Tag: Foreign Office

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

The UK delivered a statement during Colombia’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

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

Indo-Pacific Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan is visiting New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Fiji and Tonga from 8-15 November.

• Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, to visit New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Fiji and Tonga to build on partnerships with Pacific Island Countries
• The Minister will participate in the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum’s Dialogue Partners Day in Rarotonga boosting UK-Pacific collaboration with support for the 2050 Strategy for a Blue Pacific Continent
• Visit will be the first for FCDO Minister to Tonga since the High Commission re-opened in 2020

The UK will strengthen partnerships with Pacific Islands Forum members to tackle climate change, increase access to finance, and navigate shared global challenges.

As Dialogue Partner to the Pacific Islands Forum, the UK is a steadfast supporter of Pacific priorities. Minister Trevelyan will underscore the UK’s support for the Pacific Islands Forum’s 2050 Strategy for a Blue Pacific Continent and commitment to deliver on regional priorities, like adapting to climate change, strengthening cyber security, and boosting economic development. She will participate in the 52nd Pacific Islands Forum in Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands, on 10 November, which enhances cooperation between the countries and territories of Oceania.

UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

The UK is committed to strengthening our long-term partnership with our friends in the Pacific, working alongside them to deliver the 2050 Strategy for a Blue Pacific Continent.

We will continue our close collaboration with the Pacific Islands Forum, listening to the voices and experiences of our partners in the Pacific.

Together we will advocate for the issues that matter most, ranging from our work to mitigate the impact of climate change to support for the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) agenda.”

While in New Zealand, the Minister will meet with Pasifika experts and New Zealand businesses to understand their priorities and challenges. The UK-New Zealand trading relationship was worth £3 billion in 2022, with a free trade agreement signed in 2021. The visit comes after New Zealand held general elections in October 2023.

During the visit to Fiji, the Minister will meet local communities and see the best of British-supported businesses promoting innovation in Fiji’s agriculture industry like Tavioka Organics.

In Tonga, the Minister will meet Foreign Minister, Hon. Fekitamoeloa ‘Utoikamanu, and members of the Tongan Cabinet to discuss shared challenges like climate change. At an engagement with Chevening and Commonwealth scholars, she will celebrate the people-to-people links between the UK and the Pacific Islands. She will visit the launch of an upcoming project, ‘Climate and Education Sector Initiative’, run by Save the Children Australia and Tonga’s Ministry of Education and funded by Great Challenge Fund and Global Fund for Education, a project to increase climate resilience. As part of this visit she will witness inclusive education for visually impaired students, and a rugby initiative with equipment donated by ‘SOS Kit Aid’, which supports schoolchildren including girls rugby in Tonga.

The UK will continue working closely with Pacific Island countries as part of its long-term commitment to the region and support for a free and open Indo-Pacific.

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

H.E. Ms. KAMIKAWA Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs and H.E. Mr. KIHARA Minoru, Minister of Defence of Japan, the Rt Hon James Cleverly, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and the Rt Hon Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Defence of the UK held the fifth Japan-UK Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting on 7 November 2023 in Tokyo.

Ministers  reaffirmed the UK and Japan’s Global Strategic Partnership, as set out in the Hiroshima Accord. We are connected by our shared values and principles of freedom, democracy, rule of law, fundamental human rights, and open and fair trade. We commit to stand shoulder to shoulder to tackle the unprecedented global challenges we face through increasing global competition, climate change and rapid technological developments. Acknowledging that the security and prosperity of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific are inseparable, we commit to further strengthen our security capabilities to help safeguard global peace and stability. We are each other’s closest security partners in Europe and Asia.

Ministers affirmed our commitment to maintain and strengthen the international order based on the rule of law and to uphold the principles of the UN Charter. This includes our commitment to the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific; our call for China to act as a responsible member of the international community; condemnation of North Korea nuclear and ballistic missile programmes; Iran’s proliferative and destabilising behaviour; condemnation of Hamas’ terrorist attack and of support for Israel’s right to self-defence in line with international law; and our determination to support Ukraine for as long as it takes in the face of Russian aggression.

Ministers noted substantive progress in the UK-Japan partnership since the agreement of the Hiroshima Accord and reaffirmed their commitment to deliver all aspects of the Accord. This progress includes:

• The UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP);
• The ratification of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) and our ever-deeper security and defence relationship, including the flagship Global Combat Air Programme;
• The first UK-Japan Strategic Economic Policy and Trade Dialogue;
• The signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation on Critical Minerals;
• And just today, we launched a new People-to-People Initiative to bring our citizens closer together.

In particular, the Ministers discussed the ever-deepening defence and security relationship between Japan and the UK and:

• Committed to utilise the RAA to facilitate greater interoperable, resilient and cross-domain defence and security cooperation, including positive progress on the application of Asset Protection Measures;
• Endorsed the progress made under GCAP to develop a next-generation fighter by 2035 and to identify further potential areas of joint development and cooperation;
• Committed to the deployment of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group to the Indo-Pacific in 2025;
• acknowledged the importance of the activities of the UK’s two offshore patrol vessels being deployed to the Indo-Pacific on a permanent basis as a contribution to a rules-based maritime order;
• Recognised steady progress in cyber cooperation following the establishment of the Japan-UK Cyber Partnership, committed to work together on outer space, and to strengthen cooperation in strategic communication in response to disinformation;
• Committed to coordinate closely in contingency planning for potential evacuations;
• Concurred to collaborate closely on Economic Security issues, including through the Economic Security Dialogue to enhance supply chain resilience, international standards, coerced technology transfers and intellectual property theft, and export controls.
• Affirmed the  commitment to consult each other on important regional and global security issues

We finish today united in our shared belief in the importance of our Global Strategic Partnership to create a more peaceful and secure world. As the security and prosperity of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific  are inseparable, the goals of our strategic partnership are shared. We resolve to deepen and strengthen our partnership to face today and tomorrow’s challenges.

The full Joint statement of the 2+2 can be accessed here.

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

Minister for Europe, Leo Docherty visits Lithuania and Latvia to reinforce UK cooperation on regional security and support for Ukraine.

• Following the success of the NATO Summit in Vilnius in July, Minister Leo Docherty will visit the two Baltic nations to show the UK’s leadership in tackling threats to European security.
• He will discuss plans to bolster NATO’s Eastern Flank before attending a NATO Cyber Conference in Berlin.
• Visit will also reiterate collective support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression and enable discussions on the situation in the Middle East and preventing regional escalation.

Minister for Europe, Leo Docherty, will visit Lithuania and Latvia to underline the UK’s continued commitment to the Baltic States’ security and discuss the strengthening of support to Ukraine.

During meetings in Vilnius with Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister, Jonas Survila, and the Presidential National Security Advisor, Kęstutis Budrys, the Minister will discuss growing cooperation, from the training of Ukrainian forces to closer collaboration on regional security and tackling illegal migration. He will also highlight the need for a collective effort to prevent the tragic situation in the Middle East from escalating more widely and support humanitarian aid entering Gaza.

The visit follows the NATO Summit which Vilnius hosted in July, where the Prime Minister outlined the UK’s leading role in protecting regional security in the face of increased threats across Europe.

In Riga, Minister Docherty will meet Latvian Parliamentary Secretary, Reinis Brusbārdis, and the Minister of Energy, Kaspars Melnis, to discuss the importance of energy security, and how the two countries can work together to address Russian malign influence.

Minister for Europe, Leo Docherty said:

The Baltic States are on the frontline of Russia’s malign activity, and the UK is steadfast in our commitment to supporting them defend their freedom and security.

Through NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force, we are working with Latvia and Lithuania to keep the region and our allies safe, including through a united effort to prevent further conflict and terrorism in the Middle East.

More than 20,000 British troops will be deployed to the region next year, where they will take part in large-scale, multi-country exercises, as well as carrying out air policing and cold weather training.

The UK has a long-standing relationship with both Latvia and Lithuania across all arms of the military, including cooperation in NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).

The Minister is also expected to visit the Hill of Crosses, an important cultural site symbolic of Lithuanian identity and peaceful resistance. In Latvia, he will lay a wreath at both the Commonwealth War Grave in Jelgava and at Riga’s Freedom Monument, which commemorates those who fought for Latvia’s independence over 100 years ago.

Later in the week, the Minister will go on to represent the UK at the first NATO Cyber Defence Conference taking place in Berlin. The gathering will discuss the Alliance’s ability to adapt to evolving cyber threats and the strengthening of its ability to detect, prevent and respond to malicious cyber activities.

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

The UK delivered a statement during Cabo Verde’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

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

The UK and Austria have signed a statement today agreeing to closer cooperation on tackling illegal migration and terrorism.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman met with Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner in Vienna on 2 November to discuss the importance of partnership and international cooperation in the face of illegal migration, terrorism and transnational crime.

The ministers agreed to work hand-in-hand to ensure public security and signed a joint statement to commit to:

• exploring the principle of safe third country concepts to enhance regional migration management
• engaging in a joint dialogue on illegal migration, including with relevant third countries of origin and transit
• enhancing cooperation in combatting serious and organised crime by strengthening bilateral law enforcement and criminal justice links
• intensifying their cyber security dialogue with a focus on preventing online radicalisation

Speaking after the signing, Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:

The global migration crisis is the challenge of our age, with the UK and the European continent seeing huge movements of people travelling illegally across our borders. This is placing an unprecedented burden on our communities and public services.

Austria is a close ally in tackling illegal migration, and we have already begun sharing knowledge of our actions and strategies such as third country removals.

This joint statement is a commitment to work more closely together to achieve our aims, and enhance our cooperation on a wide range of security challenges.

Austrian Minister of Interior Gerhard Karner said:

The UK has a lot of experience when it comes to processing asylum applications outside of Europe in the future. That was an important theme in my meeting with the Home Secretary in Vienna because Austria can benefit from this experience.

We will continue to make a consistent effort for the EU commission to advance and enable such procedures outside of Europe.

Following her meeting with Minister Karner, the Home Secretary also spoke to Jewish community leaders at the city’s main synagogue, reaffirming the UK government’s solidarity with the Jewish community following recent incidents of abuse, in particular this week’s arson attack at Vienna’s Central Cemetery.

She visited the site of the 2020 Islamist terrorist attack, in which 4 civilians were killed, and laid a wreath to mark the anniversary. The Home Secretary also visited the Shoah Wall of Names memorial to pay her respects to Jewish victims of the Holocaust.

The visit concluded with a tour of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, to deepen ties on tackling fraud and organised immigration crime.

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

The UK has issued a statement in response to Russia’s withdrawal from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe.

The UK has criticised Russia’s decision to withdraw from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, a landmark element of Europe’s post-Cold War security architecture.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

We unequivocally condemn Russia’s decision to withdraw from the Treaty, the latest in a line of Russian efforts to undermine strategic stability and the Euro-Atlantic security architecture.

Russia’s unilateral withdrawal undermines reciprocity, which lies at the heart of the CFE Treaty. This is a destabilising move for the integrity of the Treaty and to continue to implement the Treaty would suggest that we think that the Treaty continues to operate as intended. This is plainly not the case.

In response to Russia’s move, the UK, alongside its Allies has decided to suspend its participation in the Treaty and to work with likeminded nations to develop and implement voluntary stabilising measures.

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

The UK spoke on a number of agenda items at the WTO General Council on 1 November 2023.

Item 2: Reform and TRIPS

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Madam Chair, you said we should not really get into the detail of reform, as we will cover that this afternoon, so I will try not to. One point to pick is the point about deconflicting meetings which I know is so important for so many smaller delegations. It is one that we have brought forward in our own proposals and I think it is one that we need to keep on thinking about to ensure that we are a genuinely inclusive organization, not just in words but in deed.

Let me just say a quick word about TRIPS. My Swiss colleague has set out in substance far more eloquently than I could and I endorse every word he has said.

I want to acknowledge first of all the continued efforts of our TRIPS Chair and let me welcome her efforts and the Secretariat’s to move our discussions forward. Let me also acknowledge the arrival of the report from the US ITC. Like others I’m sure we are still analysing the information that is contained in that report but for us it reaffirms the importance of known issues, including on this issue, including the role of voluntary licenses where the UK issued a paper, in increasing affordability and access to COVID-19 products and technologies globally. I hope everybody has seen our paper on this which looks at how we can build on that in future pandemic preparedness.

I just wanted to recognise that access issues go well beyond intellectual property and that considering broader factors in reactors should help us as we look at whether the decision that we took back at MC12 should indeed be extended to therapeutics and diagnostics. Let me also just encourage my fellow members, particularly those from developing countries and LDCs, to come to us to give us their thoughts on our paper, share their national experiences and challenges that they have faced in voluntary licensing and technology transfer partnerships, so that we can try and take forward our work in a structured and collaborative manner.

Lastly, a number of colleagues this morning have said that not taking a decision will be a real issue for this organisation. I think that there is something worse than not taking a decision and that is taking the wrong decision for this organisation, for the intellectual property which is the basis for our innovative economies, and taking the wrong decision for our future pandemic preparedness.

Thank you.

Item 3: Work programme on Small Economies – Report by the Chairperson of the Dedicated Session of the Committee on Trade and Development

Thank you very much Chair.

We wanted to come in quickly to recognize the importance of this issue. We really wanted to welcome the excellent Small Economies evidence sharing session and to thank the Chair, the Secretariat and everybody that inputted to the session.

We are also looking forward to the opportunity to review the draft ministerial decision on this issue at the upcoming session.

Thank you very much.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 November 2023.

The Foreign Secretary will be in Japan for the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting.

• At the G7 James Cleverly will discuss situation in Middle East and preventing a damaging and destabilising regional escalation and further violence
• Also on the agenda is collective support for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia’s illegal invasion and help secure a lasting peace
• Foreign and Defence Secretaries meeting Japanese counterparts to strengthen security partnerships following signing of Hiroshima Accord earlier this year

Arriving in Japan (Tuesday 7 November) for the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting, Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly will be addressing developments in the Middle East, including to prevent a damaging and destabilising regional escalation and further violence.

At the G7 conference in Tokyo, the Foreign Secretary will meet G7 Foreign Ministers, including the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Yōko Kamikawa, to also discuss the UK’s long-term commitment to the Indo-Pacific region.

The G7 Foreign Ministers meeting will build on the G7 Leaders’ Summit, that took place in Hiroshima in May, with a clear agreement on military, diplomatic and economic tools being part of the Ukrainian counter-offensive.

The Defence Secretary will also be holding bilateral meetings with his Japanese counterpart Minoru Kihara, and both UK ministers will later join their opposites for a combined meeting.

In the 2+2 meeting they will discuss closer security and defence ties alongside support for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.

The Foreign Secretary will also attend a reception on enhancing relations between the people of the UK and Japan, with their respective Youth Mobility and Working Holiday Schemes being expanded by up to 500% to enable more opportunities for young people to gain a better understanding of our cultures and societies, through travel, work and life experience overseas.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The UK and our allies are meeting to discuss the crisis in Israel and Gaza and avoiding further regional escalations.

Alongside G7 partners, we’ll also be addressing other priorities ranging from Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine to climate change, economic security and global trade.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:

The UK and Japan share many closely held values, including an enduring commitment to freedom and democracy, and it is an honour to visit Tokyo during such a milestone year for our defence relationship.

We will be driving forward progress on two major defence and security treaties, which will protect both our peoples and bring our nations closer together than ever before.

Six months on from the British and Japanese Prime Ministers agreeing the Hiroshima Accord the UK and Japan have made strong progress on its implementation.

The Reciprocal Access Agreement has been brought into effect and both countries are now conducting more frequent, larger and more complex joint exercises – including VIGILANT ISLES 23 this November. The UK and Japan have also made progress on economics & trade and science & technology. We have agreed to cooperate as members of CPTTP, held our first strategic economic talks, progressed our AI commitments and cemented our collaboration on critical minerals.

At the G7, the Foreign Ministers will also discuss the need to maintain collective support for Ukraine and how international support from the UK and other G7 partners can be used most strategically to help Ukrainian forces continue their progress on the battlefield and secure a lasting peace.

The UK continues to support the Ukrainian government in the face of this assault on their sovereignty and territorial integrity. Alongside the international community we stand against this naked aggression and for freedom, democracy and the sovereignty of nations around the world.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 November 2023.

Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan arrives in Sydney for a two-visit today (6 Nov), before travelling onto New Zealand and Pacific Island Countries including the Cook Islands, Fiji and Tonga.

• Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, will reinforce the UK’s maritime commitment to the Pacific region in her visit to Australia
• Attending the International Maritime Exposition in Sydney, the Minister will highlight UK-Australia collaboration, including through AUKUS
• The visit will fortify UK-Australia bilateral ties and strengthen existing partnerships in the region, highlighting the shared goal of supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific

To underline the UK’s steadfast commitment to Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Island Countries, UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, will arrive in Sydney today (6 November) for a two-day programme focused on government engagement, maritime security, and the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific.

Attending the Indo-Pacific International Maritime Exposition, Minister Trevelyan will showcase the UK’s dedication to fostering trade opportunities and reinforcing our commitment to the AUKUS partnership at meetings with UK and international businesses developing key infrastructure for the naval industry.

The Minister will visit HMS Tamar, currently docked in Sydney. HMS Tamar and HMS Spey are UK Naval vessels positioned in the region to increase the UK’s long-term presence in the Indo-Pacific and help tackle regional security challenges. Working alongside partners and allies, the ships are conducting defence engagement and training with partner nations to enhance regional security.

AUKUS is integral to UK efforts to support a free, peaceful and stable region. The UK Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, recently accompanied Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Richard Marles, on a visit to Rolls-Royce’s nuclear reactor manufacturing site in Derby to meet the first group of Australians training alongside UK experts to understand how the next generation of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines will be developed.

UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

Our close collaboration with Australia is testament to our shared vision for stability, growth and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.

AUKUS will allow us to deliver on our defence and security commitments, including in the maritime domain, to benefit our nations and the wider region.

Engaging with countries in the Indo-Pacific is a key UK government priority. On 7 November the Foreign Secretary will be in Japan for the G7 Foreign Minister’s Meeting in Tokyo. With around 60% of global shipping passing through the Indo-Pacific, ensuring maritime security is critical to the Prime Minister’s priority of growing the UK’s economy. Increased engagement in the Indo-Pacific is now a permanent pillar of the UK’s international policy.

Today’s visit underscores the depth of the UK partnership with Australia, building on the Minister’s work to boost regional trade earlier this year in Perth and Darwin. In September, she met government officials, business leaders and defence experts to discuss the UK’s increased engagement in the region.

Following her engagements in Australia, the Minister will travel to New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Fiji and Tonga, where she will meet counterparts to discuss shared challenges facing the region. The Minister will represent the UK as a Dialogue Partner of the Pacific Islands Forum, taking place in the Cook Islands from 6-10 November.