Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 September 2023.

The 18th UK–Taiwan Renewable Energy Conference highlights floating wind, O&M for offshore wind and emerging technologies collaboration.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 September 2023.

Statement by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and United Nations at the United Nations Security Council.

Thank you Mr President and thank you also to Assistant Secretary-General Jenča for his update to this Council.

We welcome – in particular – the participation by Armenian Foreign Minister Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Bayramov in today’s important discussion. It’s good to see you both again, today. We wish it was under slightly difference circumstances, I’m sure.

But like others around this table, the United Kingdom has been alarmed about the formidable pressures that have been faced by the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. The humanitarian need on the ground is immense, it is growing, it is great.

Earlier this week, like as we’ve heard already from the Minister of State for the UAE, we were all encouraged indeed when we saw that news, albeit small, that there was a small scale movement of humanitarian goods that had taken place, via both the Lachin and Aghdam roads into Nagorno-Karabakh.

This opportunity for progress, however, was sadly cut short by Azerbaijan’s announcement of the start of a military operation. Together with many of our partners, the United Kingdom has urged Azerbaijan to end its use of force, refrain from further escalatory action, and importantly return to dialogue.

While we fully recognise issues of sovereignty and territorial integrity, military might cannot be used to resolve tensions between communities – direct dialogue is the only way to find genuine, sustainable peace, genuine, sustainable solutions.

It is now vital that talks resume with representatives of the Karabakhi Armenians, on the basis of a credible plan to ensure the rights and security of everyone in the region, and to allow them to live in peace.

And at this time in particular, the United Nations and international organisations, such as the ICRC, can also provide crucial assistance in addressing immediate and long-term humanitarian needs.

The further use of violence, Mr President, will only serve to undermine tentative progress towards a sustainable peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which should be based on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both countries, which is unquestionably in the interests of the entire South Caucasus.

The United Kingdom on our part welcomes yesterday’s announcement of a ceasefire. We therefore strongly urge all parties to respect that ceasefire, to end the violence, and to engage in urgent, open dialogue on a safe and secure future for the people of the region. And I assure you of our good offices, Mr President, that we stand ready as the United Kingdom to support that crucial process in any way we can.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 September 2023.

An overview of Minister of State, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon’s participation in the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting in New York.

Today (21 September), Minister for the Commonwealth, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, strengthened the UK’s commitment to the Commonwealth by announcing up to £3 million of support for international standards, which will reduce barriers to trade between the 56 nations.

At the 23rd Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM) in New York, Lord Ahmad announced £2.75 million to directly support Commonwealth countries through the UK’s new Standards Partnership Programme. In addition, £250, 000 of funding will re-energise the Commonwealth Standards Network (CSN).

This work, led by the British Standards Institution (BSI), will support developing countries to use internationally agreed standards, enhancing trade and boosting sustainable and inclusive growth. This will also ensure substantive training resources are available to support all Commonwealth members and open trade opportunities for international businesses, including from the UK.

Lord Ahmad reiterated the Foreign Secretary’s vision of ensuring the organisation focuses on areas where it can deliver the greatest benefits to Commonwealth citizens, trade and investment, climate and the environment, and the values set out in the Commonwealth Charter.

The Prime Minister of Samoa gave an update on preparations for the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Apia in 2024, the first CHOGM to be held in a small island developing state in the Blue Pacific continent. Lord Ahmad responded by setting out the UK’s strong support for Samoa’s hosting of CHOGM and welcomed their chosen theme of increasing the resilience of Commonwealth countries to a range of global challenges.

Lord Ahmad further urged the Commonwealth to use its powerful collective voice to build global momentum on climate action and environmental protection, and take practical steps towards increasing the resilience of small states to climate and economic shocks.

Foreign ministers also discussed the ongoing work to reform the Commonwealth institutions, as mandated by Heads of Commonwealth countries during their last meeting in Kigali.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 September 2023.

Interactive dialogue with the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia. Delivered by the UK’s Ambassador to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 September 2023.

Ambassador Neil Holland says that Russia must immediately free the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission staff who have been held captive for over 500 days.

Thank you, Mr Chair. For over 500 days now, three OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) members have been wrongly held by the Russian authorities. This a flagrant injustice and a clear violation of their rights. We join our partners in strongly condemning Russia’s actions, and call for our OSCE colleagues’ release.

There is absolutely no justification for their detention – they were simply performing their official duties, duties mandated by all participating States of the OSCE. As such, all of us here today, including Russia, have a responsibility for their safety and wellbeing. It is reprehensible that Russia would betray its own colleagues in such a way. The terrible suffering that they and their loved ones are enduring remains a constant concern to us. To this end, we thank the Secretary General and the Chair in Office for their continued engagement.

And once more, we call for the immediate release of all SMM staff members. It is utterly shameful that Russia continues to detain them. They must be freed.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 September 2023.

Ambassador Neil Holland says that Ukrainian civilians continue to suffer while Russia refuses to engage constructively on the world stage.

Thank you, Mr Chair. We strongly condemn the huge wave of Russian missile attacks overnight. These strikes, which have hit cities across Ukraine, have already resulted in loss of life, and brought yet more suffering to Ukrainian civilians. These happened in the early hours of the UN International Day of Peace. Once more, Russia has shown it is willing to sink to any depths in its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine.

Later during this Council we will discuss Russia’s detention of OSCE officials. I want that to be the focus of the UK contribution this week. But I would also like to recall the G7 Foreign Ministers statement last week on the sham elections Russia held on sovereign Ukrainian territory. This was a futile attempt to legitimatise Russia’s illegal presence in Ukraine and consolidate its control over the four oblasts it attempted to annex last year. Such actions will never be tolerated. The UK and its partners will never tire of calling out Russia’s violations of international law.

On a more positive note, I wanted to note for the record how heartening it was to be in Prague last week to take part in the Economic and Environment Forum. It was telling that so many participating States gathered to talk about a set of issues that impact each and every one of us – and all of our citizens, whose interests we are meant to be representing here at the OSCE. Russia’s attempts to block this event were a shame. It seems as though the consensus that should exist among us around the environment and the climate in particular is yet another casualty of Russia’s illegal, unprovoked war. Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 September 2023.

New UK funding will help achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals by boosting health security and improving health and wellbeing around the world.

• new UK government funding will help tackle future pandemics, boost research into vaccines and reduce deaths from infectious diseases and end preventable deaths of mothers, new-borns and children
• package shows commitment to helping achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, a set of key targets to make the world a better place by 2030
• funding announced by UK delegation at United Nations in New York will support resilient and inclusive health systems and help to save lives

The UK is investing in ground-breaking research and development programmes to tackle the world’s most pressing health challenges.

International Development Minister Andrew Mitchell and Health Minister Will Quince announced at a series of health meetings at the UN General Assembly this week how UK scientific expertise will be harnessed to boost health security around the world.

This includes up to £103.5 million for developing affordable new vaccines through the UK Vaccine Network and other health products and treatments which will halt the spread of infectious diseases, as well as programmes to protect women’s sexual and reproductive health and ultimately reduce preventable deaths.

The UK is also supporting research and development into cutting-edge technology to respond quickly to disease outbreaks and improve the health of mothers, babies and children in low- and middle-income countries. Among other things this funding of £295 million will help develop new methods of administering drugs to help ensure life-saving care can reach the most remote-areas.

A further £95 million will be allocated to the Tackling Deadly Diseases in Africa Programme II, which partners with Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo, World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to help detect and tackle future epidemics, drug resistant infections and climate change.

Minister for International Development, Andrew Mitchell said:

The UK is committed to reinvigorating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. The UK’s significant support for global health announced at the UN General Assembly this week will be truly transformational in creating more resilient and inclusive health systems worldwide.

Health Minister Will Quince said:

This investment in global health research is vital for saving lives – both at home and abroad.

Vaccines, drugs and diagnostics can help prevent outbreaks in the developing world, while also limiting spread and protecting populations at home.

This UK Vaccine Network investment will help deliver effective and accessible vaccines for populations threatened by infectious diseases and cements the UK’s status as a leader in global health research.

The third goal of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals was set up to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”.

New research and development funding announced by the UK this week will help partners to prepare for, prevent and respond rapidly to disease outbreaks with pandemic potential, including Ebola.

Investment in new vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics, as well as partnerships, will also allow us to accelerate the availability of a new vaccine or treatment the next time there is a pandemic.

In addition, the UK will also provide £5 million of additional funding to the TB Alliance to support the development and testing of new or improved tuberculosis treatments, including for multi-drug resistant TB, that further reduce the time to cure TB.  This will bring our funding for the TB Alliance up to nearly £70 million since 2017.

This week’s UK government health announcements build on our extensive track record of investing in health security through international development.  Since 2017, UK-supported efforts have resulted in over 30 new products coming to market, the distribution of more than 1 billion courses of malaria treatments helping to save an estimated 13 million lives, and the development of life-saving diagnostics for diseases like drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Further information

The UK’s health package includes:

• up to £295 million of funding for health research and development partnerships, as part of our commitment to promoting open and collaborative science. This new package of R&D will bolster the world’s ability to respond swiftly and effectively to disease outbreaks, alongside a new research centre focused on the most dangerous infectious diseases. This will support the development of accessible and affordable new vaccines, drugs, medical devices, and diagnostics, and provide the evidence we need to reduce maternal, neonatal, and child mortality in low- and middle-income countries. This includes £80 million from FCDO to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), previously announced
• £5 million of additional funding for the TB Alliance for 2023 to 2024
• up to £103.5 million for the UK Vaccine Network (UKVN) Project to support critical research into combating infectious diseases that cause epidemics in developing countries, and ensure vaccines are accessible to everyone in need. UKVN funding was key for the foundational research and progression of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, the first in the world that was authorised for COVID-19
• £95 million for a Tackling Deadly Diseases in Africa Programme II to partner with Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Malawi and Democratic Republic of Congo and strengthen their ability to detect and tackle future epidemics, drug resistant infections and climate change

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 September 2023.

UK Trade Envoy, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, visits Taiwan to strengthen bilateral trade and investment.

The UK Trade Envoy to Taiwan, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, will conduct a week-long visit in Taiwan to strengthen UK-Taiwan trade and investment relations and to deepen bilateral economic and cultural ties.

In July, the UK and Taiwan started official talks on the new UK-Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership including energy & net-zero, digital trade and two-way investment. Both sides share the same goals of reaching net zero by 2050 and have been collaborating in renewable energy development and climate transition for almost 20 years. Lord Faulkner will lead 10 British renewable energy businesses to participate in the 18th UK-Taiwan Renewable Energy Conference to share UK best practice on offshore wind development (operations & maintenance and floating wind) and on emerging technologies (low carbon hydrogen, CCS & smart grid). He will share the UK renewable energy experience in Penghu and attend the UK-Taiwan Net Zero Academic Research Forum on 26 September, aiming to enhance the bilateral research collaboration on just and sustainable transition to net zero.

During the visit, Lord Faulkner will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen on 25 September, discuss UK-Taiwan economic and trade collaboration with Economic Affairs Minister Mei-Hua Wang, celebrate the 40th anniversary of the UK Government’s Chevening scholarships with Taiwanese partners and Chevening alumni, and give the keynote address at the Better Business Awards ceremony hosted by the British Chamber of Commerce in Taipei.

With his own career-long interest in transport and railways, Lord Faulkner will continue to support the UK’s links with Taiwan. He will visit the Sugar Railways at XiHu Cultural Park as well as National Taiwan Museum’s Railway Department Park during his visit. He will visit the construction site of Danjiang Bridge designed by the UK’s Zaha Hadid Architects.

Lord Faulkner, UK Trade Envoy said ahead of his arrival:

I am looking forward to visiting Taiwan again and contributing to deepening the UK-Taiwan partnership. Bilateral links have grown stronger and deeper since my last visit in 2018. Taiwan has moved from being the UK’s 8th to 5th largest trading partner in the APAC region. For the first half of this year, we saw the number of UK visitors to Taiwan top the European inbound visitors chart, and I am delighted to add myself to that number to build on the strong people-to-people links between the UK and Taiwan.

Earlier this month, the first UK semiconductors business delegation with 19 innovative British businesses was showcased at 2023 SEMICON Taiwan, seeking trade and investment opportunities and R&D collaboration with Taiwan. Total trade in goods and services between the UK and Taiwan continues to grow with bilateral trade reaching £8.6 billion in 2022. UK exports of goods to Taiwan in 2022 increased by 18.2% compared to 2021.

More information

• Lord Faulkner was appointed the UK’s Trade Envoy to Taiwan in 2016. His last visit to Taiwan was in September 2018.
• The UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys engage with their respective markets where substantial trade and investment opportunities have been identified by UK Government. They support the drive for economic growth by building on the UK’s existing relations with these markets. There are currently 36 Prime Minister Trade Envoys covering 66 markets. See more information at Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys.
• UK-Taiwan Renewable Energy Conference is held annually. More details on the 18th UK-Taiwan Renewable Energy Conference.
• The Chevening scholarship scheme has been offered to Taiwanese talents for more than 30 years. There are more than 240 Chevening alumni in Taiwan. More information about Chevening scholarship.
• More information about the UK-Taiwan Net Zero Academic Research Forum.
• More information on the Better Business Awards 2023.
• According to Taiwan Tourism Administration, 44,872 UK visitors travelled to Taiwan by the end of July this year (from January to July 2023), the highest number among all European countries.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 September 2023.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly met Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on 19 September 2023 during his visit to the UN General Assembly in New York.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said:

The Foreign Secretary congratulated Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Indonesia’s ASEAN chairmanship, reiterating the UK’s commitment to ASEAN centrality, stability and prosperity.

They discussed next steps to take forward the Indonesia-UK Roadmap agreed in 2022 and strengthen the bilateral relationship. The Foreign Secretary warmly welcomed Indonesia’s application to join the OECD.

Both Foreign Ministers also discussed key issues such as the importance of working together to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal targets.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 September 2023.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly met with the UAE Foreign Minister, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his visit to the UN General Assembly.

The Foreign Secretary met the UAE Foreign Minister, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, today at the UN General Assembly in New York.

The Foreign Secretary praised the strength of the bilateral partnership, building on the two countries’ inaugural Strategic Dialogue held in London earlier this year. He welcomed continued cooperation in tackling global challenges and supporting regional security.

Both looked forward to the UAE’s hosting of COP28 later this year, and noted the opportunity to extend bilateral cooperation, building on our collaboration in the UN Security Council.