will also cover locally-led responses to the impact of El Niño-driven extreme weather across multiple countries

The £40 million climate-health package consists of:

• £18 million for the UK’s flagship Climate Resilient and Sustainable Health Systems Programme
• £20 million for a newly approved Climate and Health Research Programme
• increased funding to UNICEF to help develop the climate resilience of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services and to unlock climate finance

The new CLARE Research for Impact (R4I) Hub will identify demand from key stakeholders and match it with past research investments made by the UK and Canada. By repurposing this evidence to meet the specific decision-making contexts and the local adaptation needs and priorities, it will lead to more tangible impacts on the ground.