Tag: Foreign Office

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

Ambassador Bush expresses concern regarding disruptions to the Lachin Corridor and the associated humanitarian consequences.

Thank you, Foreign Minister Mirzoyan.

The ongoing disruptions to the Lachin Corridor and the associated humanitarian consequences are deeply worrying.

We regret that despite this issue being raised here at the OSCE and the United Nations Security Council, significant progress has not been made. We urge the Government of Azerbaijan to take all measures to allow for the unhindered movement of humanitarian goods and civilians.

The United Kingdom acknowledges that both sides have concerns regarding the implementation of agreements made in relation to the 2020 ceasefire. We urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to undertake meaningful negotiations to find a sustainable and peaceful settlement that secures lasting peace and stability for the region.

The United Kingdom offers our continued, unwavering and unconditional support to the international mechanisms, including the OSCE, which are working to support peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It remains clear: only through peacefully facilitated dialogue can peace be reached.

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

• Foreign Secretary begins a visit to Washington DC and Toronto to deepen diplomatic, trade and security ties and to keep up the fight against Putin’s illegal invasion
• James Cleverly to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly and other senior government figures.
• The Foreign Secretary will discuss coordinated efforts to help Ukraine prevail over Russian aggression, as well as deepening our cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and on intelligence, security and humanitarian issues.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly begins his first bilateral visit in post to North America today (Tuesday 17 January) to deepen diplomatic, trade, intelligence and security ties and to stand against Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

James Cleverly will hold an intensive round of diplomatic talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington and Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly in Toronto, to encourage international cooperation and support for Ukraine as we approach the second year of the conflict.

The Foreign Secretary will stress to the two allies that now is the time to go further and faster in giving Ukraine the tools to win the war. He will underline that, with the right equipment, the Ukrainian people will prevail. This is part of the Prime Minister’s commitment to accelerate the UK’s diplomatic and military support in the coming weeks in a bid to push Russia further back and secure a lasting peace.

The UK has already committed to match or exceed funding for military aid to Ukraine in 2023. Last year the UK provided £2.3bn in military support that has already helped turn the tide in the war and secure successive Ukrainian battlefield victories.

The Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, said:

The UK, US and Canada always have each other’s backs when it counts, protecting the rules-based order for nearly eighty years.

Today we stand united against Putin’s illegal war, and we will continue to use our uniquely strong defence and security ties to ensure that, in the end, the Ukrainian people will win.

The Foreign Secretary will also raise Iran with counterparts, after the UK temporarily recalled its Ambassador to Iran and sanctioned Iran’s Prosecutor General, following the execution of British-Iranian national Alireza Akbari.

During his visit to the US, the Foreign Secretary will set out the UK’s foreign policy priorities at a live event at the Centre for Strategic & International Studies in Washington DC on Tuesday. On Wednesday he will lay a wreath at the US Army Arlington National Cemetery.

In Canada on Wednesday, the Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Joly will discuss closer coordination on sanctions, and he will welcome Canada’s leadership in standing up against the arbitrary detention of foreign nationals for diplomatic ends.

He will also discuss the UK’s ongoing efforts to accede to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and progress towards a bilateral free trade agreement.

Following bilateral talks, the Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Joly will meet members of the Ukrainian diaspora. In Toronto he will also meet representatives of major Canadian pension funds, as key investors into the UK.

The extensive visit programme reflects the immense value the UK places on its relationships with the US and Canada, and underlines the UK’s role as a steadfast ally, defence partner, and a great place to do business.

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

The UK is sending further vital medical supplies to Ukraine to help treat casualties of the Russian offensive.

Over 70 pallets of bandages, crutches, wheelchairs, and other much needed medical supplies are being donated to UK-Med, a frontline medical NGO, for those injured in Russian attacks. The supplies come from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s emergency response stocks and will be used across Ukraine, including in Dnipro, Poltava and Lviv, to boost UK-Med’s ongoing work to establish mobile clinics to reach and treat vulnerable people.

They include tents to be used for temporary treatment centres where health facilities have been damaged, as well as nearly 80 beds, over 30,000 gowns, aprons, bandages, needles, and other vital pieces of medical equipment.

UK-Med’s support in Ukraine provides a range of vital medical services, from surgical interventions and primary health care to mental health and psychosocial support. They are also training civilians in trauma first aid and delivering psychological first aid training for medical teams.

The donation comes as the Foreign Secretary James Cleverly visits the US and Canada, where he is meeting with members of the Ukrainian diaspora and discussing support to Ukraine with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Putin’s brutal bombardment of civilians and infrastructure across Ukraine is continuing to have a massive human cost, with the Ukrainian people paying the price.

This latest UK donation will help ensure medics on the frontline can continue to provide life-saving medical support to those caught in the conflict.

The UK has previously donated equipment and pharmaceutical supplies to UK-Med, in addition to £300,000 funding, to set up mobile health clinics and help train Ukrainian doctors, nurses and paramedics on how to deal with mass casualties. This latest donation builds on that work, to support the most vulnerable civilians remaining in Ukraine, including the elderly and young children.

Tom Godfrey, Operations Director at UK-Med, said:

UK-Med is very grateful for the donation of these supplies which will make a real difference to the day-to-day work of clinicians in Ukraine, working in very challenging conditions to provide healthcare to conflict affected populations.

This builds on donations from FCDO in 2022 and helps to cement UK-Med as a key partner for the Ministry of Health in Ukraine. This will contribute to our work directly treating war wounded through surgical interventions as well as providing primary health care including mental health care support to affected populations which is supplemented by an extensive capacity building program.

Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is killing innocent civilians and destroying vital infrastructure. The UN estimates that almost 18million people in Ukraine need humanitarian support. This donation is part of the UK’s commitment to provide medical supplies and basic necessities on the ground, saving lives and protecting vulnerable people. This includes over £220 million worth of humanitarian support through the UN, the Red Cross and NGOs, including the Disasters Emergency Committee members and UK-Med.

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

Statement delivered by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council briefing on Yemen.

Thank you President.

And let me thank Special Envoy Grundberg and USG Griffiths for your briefings. We are hugely grateful for the work they and their teams continue to do for the Yemeni people.

The UK welcomes efforts, by all parties, to build upon the relative peace we continue to see.

All steps towards a negotiated, Yemeni-led political settlement under UN auspices, are steps towards the longstanding peace that Yemenis deserve.

This is the only way to fully address the humanitarian situation, which remains dire across the country.

While efforts continue to seek a lasting solution to the conflict, we must intensify efforts to improve the immediate humanitarian situation alongside addressing long-term drivers of the humanitarian crisis.

Mr President,

The Houthi block on oil exports has plunged the Government of Yemen into dire economic straits. We urge the international community to take all steps to mitigate this impact and support Yemen’s government at this critical time.

With the launch of the Humanitarian Response Plan at the end of this month, the UK encourages all donors, current or prospective, to stay committed to alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people.

To ensure access to lifesaving assistance, we further call on authorities in the north and south for unfettered access of our partners across the country.

As Martin has outlined, the introduction of mahram requirements in the north, does the very opposite.

We call for an immediate end to these restrictions that curtail Yemeni women’s ability to both deliver and access crucial aid and remain employed.

Finally, I want to reiterate our concern about the delays surrounding the operation to salvage the FSO SAFER tanker to which the UK has dispersed £6 million in funding.

To avoid a wholly preventable crisis, we call on the UN and all parties to continue working together at pace. Urgency needs to be balanced with rigour, but we must identify ways to avoid further delays.

Thank you.

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

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič met via video conference, along with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, and Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris met via video conference today to discuss the work on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland since their last meeting on 9 January.

The two sides discussed the range of existing challenges over the last two years and the need to find solutions together to tackle comprehensively the real-life concerns of all communities in Northern Ireland and protect both Northern Ireland’s place in the UK’s internal market and the integrity of the EU’s Single Market.

They agreed that this scoping work for potential solutions should continue in a constructive and collaborative spirit, taking careful account of each other’s legitimate interests.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 January 2023.

The UK has sanctioned with immediate effect Iran’s Prosecutor General, following the execution of British-Iranian dual national Alireza Akbari.

Alireza Akbari was executed by the Iranian regime earlier today – a politically motivated act which underlines this regime’s complete disregard for human life. Iran’s use of the death penalty accelerated in 2022, with a growing number of individuals put to death often after deeply flawed legal processes

Iran’s Prosecutor General, Mohammad Jafar Montazeri, is one of the most powerful figures in Iran’s judiciary and responsible for the trial process and the use of the death penalty.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The Prosecutor General is at the heart of Iran’s barbaric use of the death penalty for political ends. Sanctioning him today underlines our disgust at Alireza Akbari’s execution and our commitment to holding the regime to account for its appalling human rights violations.

While Montazeri has been Prosecutor General, the Iranian regime has also executed 4 individuals in relation to ongoing protests. In response to the brutal crackdown, the UK has imposed more than 40 new sanctions on the regime, including 6 individuals linked to the Revolutionary Courts who have been responsible for prosecuting protestors with egregious sentences including the death penalty.

The sanctions impose an asset freeze and UK travel ban on Jafar Motazeri and send a wider signal on the UK’s commitment to backing condemnation with action.

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

Ambassador Barbara Woodward speaks at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

Thank you President. And I join others in thanking Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing and welcoming among us H.E. Dzhaparova, the First Deputy Foreign Minister, and H.E. Gerwel, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs.

This is our first meeting on Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine since the 9th of December last year. Many of us have spent the time since then resting, recuperating, celebrating with family and preparing for the New Year.

Russia has spent that time bombing civilians, attacking Ukraine’s critical infrastructure, and attempting to seize Ukrainian territory –– as it did for most of last year.

Russia has continued to do this with the assistance of Belarus, and using weapons sourced from Iran and North Korea in violation of Security Council resolutions and with utter contempt for this Council.

President, millions of Ukrainians spent the holiday period sheltering from missile and drone attacks, sitting in the dark and the cold, and living as refugees, displaced persons, and prisoners; many of them thousands of miles away from their homes, families and loved ones.

As the Secretary-General said yesterday, this war has created a humanitarian and human rights catastrophe, traumatised a generation of children and accelerated the global food and energy crisis.

As a result, millions more across the world are facing another year of hunger and hardship caused by Russia’s war.

President, as many of us have said repeatedly, Russia can choose to end all this immediately: by stopping its attacks against Ukraine – not just for thirty-six hours, but for good – and by withdrawing its forces from Ukraine.

While Russia’s assault continues, however, Ukraine has no choice but to exercise its right to defend itself.

But, like the rest of us, what Ukraine wants is a just and sustainable peace. We support Ukraine’s initiative to this end.

We join the international community in again calling for an end to the war, which respects Ukraine’s rights under international law and the UN Charter, so that this year, may be a year of peace.

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

Colombia and the UK renewed their “Partnership for Sustainable Growth”, to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and to promote sustainable, low carbon and nature-positive development.

• The Partnership focuses on halting and reversing deforestation, implementing a just and ambitious energy transition, and promoting the sustainable use of biodiversity, with a commitment to supporting local communities across the country. This next phase of the Partnership will also expand to include new and vital areas of collaboration, including halting biodiversity loss in land and marine ecosystems, whilst also ensuring participation and mainstreaming of gender and social inclusion.
• The UK also announced two new innovative projects to empower indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in Colombia. Working with WWF, the UK will accompany IPLCs to enable them to harness the international carbon markets and maximise the opportunities they provide. The UK will also join a project led by GAIA Foundation to support the official recognition of Indigenous Local Governments in the Amazon.

Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, 7 November 2022 James Cleverly, the United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary, was joined by his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Leyva, Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Lord Zac Goldsmith, and the Colombian Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Susana Muhamad, to renew the UK-Colombia Partnership for Sustainable Growth. Both countries pledged to continue their innovative work on climate change, while deepening their collaboration to protect key land and marine ecosystems.

The UK-Colombia Partnership for Sustainable Growth, an ambitious agreement signed in 2019, is a strong example of how bilateral collaboration can address the socio environmental challenges of climate change through a cross-cutting agenda that includes forests and biodiversity protection, renewable energy, sustainable mobility and infrastructure, as well as sustainable livelihoods and mobilising finance for climate and nature.

Recognising the need to jointly address the biodiversity and climate crisis, both countries will deepen their bilateral cooperation on climate change and increase efforts to protect and restore nature and biodiversity in land and marine ecosystems.

This will include further work on the illegal wildlife trade, ocean pollution and forest and marine protection, with gender and social inclusion integrated at all stages, including recognising the central role played by indigenous people and local communities in nature conservation.

Building on the important work carried out to-date, the UK is pleased to announce that, from early 2023, we will also start working with WWF Colombia to empower indigenous communities and help them to harness and maximise opportunities from international carbon markets, ensuring fair processes and best practices.

A second project with GAIA has also been confirmed, which seeks to support the official recognition of Indigenous Local Governments in the Amazon, who are currently protecting 11 million hectares of forest and promote improved conditions.

Commenting on the renewal of the UK Colombia Partnership for Sustainable Growth, James Cleverly, the United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary, commented:

The UK and Colombia are working closely together to prevent deforestation, promote a just energy transition and protect Colombia’s incredible biodiversity. I’m delighted to renew the UK Colombia Partnership for Sustainable Growth today to deepen that co-operation even further, on one of the greatest shared challenges we face.

Lord Zac Goldsmith, Minister of State for Overseas Territories, Commonwealth, Energy, Climate and Environment, said:

Colombia is one of the most beautiful places I know and for me it is very important to be here with you at COP27 and to be able to make this Alliance. The Amazon is wonderful, we must protect the paramos, its frailejones and its important water production.

The Colombian Minister, Susana Muhamad, also commented:

The United Kingdom is a strategic ally to focus on the defence of the Amazon and create a new face for this program that seeks to stop deforestation in our country.

The renewed Partnership for Sustainable Growth sets out a clear roadmap for UK Colombian cooperation on climate and nature during President Gustavo Petro’s administration with defined priorities from both countries.

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

Ahead of a Security Council meeting on Afghanistan, the signatories to the Women, Peace and Security Shared Commitments delivered the following statement.

Today the Council convenes to discuss the situation in Afghanistan. We, the Security Council signatories of the Statement of Shared Commitments for the principles of Women, Peace, and Security (WPS), Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, France, Gabon, Japan, Malta, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom, and in its national capacity, the United States, have come together to express grave concern regarding the critical situation of women and girls in Afghanistan. We urge the Taliban to immediately reverse all oppressive measures against women and girls, adhere to their commitments set out in UNSC 2593 and respect the rights of women and girls, and their full, equal and meaningful participation and inclusion across all aspects of society in Afghanistan, from political and economic, to education and public space.

Such measures include the banning of Afghan women from working in national and international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Afghanistan, as well as excluding women and girls from universities and secondary schools. Other restrictions have also been put in place limiting women and girls’ ability to exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms. They are contrary to Afghanistan’s obligations as party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

Women are central and critical to operations to relieve the dire humanitarian situation. They have unique expertise and access to populations their male colleagues cannot reach, providing critical life-saving support to women and girls. Without their participation in aid delivery in Afghanistan and their essential expertise, NGOs will be unable to reach those most in need, in particular women and girls, to provide lifesaving materials and services. We reiterate the Council’s demand on all parties to allow full, safe and unhindered access for humanitarian actors regardless of gender. Moreover, a stable, economically viable, and peaceful Afghanistan is only attainable and sustainable if all Afghans, including women and girls, have access to and receive education, and fully, equally, and meaningfully participate in and contribute to the country’s future and development in line with UNSC Resolutions 1325, 2593, and 2626.

As the mandate renewal of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) approaches, we reaffirm our strong support for UNAMA, not least in their valuable contribution to gender equality, the empowerment and protection of women and girls, the full protection of their human rights, including education, work, and their freedom of movement. The full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in all levels and stages of decision-making and governance processes in Afghanistan is necessary for achieving an inclusive political dialogue and participatory governance.

The situation of women and girls in Afghanistan must remain high on the agenda of the Security Council, and we will continue to closely monitor the developments on the ground and respond accordingly. As Council members, we stand with all women and girls in Afghanistan and reaffirm our commitment to prioritizing their rights and needs during our discussions.

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

Joint statement by the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights between the European Commission and UK government:

The 11th meeting of the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights was held on 17 November 2022 in London, co-chaired by officials from the European Commission and the UK government. A number of representatives from EU member states were also in attendance. The Committee was established by the Withdrawal Agreement to monitor the implementation and application of the Citizens’ Rights part of the Agreement, which protects EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU, and their eligible family members.

The EU and the UK discussed the implementation and application of the Citizens’ Rights part of the Withdrawal Agreement. The meeting also allowed both sides to take stock of any outstanding issues.

During the meeting, issues related to residency schemes were discussed.

The EU raised concerns about UK rules on temporary protection for applicants who apply after the deadline and took note that in such cases the UK ensures, under its one-step approach, that certificates of application are issued as soon as a valid application is made, in the same way as for in-time applications. The EU also reiterated its position that those late applicants who are ultimately granted residence status should be treated as lawfully resident in the period between the application deadline and granting of the status.

The EU also enquired about the impact of imprisonment on the ability of EU citizens with pre–settled status to acquire settled status and would share further legal arguments in support of its position that the break of continuity of residence should not affect Withdrawal Agreement status. The EU reiterated its other longstanding concerns related to delays in issuance of residence documents and entry visas and asked the UK about consumer protection rules available to EU citizens and their family members who have been wrongly denied boarding by carriers.

Both parties also had an exchange of views on absence rules.

The UK expressed concern about difficulties UK nationals have experienced evidencing status due to the slow issuance of residence documents in a member state and asked the Commission to do more on this issue. The UK raised the issue of UK nationals who have experienced issues transiting through the Schengen Area and asked the Commission to ensure relevant Annexes of the Schengen Borders Code are updated.

The UK also raised its other longstanding concern, namely non-compliant residence processes in some EU member states.

The UK raised issues encountered by family members of UK nationals protected by the Withdrawal Agreement and took note of a review of the implementation of family reunification processes in all member states, presented by the European Commission. The other concerns raised by the UK were difficulties drawing on multiple statuses, the need for detailed statistics on residence applications in member states and equal treatment.

The UK’s Independent Monitoring Authority, established under Article 159(1) of the Withdrawal Agreement, and the European Commission presented their respective Annual Reports, adopted in accordance with Article 159(2) of the Withdrawal Agreement.

External representatives from civil society organisations, representing EU citizens living in the UK and UK nationals living in the EU, attended the meeting of the Committee and asked questions about the implementation and application of Part 2 of the Withdrawal Agreement in the EU and the UK, in conformity with the rules of procedure of the Specialised Committee.

The EU and the UK reaffirmed their commitment to protecting citizens’ rights in accordance with the obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement.

The EU and the UK agreed to meet again in spring 2023.