Tag: Foreign Office

I am going to speak along the same lines as the majority of colleagues here today and so in that respect I am sure I will say nothing that you do not expect.

Russia’s efforts to undermine the integrity of the OPCW over the last decade are almost as egregious as its own repeated use of chemical weapons.

No one is fooled by today’s charade. Your choice of briefers, your denial of the Syrian regime’s repeated chemical weapons use, your attacks on the OPCW’s work, your recent refusal to engage in Council meetings on Syria chemical weapons, all lay bare your cynicism in organising an event that purports to address “the OPCWs diminishing authority”.

The vast majority of the international community understands that it is you that has worked to undermine the OPCW.

Colleagues, the Chemical Weapons Convention and work of the OPCW is too important for us to allow the Russian Federation to succeed.

In 1988, eight years after diplomatic negotiations on the Convention began, Saddam Hussein’s Iraq Army conducted a chemical weapons attack on the village of Halabja, which killed between 3,000 and 5,000 people. The horror of the deaths of these thousands of civilians brought increased urgency to efforts to secure a commitment by states to never, under any circumstances, develop, produce, acquire, stockpile, transfer, or use chemical weapons.

Twenty years after the Convention was opened for signature in Paris, the Assad regime released the nerve agent Sarin in the Ghouta district of Damascus, killing more than 1400 people, many of them children. Despite the adoption by consensus in 2013 of resolution 2118, the Syrian regime did not destroy its chemical weapons stocks and the Council continues to discuss the gaps and inconsistencies in Syria’s initial declaration. We know the Assad regime went on to use chemical weapons on numerous occasions, including in Douma in 2018.

And it is worth reminding ourselves that the Douma attack took place one month after three Russian nationals, Alexander Petrov, Ruslan Boshirov and Sergey Fedotov were involved in an assassination attempt using a Novichok nerve agent in the UK. A similar Novichok nerve agent was used by Russia’s Federal Security Service in an attempt to assassinate Alexei Navalny.

In response to these repeated chemical weapons attacks, states from across the globe – from Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America – have worked together to strengthen the OPCW. After Russia used its veto to block a joint UN-OPCW inquiry into who was responsible for chemical weapons attacks in Syria, States Parties voted to give the OPCW attribution powers. The OPCW IIT has subsequently found the Syrian regime responsible for 5 CW attacks.

And I would encourage all colleagues, my Brazilian colleague in particular, to read in detail the latest IIT report on the attack in Douma. Mr. Aaron Maté made various claims today in this meeting. One of which, which he focused on at length, was the issue of foaming at the mouth and whether it can be caused by chlorine. He said quite clearly the IIT does not address this issue in its report. That is simply not true. It does so directly on page 43 of the report under section six point 106. I encourage you to also look online, look at very clear successful attempts that have been made to counter the claim Mr Maté continues to make.

So colleagues, let’s be clear, it is not diminishing OPCW authority that concerns Russia. Quite the opposite. It is the strengthening of the OPCW’s authority that Russia fears.

There is one point in the concept note for this event with which we strongly agree. The RevCon in May is an important moment. We must use it to continue strengthening implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. And with the ongoing support of the Security Council we must collectively address the problem of undeclared programmes, which has been highlighted by repeated Syrian and Russian chemical weapons use over recent years.

Your Excellencies, Reverend Fathers and Sisters, Colleagues, welcome and thank you for being with us here and online.

I would like to thank in particular Maria Lía Zervino, President General of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations, Dr Paolo Ruffini and Sr Bernadette Reis at the Dicastery for Communications of the Holy See for their support in making this event possible, and the shared commitment to raise awareness of conflict-related sexual violence, which is still – in the words of Pope Francis – “a general, and widespread, reality everywhere.”

During my career, I myself have witnessed first-hand the devastating impact of this heinous act. From my first posting in Myanmar to my most recent ones in South Sudan and in the Solomon Islands. Just a few places where conflict-related sexual violence destroys lives, and where the trauma has had deep and long-lasting effects on the survivors, but also their families and communities.

But conflict-related sexual violence is not only morally abhorrent. It is an abuse of human rights. And, when perpetrated in the context of armed conflict, it is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime.

Tragically, in Ukraine, we are now seeing sexual violence committed by the occupying Russian forces. Ukraine is a rallying call to the international community, and to every one of us. I’m proud that my Government has deployed specialist war crimes and conflict-related sexual violence experts to the region, and that it is working with international partners to refer the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court. Russia’s barbaric acts must be investigated and those responsible held to account.

The issue

Conflict-related sexual violence exists far beyond Ukraine. It is sadly widespread in situations of conflict around the world.

Typically, conflict-related sexual violence is a type of gender-based violence that is grounded in harmful social norms that underpin gender inequality, patriarchal institutions, men and boys’ violence against women and girls, and violations of women’s rights. At the same time it is also frequently used against males, especially boys.

It has both short- and long-term effects on survivors, children born of sexual violence, and communities. Physical health impacts range from the consequences of immediate injuries to longer-term disabilities. Mental health impacts for survivors vary, including but not limited to anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorders. And, while dealing with these traumas, survivors often find themselves isolated, without the support they need to get back on their feet. Sadly, the stigma associated with being a survivor of conflict-related sexual violence can include rejection by family and exclusion from community.

More generally, conflict-related sexual violence can undermine poverty reduction, gender equality, crisis resilience and recovery, and conflict prevention and resolution.

The UK’s role

Preventing sexual violence in conflict remains a key priority for my Government. The international conference held in London last November mobilised the international community, survivors, civil society, multilateral partners and faith leaders to take global action.
At that conference, the UK launched an ambitious strategy to use our diplomatic, development and defence levers to tackle this appalling crime, including by addressing the root causes, such as harmful gender norms. We pledged to strengthen justice for survivors, and to support them and their children born of sexual violence in conflict. This strategy is backed by up to £12.5m (Euro 14.8m) of new funding over the next three years, bringing our total funding since 2012 to £60m (Euro 68m), and £3.45m (Euro 3.9m) of new funding on gender-based violence in Ukraine and the nearby region.

The London conference also galvanised further international action, with 53 states and the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict endorsing a new Political Declaration and 40 making national commitments to help stamp out this heinous crime. The UK has since launched an International Alliance to bring together states, civil society and survivors to maintain momentum and to act as a key forum for coordination, sharing best practice and hearing from survivors.

The London conference also saw the launch of the ‘Murad Code’, which is named after Nadia Murad, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and herself a Yazidi survivor of sexual violence used by Daesh in Iraq. The Murad Code sets out how to collect information from survivors safely and effectively. Representatives of civil society including faith actors on the ground and survivors were involved in the consultation process of the Murad Code. The code has also been translated into Ukrainian to support the response in Ukraine.

Faith actors

I would like to end by highlighting the crucial role faith leaders can play, including but of course not limited to Catholic leaders. Firstly, they can dismantle the harmful misinterpretations of religious texts used to justify sexual violence in conflict. Second, they, more than politicians, can speak to people’s consciences in demanding an end to conflict-related sexual violence, as well as to the stigma too often faced by survivors and their children. So Pope Francis’ statements condemning conflict-related sexual violence during his recent visit to the DRC as he heard harrowing tales from survivors are incredibly powerful.

Another important example is the Declaration of Humanity, which was launched in 2020 by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, with significant endorsement from over 50 high-profile faith and belief leaders. In the declaration, faith leaders from across the faiths called for an end to sexual violence in conflict and denounced the stigma too often faced by survivors. Their declaration is the first of its kind and unites multiple faiths to work within their communities to prevent these horrific acts.

Since 2020, support for the Declaration has continued to grow in countries with a high prevalence of conflict-related sexual violence.

To date, it has been signed by over 200 faith leaders, along with around 450 civil society actors and community leaders. Including the Catholic networks, such as the Missionaries of Africa and Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Bishops Conference of England and Wales. We continue to encourage faith leaders to sign the Declaration and put it into action within their communities, and we hope that more Catholic Church’s leaders will commit and spread the Declaration’s messages.
Conclusion

Addressing conflict-related sexual violence has become even more complex at a time of intersecting crises and inequalities, as shown by the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The international community must stand together to prevent and respond in an effective and co-ordinated manner.

Women and girls must be protected in all situations, but especially in conflict zones. I look forward to hearing the experience of the Catholic networks on the ground in assisting survivors in their rehabilitation journey and in breaking the stigma. And to hearing testimonies from survivors today.

I hope that today’s event will also be an opportunity to raise awareness on what more needs to be done to eliminate this crime, and to illuminate how we can work together better to strengthen action. Including the important role of the media (and I am glad to see also journalists attending the event). And importantly, how do we work together to ensure survivors always remain at the centre.

I look forward to being inspired.

Thank you

The UK is providing an emergency package of assistance comprising: a team of emergency medical personnel, a team with international search and rescue expertise (ISAR), specialist boats, and urgently needed emergency relief items such as shelter materials and water filters.

This is in addition to the immediate support the UK provided to the Malawi Government at the Emergency Operations Centre in Blantyre when the cyclone hit. This included food assistance, staff and vehicles to help Government and the UN launch emergency operations.

The UK ISAR team will be supporting Malawian counterparts; the team is bringing lightweight, nimble boats and a drone team to help in the search for survivors of the floods. These boats will be gifted to the Malawian Government for future emergency use when the UK ISAR team departs.

The Emergency Medical Team (EMT) will support hospitals in southern Malawi to treat the victims of Cyclone Freddy. They will also join with an existing cholera-focussed UK EMT to help reduce the risk of the ongoing cholera outbreak getting worse, following the floods.

Shelter and water filters will provide emergency shelter to approximately 3,000 people and allow up to 12,750 of those affected by floods, to access clean water and protect themselves from disease.

The UK International Search and Rescue advance party arrived in Malawi on Friday, 17 March. An additional Emergency Medical Team arrived in Blantyre on 18 March. The main UK International Search and Rescue team arrived through Kamuzu International Airport.

Acting British High Commissioner to Malawi, Sophia Willitts-King, said:

The UK is saddened by the tragic loss of life caused by Cyclone Freddy due to the extreme rainfall and unprecedented flooding in Southern Malawi. We stand side by side with Malawi in responding to this crisis.

The UK’s rapid support will help Malawi with its search and rescue efforts. The additional medical capacity will help Malawi’s hospitals save lives. We are providing temporary shelter to give families protection from the weather.

We are also investing in equipment that will help people access clean water and sanitation facilities. This support is vital to prevent the spread of deadly diseases, including cholera.

Cyclone Freddy made landfall in Mozambique on 11 March and Malawi on 12 March. The flooding has already displaced 19,000 people. Malawi was hit particularly hard with what would have previously been judged as a 1-in-20 a year weather event.

While the wider picture remains unclear due to lack of access, landslides on the hillsides around Blantyre and severe flooding throughout Southern Malawi has resulted in over 326 deaths, 832 injured, and 282 missing, with the displacement of over 40,702 homes (approximately 183,159 people), as of 17 March. The flood waters are predicted to peak at the beginning of next week.

The UK ISAR deployed through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, following a request for assistance from Malawi. The team is on permanent standby to mobilise and assist when requested by disaster-affected countries. It always deploys as an official UK government team once a request has been made for assistance.

The UK ISAR is self-sufficient and provides its own food, water, shelter, sanitation, communications and all necessary equipment to undertake search and rescue operations for up to 14 days. This is to ensure no additional burden is placed upon a country already suffering demands on its resources, following a sudden onset disaster.

The UK ISAR was established in 1993 and has 30 years of experience deploying internationally to such disasters historically. The team is made up of 14 fire and rescue services.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama at Downing Street today [Thursday 23 March], as part of a wider visit by the Albanian leader to London.

The leaders set out their shared ambition to broaden and deepen the UK-Albania relationship, co-operating on addressing global and regional threats and strengthening our bilateral partnership. They noted significant opportunities to grow trade, investment and technology links, and Prime Minister Sunak again welcomed the significant contribution of the long-standing Albanian community in the UK to British life.

As NATO allies, fellow members of the UN Security Council and close partners, the leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to working together to protect the security of our citizens, defend democracy and promote human rights, including through a robust international response to aggression by Russia. This will include assisting Albanian cyber defence to protect against online threats.

Prime Minister Sunak and Prime Minister Rama committed to deepen work under the Joint Communique and Taskforce agreed in December, to take forward our shared priority on tackling illegal migration and criminal people-smuggling gangs.

They discussed increased operational cooperation, including joint upstream communications to deter people from travelling in the first place, and further agreements on data sharing and passports. The leaders welcomed progress to date, with around 800 illegal migrants returning to Albania since December, action on organised crime and new UK guidance designating Albania a safe country.

On criminal justice cooperation, the leaders welcomed ongoing joint work on extraditions, prosecutions and forensics capabilities, and the removal of hundreds of prisoners under existing agreements. They agreed that a joint UK-Albanian team will conduct an assessment of Albania’s prison capacity – to be concluded by the end of April – with a view to returning all eligible Albanian nationals in the UK prison system.

Finally, the Prime Ministers welcomed progress on business and university cooperation, including the launch of the new British Chamber of Commerce in Albania, a doubling of the market risk appetite for UK Export Finance support for Albania to £4 billion to facilitate investment, and the deepening of links between UK and Albanian universities.