Tag: Foreign Office

  • PRESS RELEASE : Russia must stop weaponising food – UK Statement to the OSCE [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Russia must stop weaponising food – UK Statement to the OSCE [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 July 2023.

    Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown calls on Russia to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative and stop endangering global food security.

    Thank you, Chair. In opening, the UK condemns the latest wave of Russian missile strikes against Kyiv, which put civilians in danger. They must end. We fully share the concern expressed about the OSCE monitors still in detention, and call for their release.

    I would like to focus my statement today on the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Before February 2022, Ukraine was one of the world’s top agricultural exporters, feeding up to 400 million people globally. Russia’s illegal and unprovoked full-scale invasion has not only dramatically threatened Ukraine’s food security, but also put millions around the world at risk of hunger. This is because Russia has attacked Ukrainian agricultural infrastructure, blocked Ukrainian ports, and pillaged Ukrainian grain. However, hope was restored when the UN and Türkiye brokered a deal that enabled grain shipments to leave Ukraine, signing the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July 2022.

    A year on, the positive impact that the Initiative has had across the world is clear. It has been critical in stabilising global food prices and alleviating a global food security crisis. 33 million tonnes of grain and other foodstuffs have been exported under the Initiative since 1 August 2022. In particular, these exports have enabled countries that need it most to secure more affordable grain.

    Crucially, the World Food Programme has once again been able to procure wheat from Ukraine at the same volumes as in 2021, purchasing 725,000 tonnes through the Initiative to support humanitarian operations in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

    Despite these significant achievements, Russia has, once again, been destabilising the Initiative for its own ends. Inspections of ships have fallen from a peak average of ten per day last year to around two at the end of June 2023. Compared to March 2023, this fall in inspections has led to a 29% decrease in food exports by tonnage through the Initiative in April and a 66% decrease in May. Since 28 June 2023, Russia has not allowed new ships to join the Initiative. This arbitrary obstruction harms global food security by restricting supplies and causing food to be less affordable globally.

    Mr Chair, the UK and our partners have been clear that Russia’s actions to worsen world hunger are unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.

    On 17 July, the Black Sea Grain Initiative is due to be renewed. We urge Russia to cooperate with all parties to ensure the Initiative can continue to help the most vulnerable populations globally. If the Initiative is not renewed, up to 24 million tonnes of food, including from Ukraine’s upcoming harvest, will not reach global markets over the next year. The UN estimates that this would increase the numbers of undernourished people worldwide by millions.

    Chair, Russia must cease its callous actions and stop playing games with global food security. The UK, along with the wider international community, will continue to support those worst affected by the global food crisis. We will continue to provide humanitarian aid and economic support for those who need it most in Ukraine. We will not stand by whilst the world’s most vulnerable people suffer because of Russia’s actions. The UK calls on Russia to agree to extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative beyond 17 July, to enable it to operate as intended, and to stop using food as a weapon.

    Finally, Chair, I would like to reiterate the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine as it fights for freedom and peace. We will continue working in unity with partners to achieve this. As NATO leaders said in their communique this week from Vilnius, and I quote, ‘We reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with the government and people of Ukraine in the heroic defence of their nation, their land, and our shared values.’

    Thank you, Chair.

  • PRESS RELEASE : G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement – On the launch of an ICBM by North Korea [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement – On the launch of an ICBM by North Korea [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 July 2023.

    Following the launch by North Korea of another Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) conducted on July 12 2023, G7 foreign ministers gave a joint statement.

    We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, condemn in the strongest terms North Korea’s brazen launch of another Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) conducted on July 12, 2023, following the launch using ballistic missile technology conducted on May 31, 2023 along with the launches of two ballistic missiles on June 15, 2023.

    North Korea continues to expand its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities and to escalate its destabilizing activities. These launches pose a grave threat to regional and international peace and stability, and undermine the global non-proliferation regime. They are a flagrant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs), which prohibit North Korea from conducting any further launches that use ballistic missile technology. We once again call on North Korea to refrain from any other provocative actions.

    We reiterate our demand that North Korea abandon its nuclear weapons, existing nuclear programs, and any other weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner and fully comply with all obligations under the relevant UNSCRs. North Korea cannot and will never have the status of a nuclear-weapon State under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

    We call for a quick, strong, and unified response by the UN Security Council (UNSC). The frequency of North Korea’s repeated blatant violations of UNSCRs juxtaposed with the UNSC’s corresponding inaction because of some members’ obstruction is cause for significant alarm. We call on all UN Member States to fully and effectively implement all UNSCRs, and urge the UNSC Members to follow through on their commitments. We call on North Korea to engage in meaningful diplomacy and accept the repeated offers of dialogue put forward by Japan, the United States, and the Republic of Korea.

    North Korea’s decision to prioritize its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs over the welfare of the people in North Korea is aggravating an already dire humanitarian situation.

    The G7 remains committed to working with all relevant partners toward the goal of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and to upholding the rules-based international order.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – UK comment on Belarus resolution [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – UK comment on Belarus resolution [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 July 2023.

    UK statement on the human rights situation in Belarus. As delivered by the UK’s Ambassador to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley.

    Thank you, Mr President,

    We thank the EU for its leadership on this resolution. We are seriously concerned about the human rights situation in Belarus, which the Special Rapporteur recently called catastrophic.

    The regime continues to target civilians, independent journalists, trade unions, and human rights defenders in its brutal ongoing crackdown on civil society. Through a broad policy of arrest and arbitrary detention the regime is holding almost 1,500 of its citizens as political prisoners, many of whom are subject to torture and cruel and degrading treatment. In recent months, many political prisoners have been starved of contact with the outside world, with no ability to speak with relatives or update on their condition. Tragically, earlier this week, Ales Pushkin, imprisoned for his political beliefs, died in detention in Belarus.

    The mandate of the Special Rapporteur is one of the only remaining outlets to shine a light on the human rights situation in Belarus. We have seen at this session through interactions with numerous Belarusian human rights defenders the importance they place on the mandate. Mr President, this Council must not let them down.

    We urge the Belarusian authorities to engage faithfully with the mandate and regret the attitude of ‘disdain’ shown towards international human rights mechanisms as described by the Special Rapporteur.

    We hope that the Human Rights Council can adopt this important resolution by consensus.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – UK Statement on Syria resolution [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – UK Statement on Syria resolution [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 July 2023.

    Statement on the human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic. As delivered by the UK’s Ambassador to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley.

    Thank you, Mr President,

    I have the honour to present draft resolution L.16 on the human rights situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, on behalf of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Qatar, Türkiye, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

    Mr President,

    As we conclude this four-week session of this Council, let me begin by drawing attention to the fact that, during this time, a number of targeted strikes on civilians in Syria have taken place.

    The targets were villages, towns, markets. The victims were innocent men, women and children. The perpetrators were the Syrian regime and its allies.

    This violence inflicted on the Syrian people is all too familiar. As is the continued use of arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearances and sexual and gender-based violence. With 80% of the population dependent on humanitarian assistance, any uncertainty around humanitarian access is a further form of torment.

    In our resolution we highlight the plight of women and girls in Syria and their inability to exercise many of their economic, social and political rights.

    The conflict has left many women as the breadwinners for their families, within a legal framework and a culture that discriminates against them.

    Rights to property, inheritance and even custody of children are often not accessible to women, in the absence of male family members who have been killed or are missing.

    Lack of equality before the law and protection against violence, in a conflict that has left over seven million Syrians, overwhelmingly women and girls, in need of services related to sexual and gender-based violence, is cruelty in the extreme.

    Mr President,

    The resolution put forward today condemns the targeting of women and girls in Syria, whether through discriminatory laws and practices, sexual and gender-based violence, or restrictions imposed on women who speak out in the face of multiple injustices.

    The resolution welcomes the decision to establish the Independent Institution on Missing Persons, to resolve the fate of the missing in Syria. A protracted issue that has had a unique impact on women.

    It also highlights the vital role Syrian women continue to play in the pursuit of justice, accountability, and peace, often in the face of harassment, intimidation and fears for their own safety.

    Let me thank all those who have engaged constructively in the informal consultations on this resolution.

    Mr President, at a time when the Syrian regime is looking for allies, it is important that this Council adopts this resolution to continue our efforts to hold that regime to account for its crimes. If a vote is called on this resolution, I urge our fellow members of the Council to vote in favour of it.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary announces investment in southeast Asian economies [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary announces investment in southeast Asian economies [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 July 2023.

    The Foreign Secretary will this week visit Jakarta (13 to 14 July), meeting ASEAN partners to advance shared priorities of security, stability and prosperity.

    • Foreign Secretary to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministerial meeting in Indonesia
    • he will set out the UK’s support for a strong and united ASEAN as central to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific
    • visit comes as part of a series of multilateral events this month, including the NATO conference and UN Security Council

    The Foreign Secretary will this week visit Jakarta (13 to 14 July), meeting ASEAN partners to advance cooperation on the shared priorities of security, stability and prosperity.

    During the visit, the Foreign Secretary will announce up to £25 million in funding to support ASEAN nations’ economic growth and reduce poverty, bringing UK expertise in trade, regulation and financial services to the region over the next 5 years. This will boost long-term UK trade and investment links in a region which includes some of the world’s fastest-growing economies.

    Southeast Asia is on course to be equivalent to the fourth largest economy by 2030, with total trade in goods and services between the UK and ASEAN worth £46.5 billion to the end of 2022, helping deliver on the government’s priority of growing the economy.

    Later this month the UK will begin its formal accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership trade bloc (CPTPP), further strengthening British trade and investment links in the region.

    Speaking ahead of the visit, the Foreign Secretary said:

    The security and economies of the UK and southeast Asia are more closely linked than ever before.

    That is why we are growing our long-term ties with dynamic, fast-growing markets across this region and showing our support for a strong, unified ASEAN – which is vital for the prosperity and stability of the Indo-Pacific.

    The UK and ASEAN are working together to deliver the Plan of Action 2022 to 2026 to improve lives across the region, such as ensuring girls across southeast Asia can access quality education. This is in addition to UK work in the wider Indo-Pacific, such as the Climate Action for a Resilient Asia programme, which is upgrading homes and infrastructure to withstand the impacts of climate change.

    The Foreign Secretary will set out how the UK is working with ASEAN to make the region safer, from leading the UNSC’s response to the crisis in Myanmar, to engaging with navies across the region and funding high-quality training on maritime security to secure safe and open shipping lanes.

    The UK has strong existing defence links across the region, including British Forces Brunei and the Five Power Defence Arrangements alongside Malaysia and Singapore. And the UK is taking its support for regional leadership on defence, security and stability to the next level by seeking membership of the ASEAN Regional Forum and ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus.

    The visit demonstrates how the UK is working through effective multilateral organisations to safeguard a stable and open international order, as set out by the Foreign Secretary in a speech in London last month.

    The Foreign Secretary’s visit to Jakarta follows his attendance at the NATO leaders’ summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. The UK set out clear support for a united NATO providing increased political and practical support for Ukraine, as part of a robust global multilateral system. After Jakarta, the Foreign Secretary will travel to the United Nations in New York to lead sessions at the UN Security Council, during the UK’s presidency this month.

    The Integrated Review Refresh, published in March 2023, set out how the UK will prioritise the Indo-Pacific, making the region a permanent pillar of the UK’s international policy. Its steadfast partnerships cement the UK’s enduring commitment to safeguarding security, stability and prosperity across the world.

    The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, visited Indonesia in November 2022 for the G20 leaders’ summit, where he set out his five point plan to help the UK and international partners weather the global economic impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

  • PRESS RELEASE : The UK is committed to supporting Colombia along its path to peace and security for all its people – UK statement at the Security Council [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : The UK is committed to supporting Colombia along its path to peace and security for all its people – UK statement at the Security Council [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 July 2023.

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

    Thank you to SRSG Ruiz Massieu and Ms Salcedo López for their briefings. I welcome the participation of Foreign Minister Leyva at this meeting.

    The United Kingdom welcomes the efforts made by the Colombian Government to implement the Peace Agreement. We welcome the approval of the National Development Plan, which includes an Investment Plan for Peace. Ensuring funding to deliver reforms and strengthen state presence across Colombia will be essential to deliver progress in the coming years.

    As Ms Salcedo sets out, the Gender Chapter is an essential element of the Peace Agreement. We are concerned that women leaders and female ex-combatants continue to face conflict-related sexual violence, and we encourage the Government of Colombia to continue to prioritise full implementation of the gender provisions of the Peace Agreement.

    Political participation is also critical to the implementation of the Peace Agreement. As we approach regional elections in October, we encourage the Government to take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of peace signatories seeking to participate in the democratic process.

    We strongly condemn violence against ex-FARC combatants, human rights defenders and social leaders. Since the signing of the agreement, over 375 ex-FARC combatants have been killed. We urge the Government to strengthen prevention and protection measures, and reiterate the importance of the National Commission on Security Guarantees.

    The United Kingdom welcomes the announcement in June of a ceasefire between the Government and the ELN and hopes that communities see genuine improvements in their security. We expect the ELN to approach its undertakings in good faith. We are following closely the efforts of the government to reach a ceasefire agreement with the EMC.

    Finally, we thank the Secretary-General for providing the Council with options for an expanded UN role in verifying ceasefire agreements. We will share a draft resolution in the coming days for discussion with Council Members.

    Foreign Minister Levya, SRSG Ruiz Massieu, members of the Council, Colombia can count on the UK to continue supporting it along your path to peace and security for all its people.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – Statement on human rights situation in Ukraine & Crimea [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – Statement on human rights situation in Ukraine & Crimea [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 July 2023.

    UK statement on oral update of High Commissioner on human rights situation in Ukraine & Secretary-General interim report on human rights situation in Crimea.

    Thank you,

    Last week marked 500 days since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

    500 days not of friendship for the Charter, but its daily flouting.

    500 days of atrocities. More than 500 children killed.

    Thousands of civilians killed. Millions displaced. Schools, hospitals and homes destroyed. Ukraine’s fertile fields flooded and mined, not producing food for the world. Tens of thousands of civilians detained, countless among them tortured. Children stolen from their families, their Ukrainian identity denied. No wonder that the ICC issued an arrest warrant against President Putin.

    Thank you, High Commissioner for the role you and your teams on the ground have played in calling out these systematic violations of human rights law and international humanitarian law. International law matters. The Charter matters. Accountability matters.

    High Commissioner,

    How can the international community support those thousands of civilians arbitrarily detained by Russia?

  • PRESS RELEASE : The destruction of the Kakhovka dam – UK statement to the OSCE [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : The destruction of the Kakhovka dam – UK statement to the OSCE [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 July 2023.

    Deputy Ambassador Brown says Russia must bear ultimate responsibility for the destruction of the Kakhovka dam.

    Chairs, as we said this morning, and as we have seen in detail this afternoon, the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam is a major catastrophe with wide-reaching ecological and humanitarian consequences. Tens of thousands have been directly impacted by the resultant flooding.

    Let us be clear. Russia has controlled the area since just after the invasion and must bear ultimate responsibility: none of the suffering that we have seen or the damage caused would have happened if Russia had not launched an unprovoked and illegal war of aggression.

    We are still analysing the impact on Ukraine’s grain production, but what is very clear is that this disaster has had, and will have, an unquantifiable impact on Ukraine’s ability to maintain production. An attack on the dam is not just on Ukraine, but on all those who depend on Ukraine’s grain exports to provide food around the world.

    The destruction of the Kakhovka is abhorrent. Intentionally targeting exclusively civilian infrastructure is a war crime. And any targeting of innocent civilians or humanitarian workers trying to escape an ongoing humanitarian disaster is not only barbaric, but also a gross breach of the Geneva Conventions.

    The links between environmental destruction and security are alarmingly clear. And it is right that we should discuss them in this forum at the OSCE.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK statement on the South China Sea [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK statement on the South China Sea [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 July 2023.

    A UK government spokesperson statement issued on 12 July on the South China Sea.

    On the 12 July 2023, HMA Manila delivered a speech organised by the Stratbase ADR Institute in Manila, noting the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal which, established in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), delivered a unanimous decision on the South China Sea Arbitration which is binding on the two parties – the Philippines and China.

    This decision contains clear rules that apply for maritime claims, the lawful uses of maritime spaces – including freedom of navigation and overflight – and the peaceful resolution of disputes.

    A UK government spokesperson said:

    “As provided for in UNCLOS, the Arbitral Tribunal’s decision is final and legally binding on both parties. We call on the Philippines and China to abide by its terms.”

    “The UK does not take a position on competing sovereignty claims, but strongly opposes any claims that are not consistent with UNCLOS. Adherence to international law, including UNCLOS, is fundamental to ensuring there continues to be a safe, prosperous and stable South China Sea. The UK will continue to encourage the resolution of disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – Human rights situation in the Central African Republic [July 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC53 – Human rights situation in the Central African Republic [July 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 July 2023.

    Interactive Dialogue on the oral update of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Central African Republic. As delivered by the UK.

    Thank you, Mr Vice President.

    The United Kingdom remains concerned by the increasing disregard for human rights in CAR by all actors, including state actors, which MINUSCA’s most recent reporting suggests are responsible for violations including arbitrary arrests and detentions. We are particularly concerned by the ongoing presence of the Wagner Group and call for their immediate withdrawal from CAR. We reiterate our call for the Government to ensure that all State-aligned security actors comply with international humanitarian and human rights law and that all perpetrators of violations or abuses are held to account.

    We are also concerned by President Touadera’s plans to overhaul CAR’s constitution, which risks undoing recent democratic gains. The referendum serves as a distraction from the main issues facing CAR, including the dire humanitarian, security and economic situation.

    Mr Vice President, ensuring transparent democratic processes is crucial to CAR’s future stability. Local elections, which have been postponed in favour of the constitutional referendum, would have been an opportunity to bring democracy closer to communities and citizens, and would have formed part of the democratic restructuring that is integral to securing lasting peace in CAR. We hope that free, fair and peaceful local elections will be held as soon as possible.

    Mr Agbetse,

    Thank you for your update. Given the situation in CAR continues to deteriorate, how can the international community help ensure the long-term viability of the Peace Agreement and the effectiveness of existing accountability mechanisms in CAR?

    Thank you.