Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 May 2023.

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

The UK has been following the deteriorating human rights situation in Mali with increasing concern. The Malian authorities’ obstruction of MINUSMA’s Human Rights Division and restrictions placed on the Council’s Independent Expert, undermine critical efforts to monitor, report on and investigate alleged human rights abuses and violations. This goes hand in hand with a deeply concerning increase in restrictions placed on civil society and political opposition.

Conflict is having a disproportionate impact on women and girls – sexual and gender-based violence must be addressed without delay.

We recommend Mali:

1. Adopt long-overdue legislation on sexual and gender-based violence without delay.
2. Provide unrestricted access for MINUSMA and civil society human rights organisations to investigate alleged human rights abuses and violations, including those attributed to the Malian Defence and Security Forces and Wagner Group.
3. Adopt concrete measures to strengthen and safeguard the rule of law.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 3 May 2023.

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

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 May 2023.

The UK’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Simon Manley, delivered a statement at France’s UPR at the Human Rights Council.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 May 2023.

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

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 May 2023.

The UK’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Simon Manley, delivered a statement at Romania’s UPR at the Human Rights Council.

The UK welcomes Romania’s continued commitment to the UPR. We recognise its efforts in developing and adopting cross-government strategies and legislation on human rights, including on tackling Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking and anti-Semitism and xenophobia. We encourage Romania to focus on implementation and outcomes.

We recommend that Romania:

1. Improve equality of opportunity, particularly in rural areas and for marginalised groups, address income disparities and extreme poverty, improve access to inclusive education, and reduce social-economic exclusion.
2. Intensify efforts to reduce underage pregnancy, violence against women, Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, and Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, including by addressing the social attitudes that drive these problems.
3. Demonstrate ongoing political commitment to create an environment where minority groups, especially Roma and LGBT people, can be confident and open in their identity.

Thank you, Madam President.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 May 2023.

Egyptian online newspaper Mada Masr wins joint UK-Canadian accolade for extraordinary commitment to high-quality independent journalism.

• Egyptian online newspaper Mada Masr wins joint UK-Canadian accolade for extraordinary commitment to high-quality independent journalism
• The newspaper continued to report, amidst a takedown of their website and legal threats to its reporters
• Signal of UK and Canada’s enduring commitment to supporting free and independent journalism

The 2023 Canada-United Kingdom Media Freedom Award has been presented today to independent Egyptian online newspaper Mada Masr for its extraordinary commitment to high-quality independent journalism. The newspaper continued to report, amidst a takedown of their website and legal threats to its reporters. This award signals Canada and the UK’s enduring commitment to supporting free and independent journalism.

Since its inception almost ten years ago, the online newspaper has been recognised for its unyielding commitment to high-quality journalism despite external pressures. The paper has stood their ground despite having their website blocked in Egypt, and its journalists, including Editor-in-Chief Lina Attalah, facing legal charges.

The award has been presented during the fourth Media Freedom Coalition event in New York, by James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Robert Rae, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York.

Established in 2020, the Canada-United Kingdom Media Freedom award recognises those who have championed freedom of speech and democracy. Mada Masr is Egypt’s leading independent media outlet and is known for its free news coverage in Egypt and across the wider Middle East.

James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, said:

“Today, more than ever before, journalists are on the frontline of the battle to uphold democratic freedoms and the Canada-United Kingdom Media Freedom Award continues to recognise those who work tirelessly to promote and protect free speech.

“I’m delighted to honour the work of editor Lina Attalah and her team, who have upheld those ideals amidst significant pressure. I hope that independent media outlets around the world will take this as a signal that we will always support them.”

Bob Rae, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York, said:

“Media freedom is central to democratic societies, and essential to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. It takes courage and conviction to be among those on the frontlines advocating for our human rights and defending against efforts to undermine them.

“Today I am honoured to present the Canada-UK Media Freedom Award to Editor-in-Chief of Mada Masr, Lina Attalah and her team, who remain fierce advocates for independent journalism in Egypt and the wider Middle East.”

As the 2023 winner, Mada Masr joins former Canada-United Kingdom Media Freedom Award recipients, Vietnamese journalist Pham Doang Trang, who was named as winner in 2022, and 2020 winner the Belarusian Association of Journalists.

Journalists who champion democracy and human rights need to be protected and continued coordinated commitment to ensuring media freedom is helping to highlight their brave work around the world, from Myanmar to Russia and Afghanistan.

The announcement of the third Canada-United Kingdom Media Freedom Award comes ahead of UN World Press Freedom Day on 3 May.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 May 2023.

The UK has evacuated 2197 people to safety from Sudan, in the longest and largest airlift by any Western nation during the crisis.

• UK Government arranged extra evacuation flights from Port Sudan today (Monday, May 1).
• Follows end of UK evacuation flights from Wadi Saeedna airfield, near Khartoum, on Saturday evening (29 April).
• Total number of people evacuated is now 2197 (as of 17:30 Monday 1 May), in the longest and largest evacuation from Sudan by any Western nation

The UK has evacuated 2197 people to safety from Sudan, in the longest and largest airlift by any Western nation during the crisis, as the attention now turns to humanitarian and diplomatic efforts.

Further flights were expected from Port Sudan on Monday evening, supporting British nationals and others – including Sudanese doctors working in the NHS – who have arrived in Port Sudan.

In addition to British nationals, the UK has also helped evacuate 1087 people from other nations, including the US, Ireland, Netherlands, Canada, Germany and Australia.

The UK Government is no longer running evacuation flights from Wadi Saeedna airfield because of a significant decline in the number of British nationals coming forward and an increasingly volatile situation on the ground.

A UK team is now set up at Port Sudan to provide consular assistance, including to British nationals leaving by commercial routes.

Royal Navy ship HMS Lancaster is supporting evacuation efforts from Sudan.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

With thanks to the extraordinary efforts of staff and military, the UK has brought 2197 people to safety from Sudan so far – the largest airlift by any Western nation.

As the focus turns to humanitarian and diplomatic efforts, we will continue do all we can to press for a long-term ceasefire and an immediate end to the violence in Sudan.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

Yet again the men and women of our Armed Forces have led the way. In one week, the RAF have flown more than 20 flights, deployed over a thousand personnel, evacuated over 2,000 civilians and helped citizens from more than 20 countries to get home.

HMS Lancaster will remain at Port Sudan and her crew will continue to help provide support.

The UK is leading diplomatic efforts for peace in Sudan, with International Development Minister Andrew Mitchell in Nairobi over the weekend, meeting with Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto and African Union Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat to discuss the conflict in Sudan.

The UK Ambassador to Sudan was deployed to Addis Ababa last week (27 April) to support the UK’s diplomatic regional response to Sudan from the British Embassy in Ethiopia.

The UK is also exploring options to provide effective humanitarian assistance to people in Sudan, in close coordination with international partners, the UN, and NGOs. The UK is a committed donor in Sudan, having spent over £250 million in humanitarian aid in the last five years.

The UK continues to provide consular support to British nationals in Port Sudan and in neighbouring countries in the region.

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. The situation remains volatile and our ability to conduct evacuations could change at short notice.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 April 2023.

Exceptional additional flight from Port Sudan announced, as total number of people evacuated reaches 2122.

An extra UK evacuation flight from Port Sudan will depart on Monday (May 1), extending the longest and largest evacuation effort of any Western country from Sudan.

British nationals who wish to leave Sudan on this flight are asked to travel to the British Evacuation Handling Centre at the Coral Hotel on 1 May before 1200 Sudan time tomorrow (1100 BST) to allow for processing.

This additional exceptional flight facilitates the evacuation of a limited number of UK nationals remaining in Sudan who wish to leave. This flight follows the UK’s successful evacuation operation from Wadi Saeeda near Khartoum, which has evacuated 2122 people on 23 flights.

The UK Government is no longer running evacuation flights from Wadi Saeedna airfield because of a decline in demand by British nationals, and while the situation on the ground remains volatile. The last evacuation flight departed the airfield at 2200 Sudan time on 29 April.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The UK has now airlifted over 2100 people to safety from Sudan, in what has been the largest and longest evacuation of any Western country. I want to thank all of those working to deliver this evacuation and ensure as many people as possible are brought to safety.

Evacuation flights have ended from Wadi Saeedna but our rescue efforts continue from Port Sudan. We continue to do everything in our power to secure a long-term ceasefire, a stable transition to civilian rule and an end the violence in Sudan.

Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, said:

I am grateful to our Armed Forces who have ensured there was an alternative to Wadi Saeedna and who are currently supporting FCDO and Border Force staff to facilitate the rescue effort. HMS Lancaster and the RAF are also there in support of HMG.

The evacuation criteria was expanded on Saturday to include eligible non-British nationals in Sudan who are working as clinicians within the NHS, and their dependants who have leave to enter the UK.

The UK continues to provide consular support to British nationals in Port Sudan and in neighbouring countries in the region.

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. The situation remains volatile and our ability to conduct evacuations could change at short notice.

The UK is pursuing all diplomatic avenues to end the violence in Sudan and return to civilian rule, with the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary and Minister for Africa all speaking with international partners. Ultimately a stable transition to civilian rule is the best way to protect the security and prosperity of the Sudanese people.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 April 2023.

1888 airlifted to safety by UK evacuation, as focus turns to supporting those remaining in Sudan.

The final UK evacuation flight from Wadi Saeedna airfield will depart this evening, ending the longest and largest evacuation from Sudan of any Western country.

The successful operation has evacuated more than 1888 people on 21 flights, the vast majority of them British nationals and their dependents.

Focus will now turn to providing consular support to British nationals in Port Sudan and in neighbouring countries in the region.

The government decided to end flights today because of a decline in demand by British Nationals, and because the situation on ground continues to remain volatile.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The UK has brought more than 1888 people to safety from Sudan thanks to the efforts of staff and military working around the clock to deliver this evacuation – the largest of any Western country.

We continue to press all diplomatic levers to secure a long term ceasefire and end the bloodshed in Sudan. Ultimately a stable transition to civilian rule is the best way to protect the security and prosperity of the Sudanese people.

Those still in Sudan who wish to leave should continue to follow our travel advice. The UK is pursuing all diplomatic avenues to end the violence in Sudan and return to civilian rule, with the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary and Minister for Africa all speaking with international partners. Ultimately a stable transition to civilian rule is the best way to protect the security and prosperity of the Sudanese people.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 April 2023.

Statement by Ambassador Woodward at the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Afghanistan.