Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 April 2023.

Statement by Fergus Eckersley, UK Political Coordinator at the United Nations at the Security Council meeting on Kosovo.

Thank you. Let me begin by thanking Special Representative Ziadeh for her briefing and for the work her team are doing to promote stability and respect for human rights in Kosovo.

Over the last year Kosovo’s democracy and institutions have continued to show their maturity. This is reflected in its climb up international rankings on political and civil liberties. Kosovo demonstrated the third highest increase of any country in 2022. We congratulate Kosovo on this improvement.

We welcome the government’s efforts to tackle corruption and strengthen the rule of law, and its commitment to tackling domestic and gender-based violence. We recognise the important role UNMIK has played in supporting Kosovo’s remarkable progress over the past 24 years, and the work it continues to do today and let me be clear, we remain fully supportive of Resolution 1244.

Conditions on the ground are, however, unrecognisable from 1999 and in line with our normal council practice on other mandates we believe it is time for a review of UNMIK’s role and responsibilities. This would allow the Council to take a fresh look at how UNMIK can adapt to serve the current conditions in Kosovo.

Colleagues, for many years the absence of a normal relationship between Kosovo and Serbia has had implications for regional stability and communities in both countries. We therefore welcome the considerable progress that has been made in the Normalisation Dialogue under EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak, including the 27 February Brussels Agreement and its Implementation Annex negotiated on 18 March in Ohrid. Now is the moment for both parties to engage in the Dialogue in good faith, honour their commitments, and avoid actions or rhetoric that could reduce prospects for a comprehensive and sustainable normalisation agreement.

Kosovo and Serbia have committed to the establishment of an Association of Serb Majority Municipalities. We urge both parties to engage swiftly and constructively so the Association can be established as soon as possible. We strongly encourage both sides to demonstrate the political will and courage to deliver on what has been agreed. This is in the long-term interests of citizens on both sides.

There are more immediate challenges too. Instead of a secure and safe environment in the north of Kosovo, there is a continuing security vacuum that leaves communities isolated and without vital every day services. We welcome the role played by KFOR and EULEX but this cannot be the long term solution. We need to support functioning institutions in the north, working to serve the interests of those they were elected to represent.

Let me finish by reiterating that the UK remains committed to supporting an inclusive, diverse and multi-ethnic democracy in Kosovo and its full participation in the international system.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 April 2023.

Giles Lever will support the UK’s diplomatic regional response to Sudan from British Embassy in Ethiopia.

Following the temporary closure of the British Embassy in Khartoum, His Majesty’s Ambassador, Giles Lever, has been relocated from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) crisis centre in London to Ethiopia.

From Addis Ababa, he will lead the UK’s diplomatic efforts in the region to bring fighting to an end in Sudan. Mr Lever has been Ambassador to Sudan since 2021 and is a specialist in Africa, the Middle East and conflict zones with postings to Nigeria, Iraq and Afghanistan among others.

While in London, Lever was working from the FCDO crisis centre engaging key diplomatic contacts, helping to facilitate evacuation permissions and supporting diplomatic efforts to end the fighting.

The UK is pursuing all diplomatic avenues to end the violence in Sudan and return to civilian rule. The UK has been involved at all levels to de-escalate tensions with the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary and Minister for Africa all speaking with international partners and convening a UN Security Council meeting earlier this week on the crisis. Basing our ambassador in Addis Ababa will also allow him to support engagement with the African Union, which is based in the Ethiopian capital and is playing a key role in resolving the crisis in Sudan.

The safety of all British nationals in Sudan continues to be our utmost priority and we urge everyone to continue to follow our travel advice. Evacuation flights continue from the Wadi Saidna airfield, and we urge any British nationals who wish to leave to come forward. At midnight Sudan time tonight, when the 72-hour ceasefire is due to end, we cannot guarantee how many further flights will depart.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 April 2023.

Ms Fiona Blyth has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to Mongolia.

Ms Fiona Blyth has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to Mongolia in succession to Mr Philip Malone LVO who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.

Ms Blyth will take up her appointment during July 2023.

CURRICULUM VITAE

Full name: Ms Fiona Blyth

Year	Role
2021 to 2022	Cabinet Office, Russia / Ukraine Team Leader, National Security Secretariat
2020 to 2021	Cabinet Office, Principal Analyst (Middle East)
2017 to 2020	Mogadishu, Senior Political Affairs Officer, United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia
2013 to 2017	FCO, United Kingdom Mission to the United Nations in New York, Senior Policy Adviser
2013	New York, Policy Analyst, International Peace Institute
2012	New York, Researcher to the Director of Policy, the Clinton Foundation
2011 to 2012	FCO, Desk Officer, European Counter Terrorism
2006 to 2010	British Army, Officer

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 April 2023.

Statement delivered by Philip Reed at the UN General Assembly debate on Use of the Veto.

Mr President

The founding members of the United Nations vowed to save the generations that followed them from the scourge of war.

They conferred the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security on the Security Council.

And, as part of that, permanent members of the Council were given veto power.

The United Kingdom is clear: the veto is a heavy responsibility, to be used to avoid and resolve conflict. The veto should be used responsibly – and with accountability.

Sadly, not all permanent members think alike. In February last year, Russia used the veto to prevent the Council from taking action in response to their illegal and unprovoked war in Ukraine. This came just two months after they vetoed a resolution that would have enabled the Council to take action on climate security – a resolution that counted the highest ever number of cosponsors.

In response, the General Assembly adopted the resolution we are talking about today – to enable the GA to scrutinise the use of the veto, and to hold Council Members using the veto to account. We were proud to co-sponsor that resolution.

Since then, of course, this Assembly has twice met in response to vetoes: in May 2022, when China and Russia vetoed a resolution that would have responded to DPRK’s launch of intercontinental ballistic missiles. And in July 2022, when Russia vetoed a resolution that sought to extend humanitarian assistance to over 4 million people in North West Syria – only to accept a resolution days later with one change: allowing humanitarians to provide help for 6 months, instead of 12.

Is that what the veto was created for? Halving the window for providing humanitarian assistance to people who desperately need it?

For our part, the United Kingdom has not exercised our veto since 1989. We listen carefully and negotiate with Security Council partners to try and find agreement.

The UK also remains committed to never voting against a credible draft resolution on preventing or ending a mass atrocity, as a proud signatory of the Accountability, Coherence, and Transparency (ACT) Group’s Code of Conduct. We encourage all Member States, including the other permanent members of the Council, to support this initiative.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 April 2023.

Deputy Ambassador Brown expresses concern regarding ongoing disruptions to the Lachin Corridor and urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to resume substantive negotiations.

Thank you, Chair. The UK Government remains concerned by the ongoing disruption to the Lachin Corridor. The unilateral establishment of a checkpoint further impedes access and runs counter to efforts to secure peace and stability in the South Caucasus.

The UK Government calls for both sides to refrain from escalation. There is no military solution to this conflict, and Armenia and Azerbaijan must resume substantive negotiations to secure a sustainable settlement to the conflict.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 April 2023.

Ambassador Bush thanks Ambassador Keiderling for her work, reiterates the United Kingdom’s unwavering support for the Mission and calls for early agreement on its extended mandate.

Thank you Mr Chair, and thank you Ambassador Keiderling for your report to the Permanent Council. I join other speakers in thanking you and your team in Moldova for your efforts during a period of immense challenge.

Ambassador, let me start by reiterating the United Kingdom’s unwavering support for the Mission and its mandate. The importance of the Mission’s work, including monitoring of the Security Zone, cannot be overstated. We commend the Mission’s efforts against your three goals: to prevent escalation, reverse the deterioration of relations between Chisinau and Tiraspol and find practical solutions to the challenges of everyday life for all citizens. We look forward to continuing our support under an extended mandate and call for early agreement on this.

Russia’s unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine continues to impose serious, direct consequences on Moldova and the wider region. Moldova has displayed extraordinary courage in responding to the challenges posed by this illegal war and extraordinary compassion in welcoming almost one million Ukrainian refugees over the course of the conflict, of which more than 100,000 currently reside in the country.

Meanwhile, it is crucial that we do not lose sight of the needs of the Moldovan people and the government’s reform agenda. As our Foreign Secretary stated during his visit to Chisinau in March, ‘Moldova, you are not alone’.

Ambassador, the readiness of Chisinau and Tiraspol to continue to meet and negotiate continues to present grounds for cautious optimism. We commend you for facilitating this process, and encourage the Sides to continue discussions, with the shared understanding that all negotiations are designed to lead to the outcome foreseen and agreed by all OSCE participating States at successive Ministerial Councils: an outcome which respects Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, with a special status for Transnistria.

Starting from this position of shared understanding, the day to day needs of the populations on both sides of the Nistru can be effectively addressed. It is to this end that the UK encourages the parties to continue their efforts to deliver tangible outcomes for their populations. Furthermore, we welcome the progress made by the Mission’s confidence building projects, which provide a valuable contribution to maintaining peace and stability for Moldova. We support your ongoing work to empower women’s voices across Moldova through the Women, Peace and Security agenda and in combatting Gender Based Violence in all its forms. It is firmly our belief that progress against these goals forms the foundation of a sustainable settlement to the conflict.

We note with regret, the lack of progress in either removing potentially hazardous ammunition from Cobasna, nor the withdrawal of illegally deployed Russian forces stationed in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova. In accordance with UN General Assembly Resolutions, Russian troops situated on Moldovan sovereign territory without host nation consent, must leave. We reiterate our call on Russia to remove its forces without delay and urgently formulate a proposal for resumption of the process of removal and destruction of ammunition from the Cobasna site.

Ambassador Keiderling, I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for your leadership, and to reaffirm the UK’s continued support to you and the Mission in fulfilling your mandate and to secure peace and stability for the Moldovan people.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 April 2023.

The UK government and EU gave a statement following their Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework meeting in London.

Joint statement by the UK government and European Commission:

The Specialised Committee on the implementation of the Windsor Framework met today, 27 April 2023, in London. The meeting was co-chaired by officials from the UK Government and the European Commission.

This was the first meeting of the Specialised Committee following the meeting of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee held in London on 24 March 2023, where the European Union and the United Kingdom adopted the new arrangements relating to the Windsor Framework and agreed to work together intensively and faithfully for the implementation of all the elements of the Windsor Framework.

The Specialised Committee co-chairs took stock of the work already undertaken and considered the next steps required for the implementation of the Framework, including as regards movement of goods, agri-food, medicines and VAT & excise.

The Commission and the UK Government also took stock of the work of the Joint Consultative Working Group and noted the adoption of its amended rules of procedure, allowing for the establishment of structured sub-groups to assist the Working Group in carrying out its functions.

In addition, the UK Government and the Commission reiterated the importance of engagement with business groups, civil society and other stakeholders in Northern Ireland as work on the Windsor Framework is taken forward.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 April 2023.

Ambassador Bush stresses that the UK will do everything we can to support Ukraine to defend its homeland, and protect the future of its younger generation.

Thank you, Mr Chair. I would like to start by expressing my concern regarding this morning’s reports of missile attacks in Mykolaiv, as well as attacks on Kupiansk and Kharkiv over the last week.

Mr Chair, Russia’s senseless war has upended the lives of Ukrainian children. The physical impact of this invasion is unforgiveable, with an average of four children killed or injured each day. The mental health implications of Russia’s human rights abuses must also not be forgotten. My statement today will focus on the long-lasting psychological impact of Russia’s war on Ukrainian children, exacerbated by displacement, disruption to education and child development, and horrific human rights abuses and violations. Beneath these children’s resilience and courage are the deep and long-lasting scars of trauma.

Russia’s war has displaced around 3.5 million Ukrainian children. Families have been torn apart, as parents have faced the devastating decision to send their children to safety, whilst they remain in a warzone. Others have had their children taken from them. Separation from one’s parents is a form of trauma, which puts these children at a greater risk of developing psychological issues. Children subjected to long-term separation from parents and families often experience intense fear, panic, grief, depression, helplessness and hopelessness – feelings no child should be expected to endure.

Russia’s war has interrupted the education of all Ukrainian children and young people in some form. Save the Children have reported that on average, children have spent more than 900 hours in bunkers. 900 hours, which children should have spent learning, playing and socialising. When children emerge from these bunkers, many are confronted with the destruction of their schools, nurseries and playgrounds. And the facilities that still stand are no longer regarded by parents as places of safety, but as places potentially at risk of Russian missile attacks. Children in the temporarily Russian-controlled territories study under a new curriculum, where they learn false historical so-called “facts” about Ukraine in a futile attempt to justify Russia’s aggressive actions against Ukraine.

Many parents have tried to shield their children from danger by opting for virtual learning – but this has its own challenges, with frequent blackouts and power shortages caused by Russia’s targeting of critical national infrastructure. These children are deprived of the routine of the school day and interactions with their peers. The absence of structure and socialisation can deeply impact the mental wellbeing and development of children. The UN has reported that Ukrainian children are suffering with impaired memory, shorter attention spans, and the decreased ability to learn.

We continue to hear credible accounts of conflict-related sexual violence against children by Russian forces, including the rape of a 16-year-old girl in front of her sister, and the horrific report from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of a child as young as four being sexually abused. It is hard to comprehend how a child so young could process this type of trauma; we must do all we can to support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine, and beyond.

Ukrainian children are absorbing the horrors of Russia’s war, with it taking root in their core development. Two boys were seen role-playing armed guards at a checkpoint – mimicking the sound of gunfire. Six-year-old Kira now draws pictures of soil, shrapnel and metal. Parents have reported that their children are having nightmares, reliving the horrors they have endured and wondering if normality will ever return.

Despite condemnation from the international community, the Kremlin shows no remorse and no compassion for the suffering they have inflicted. We will continue to call on Russia to respect humanitarian principles, including allowing humanitarian access to the territories it temporarily controls, and the special protected status of children, notably: access to education, protection against sexual violence, and family reunification.

Mr Chair, in conclusion, Ukrainian children deserve a future that does not involve shrapnel, bunkers and armed checkpoints. The UK will do everything we can to support Ukraine to defend its homeland, and protect the future of its younger generation. Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 April 2023.

International Development Minister Andrew Mitchell will give a speech today (27 April 2023) on the future of the UK’s international development work.

• International Development Minister Andrew Mitchell will set out his vision to reduce poverty, tackle climate change and reinvigorate progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• the Minister will launch a new UK development brand that badges the FCDO’s work to use partnerships to advance development progress and deliver prosperity
• Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will also announce plans for a new international volunteering service, and a programme to get six million more girls into schools around the world

The UK will today set out a new vision to improve global prosperity and reduce poverty through building partnerships with other countries.

In his first major speech, International Development Minister Andrew Mitchell will say the future of development relies on us working alongside countries as partners, rather than them being dependent on aid budgets.

Using the entire Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office global footprint, the UK will work with other countries to advance shared aims that benefit us all, like security and economic growth, recognising the need to tackle poverty and climate change together. The Minister will also say the international financial system needs to be fundamentally reformed, so countries can access the finance at the scale they need to drive their own development and tackle climate change in the face of global challenges.

He will announce a new brand, UK International Development, to demonstrate UK development is broader than aid, and is ultimately about working with countries by building mutually beneficial partnerships.

He is expected to say:

Placing partnership at the heart of the UK’s offer shows that at its core, international development is not about charity, handouts and dependency. It is about listening to our partners and working together to advance our shared objectives.

From today, the new brand will be on all new UK development programmes.

The Minister will set out how, using the UK’s strengths, he will champion and take forward the 7 priorities the Prime Minister set out in the Integrated Review Refresh last month: reforming the global financial system, making global tax systems fairer, delivering clean, green infrastructure and investment, improving global food security, making the case for ‘open science’, preventing the next global health crisis and putting women and girls at the heart of all development.

Building on the Prime Minister’s Integrated Review Refresh last month, the Minister will say he is making sure women and girls are at the forefront of all policy decisions.

He will announce a new programme designed to get 6 million more girls into school by improving education spending in low and lower middle-income countries and scaling up teacher training and in-class support so there is better access for vulnerable children.

In a bid to link the British public to the UK’s development work, the Minister will also announce that later this year the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will go out to tender on a new international youth volunteering programme, similar to the former International Citizen Service.

The Minister will also make clear Britain is firmly behind the ambition set out by the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, last year to enable countries around the world to tackle climate change and the reversal of development progress over recent years.

The UK is pushing for concrete progress on multilateral development bank (MDB) reform, drawing on a UK initiated review, to unlock hundreds of billions in financing for developing countries and help bridge the global climate and nature finance gaps. Britain is providing technical expertise so countries can unlock funding from global climate funds. The UK government, together with the City of London, is driving innovations in insurance, paying out the first drought insurance support for Somalia.  We are ensuring part of our humanitarian relief is used in ways that builds future resilience to climate impacts.

Since taking up the International Development Minister role 6 months ago Minister Mitchell has driven work to tackle hunger and malnutrition in some of the poorest countries. During a visit to Somalia last year, he saw first-hand how children were suffering with severe malnutrition and the impact drought had on the country.

In his speech he is expected to say: “It is frankly obscene, that in the 21st century and in our world of plenty, children are today slowly starving to death.”

To bring this to the top of the development agenda the Minister will announce a food security event in London later this year to demonstrate the breadth of the UK’s work to tackle hunger and malnutrition, bringing together the expertise and skills of the academic, medical, research, philanthropic and the NGO community.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 April 2023.

Renewed commitment brings gender and equalities at the heart of UK’s work in the LATAC region, as part of the UK government’s commitment to tackle inequalities around the world.

Our Latin America and Caribbean Gender and Equality Network sets out FCDO’s commitments to build a safer, more equitable and prosperous world where everyone can fulfil their potential, realise their rights and be free from discrimination. To this end we have developed an internal Gender and Equalities Charter, in collaboration with the Education, Gender and Equalities Directorate (EdGE).

UK efforts will support, protect and empower:

• women and girls
• people with disabilities
• LGBT+ people
• indigenous peoples and communities
• children
• poor and vulnerable people
• and excluded communities, among others.

This work aligns with the UK’s prioritisation of gender and equalities issues, as outlined in the Integrated Review, International Development Strategy, International Women and Girls Strategy and FCDO’s Disability Inclusion and Rights Strategy.

Through our network in Latin America and the Caribbean we commit to:

1. Take a transformative and intersectional approach – aiming to contribute to long-term change rather than focusing on short-term and superficial activity, whilst also tackling the multiple overlapping barriers faced by women, girls, men, boys, people with disabilities, LGBT+ people, poor and vulnerable people, people from specific racial and ethnic backgrounds, and excluded communities.
2. Proactively seek regional opportunities linked to bilateral activity in order to maximise our impact.
3. Support countries across LATAC as regional leaders and actively speak out to promote the rights agenda in the multilateral system.
4. Use evidence and data, through regional research and engagement with local stakeholders.
5. Prioritise the upskilling of all staff and provide specific specialised training.
6. Ensure inclusive language and visuals in our internal and external communications.

Alicia Herbert, Director, Education, Gender and Equality and Special Envoy for Gender Equality, said:

The safest, most prosperous societies are those in which all citizens can live without fear of violence or discrimination whilst playing a full and active role in their communities. However, so many people – including persons with disabilities and those in the LGBT+ community and indigenous groups – have been excluded for too long.

Rob Tinline, Director Americas, mentioned:

Women’s movements are a force at the forefront of the fight for equal rights. People with disabilities and indigenous groups are also increasingly organized in demanding their rights. Legal unions, marriage equality and safe abortions are becoming a reality in more and more countries in the region.

Finally, Kirsty Hayes, HMA to Buenos Aires and Gender and Equalities Champion, said:

LATAC is a vast and diverse region. Women and girls, LGBT+ and people with disabilities are exposed to discrimination and inequality is still one of the key regional challenges. In spite of recent positive progress in legislation and inclusive policies in some countries, increasing resistance from some sectors and ongoing structural and legal barriers are preventing some communities to advance on equality region wide.

As LATAC Gender and Equalities Champion I am very excited to drive this agenda and seek out ways for us to work together to advance equality for all.