Tag: Foreign Office

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.

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

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry during his visit to the UN General Assembly in New York.

The Foreign Secretary and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met at UNGA on 18 September.

The Foreign Secretary highlighted the UK’s continued commitment to working with Egypt on our shared priorities.

They reflected on the positive momentum in the UK-Egypt relationship, including trade and investment, as well as collaboration on education and climate. They discussed the ongoing situation in Libya in the aftermath of the devastating floods, and efforts to address the conflict in Sudan. The Foreign Secretary noted the disruptive impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the global economy.

The ministers agreed on the need to work closely together and deepen cooperation on the shared challenge of organised immigration crime. This follows a recent visit by Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick.

The Foreign Secretary welcomed the recent Presidential pardons of human rights activists in Egypt and called for quick progress towards the release of Alaa Abd El-Fattah.

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

Ambassador Neil Holland says that Azerbaijan’s use of force is unacceptable and states that the UK is encouraged by today’s announcement of a ceasefire.

Thank you, Chair.

This week began with more hopeful signals in relation to the long running tensions in this region. The UK Government was relieved to hear of the movement of humanitarian goods on 18 September via the Lachin and Aghdam roads into Nagorno-Karabakh, the local population of which has been in such need for so long. ICRC access to provide humanitarian support was – and remains – critical.

Azerbaijan’s decision yesterday to commence a military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh put at risk efforts to find a lasting peaceful settlement. Like many others, the UK urged Azerbaijan to cease its unacceptable use of force and return to dialogue. Violence is never the answer.

The UK is encouraged by today’s announcement of a ceasefire and calls on all parties to respect it, for the sake of the civilian population. We also note the announcement of direct talks between representatives of Azerbaijan and the local Karabakhi Armenian community, on 21 September. These are essential to protect the security and needs of the local population.

It is only through diplomacy in line with the principles enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act that we will see a sustainable settlement to this conflict.

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

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly held a meeting with Murat Nurtleu, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, on 19 September 2023 during the UN General Assembly in New York.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said:

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu discussed their shared ambitions to further strengthen their strong bilateral partnership at a meeting during the UN General Assembly in New York.

The Foreign Secretary looked forward to upcoming senior-level UK-Kazakhstan engagement, including the annual Ministerial Strategic Dialogue and Ministerial Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Investment. Priority topics would include close collaboration in higher education, the development of the Middle Corridor transport route, and Kazakhstan’s strong commitment to tackle sanctions circumvention in light of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

The two Ministers also discussed opportunities for UK expertise and practical support in Kazakhstan’s trade and services sector, as well as working together on Sustainable Development Goals.

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

UK statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Mercenaries. As delivered at the UN’s 54th Human Rights Council.

Thank you, Mr Vice President,

The UK would like to thank the Working Group for its report presented today, which sheds light on the escalating recruitment of mercenaries in conflict-affected settings and underscores the urgent need to address predatory recruitment practices.

The UK is committed to calling out human rights abuses by mercenaries and holding them to account. That includes those carrying out mercenary-like activities such as the Wagner Group in Africa, who are responsible for driving instability and violence in the region and committing widespread abuses, such as the killing of civilians, torture and sexual and gender-based violence.

It is vital that such groups are held to account and that their actions are exposed. That is why, last week the UK added Wagner Group to the list of proscribed terrorist organisations.

The UK will continue to condemn Wagner’s activities and will work to hold the Wagner Group and other malign actors to account for violating and abusing international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

Chair of the Working Group,

What further steps can be taken to hold those operating for the Wagner Group in Africa to account for the instability, violence and abuses they have caused and committed across the continent?

Thank you.

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

The UK Government and European Commission gave a statement after the Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework meeting.

Joint statement by the UK government and European Commission:

The Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework met today, co-chaired by officials from the UK Government and the European Commission.

The Committee co-chairs took stock of the work undertaken by both sides on the implementation of the Windsor Framework since the last meeting on 23 June, and agreed to continue meeting regularly to monitor and ensure the full implementation of all the elements of the Framework in a faithful way.

The Committee co-chairs also took stock of the work of the Joint Consultative Working Group and its structured sub-groups. They reiterated the importance of continued joint engagement with Northern Ireland stakeholders.