Tag: Foreign Office

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

Ambassador Neil Holland thanks the OSCE Mission to Montenegro for work supporting Montenegro’s elections, parliament and combatting serious and organised crime.

Firstly, I would like to welcome Ambassador Dominique Waag back to the Permanent Council. Thank you, Ambassador, for the work of your team over the last year, and for this comprehensive report on the Mission’s activities and achievements. I know our Ambassador in Podgorica highly values the close relationship with the Mission in country.

The United Kingdom recognises the challenging political context in Montenegro over 2022 and 2023, including two governments losing the confidence of parliament, and institutional stasis caused by lengthy delays in appointments to the Constitutional Court. Recent Presidential elections – and upcoming parliamentary elections on 11 June – provide an opportunity for political stability, and for Montenegro to maintain the necessary focus on reforms and democratic processes.

We positively note the Mission’s continued engagement and support to Montenegro throughout this period, building capacity and sharing expertise across a wide range of areas in support of the government’s national strategic objectives – in line with the Mission’s mandate and OSCE commitments and principles and with many areas of complementarity with the UK’s own work and priorities.

In particular, we welcome your ongoing support to the State Election Commission in administration of elections in line with OSCE principles and international standards – including in improving women’s representation and accessibility for persons with disabilities. We welcome the recent assessment of the ODIHR and European Parliament Joint Observation Mission that the second round of presidential elections on 2 April was competitive, and with fundamental freedoms respected. We encourage the Government of Montenegro to reinvigorate the electoral reform process and address ODIHR recommendations towards greater electoral integrity.

The UK also commends the OSCE Mission to Montenegro’s continued close cooperation with Montenegro’s parliament, in particular through provision of training on democratic legislation and parliamentary oversight, transparency, digitalisation, environmental protection and sustainable development. We similarly welcome your ongoing engagement with Montenegro in combatting serious and organised crime and countering trafficking in human beings, including through the provision of geospatial software, and delivering training courses on supply chains and interview guidance to strengthen law enforcement capabilities. We encourage the Government of Montenegro to support the important independent work of rule of law institutions, including the office of the Chief Special Prosecutor, particularly in investigations suggesting state-crime links.

Ambassador Waag, we particularly welcome the Mission’s continued focus on gender, and commend your progress in mainstreaming a gender perspective into programmatic work. Your report highlights some important initiatives, including your engagement with the Government of Montenegro to ensure all strategic and policy documents address the needs of women and men equally, your support to the second ‘Action Plan for a more Gender Sensitive Parliament’, and your collaboration on introducing a gender-responsive approach to budgeting in six ministries. We would support a sustained focus on gender in the Mission’s activities over the coming year.

Mr Chair, the OSCE’s field operations undertake excellent work to support the implementation of our collective OSCE principles and commitments. They need to be adequately financed in order to fulfil this role. The continued non-agreement of the 2023 Unified Budget is an enormous hindrance to the effective running of the OSCE, its institutions and field missions. We urge again those participating States who continue to obstruct agreement to look beyond a narrow national focus, and ensure all OSCE institutions have the funding they need to be able to effectively fulfil their mandate.

In conclusion, I would like to thank you, Ambassador Waag, for your leadership of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro during this reporting period, and wish you and your team success in your work over the coming year.

Thank you, Ambassador Waag. Thank you, Mr Chair.

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

At the OSCE Permanent Council, UK and others reaffirm our commitment to the rights and fundamental freedoms of LGBTI+ persons everywhere.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 18 May 2023.

Grant Shapps begins 4-day visit to the US, as Department for Energy Security and Net Zero marks first 100 days.

The UK will back President Biden’s drive to remove and store global carbon emissions as it forges ever-closer links with the United States on energy security.

Grant Shapps said the UK will join the President’s Carbon Management Challenge on a 4-day visit to the US this week. The Challenge encourages countries to rapidly cut emissions and develop removal technologies to capture CO2 and store it deep underground.

The UK has one of the largest carbon storage potentials, including under the North Sea, of any country in the world, with capacity to hold up to 78 billion tonnes of carbon – equal to the weight of 15 billion elephants. This will create a whole new industry, worth £8 billion to the UK economy and produce around 50,000 new jobs – supporting the government’s priority to grow the economy.

The Energy Security Secretary’s visit to the US this week will strengthen collaboration between the 2 countries. This includes working closely together on clean and renewable technologies to cut household bills, reduce the need for foreign fossil fuels and further drive tyrants like Putin out of the global energy market.

Grant Shapps is meeting senior members of the Biden administration, including his Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in Washington DC yesterday (Wednesday), and key figures such as California Governor Gavin Newsom today (Thursday).

The visit comes as the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero marked its 100th day.

Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, said:

Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine has had the exact opposite effect from what he wanted – rather than wilting in the face of his tyranny, we’ve stood firm and united and are neutralising his blackmail.

Our resolve has strengthened our relationships around the world, and nowhere more so than with the United States, where we are forging ever-closer links to deliver cleaner, cheaper, and more secure energy – ensuring the likes of Putin can never again hold the world to ransom.

We’re world leaders in renewable technologies and by supporting President Biden’s Carbon Management Challenge we are taking a step closer to realising our huge potential and be at the forefront of this exciting industry of the future.

Today in California, the Energy Security Secretary is due to meet Governor Gavin Newsom and Secretary for Environmental Protection Yana Garcia. Grant Shapps will point to the UK’s world leading expertise in renewable energy, including offshore wind, and is expected to discuss how the UK and California – the world’s fourth largest economy – can work closer together on clean technologies.

In Washington DC yesterday, the Energy Security Secretary discussed with Secretary Granholm closer collaboration further diminish Putin and deliver cheaper, cleaner and more secure energy for both countries.

In addition to the Carbon Management Challenge, the UK is supporting John Kerry’s First Movers Coalition (FMC) under the Breakthrough Agenda – a UK-led initiative launched by 45 world leaders at COP26. The FMC sees companies around the world make pledges to cut their carbon emissions, such as by cleaning up manufacturing processes and supply chains.

To date, 6 UK companies – PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, the Aveva Group, Rio Tinto, National Grid and Ernst & Young – have become partners. Today, Grant Shapps is calling on other British businesses to consider following suit, and be part of the global effort to clean up the most carbon-intensive industries.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 May 2023.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will agree a landmark new global strategic partnership, ‘The Hiroshima Accord’.

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

Ambassador Neil Holland says following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, the Crimean Tatars have endured ruthless persecution at the hands of the Russian regime.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 May 2023.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is visiting Jamaica and South America, including Colombia, Chile and Brazil, to renew historic friendships and build new ones.

• James Cleverly to renew UK ties with influential region in visit to Jamaica, Colombia, Chile and Brazil
• he will attend UK-Caribbean Forum and announce funding for region’s security and climate resilience
• in South America, Cleverly will stress British support for upholding democracy and protecting the rainforest

The Foreign Secretary will visit countries across Latin America and the Caribbean over the next 7 days to renew the UK’s relationship with the influential region.

James Cleverly arrives in Jamaica today (18 May), on the first leg of a 4-country trip that will focus on climate, democracy and the links between our people.

In Kingston, he will announce £15 million in funding for a Violence Prevention Partnership to counter serious and organised crime, as well as up to £7million for climate finance – supporting the island’s security and protecting vital sites against flooding and coastal erosion.

He will then travel to Colombia, Chile and Brazil, 200 years after Britain first began establishing diplomatic ties with the independent Latin American republics, to deliver a keynote speech on the future relationship with this important region.

It is the first visit by a Foreign Secretary to the Caribbean since 2017 and the first to South America since 2018 – helping meet a UK foreign policy objective to revive old friendships and build new ones beyond established alliances.

Latin America, home to 660 million people and with combined GDP of over $5 trillion, is also 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.

With more than a quarter of the world’s forests, it is also an essential partner in tackling climate change.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

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

While I look forward to celebrating our close bonds of friendship and family, I am also here 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.

In Jamaica today, Cleverly will attend the UK-Caribbean Forum to set out support for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), following a reception he hosted in London on the eve of the Coronation. He will then meet with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

From 19 to 21 May, the Foreign Secretary will be in Colombia to announce new UK support and funding for peace and tackling climate change by protecting the Amazon. Cleverly will visit the Amazon frontier region of Guaviare to see how UK-funded projects are preventing deforestation and helping former combatants rebuild their lives through eco-tourism.  The UK has contributed over £80 million towards implementation of the landmark 2016 Colombian Peace Agreement.

On 22 May, Cleverly will give a speech in Chile’s capital Santiago setting out the UK’s approach to Latin America and like-minded powers around the world.  The speech will launch bicentenary celebrations of UK-Latin America relations in British embassies across the continent – 2 centuries after then-Foreign Secretary George Canning played a pivotal role in guaranteeing the independence of the region’s new states.

The visit will conclude in Brazil, where Cleverly will sign a wide-ranging climate partnership with his hosts on Green and Inclusive Growth and travel to the Amazon rainforest. This will build on the £80 million of Amazon funding announced by the Prime Minister during President Lula’s visit to the UK for the Coronation.

He will emphasise the UK’s support for Brazilian democracy at the national Congress, which was attacked by protestors on 8 January.

The Foreign Secretary set out his personal commitment to deepening UK engagement with countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America 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.

Then in March, the Integrated Review Refresh set out how the importance of deeper, enduring partnerships with influential actors, including Latin America, that will shape the geopolitical environment in the years ahead.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 May 2023.

The United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates signed a joint communiqué to mark the inaugural UK-UAE Strategic Dialogue, held in London on 15 May 2023.

The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, hosted His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, for the inaugural UK-UAE Strategic Dialogue in London on 15 May 2023.

The Strategic Dialogue builds on the visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, in September 2021, during which both countries’ leaders agreed to establish a Partnership for the Future. The ambitious Partnership set the roadmap for collaboration between the UK and UAE, and it was agreed through it that the Foreign Ministers co-chair the Strategic Dialogue to drive progress under the Partnership for the Future.

The Strategic Dialogue underscored the strength of the bilateral relationship, noting the breadth of the collaboration between the 2 countries, their shared history, and enduring commitment to deepening ties and enhancing people-to-people relations. The ministers reiterated their commitment to the relationship and welcomed the growing partnership across a range of sectors, welcoming the inaugural Strategic Dialogue as an important moment in the bilateral relationship.

During the Strategic Dialogue, both ministers agreed on the need for cooperation to tackle global challenges. The ministers discussed the importance of an inclusive and ambitious agenda for the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) to be held at Expo City Dubai in November 2023. Both ministers reiterated the importance of increased ambition and implementation in this critical decade and the need to deliver a robust and unified response to the Global Stocktake to close the ambition gaps in mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage, and climate finance in order to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, including keeping 1.5C in reach; and to halt and reverse global forest and biodiversity loss. Together they reiterated the need for accelerating climate action and collaborating on long-term projects that enhance cooperation on clean energy, climate finance, adaptation, nature, and food systems, and agreed to further elaborate these partnerships.

The 2 sides also praised the trade and investment links, as well as aviation relations, that exist between the UK and the UAE. They noted the success of increased trade in goods and services between the 2 countries, currently at an all-time high of £21.6 billion during the 4 quarters to the end of quarter 4 2022. They welcomed the success of the ‘Sovereign Investment Partnership’ signed in 2021 and outlined the UK and the UAE’s support for expanding and deepening trade and investment relations between the 2 countries in areas of mutual benefit.

The 2 sides praised the existing partnerships between the 2 countries in the fields of energy and clean energy, which complement and strengthen the 2 countries’ ambitious climate goals and transition towards a low-carbon future. Both sides expressed readiness to hold the 8th session of the UAE-UK Joint Economic Committee (JEC) this year, while also welcoming the conclusion of the third round of UK-GCC FTA negotiations that concluded in March and noting that they look forward to the fourth round, which will be hosted by the UK later this year.

In this context, the 2 sides agreed to build on the excellent bilateral trade and investment relationship and continue simultaneous bilateral discussions, in the form of annexes or side agreements to the GCC FTA, to explore ways to agree on UAE-UK specific matters. Both sides reiterated full commitment in the work towards solidifying the cooperation in the field of illicit finance, under the umbrella of the UAE-UK Partnership to Tackle Illicit Financial Flows signed in September 2021.

The foreign ministers discussed the importance of coordination at the United Nations Security Council and commended the UAE’s leadership on the recent UNSC resolutions on Afghanistan. The ministers also held detailed talks on shared priorities at the UNSC, including advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda, promoting tolerance and counter extremism, and addressing the impacts of climate change on international peace and security, as well as conflict prevention and peaceful solutions, peacebuilding and sustaining peace, and addressing intolerance, hate speech, discrimination, and all forms of extremism. The ministers committed to strengthening the UAE-UK bilateral partnership through robust multilateral cooperation.

The ministers also held detailed talks on regional security and stability, and emphasised the importance of dialogue and building bridges to achieve regional peace and prosperity, including in their discussions on Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. They agreed on the need to work together, including through the UN, to support diplomatic initiatives and channels aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, in line with the principles of the UN Charter. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation across domestic and regional security issues.

Ahead of the meeting of foreign ministers, the Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and United Nations at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Lord Tariq Ahmad, and His Excellency Dr Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, met to discuss the progress made towards the Partnership for the Future.

While celebrating the progress in the relationship, both Lord Ahmad and His Excellency Dr Gargash underlined their ambition to deepen cooperation and expand bilateral collaboration. The 2 sides discussed the importance of collaboration on energy and climate change mitigation, development, science and technology, security, and consular affairs. Moreover, they agreed on the importance of maintaining regular communication to ensure further progress under the pillars of the Partnership.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 May 2023.

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

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 May 2023.

UK military advisor, Ian Stubbs, says the success of Ukraine’s air defence in protecting its citizens should not distract from the horrific tactics of the Kremlin.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Over the past week, Russia has continued to launch large-scale missile and drone strikes on towns and cities across Ukraine. Yesterday, Kyiv endured a particularly intense attack. Thankfully, reports indicate that most of the missiles and drones were intercepted by Ukrainian air defence, significantly reducing the potential scale of civilian casualties. A sober demonstration that air defence systems gifted, by international partners of Ukraine, are saving lives.

However, the success of Ukraine’s air defences in protecting its citizens and civilian infrastructure should not distract from the calculated and callous actions of Russia’s military leadership. Actions that aim to bring terror and suffering to Ukrainian people – all because they have demonstrated unwavering courage and resolve to stand up to a brutal and barbaric invader. Russia must know that these horrific tactics have not and will not work; they will not compensate for its failings on the battlefield.

Madam Chair, Russia’s invasion is stalling. In Bakhmut, despite months of attempts and thousands of casualties, Russia still has not managed to achieve tactical success. Over the last five days, reports indicate that elements of Russia’s 72nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade withdrew in bad order from their positions to the south of the city. Ukrainian assaults have also forced back the Russian frontline to the north-west. In total, Ukrainian forces are assessed to have re-taken nearly 20 square km around Bakhmut over the last two weeks.

This has come at great cost to Russia. Since summer 2022, Wagner and regular Russian forces have likely suffered well over 30,000 personnel killed and wounded in the Popasna-Bakhmut sector alone.

Russian disorder on the battlefield is seemingly fuelling further dysfunction in the already fraught relationship between Wagner and the Russian Ministry of Defence. On 11 May 2023, Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin criticised the Russian armed forces for fleeing during the Ukrainian advances on the Bakhmut flanks. He said that gains made with “blood and lives” were being thrown away. He called Russia’s so-called “Special Military Operation” a “stupid war” and speculated over what will happen when soldiers realise they have been set up by those “sitting in mahogany offices”.

Madam Chair, more widely, if we look at the state of Russia’s invasion force in Ukraine there is a similarly telling situation. The current Russian Combined Grouping of Forces (CGF) looks similar in size and composition to the invasion force of 24 February last year, but it is not. Back then, the force consisted of professional soldiers; was largely equipped with reasonably modern vehicles; and had been regularly exercised, aspiring to conduct complex, joint operations.  But the professional force failed to achieve the strategic and operational goals it was set.

Now the CGF consists mostly of poorly trained mobilised reservists and is increasingly reliant on antiquated equipment, with many of its units severely under-strength. The CGF now routinely only conducts simple, infantry-based operations. Russia has failed to command air superiority over Ukraine; a theatre of war which Russia created, and which Russia chose to fight. Recent reports of four Russian military aircraft lost over Russia’s Bryansk region indicates Russia’s ability to operate safely in its own airspace is now compromised.

How can the Russian military leadership possibly think that a force of largely amateur soldiers will succeed where Russia’s professional army has already failed? Russia must realise that it can never win in Ukraine. If it keeps fighting, it will keep losing.

Madam Chair, the UK and its international partners are steadfast in our support for Ukraine as demonstrated by the continued provision of military assistance. On Monday, our Prime Minster met with President Zelenskyy and announced the UK’s further gifting of hundreds of air defence missiles and unmanned aerial systems including new long-range attack drones with a range of over 200km. This package of military assistance was in addition to provision of Storm Shadow precision missiles announced last week.

Madam Chair, Ukraine has regained territory and liberated thousands of Ukrainian people thanks to the awe-inspiring bravery of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the resilience of the Ukrainian people and overwhelming international support. Together, the UK and partners are ensuring that Ukraine will win. Our united approach of providing Ukraine with the support it needs to defend itself and push Russia out of Ukraine’s sovereign territory is the swiftest, and only, path to a just and lasting peace. Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 16 May 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN General Assembly meeting on Central Asia.