Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 December 2023.

Minister for the Middle East Lord Ahmad is attending the Doha Forum and holding meetings with senior Qatari leaders to discuss the Israel and Gaza conflict.

• Minister of State for the Middle East Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon returns to Qatar to attend the annual Doha Forum which will bring together regional leaders in policy to discuss critical challenges facing our world
• In addition, Lord Ahmad will hold meetings with the senior Qatari leaders for discussions on the crisis in Israel and Gaza
• The Minister will also hold meetings on Afghanistan focusing on humanitarian, development, security and human rights issues

Minister for the Middle East Lord Ahmad is in Qatar today (Sunday) to attend the Doha Forum and meet with senior partners to discuss the ongoing crisis in Israel and Gaza.

Lord Ahmad will be attending the annual Doha Forum which will run under the theme of “Building Shared Futures.” The Forum will host discussions and panel events on key issues, including Afghanistan and the conflict in Israel and Gaza given Qatar’s important role as mediator between Israel and Hamas.

During the visit, the Minister is expected to meet with senior Qatari leaders where he will reiterate the UK’s gratitude to Qatar for their central role in facilitating humanitarian access into Gaza which enabled more desperately needed aid to enter, as well as securing the release of hostages.

He will also emphasise the UK’s commitment to working with partners on preventing the crisis from spreading across the region and delivering a viable two-state solution.

Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for the Middle East, said:

I am pleased to be returning to Qatar following my recent visit to reiterate the UK’s thanks to our Qatari partners for their huge efforts in securing the recent humanitarian access into Gaza.

It is absolutely critical that we now redouble our efforts to facilitate unhindered and sustainable humanitarian access into Gaza, further substantive agreements to bring respite and deliver vital aid to civilians, and secure the release of hostages out of Gaza.

I will be discussing with leaders in the region how we must work together to find long term solutions to the conflict, to reduce regional escalation and to progress towards a two-state solution that secures peace for both Israelis and Palestinians.

In addition to his discussions on Israel and Gaza, Lord Ahmad will also be meeting with policy leaders to discuss the situation in Afghanistan focussing on humanitarian, development, security and human rights issues.

Notes for editors:

• The Doha Forum is a platform for dialogue, the forum brings together leaders in policy to discuss critical challenges facing our world, and builds on innovative and action-driven networks to address these challenges.
• Lord Ahmad also visited Qatar and Bahrain last month (November 18 and 19) for discussions on the crisis in Israel and the OPTs. In a speech at the Manama Dialogue to senior decision makers from the region during his last visited, the Minister reiterated urgent calls for agreements to allow for vital humanitarian aid to be delivered, get hostages released and to facilitate an end to hostilities as a pathway to deliver a viable two state solution.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 December 2023.

UK scales up support for sustainable, climate-resilient farming practices, and improved access to clean water in climate-vulnerable countries.

• UK support will help farmers around the world adopt sustainable, climate-resilient practices.
• Further new funding will help countries work towards water security and unlock investment in water management.
• Smallholder farmers and rural organisations in Africa will have help to boost incomes without damaging forests.

The UK is scaling up a partnership with the World Bank to boost climate-resilient farming practices around the world, the UK’s International Development and Africa Minister Andrew Mitchell will announce at COP28 today (10 December).

While agriculture is vital for global food security and rural livelihoods, it is also a key driver of climate change and nature loss. Farmers on the front line of climate change suffer ever more frequent, severe weather impacts, including drought and floods.

Improving soil health, land management and efficient use of fertiliser are some of the changes the Just Rural Transition Support Programme will work with climate vulnerable partner countries to adopt so their agriculture policies are more productive and sustainable.

The UK will also provide £10 million through the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to help smallholder farmers and others improve their incomes in ways which reduce the impact on the natural world, particularly forests.

Climate change and deforestation mean that countries like Zambia are suffering droughts, which negatively affect their economies and food production. One example of how the programme will help is by supporting smallholder farmers in Zambia – many of whom are women in rural communities – to expand their businesses, by growing new crops, or improving the quality of their produce, linking them to export markets and planting trees to create more sustainable sources of raw materials.

These announcements follow on from last month’s UK hosted Global Food Security Summit, which brought together countries and international organisations to galvanise support for lasting solutions to prevent famine, wider food insecurity and malnutrition.

Today at COP28, the focus is also on water alongside food and agriculture. Agriculture accounts for 70% of freshwater use globally and causes 70% of water pollution. With the world facing an unprecedented and accelerating water crisis, rapid action is needed to ensure sustainable access to clean water. By 2030, it is estimated there will be a 40% shortfall in freshwater supply, with drastic consequences for people, planet and nature. Growing water insecurity, accelerated by climate change, is rapidly undermining the achievement of all the Sustainable Development Goals.

At the climate summit, Minister Mitchell will set out up to £39 million new funding for the newly launched Just Transitions for Water Security programme, to help countries manage water resources responsibly for the future.

The Just Transitions for Water Security programme will provide technical assistance to low-income and climate vulnerable countries so they can better manage their water resources. This in turn will strengthen climate resilience for the most vulnerable, support more sustainable food systems and improve drought and flood management, all while making sure everyone has access to clean water.

The programme will also help countries work towards water security and mobilise much-needed investment in water, such as large-scale rainwater harvesting.

International Development and Africa Minister Andrew Mitchell said:

Water is at the centre of the climate crisis. Water security must be driven up the global agenda.

My message is clear: we must protect water properly if we are to ensure equitable access for all. UK funding set out today will support water resilient supply chains, and boost investments to ensure this basic and vital source of life is available to vulnerable communities on the frontline of climate change.

Part of the Just Transitions for Water Security programme involves the Resilient Water Accelerator, led by WaterAid, which aims to boost investment in water systems.

Chief Executive of WaterAid Tim Wainwright said:

The climate crisis is a water crisis, with communities in low and middle income countries struggling daily with too little, too much, or too dirty water. WaterAid welcomes the UK government connecting the drops between climate change and water, committing at COP28 to invest up to £39 million into global water security.

WaterAid is happy to be supporting the Resilient Water Accelerator in unlocking private investment at pace. We hope other nations will join the UK in supporting adaptation projects that will build life-saving sustainable, climate-resilient water resources and services.

At COP28 the UK has also signed up to the Freshwater Challenge – launched at the UN Water Conference in March this year by the governments of Colombia, DR Congo, Ecuador, Gabon, Mexico and Zambia – to boost the restoration and conservation of freshwater ecosystems, recognising the essential role these habitats play in tackling climate change and supporting people and nature.

Last month as part of the recently published International Development White Paper, the UK committed to establish a cross-government global water security strategy that sets out the UK’s work on water security in the context of climate change and ensures coherence across sectors in water-related policy making.

These announcements demonstrate the UK’s commitment to deliver the objectives of the Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action. The UK was one of the first countries to endorse the declaration at the Global Food Security Summit last month and it is now supported by more than 130 countries.

Background

The Global Commission on the Economics of Water estimated in its report Turning the Tide that by 2030 there will be a 40% shortfall in freshwater supply, with drastic consequences for people, planet and nature.

The White Paper on International development in a contested world: ending extreme poverty and tackling climate change was published in November 2023.

The UK announcements today at COP28 form part of the £1.6 billion package announced by the Prime Minister at the start of COP28, and include:

• Up to £45 million in support over the next 5 years through the Just Rural Transition Support Programme, in partnership with the World Bank (‘FoodSystems 2030’ Trust Fund).
• Up to £39.1 million for the Just Transitions for Water Security programme, launched on 1 December.
• £10 million for the FAO-led Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) to support organisations that represent smallholder farmers, rural women’s groups, local communities and indigenous peoples’ groups. FFF provides grants, training and expertise to these groups to help improve their incomes in ways that reduce the impact on the natural world, particularly forests. It also works to amplify the voice of smallholders so they can influence important policy decisions over land tenure and natural resource rights. The UK’s £10 million funding to FFF is specifically for Africa.
• The Freshwater Challenge is a country-led initiative, launched at the UN Water Conference in New York in March 2023 by the governments of Colombia, DR Congo, Ecuador, Gabon, Mexico and Zambia. The initiative is supported by a group of core partners who have supported it since its inception – WWF, IUCN, UNEP, The Nature Conservancy, Wetlands International, Conservation International, and the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 December 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN General Assembly meeting on humanitarian aid.

Thank you, Mr President. Colleagues, every year we meet here to reflect on global humanitarian needs. Yet again, we are faced with a sobering picture. 258 million people do not know where their next meal is coming from. One in five children are living in or fleeing from conflict. One in 73 people are displaced, a number which has doubled in the last ten years. We are simultaneously witnessing dire humanitarian situations in Israel and Gaza, Sudan, Syria, and in Ukraine. Alongside many more across the world. The levels of need are overwhelming the humanitarian systems. Colleagues, we all have a role, and a stake, in reversing these worrying trends.

President, on 20 November our Prime Minister launched the UK’s International Development White Paper. This sets out our commitment to getting the Sustainable Development Goals back on track. And it includes a strong commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in the face of ever-growing needs driven by conflict and climate. We will focus on three key areas.

First, we will invest in an effective humanitarian system. We will contribute $1.2 billion to humanitarian assistance from 2024 to 2025. And we will also establish a UK Humanitarian Crisis Response Fund for specialist technical expertise, search and rescue, and emergency medical teams. We call on all Member States, including new and emerging donors and partners, to step up their support.

Second, we are shaping a system that is accountable to the people it serves. The UK is proud to have supported the START network from its inception to deliver rapid, early and locally-led humanitarian action around the world. We will invest more in local leadership on humanitarian action and will explore how our engagement, terminology, delivery, and approach can change to support local partnerships.

Third, we will build a system which can anticipate shocks and act early. This is proven to mitigate the impacts of disasters, save more lives and deliver value for money. We will continue to champion the CERF’s scale up of a system-wide approach to ‘Early Action’, including through our contribution of a further $65 million to the fund this year. Finally, colleagues, we must prevent today’s problems from turning into tomorrow’s crises.

This will need a whole of system response, in partnership with the UN, civil society, the International Financial Institutions, and, increasingly, the private sector. This is why, alongside our humanitarian efforts, we are supporting initiatives that will reduce need and prevent humanitarian caseloads.

We will scope a separate fund alongside our humanitarian funding, to build in climate resilience and adaptation alongside delivery of humanitarian relief. This will reduce the impact of future disasters and help communities to prepare and adapt for crises that we can anticipate.

And we will continue to advocate for compliance with international humanitarian law and for sustainable and inclusive ends to conflicts which remain the greatest blocker to development and prosperity. We look forward to working with you all to deliver this.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 December 2023.

Statement on Behalf of the United Kingdom: Session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute 7 December, 2023.

Madam President, Your Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates. I welcome this opportunity to address the Assembly on behalf of the Government of the United Kingdom.

This anniversary year marks a significant milestone in the Court’s history.

The Rome Statute is a landmark treaty, given life through the collective determination of the international community to address impunity and ensure accountability for the most egregious crimes.

It is worth reflecting that twenty-five years ago there were those who thought the Court would be a symbolic but ultimately toothless body. Such pessimism has been proved wrong. The Court continues to grow – including with Armenia’s welcome ratification of the Rome Statute.

Madam President,

The United Kingdom would like to express its deep gratitude to President Hofmański, whose term as President of the Court expires next year.

We also offer our sincere thanks to you, Madam President. As a judge, President of the Court and now as Assembly of States Parties (ASP) President, you have been a loyal servant and champion of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its values.

And we thank outgoing ASP Vice Presidents Ambassadors Sequensová and Rae for their exemplary service to the Court.

Finally, we congratulate Mr Osvaldo Zavala Giler on his election as ICC Registrar, the incoming ASP President, Vice Presidents and newly elected judges. You can all count on the UK’s support in the execution of your important mandates.

Madam President,

We commend the Court for its work this year, demonstrating its capability to successfully run three parallel trials, including the conviction of Dominic Ongwen for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

We commend the work of the Trust Fund for Victims in ensuring that the interests of victims are central to the work of the Court.

We also commend the Office of the Prosecutor for its careful prioritisation and use of resources. Concluding the investigative phase of four situations since the last Assembly is part of an effective prosecutorial strategy to achieve better and more focussed results. An agile approach to the Court’s work is more important than ever given the growing pressures it faces on its limited resources.

Madam President,

It is a perhaps a reflection of the Court’s successes that we have seen increased attempts to intimidate the Court and undermine its work. The criminal proceedings initiated by Russia against six ICC Judges and the Prosecutor and the cyber-attack were both cynical responses from those who fear the Court’s ability to deliver accountability and justice. Now more than ever, the Court needs our support.  We stand in support of the principled stance of the Prosecutor.

Of course, such support need not be blinkered to the challenges the Court faces.

While we welcome the progress made to improve its performance, effectiveness and efficiency, there is more to be done. We congratulate the Review Mechanism and all stakeholders in the Independent Expert Review (IER) process on completing the assessment this year of almost all 384 IER recommendations.

Some of those recommendations have already been implemented, but the majority have not. It is vital that momentum is maintained to deliver the change that is needed.

The UK firmly believes that States must help the Court to meet its existing mandate before asking it to do even more. Great caution needs to be exercised by States considering adding more crimes to the Rome Statute, particularly where doing so risks division amongst States Parties.

And while we welcome the Court’s three courtrooms being in full use this year, we remain concerned by the lack of trials in the pipeline.

But of course the ICC does not exist or operate in a vacuum. When considering what more the ICC should do to meet the expectations of the States Parties, we should also consider what more we, the States Parties, can do for the ICC.

While States Parties rightly seek the Court to be more effective and efficient, to avoid judicial or prosecutorial overreach, and to respect complementarity, it must equally be properly resourced. The United Kingdom supports an increase to the Court’s budget this year to ensure that it has the resources to deliver what it is being asked to do.

The Court also needs States Parties to cooperate on fugitive tracking and execution of arrest warrants to ensure that, where necessary, individuals suspected of atrocity crimes are held accountable in The Hague. This will help ensure the pipeline of future trials.

Madam President,

Justice is a precursor to lasting peace. The intricate relationship between peace and justice underscores the indispensable role of the ICC in the pursuit of a more just and harmonious world.

The United Kingdom has been a steadfast supporter of the Court since its establishment, and we continue to stand with the court in its global fight against impunity.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 December 2023.

UK and allies have sanctioned human rights abusers 75 years after Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

• UK, US and Canada lead coordinated action against human rights abusers and accessories to authoritarian governments around the world, 75 years after Universal Declaration of Human Rights was ratified
• UK targets forced labour operations in Southeast Asia, and government-linked officials in Belarus, Haiti, Iran, and Syria complicit in repressing individual freedoms
• these sanctions underline the UK’s continued commitment to deterring malign activity around the world

The UK, US and Canada are today announcing a sweeping package of sanctions targeting individuals linked to human rights abuses around the world, ahead of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December.

Today the UK is announcing 46 sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans, in 2 categories.

The first set targets 9 individuals and 5 entities for their involvement in trafficking people in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, forcing them to work for online ‘scam farms’ which enable large-scale fraud. Victims are promised well-paid jobs but are subject to torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. The UN estimates at least 120,000 people in Myanmar alone are being forced to work for such schemes. The FCDO has helped a small number of British nationals return to the UK who had become victims.

The second is aimed at a number of individuals linked to the governments, judiciaries and prosecuting authorities of Belarus, Haiti, Iran, and Syria, for their involvement in the repression of citizens solely for exercising fundamental freedoms in those countries. This includes:

• 17 members of the Belarusian judiciary including judges, prosecutors and an investigator involved in politically-motivated cases against political activists, independent journalists and human rights defenders
• 5 individuals in the Iranian judiciary, security forces and Tehran public transport system for their involvement in imposing and enforcing the mandatory hijab law
• 8 individuals for complicity in atrocities against the Syrian people by Assad’s regime and
• 2 individuals in Haiti for their involvement in the 2018 La Saline attacks

The Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, said:

We will not tolerate criminals and repressive regimes trampling on the fundamental rights and freedoms of ordinary people around the world.

I am clear that 75 years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UK and our allies will continue to relentlessly pursue those who would deny people their freedom.

The Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

The UK is actively rooting out all facilitators of large-scale fraud, both nationally and internationally, to protect public welfare.

Today’s announcement sends a clear warning: anyone attempting to gain from human rights abuses will be brought to justice.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 December 2023.

The UK government and European Commission gave a joint statement following the 13th meeting of the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights.

Joint statement from the UK government and European Commission following the thirteenth meeting of the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights on 4 December 2023:

The 13th meeting of the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights was held on 4 December 2023 in London, co-chaired by officials from the UK Government and the European Commission. A number of representatives from EU Member States were also in attendance. The Committee was established by the Withdrawal Agreement to monitor the implementation and application of the Citizens’ Rights part of the Agreement, which protects EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU, and their eligible family members.

The UK and the EU discussed the implementation and application of the Citizens’ Rights part of the Withdrawal Agreement. The meeting also allowed both sides to take stock of outstanding issues, as well as progress made. Both parties agreed that the Specialised Committee should focus on the most serious implementation concerns which have not been possible to resolve at a technical level.

The UK raised concerns around equal treatment and the inability of UK nationals in several EU Member States to purchase property on an equal basis to EU nationals, welcoming recent steps taken by some Member States to resolve this issue and encouraging others to do the same. Whilst welcoming the usefulness of the European Commission’s annual report, the UK suggested more consistent data be provided on the operation of the residency schemes in some Member States.

The UK highlighted their ongoing concern for those UK nationals who are unable to access their rights due to the fact that they cannot evidence their declaratory right of permanent residence due to challenges obtaining the right residency card. Family reunification was also discussed, with the lack of available guidance on free visas for joining family members arriving from outside the UK and how joining family members can evidence their status being primary concerns. The EU set out a number of positive steps being taken by Member States and the Commission to provide additional information for joining family members.

The EU discussed the implementation of the UK High Court’s ruling on the upgrade from pre-settled status to settled status within the UK’s EU Settlement Scheme and expressed ongoing concerns about the UK Government’s current plans for implementing the judicial review. The EU nevertheless welcomed the reassurances received so far and the willingness of the UK’s competent authorities to engage collaboratively to seek practical solutions. The 2 sides agreed that correct implementation is crucial for the beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement, reiterating their determination to work jointly and constructively on these topics. All beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement need to fully enjoy their rights through the implementation of the Agreement, including as regards their permanent right of residence.

The EU reiterated their concerns regarding EU citizens in the UK who received a refusal decision on their application between 27 June 2021 and 19 April 2022 but whose digital status did not accurately reflect this until 18 January 2023, due to the operation of the EU Settlement Scheme. The EU enquired about the UK’s plans to communicate with EU citizens affected by recovery of costs of some services and benefits, requesting transparency as to the cause for the overpayment. The EU also raised the lack of legal clarity for EU citizens, who hold a new UK residence status, as to whether their rights are guaranteed by the Withdrawal Agreement or solely by domestic law, with the UK providing reassurance that within the scope of Part 2 of the Withdrawal Agreement, they will continue to treat those who derive their EUSS status from domestic law equally. Joint statement following the thirteenth meeting of the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights

The UK’s Independent Monitoring Authority, established under Article 159 (1) of the Withdrawal Agreement, and the European Commission presented their respective Annual Reports for 2022, adopted in accordance with Article 159 (2) of the Withdrawal Agreement.

A part of the meeting was dedicated to engagement with external representatives from civil society organisations, representing EU citizens living in the UK and UK nationals living in the EU, who asked questions about the implementation and application of Part 2 of the Withdrawal Agreement in the EU and the UK, in conformity with the rules of procedure of the Specialised Committee.

The UK and the EU reaffirmed their commitment to protecting citizens’ rights in accordance with the obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement and agreed to meet again in Spring 2024.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 December 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Gaza.

Colleagues, these are dark days. The horror of the 7 October attacks hangs over us – including the shocking reports of sexual violence by Hamas against Israeli women and girls. And the terrible and heart-wrenching suffering of innocent Palestinians, including many women and young children, is a humanitarian tragedy unfolding before our eyes.

The Secretary-General, who has our strong support, set out clearly the trajectory towards humanitarian catastrophe facing Palestinians in Gaza. We need to respond, and to respond with urgency. The sheer scale of civilians killed is shocking and the fact that 80% of the population has been displaced in Gaza cannot continue.

The UK continues to support Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas terrorism as it seeks the return of over 100 hostages who are still held in Gaza. But we are absolutely clear that Israel must be targeted and precise in achieving that goal. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary of the UK have delivered this message, and will continue to do so. Civilians must be protected.

In parallel, we need a marked increase in the provision of sustainable and unhindered delivery of life-saving aid and essential services to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe from taking place. This includes increasing the types of aid allowed. The sanitation and shelter picture, together with the lack of medical provision, in Gaza is dire and there is a desperate need for sanitation and shelter kits, and vital medicines.

It is welcome that Kerem Shalom will now be open for the screening of aid deliveries. We urge Israel to go further and to fully open Kerem Shalom to allow goods to cross, so that the huge volumes of aid that are needed can reach the people of Gaza. This should include at minimum the 200,000 litres of fuel per day for which the UN has called.

It is imperative that we work to agree further urgently needed humanitarian pauses, building on the pivotal work of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States. President, as we work to halt the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, we need to also work to avoid escalation in the West Bank, including in occupied East Jerusalem.

Israel’s announcement approving further settlements in the Lower Aqueduct area of East Jerusalem is alarming and serves only to raise the tensions in the West Bank when international effort is focusing on avoiding further conflict.

Let me be clear: settlements are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten the physical viability and delivery of a two-state solution. This decision must be reversed with immediate effect. President, let us work together to deliver peace, dignity, and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 December 2023.

Explanation of vote by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Gaza.

Thank you, President.

We are gravely concerned about the desperate situation in Gaza. The scale of civilian deaths and displacement in Gaza cannot continue. We welcomed the extended humanitarian pause last month and the release of hostages and humanitarian aid deliveries that took place during it. We call for further and longer pauses to get aid to Palestinians and allow space for further hostage releases.

But we cannot vote in favour of a resolution which does not condemn the atrocities Hamas committed against innocent Israeli civilians on the 7th of October. Calling for a ceasefire ignores the fact that Hamas has committed acts of terror and is still holding civilians hostage.

Israel needs to be able to address the threat posed by Hamas and it needs to do so in a manner that abides by international humanitarian law, so that such an attack can never be carried out again. And so that we can work meaningfully towards a two-state solution, which delivers statehood for the Palestinians, security for Israel, and peace for people on both sides.

That’s why we abstained on this resolution.

Thank you, President.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 December 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on Transnational Organised Crime.

Thank you, President, and thank you for calling this valuable, Open Debate. I also thank the Secretary-General and our other distinguished and thought-provoking briefers this morning.

The United Kingdom agrees with the Secretary-General that we can deepen cooperation to tackle the complex threat of Transnational Organised Crime and find global solutions to it.

The UK is pleased to be working with the Ecuadorian Government and with many other governments across the world in these efforts.

I would like to stress three points.

First, as we’ve heard, the impact of organised crime globally is significant. Organised criminal networks are exacerbating conflict, instability and the negative effect of climate change around the globe, taking advantage of geopolitical, economic and technological shifts.

Organised crime, corruption and illicit finance drain resources and undermine societies. Online threats including cybercrime, fraud and new technologies such as AI are exacerbating these risks.

Second, without the security that comes from effectively tackling Transnational Organised Crime, economic development, state-building and poverty reduction is really not possible. Crime and gender considerations should be incorporated into development and security approaches.

Traditional law enforcement should be combined with wider efforts to address the drivers of crime, for example, poor governance or poverty, to address the enablers of crime, for example, illicit finance or corruption, and to address the harms that crime produces, including by protecting victims and returning assets.

The United Kingdom is committed to the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime, and the UNODC. We funded the development of an UNODC Organised Crime Strategy Toolkit to help Member States develop their own national organised crime strategies. We are pleased that many countries are using the toolkit.

Finally, President, we welcome the efforts by the UN and other organisations to adapt to the escalating challenges and better coordinate with wider security, development and economic work including alongside the private sector and civil society. The Council and the wider UN can provide further leadership on this and support its acceleration.

The United Kingdom fully supports both the Women and Youth, Peace and Security agendas to help build community resilience and reduce recruitment into organised crime groups.

President, in closing, thank you for this debate, and we remain committed to working together to fight and prevent Transnational Organised Crime.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 December 2023.

The UK condemns Russia’s sustained attempts at political interference in the UK and globally.

• the KGB’s successor agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB) is behind sustained unsuccessful attempts to interfere in UK political processes
• targets include politicians, civil servants, journalists, NGOs and other civil society organisations
• in response, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has sanctioned individuals involved in the group’s activity and summoned the Russian Ambassador

The UK and allies have today (December 7th) exposed a series of attempts by the Russian Intelligence Services to target high-profile individuals and entities through cyber operations. The UK Government judges that this was done with the intent to use information obtained to interfere in UK politics and democratic processes.

Centre 18, a unit within Russia’s Intelligence Services, the FSB, has been identified as being accountable for a range of cyber espionage operations targeting the UK.

The activity was in turn conducted by Star Blizzard; a group that the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – a part of GCHQ – assesses is almost certainly subordinate to FSB Centre 18.

While some attacks resulted in documents being leaked, attempts to interfere with UK politics and democracy have not been successful.

Star Blizzard is also commonly known as Callisto Group, SEABORGIUM or COLDRIVER and is operated by FSB officers. The group has also selectively leaked and amplified the release of information in line with Russian confrontation goals, including to undermine trust in politics in the UK and likeminded states.

In particular, the UK has identified the FSB – through the activity conducted by Star Blizzard – as being involved in the following:

• targeting, including spear-phishing, of parliamentarians from multiple political parties, from at least 2015 through to this year.
• the hack of UK-US trade documents that were leaked ahead of the 2019 General Election – previously attributed to the Russian state via Written Ministerial Statement in 2020.
• the 2018 hack of the Institute for Statecraft, a UK thinktank whose work included initiatives to defend democracy against disinformation, and the more recent hack of its founder Christopher Donnelly, whose account was compromised from December 2021; in both instances documents were subsequently leaked.
• targeting of universities, journalists, public sector, non-government organisations and other civil society organisations, many of whom play a key role in UK democracy

Following a National Crime Agency investigation, the UK has today sanctioned two members of Star Blizzard for their involvement in the preparation of spear-phishing campaigns and associated activity that resulted in unauthorised access and exfiltration of sensitive data, which was intended to undermine UK organisations and more broadly, the UK government.

These sanctions have been delivered jointly with the US, and are the latest in our bilateral efforts to counter Russian malicious cyber activity that seeks to undermine our, and our allies’, integrity and prosperity. The US Department of Justice have concurrently unsealed indictments against the individuals designated today.

The individuals being designated in the UK and US are:

• Ruslan Aleksandrovich PERETYATKO, who is a Russian FSB intelligence officer and a member of Star Blizzard AKA the Callisto Group
• Andrey Stanislavovich KORINETS, AKA Alexey DOGUZHIEV, who is a member of Star Blizzard AKA the Callisto Group

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has also summoned the Russian Ambassador to express the UK’s deep concern about Russia’s sustained attempts to use cyber to interfere in political and democratic processes in the UK and beyond.

In a statement to the House earlier today the Minister for Europe Leo Docherty emphasised that attempts to interfere with UK politics and democracy have not been successful. However, it is likely that Russia and other adversaries will continue to make attempts to use cyber means to interfere in UK politics. The NCSC alongside the US, Australia, New Zealand and Canada will today publish a cyber security advisory to inform network defenders of how to mitigate this activity, and NCSC will publish guidance for high-risk individuals whilst providing further information around support available.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

Russia’s attempts to interfere in UK politics are completely unacceptable and seek to threaten our democratic processes.

Despite their repeated efforts, they have failed.

In sanctioning those responsible and summoning the Russian Ambassador today, we are exposing their malign attempts at influence and shining a light on yet another example of how Russia chooses to operate on the global stage.

We will continue to work together with our allies to expose Russian covert cyber activity and hold Russia to account for its actions.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said:

As I warned earlier this year, state actors, and the ‘Wagner-style’ sub-state hackers they use to do their dirty work, will continue to target our public institutions and our democratic processes.

We will continue to call this activity out, to raise our defences, and to take action against the perpetrators.

Online is the new frontline. We are taking a whole of society approach to ensuring we have the robust systems and cutting-edge skills needed to resist these attempts to undermine our democracy.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said:

An attack against our democratic institutions is an attack on our most fundamental British values and freedoms. The UK will not tolerate foreign interference and through the National Security Act, we are making the UK a harder operating environment for those seeking to interfere in our democratic institutions.

The activity announced today is part of a broader pattern of malign cyber activity conducted by the Russian Intelligence Services across the globe. In recent years the UK and allies have exposed Russian Intelligence for their role in ViaSat, SolarWinds, and targeting of Critical National Infrastructure. In May, the NCSC alongside Five Eye partners exposed a sophisticated cyberespionage tool designed and used by Centre 16 of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) for long-term intelligence collection on sensitive targets.