Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 September 2025.

The G7 Foreign Ministers met on the margins of High-Level Week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, met on the margins of High-Level Week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

We expressed concerns around Russia’s most recent airspace violations in Estonia, Poland and Romania, which are unacceptable and risk undermining international security. We underscored our ongoing commitment to work together to achieve a durable peace and a strong, independent, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine, by continuing to coordinate with the United States to provide Ukraine with robust and credible security guarantees. We discussed imposing further economic costs on Russia, including taking action against third country enablers.  We welcome ongoing discussions between G7 Finance Ministers on further leveraging Russian Sovereign Assets to support Ukraine.

We welcomed the U.S. and Panama proposal to establish a UN Support Office for Haiti and transition the Multinational Security Support Mission into a new force, with a mandate to dismantle gangs, secure critical infrastructure, and re-establish security in Haiti together with the Haitian authorities.

We stressed the urgency of alleviating the immense suffering of civilians in Gaza through a flood of humanitarian aid and securing the release of all hostages, and we reiterated our call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.  We unequivocally condemned Hamas, including for its brutal and unjustified terror attacks on October 7, 2023. We reiterated that Hamas can have no role in Gaza’s future and must never again be a threat to Israel. We affirmed our readiness to engage with Arab partners on their proposals to chart a way forward on reconstruction in Gaza and build a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace.

We called on Iran to fully implement its obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and engage in direct talks with the United States towards a robust, durable and comprehensive nuclear agreement that ensures Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. We commended the E3’s decision to trigger the “snapback” mechanism.

We reaffirmed the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law.  We reiterated our strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion, including in the East China Sea, the South China Sea, and across the Taiwan Strait. We reaffirmed our commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea and the immediate resolution of the abductions issue.

As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary, we recognised the fundamental need for the reform of the United Nations and expressed willingness to participate in efforts to ensure that it is fit for purpose.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 September 2025.

UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela. Not delivered due to time constraints.

Thank you, Mr. President.

The UK commends the work of the Mission and thanks it for its sobering report. 

We remain gravely concerned by the findings of the latest report, which once again lays bare the systematic and ongoing violations of human rights in Venezuela. The continued erosion of the rule of law, the widespread use of arbitrary detention, and the number of enforced disappearances is unacceptable.

Political repression has persisted and over 800 individuals remain arbitrarily detained, many without access to due process or legal representation. We call on the Venezuelan authorities to immediately release all those held arbitrarily and to uphold fair trial guarantees.

Mr. President, the findings presented today underscore the need for the Council’s continued attention on Venezuela. We reiterate our call on the Venezuelan authorities to cooperate fully with international mechanisms by granting them immediate and full access to the country. We urge concrete steps from Venezuela ahead of the next session, including implementing the Mission’s recommendations.

The UK remains steadfast in its support for the Venezuelan people and their fundamental rights.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 September 2025.

Statement by The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, at the UNGA 80 side event on Beijing +30.

I am honoured to join you today as the United Kingdom’s new Foreign Secretary.

And to be here too, alongside the UK’s trailblazing Special Envoy for Women and Girls, Baroness Harriet Harman, who gave me one of my first jobs in politics more than 30 years ago, including research on women’s equality, not long before the Beijing Declaration was adopted.

I remember at that time just how significant it felt to see countries coming together, from across the globe, committed to advancing women’s equality and women’s rights.

So it is particularly special to be here three decades on to discuss an issue that has been so close to my heart since, and to be clear that this will be a priority for me now, in this role. 

Supporting women across the globe, on leadership, on representation, on access to education and economic opportunity. 

An agenda set by women, and supported by male allies, who are vital partners for progress. 

But I particularly want to draw attention to the topic of Violence Against Women and Girls.

Because we know that safety and security are the bedrock on which all opportunities in our lives are built. Women’s safety is an essential foundation for women’s equality.

And while individual nations and UN agencies have helped to achieve great strides forward, with FGM and forced marriage less prevalent than they were three decades ago.

The facts should still shame us all.

Across the globe, 1 in 3 women will be beaten or sexually assaulted in their lifetime. 

140 women and girls are killed every day by a partner or close relative. 

And rape and sexual violence continue to be used as a weapon of war. 

My Government has described violence against women and girls in the UK as a national emergency, and we have set out an unprecedented mission to halve it in a decade.

But the truth is that this is an international emergency too.

So today I make two calls for action.

First, that we step up our efforts to eliminate violence against women and girls, because everyone has the right to live in freedom from fear. 

Including challenging new forms of abuse and collaborating against devastating sexual abuse of children online.

And second, we must ensure that the multilateral system remains a powerful force for the rights and equality of women and girls everywhere because we know that by doing so, we also strengthen our families, our communities, our economies and our nations too.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 September 2025.

The UK has formally recognised Palestine to protect the viability of a two-state solution and create a path towards lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people.

• government acts to protect the prospect of a two-state solution as the appalling situation in Gaza worsens, Israel continues its illegal settlement expansions in the West Bank and Hamas continues to hold the hostages
• Prime Minister makes clear that Hamas will have no role in the future of Palestine and reiterates his call for them to release the hostages immediately and unconditionally
• historic step taken alongside close allies Canada and Australia, as part of wider international effort to support a pathway to peace and protect the equal rights of both Israeli and Palestinian peoples

The UK has formally recognised Palestine to protect the viability of a two-state solution and create a path towards lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people.

The historic decision, announced alongside Canada and Australia, comes as the situation on the ground in Gaza continues to worsen, Israel continues to expand its illegal settlements in the West Bank, and Hamas continues to hold the hostages.

In July, the Prime Minister pledged to act if the situation did not change and firmly believes that the UK has a moral responsibility to do everything it can to support a peaceful future for Israel and Palestine – the prospect of which is slipping further away.

A two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state led by a reformed Palestinian Authority, is the only path to a lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people – free from the horrendous violence and suffering of the last two years.

Recognising Palestine is a historic decision, firmly grounded in the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination, which the government committed to as part of its manifesto.

In a statement this afternoon, the Prime Minister was clear this decision is not about Hamas. They are a brutal terrorist organisation that wants to see Israel destroyed. Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace with recognised borders is the exact opposite of their hateful vision. 

The government’s demands on them have not changed. It must release all hostages, agree to an immediate ceasefire, accept it will have no role in governing Gaza, and commit to disarmament.

The UK is also expected to take further action to sanction senior figures in the Hamas leadership in the coming weeks and keep doing everything possible to bring the hostages home.

Our support for Israel’s and the security of its people remains steadfast. But the Israeli government must also change course – halting their offensive in Gaza, letting the desperately needed humanitarian aid in, and stopping their illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

Today’s historic decision, taken alongside some of our closest allies, to recognise a Palestinian State, reflects our unwavering commitment to a two-state solution and affirms the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.

Recognition is an important step to preserve the prospect of a two-state solution, at a time when it is now under unprecedented threat. Two states is the only way to safeguard long term peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike. 

We are clear that Hamas can have no role in Palestine’s future – they are a barbaric terrorist organisation who oppose the very idea of two states. They must release the hostages and relinquish any hold on Gaza. But Hamas are not the Palestinian people. 

Recognition is only one part of what must be a stronger and wider push for peace. We need to end the conflict in Gaza, secure the release of all hostages and get humanitarian aid to all those who desperately need it. That requires not just an immediate ceasefire, but a plan for a durable peace, which will be a key to my diplomatic drive at the UN this week.

Having recognised the State of Israel in 1950, the government believes it can no longer credibly continue to support the two-state solution without recognising both States. 

The decision does not remove the demands the government has made of the Palestinian Authority to conduct extensive reform. President Abbas has committed to this reform, including organising new elections within a year of a ceasefire.

The UK will continue to provide technical and financial support to the PA as it delivers these reforms and builds the State of Palestine, including through the work of UK Envoy for Palestinian Authority Governance Sir Michael Barber, who is enhancing the PA’s delivery and governance capabilities. 

The government has been clear that recognition is not enough to change the situation on the ground on its own.

That’s why the decision comes as part of coordinated international efforts to build consensus around a Framework for Peace, which addresses governance, security, humanitarian access, and ceasefire monitoring in Gaza, and the foundations of a two-state solution.

The UK will continue working closely with its allies to advance this plan, which recognition forms part of as the first, most urgent step towards lasting peace.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 September 2025.

Baroness Hodge is visiting the BVI to assess progress on financial transparency.

Efforts to increase the UK’s security and resilience to illicit finance and money laundering are at the top of the agenda this week, as the UK’s Anti-Corruption Champion, Baroness Margaret Hodge, visits the British Virgin Islands to assess progress in implementing commitments on beneficial ownership registers.   

Speaking ahead of her meetings with government officials and financial and legal sector representatives, scheduled for 23 and 24 September, Baroness Hodge said:   

The UK is committed to transparency and the international fight against illicit finance. Public beneficial ownership registers are an essential tool that help us all follow the money so that we can expose corruption and money laundering.  

In today’s global context, secret corporate structures are not just used to launder money. They are also used to undermine democracies, fund conflicts, and engage in human rights abuses and terrorism. So transparency is vital for us all and we share responsibility for ensuring we promote it.    

This visit is an opportunity to engage constructively with leaders and stakeholders in the British Virgin Islands to better understand the challenges they perceive in implementing beneficial ownership registers.    

I look forward to open, collaborative discussions that support our common goal of strengthening financial transparency.

In November 2024, the British Virgin Islands joined the other UK Overseas Territories in committing to implement beneficial ownership registers with legitimate interest access by June 2025, as part of the UK’s efforts to enhance corporate transparency. While commitments have been made, concerns remain about the pace of progress towards implementing registers that meet the UK’s minimum requirements.  

During her visit, Baroness Hodge will assess the progress and challenges in implementing transparent registers in the BVI. She will make recommendations on the required next steps to the UK’s Minister of State for the Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty, who oversees the UK’s engagement with BVI on matters including governance and transparency.    

Minister Doughty will consider Baroness Hodge’s findings following the visit.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 September 2025.

UK Statement for the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on reports of High Commissioner and Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

Thank you, Mr. President, High Commissioner, and distinguished panellists.

Your latest reports reveal deeply troubling evidence of human rights atrocities committed in Myanmar, including by the Myanmar military. Civilians are bearing the brunt: detained without due process, killed in indiscriminate air strikes, and displaced as their homes, schools, and hospitals are destroyed.

The Myanmar military’s intensified use of airstrikes following the March earthquake inflicted further devastation on civilians, compounding the crisis.

The Mechanism has uncovered extensive evidence of systematic torture and abuse in detention facilities operated by the military since the coup. Detainees, including children, have been subjected to beatings, electric shocks, and sexual violence, including rape and sexualised torture.

These reports expose a pattern of deliberate cruelty, underscoring the urgent need for justice. The international community must do more to ensure perpetrators are held to account.

The UK remains committed to supporting future accountability in Myanmar. The Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM)’s documentation plays a vital role in laying the groundwork for this, and the UK has contributed £900,000 to the mechanism to help ensure that evidence is preserved, and justice can be pursued.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 September 2025. NB, due to the Government reshuffle, this visit was cancelled.

Foreign Secretary travels to Gulf to build consensus for peace in Gaza.

• Foreign Secretary engages key strategic partners as part of a long-term framework for peace in Gaza
• Meetings in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia amidst deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza
• Latest in series of UK visits to the Gulf to strengthen relations across foreign policy, trade, investment and defence

This visit has been cancelled: The UK continues its push towards long term peace in Gaza as the Foreign Secretary holds meetings with key partners in the Middle East during a three-day visit.

Amid a backdrop of an appalling humanitarian crisis, including the spread of famine, the Foreign Secretary will meet senior officials in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to build consensus around a framework for lasting peace in the region. He will focus on the need to turn any ceasefire into a durable peace, through a monitoring mechanism, the disarmament of Hamas and a new governance framework for Gaza.

The Foreign Secretary will reiterate that the war in Gaza must be ended through an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and through much more aid being allowed into Gaza. During meetings, the Foreign Secretary will highlight that the Israeli Government’s refusal to allow sufficient aid into Gaza is indefensible and that greater pressure needs to be exerted to allow significantly more aid to enter the territory. He will call for more pressure on Hamas to release all the hostages and accept they can play no role in the governance of Gaza.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

The situation in Gaza is utterly bleak. Each day the humanitarian crisis worsens with famine threatening to spiral across the territory, while the hostages remain cruelly held captive.

The UK is working in lockstep with our Gulf partners to establish a framework for peace. Ending the war in Gaza means not just reaching a ceasefire but turning it into a durable peace.

As we push for that immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release by Hamas of all hostages and a transformation in the delivery of aid, we are working intensely on the conditions for a lasting peace and the foundations of a two-state solution.

The UK continues to fund vital life-saving aid for Gaza, with a recent announcement of an additional £15 million for medical care and aid bringing the UK’s humanitarian funding commitment for the Occupied Palestinian Territories to £75m this financial year. This includes funding for United Nations Population Fund to provide support for pregnant women and girls and support for UK Med’s field hospitals in Gaza. Later this month, critically ill Gazan children are expected to arrive in the UK for specialist treatment.

Alongside the framework for peace, the UK will set out its commitment to the viability of the two-state solution, including the intention to recognise Palestinian statehood in coordination with other international partners.

During his visit, the Foreign Secretary will use meetings to thank the UK’s allies in the Gulf for their work in seeking to end the conflict in Gaza. The United Arab Emirates has delivered vital humanitarian aid to Gaza, including in partnership with the UK. Qatar continues to seek a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia provides vital security support alongside US and European counterparts within the region.

While in the region, the Foreign Secretary will hold talks on strengthening UK-Gulf trade ties, helping boost a trade relationship already worth more than £57 billion and bringing growth and investment opportunities to British people.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 September 2025.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN General Assembly meeting on the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

It is 1,289 days since the start of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

So the timing of today’s debate underlines for all of us what is at stake when we talk about ongoing peace efforts.

Russia’s war in Ukraine is a manifest violation of the UN Charter and a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Both of which, for all of us, are enshrined in the UN Charter,

The truth is that the Russian state has temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, and has sought to consolidate control within them with violence.

They have sought to eliminate any trace of Ukrainian statehood and identity through repression.

We know exactly what Russia’s invasion and violation of the UN Charter mean for Ukrainian civilians in these territories.

It means severe restrictions on their freedom of association, their freedom of movement, and their freedom of religious belief.

It means systematic detention of innocent civilians, and forced deportation and indoctrination of Ukrainian children.

It means lack of access to humanitarian aid for the most vulnerable.

It means erasure of Ukrainian cultural heritage, and despicable attempts to militarise their youth.

It means rape and sexual violence, which have been used repeatedly by Russia as tools of war.

The human toll of President Putin’s continued illegal, unjustifiable invasion against Ukraine is immense.

For many of the 1.5 million people living in the temporarily occupied territories, these horrors are a daily reality.

This reality is unacceptable.

As the Russian state continues to terrorise civilians in the territories it occupies, using arbitrary detention, torture, and indoctrination as instruments of control, Ukraine has consistently sought a commitment to peace.

But the appalling attacks on civilians over the last week have made Russia’s intentions clearer than ever.

Yet the strength and endless determination of the Ukrainian people, both in Kyiv and across the temporarily occupied territories continues to inspire us.

So we call on Russia to comply with international law, to comply with the UN Charter.

President Putin has the power to end this war today.

The next steps are clear. Putin needs to agree to an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire and withdraw Russian forces from all of Ukraine’s territory.

Ukraine needs security guarantees to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 September 2025.

The UK and Laos held the fourth biennial Political Dialogue on 3 September, covering topics including trade, regional security, climate and consular issues.

The fourth United Kingdom (UK) – Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) biennial Political Dialogue took place in London on 3 September 2025. The meeting was co-chaired by UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Indo-Pacific, Catherine West MP, and Lao Deputy Foreign Minister Maythong Thammavongsa, and coincided with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

UK Ambassador to Lao PDR H.E Mel Barlow and Lao Ambassador to the UK H.E Douangmany Gnotsyoudom also participated in the discussions.

The two Ministers discussed a range of bilateral issues including trade and investment, regional security and climate. During the meeting, Minister West raised key consular issues, including methanol poisoning and recent methanol poisoning cases.

The Dialogue also included exchanges on regional and international matters of mutual concern. The Deputy Foreign Minister welcomed the UK’s continued engagement in the Mekong sub-region, including its recent accession as a Development Partner to the Mekong River Commission in June 2025.

In a separate meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister Maythong Thammavongsa met with Matt Western MP, the UK’s newly appointed Trade Envoy to Lao PDR. They discussed opportunities to deepen trade and investment cooperation as Lao PDR prepares to graduate from Least Developed Country status in 2026.

The United Kingdom looks forward to continued collaboration with Lao PDR across a broad range of shared priorities including growing people-to-people links, which will be supported by the newly established UK-Lao Friendship Society.

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

The UK’s MOBILIST programme will receive NOK40 million (£2,9 million) of additional funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) over the next 3 years to help it unlock greater private capital investment in emerging markets through products publicly listed on stock exchanges.

The extension of support was marked at a signing ceremony at Norad’s headquarters, where the countries highlighted their longstanding partnership to use public markets to mobilise private capital for development. Public markets represent a powerful but untapped opportunity for mobilising development finance to emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) at the scale needed to address urgent challenges.

Created by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), MOBILIST is the only development finance programme that focuses on public markets. The programme provides catalytic equity investment toward initial public offerings (IPOs) and the development of new listed products, as well as research to drive policy reform. Norway has been supporting MOBILIST since 2022, previously providing NOK34 million in technical assistance funding.

Norad will also represent the Government of Norway as a co-implementor of the ‘EMDE Public Markets Coalition’ launched by the UK and its partners at the UN’s Fourth Financing for Development Conference (FFD4) in July this year. The Coalition will develop a Toolkit for MDBs, DFIs, and investors to support them in facilitating greater investment in EMDEs through public markets.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Jan Thompson CMG OBE, His Majesty’s Ambassador to Norway, said: “The UK welcomes the extension of Norway’s support to the MOBILIST programme. This partnership has been invaluable for increasing the impact MOBILIST has on emerging market businesses tackling climate and other development challenges. This collaboration demonstrates UK and Norway’s continued strategic partnership and shared ambition for innovative approaches to development finance.”

Gunn Jorid Roset, Director General of Norad, said: “By extending our support to MOBILIST, Norway is underlining its belief in the power of capital markets to deliver development impact, and as a key component in solving development challenges. In strategic partnership with the UK, and through MOBILIST, we are bridging development finance and global capital markets — enabling more investors to become active partners in addressing the urgent needs of our time.”

Since its inception, MOBILIST has committed $141.5 million to eight investees and mobilised $349.8 million in private finance. The programme’s investments include participating in the IPO of Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation, the second-largest solar energy producer in the Philippines and investing alongside Norway in the Green Guarantee Company (GGC), the world’s first dedicated climate-focused guarantee company.

The funding from Norway enables MOBILIST to provide technical assistance to companies on their listing journey or to develop products offering insights or guidance to the wider market. This support is crucial in capital markets that are not fully developed and where companies have limited access to the technical support and advice needed to list.

MOBILIST’s technical assistance projects have included providing support to develop a handbook to guide Mexican SMEs on raising funding through listed corporate debt, a framework for investing in gender bonds in emerging markets, and the first green bond to list on the Pakistan Stock Exchange.

More about the EMDE Coalition:

More than $250 trillion in capital is channelled through listed stock and bond markets every year. This is roughly 20 times the value of all assets held in private markets and 100 times the total capital on the balance sheets of multilateral development banks (MDBs). However, only a fraction of capital invested through public markets is allocated to emerging markets, where development finance is most urgently needed. The EMDE Coalition, launched under the Sevilla Platform for Action (SPA) Initiative ‘Public Markets Mobilisation for Development’, aims to turbocharge private capital mobilised through public markets to tackle key climate and development challenges.

Alongside the UK and Norway, the Coalition will be co-implemented by the African Development Bank and has received endorsement from the Governments of the Philippines, Switzerland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), British International Investment (BII) and the Centre for Development Finance Studies (CDFS).

About Norad

Norad is the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation. Norad is an administrative and professional body for international aid, and shall assist in realizing the goals of Norwegian development policy. Norad manages grants for long-term aid in developing countries and for humanitarian aid, and provides aid and administrative advice to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Climate and Environment. www.norad.no

About MOBILIST

A flagship UK government programme, MOBILIST supports investment solutions that help deliver the climate transition and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in developing economies. MOBILIST focuses on mobilising institutional capital to spur new, scalable, and replicable financial products. MOBILIST invests capital, delivers technical assistance, conducts research and builds partnerships to catalyse investment in new listed products.  www.mobilistglobal.com