Tag: Foreign Office

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

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will make keynote speech in Santiago, Chile that will outline UK’s future relationship with Latin America.

• keynote speech will celebrate 200 years of UK-Latin America relations and set out ambitious future partnership
• James Cleverly will set out how multilateral institutions like the United Nations need reform to give more voice and more influence to region
• he will outline trade and investment opportunities with the value of imports and exports rising by 45.4% last year

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will use a keynote speech in the Chilean capital Santiago today (Monday 22 May) to set out the UK’s future relationship with Latin America.

The speech comes as British embassies across the continent prepare to celebrate 200 years of UK-Latin America relations.

At Santiago’s Gabriela Mistral Cultural Centre, Cleverly will speak of his pride in the role the UK played in supporting the struggle for Latin America’s independence 2 centuries ago – describing Britain as the region’s “oldest friend”.

The Foreign Secretary will say the “tectonic plates of world politics are shifting once again” and will use his address to young leaders to highlight the values that unite Latin America and the UK.

On the shared values between the UK and Latin America, Cleverly will say:

Our position is clear. Respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, self-determination and human rights must prevail. Alongside democracy, the rule of law, liberty and freedom. We know these are your values too.

Cleverly will highlight the UK-Latin America partnership on matters of global importance, including tackling climate change, upholding democracy and human rights and securing free and open supply chains of critical minerals.

On UK-Latin American relations in the 21st century, the Foreign Secretary will say:

We should be ambitious for our future relationship. Not just because of the historical bonds of friendship that have united us for more than 200 years, but because we treasure the same fundamental values that inspired the creation of this international order. It will only evolve, survive and prosper with the support and whole-hearted engagement of this great region.

Cleverly will call for Latin American countries to be given a louder voice in multinational organisations like the UN, including a permanent Security Council seat for Brazil:

[Latin America’s] demographic and economic weight gives you a pivotal role in determining whether the international order will endure… But our world’s multilateral institutions need reform, in particular to give more voice and more influence to Latin America.

Latin America, home to 660 million people and with combined GDP of almost $6 trillion, is an enormous potential market for the UK. Mexico, Chile and Peru are among the region’s members the UK will be joining in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trading bloc – boosting British jobs, growth and influence.

To set out the importance of engagement with Latin America, the Foreign Secretary will highlight trade and investment opportunities that exist following the UK’s accession to CPTPP:

The total value of imports and exports rose by a massive 45.4% last year to more than £40 billion. But with Latin America representing only 2.1% of UK imports and 2.6% of UK exports worldwide, I recognise that there is much more to do on trade and investment.

It comes during the first visit by a Foreign Secretary to South America since 2018 – helping meet a UK foreign policy objective to revive old friendships and build new ones beyond established alliances. As well as Chile and Colombia, Cleverly is also travelling to Brazil.

The address in Santiago builds on the Foreign Secretary’s commitment to deepening engagement with countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America made in his speech on 12 December 2022 – where he said the UK’s future global impact will depend on winning over a far broader array of global partners.

Referencing the leadership of revolutionary figures like Simon Bolivar, the Foreign Secretary will say the values that were evident in Latin America’s fight for independence 200 years ago can still be harnessed today:

Two hundred years ago, Simon Bolivar said that ‘the freedom of the New World is the hope of the universe’. Your love of freedom continues to inspire the world today. It’s why I’ve come from London to revive old friendships and build new ones. And to pledge our long-term commitment.

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

The UK is providing an additional £2.3 million (over 300 million Taka) in humanitarian support for the Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh.

This new UK support will provide Rohingya communities with health care, shelter, and basic site management support. It will also strengthen safeguarding systems for Rohingya refugees and host communities in Cox’s Bazar.

Acting British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Matt Cannell, announced this additional funding during a visit to the Rohingya camps and host communities in Cox’s Bazar in the aftermath of cyclone Mocha.

Implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), this new UK support responds to ongoing needs in the Rohingya camps. It will help refugees to rebuild their shelters following the largescale fire in Camp 11 in March 2023, which destroyed 2,800 shelters; and Cyclone Mocha in May, which has reportedly affected 37,000 Rohingya refugees.

Acting British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Matt Cannell said

“The UK stands with Rohingya and host communities as they look to recover from the impact of Cyclone Mocha.

“I am proud to announce this new UK support of £2.3 million, which will help respond to recent tragedies as well as the ongoing needs in the camps and host communities. The UK remains committed to supporting the Government of Bangladesh to find a sustainable solution to this crisis and is providing vital humanitarian support.”

IOM Bangladesh’s Chief of Mission Abdusattor Esoev said

“This support comes at a critical time when Rohingya refugees and the host communities in Cox’s Bazar are facing immense challenges due to recent disasters, and ongoing humanitarian needs, especially in the aftermath of the devastating fire and Cyclone Mocha.

“With the support of the UK, we will be able to provide essential healthcare, shelter, site management support, and strengthen safeguarding systems for those affected. The partnership between IOM and the UK government has been instrumental in responding to the Rohingya crisis, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to support the people in need with humanitarian assistance.”

Since 2017, the UK has provided £352 million of humanitarian support to Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 May 2023.

The Foreign Secretary visits Chile as the UK and Chile celebrate 200 years of bilateral consular relations.

During his time in Santiago, the Foreign Secretary will chair the UK-Chile High-Level Political Dialogue alongside Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren. As Chile commemorates 50 years since the military coup of 1973, the Foreign Secretary will visit Santiago’s Museum of Memory and Human Rights alongside Foreign Minister Van Klaveren, reaffirming the UK and Chile’s shared values and commitment to democracy and human rights. 200 years since the appointment of Great Britain’s first Consul General, the Foreign Secretary will launch a campaign celebrating the bicentennial of bilateral consular relations. The Foreign Secretary will also deliver a speech to young Chilean changemakers, meet Chile’s next generation of female leaders and visit Latin America’s first green hydrogen plant and fuel station.

The Foreign Secretary, the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, will visit Chile on 22 May as part of a regional tour of Latin America and the Caribbean underscoring the UK’s partnership with the region. At the UK-Chile High-Level Political Dialogue, the Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Van Klaveren will set the direction for the UK and Chile’s diplomatic, economic, trade and defence links. The ministers will review the UK and Chile’s bilateral trade relationship after Chile’s accession to CPTPP and the UK’s conclusion of negotiations to join the agreement; the UK and Chile’s partnership on climate and sustainability, including the green energy transition; and co-operation on multilateral issues as two likeminded partners committed to working together to solve global challenges.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

This is a milestone year in the history of UK relations with countries across Latin America and the Caribbean, including in Chile.

While I look forward to celebrating our longstanding and historic relationship, I am also in Chile to renew and enhance our ties for the years ahead.

It is a partnership that will be marked and strengthened by our shared values of freedom, democracy and concern for the state of our planet.

The Foreign Secretary will also address an audience of young Chilean changemakers at the Gabriela Mistral Cultural Centre, where he will give a speech on the UK’s relationship with Latin America and the Caribbean, the values shared by the UK and the region, and how to work together to tackle the critical global issues of the 21st century. The Foreign Secretary will also visit Anglo American’s green hydrogen plant to witness how renewable energy technologies pioneered by British business are leading the way on the green energy transition and a more sustainable approach to mining. During the visit, the Foreign Secretary will also announce a post-graduate scholarship programme focusing on lithium technologies and environmental governance.

At an event marking the 200-year anniversary of the UK and Chile’s bilateral consular relations, the Foreign Secretary will celebrate the UK and Chile’s historic and thriving people-to-people links. The Foreign Secretary will join representatives from business, government, academia, the arts, civil society and sport to celebrate this historic moment with people who are at the heart of the UK-Chile relationship, working together on issues that are important to both the UK and Chile.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 May 2023.

UK government sanctions 86 individuals and entities, targeting Russia’s theft of Ukrainian grain, advanced military technology, and remaining revenue sources.

The UK has today (Friday 19 May) announced a new wave of sanctions against Russia, targeting businesses and individuals connected to Russia’s capacity to fund and wage the war.

The 86 designations target individuals and organisations connected to Russia’s energy, metals, defence, transport, and financial sectors – ramping up pressure on Putin’s remaining revenue and attempts to use these sectors to support the military machine.

The designations come after the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced new import bans on Russian diamonds and metals at the G7 in Japan earlier today.

This includes a crackdown on the shady individuals and entities connected to the theft and resale of Ukrainian grain, as well as targeting Russia’s major energy and arms shipping companies.

Companies connected to Rosatom, which are producing advanced materials and technology, including lasers, have also been sanctioned.

The Foreign Secretary has also announced, consistent with our laws, that Russia’s sovereign assets in our jurisdictions will remain immobilised until Russia agrees to pay for the damage it has caused to Ukraine.

These new sanctions come as the Prime Minister meets his counterparts at the G7 Summit in Japan and holds talks on long-term support for Ukraine’s defence and joint action on Russia’s malign activity.

Through a combination of these designations and new import bans on Russian diamonds and metals, the UK is working with international partners to further constrain Russia’s capacity to wage its illegal war, increasing economic pressure, and tackling all emerging forms of circumvention until Ukraine prevails.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Putin and his supporters must – and will – pay the price for their illegal invasion of Ukraine.

That’s why through today’s new sanctions we are increasing the economic pressure on Putin – making it harder for him to wage his illegal war and inflict untold suffering on innocent Ukrainians.

We will continue to increase this pressure and crack down on all emerging forms of circumvention until Ukraine prevails and peace is secured.

Our support for Ukraine is, and will remain, resolute for as long as it takes.

Energy

The UK is taking new action against Russia’s energy sector – building on the import bans of Russian coal, oil, and LNG – by introducing designations of 9 organisations connected to Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy company, Rosatom, which has been connected to Putin’s war effort.

This includes UMATEX, which produces composite materials based on carbon fibre for Rosatom that could be used for military purposes, and TRINITI whose research and development into laser physics is directly funded by the Russian Federation’s State Defence Order. TRINITI’s lasers have been installed on tank chassis with the aim of dazzling the optics of aircraft and disrupting precision weapons.

Oleg Romanenko, a lead official at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant who has been colluding with the Russian government, the Operating Organisation of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, 13 members of the Gazprom-Neft board of directors, and 5 members of the Transneft board of directors have also been designated.

Metals

Igor Altushkin, the billionaire oligarch who owns the Russian Copper Company, has been sanctioned. As the third largest producer of copper in Russia, Altushkin and his business have continued to play a key role in a sector of strategic significance for Putin’s military machine.

Eight other companies connected to metals production in Russia have also been sanctioned, and the UK has announced that we will also ban imports of Russian metals including aluminium, nickel, and copper.

Together, these actions increase pressure on Russia’s metal industry, which remains an important revenue stream funding the Kremlin’s war machine, and they have wider impact on the operation of other sectors such as transport and energy.

Transport

Twenty four individuals and entities connected to Russia’s transport services have also been sanctioned.

This includes Pawell Shipping Co LLP, the State Grain Corporation (GZO) and their director Nikita Busel who are connected to the systematic theft of Ukrainian grain. This grain, and other agricultural goods, has been reportedly stolen from warehouses and fields in the temporarily occupied territories in Ukraine and shipped out from Zaporizhzhia – badged as Russian goods.

Six major Russian shipping companies which have enabled and supported Putin’s wartime economy have also been sanctioned. This includes Sun Ship Management, an entity connected to Sovcomflot, Russia’s largest state-owned shipping company, supporting Russia to circumvent or undermine the effects of Western sanctions.

Military

Twenty defence executives and companies have been sanctioned as part of today’s tranche – further targeting the individuals and organisations that are supporting Russia’s continued military activity in Russia by equipping both the Russian armed forces and Wagner group. Amongst those sanctioned are:

• Alan Valerievich Lushinkov and Vladimir Nikolaevich Lepin, who are both Directors of JSC Concern Kalashnikov, who produce 95% of all firearms in Russia
• JSC BMZ which has produced anti-personnel and anti-tank mines used by the Russian armed forces in Ukraine
• JSC Motovilikhinskiye, a minority subsidiary of Russian defence conglomerate Rostec which manufactures howitzers used by the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine

Banks

Five financial institutions have also been sanctioned as part of today’s package of designations – further isolating Russia from the global financial system and undermining Putin’s military capability. This includes JSC Dom RF, which acts under the instruction of the Russian government, and Metallurgical Investment Bank, which is supporting Russia’s industrial exports.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 May 2023.

The UK has announced £2 million in new humanitarian funding to support vulnerable communities in Myanmar, following the impact of Cyclone Mocha.

• the UK is providing an additional £2 million to support communities impacted by Cyclone Mocha in Myanmar
• this new funding will supply clean water and shelter for up to 175,000 people

Today the UK announced £2 million in new funding to support communities impacted by Cyclone Mocha in Myanmar. The cyclone has devastated vulnerable communities across northwest Myanmar, with reports of large numbers of deaths amongst the Rohingya.

The cyclone has exacerbated what is already a desperate humanitarian crisis. Following the 2021 military coup, over 17.6 million people need humanitarian assistance; over 1.8 million are displaced; and over 15 million people have limited access to food. Their needs will only increase as the impact of Cyclone Mocha becomes clearer.

The UK has already redirected £650,000 of funding to local and international partners to provide emergency assistance to those most in need. This additional £2 million will enable immediate provision of clean water and shelter for up to 175,000 people, and help mitigate the threat of disease.

International Development Minister Andrew Mitchell said:

Cyclone Mocha has caused devastation for communities who were already extremely vulnerable, including the Rohingya.

The UK is providing £2 million of new funding to support the many thousands of people left without shelter or access to clean water in Myanmar.

By partnering with organisations already on the ground in northwest Myanmar, we will be able to quickly deliver the lifesaving support that survivors need.

Since 2017, the UK has provided over £81 million to assist Myanmar communities in Rakhine State with water, hygiene and sanitation, emergency food and nutrition services, and healthcare. Over £29.8 million of this has directly supported Rohingya and other Muslim minorities. The UK has enhanced due diligence in place to ensure that no UK aid benefits the Myanmar military regime.

The UK is committed to supporting peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific and continues to stand with the people of Myanmar who are suffering once again. We reiterate our calls to an end to all violence, protection of civilians and full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all those in need.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 May 2023.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will warn against complacency in defending our values and standing up to autocratic regimes, as he meets G7 leaders in Hiroshima.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 May 2023.

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

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 May 2023.

The following is the text of a joint statement by France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

On April 23, four mayoral elections and two municipal assembly elections were held in the north of Kosovo, consistent with Kosovo’s constitutional and legal requirements. Yet, following the boycott by a significant portion of the Serb community, the results are not a long-term political solution for these municipalities.

We call on all actors to urgently work together among all interested parties, including local communities, towards a solution that provides sustainable participatory representative democracy in these municipalities.

There should be no actions or initiatives – including by newly elected mayors and municipal assemblies – that do not serve the people or that could heighten tensions.  This includes exercising more than administrative powers and the process of taking office as there is no requirement that mayors be sworn in at municipal offices. All parties should refrain from the use of force or actions that inflame tensions or promote conflict.

We support the EU-facilitated Dialogue to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia, including the need for urgent progress to establish the Community/Association of Serb-majority Municipalities.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 18 May 2023.

Statement by UK Political Coordinator Fergus Eckersley at the UN Security Council meeting on Iraq.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 18 May 2023.