Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 January 2023.

On his first visit to the region since his appointment as the UK Minister for the Middle East, Lord Ahmad will visit the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) to understand the challenges facing Palestinians, reinforcing the importance of the bilateral relationship and see first-hand the impact of UK development and humanitarian support in the West Bank. He will engage with the Palestinian Authority leadership, the Palestinian public, faith leaders, young people and meet with inspiring Palestinians working to create thriving and profitable businesses.

During his visit Lord Ahmad will meet with key humanitarian partners and announce £3.7m of additional funding to UNRWA to support food assistance to 1.2 million of the most vulnerable Palestinian refugees in Gaza.

During his time in the Old City of Jerusalem, Lord Ahmad will tour Haram Al Sharif and meet with Sheikh Azzam Al Khatib Al Tamimi, Director General of Islamic Endowments in Jerusalem. He will also visit the Christian and Jewish Quarters of the city where he will reiterate the importance of the Status Quo and Jordanian custodianship over the Holy Sites in Jerusalem.

Lord Ahmad will also visit Hebron to hear about the impact of Israeli settler violence on Palestinian residents and visit an UNRWA school where he will meet with students and hear how UK aid supports the education of Palestinian boys and girls.

The Minister will visit the Royal Plastics Factory in Hebron to understand the challenges and opportunities for Palestinian businesses and see how the UK’s technical assistance programmes and diplomatic engagement are helping to support economic development. In a separate engagement he will also discuss what more the UK could do to unlock the potential of Palestinian companies with key businesspeople.

In Masafer Yatta in the South Hebron Hills, Lord Ahmad will see the impact of UK aid on vulnerable Palestinians living in Area C, who are facing the threat of eviction and demolition of their homes. He will reiterate the UK’s opposition to evictions and demolitions, which are illegal under international law in all but the most exceptional circumstances.

During the Minister’s engagements with representatives from the United Nations, Lord Ahmad will discuss the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the OPTs and reiterate the UK’s longstanding support to UNRWA which provides essential services to Palestinian refugees across the region.

The Minister’s own interest in theology and work to promote freedom of religion and belief will be channelled into informal discussions with religious leaders and key thinkers to discuss the contribution of interfaith dialogue towards conflict resolution.

Lord Ahmad is scheduled to hold a series of bilateral meetings with the Palestinian Authority to reiterate the UK’s continued support for the Palestinian people and for a negotiated two-state solution, based on 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as a shared capital, as the only way to ensure a just and lasting peace.

Ahead of his visit, Lord Ahmad said:

“My visit comes at a difficult but important time for the Palestinian people, and I want to re-emphasise UK support to the Palestinian people and our unwavering commitment to a negotiated two-state solution as the only means of ending this conflict.

“Visits to various parts of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem will allow me to witness first-hand the challenges facing Palestinians as well as to see the impact of UK funding to some of the most vulnerable.

“I look forward to discussing UK-Palestinian relations with a wide range of interlocutors over the coming days.”

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 January 2023.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 January 2023.

The British Embassy in Beirut categorically rejects the unsubstantiated, erroneous and misleading claims made in a report on UK support for the IMPACT project published by Al Akhbar on 9 January 2023. We are and remain proud of our contribution to anti-corruption efforts in Lebanon, including the important work of the IMPACT platform, Central Inspection and Judge George Attieh.

The British Embassy agreed a Memorandum of Understanding with Central Inspection on 20 August 2021 which detailed our Governance, Oversight, & Accountability Project. The Lebanese government mentioned the project in their financial plan issued on 30 April 2020. This project consists of technical assistance to Central Inspection. Despite baseless accusations, the project complies with the highest international standards for data protection and security using industry-leading providers.

We were disappointed that Al Akhbar’s editors did not contact us for comment ahead of publishing the article. This would have allowed us to correct a number of factual errors and misunderstandings.

IMPACT’s work is ground-breaking and the first of its kind in Lebanon. Improving access to e-governance provides much-needed transparency and accountability. IMPACT’s high profile achievements include enabling the COVID vaccine roll out and the World Bank Social Safety Net.

The UK is clear that Lebanon’s leaders should focus on establishing a government to deliver meaningful reforms, including to secure an IMF deal. This is a vital step to alleviate the economic crisis and improve the lives of the Lebanese people. We have consistently called out corruption in Lebanon’s governance systems, most recently in an article co-signed by G7 Ambassadors together with the EU Ambassador last month to mark World Anti-Corruption day. We will continue to work with our international partners in support of programmes and institutions committed to combatting corruption and promoting transparency, both of which are fundamental to a better future for Lebanon.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 January 2023.

Ambassador James Kariuki speaks at the UN Security Council meeting on West Africa and the Sahel.

Thank you, President. I am grateful to our briefers for their presentations. I also thank former SRSG Mahamat Saleh Annadif for his dedicated service.

President, I will make three points focusing on democracy, security and humanitarian issues.

First, the United Kingdom is concerned by the democratic backsliding, and the shrinking of civic space, that the region experienced in 2022. We urge progress towards the restoration of constitutional governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea within agreed timeframes. We commend ECOWAS and African Union efforts to make this happen.

2023 will be an important year for democracy in West Africa with Presidential elections in Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Liberia. UNOWAS has an important role to play, including through its good offices. The United Kingdom welcomes the focus we have heard today on boosting women’s participation in these processes.

Second, President, there has been a clear deterioration in the security situation in the region –– notably in Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin. We share concerns raised today about the risk of instability spreading to the coastal states.

President, we cannot ignore the destabilising role the Wagner Group plays in the region. They are part of the problem, not the solution.

Tackling the region’s security challenges requires a holistic response. This includes the need to recognise the security impact of climate change, which multiplies the threats faced by vulnerable populations, for example, through changes in rainfall patterns.

We welcome UNOWAS’s efforts to enhance coherence and coordination, including by supporting the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel and the Accra Initiative. UNOWAS must use its new mandate to focus on tackling the root causes of conflict.

For our part, the United Kingdom is building our bilateral cooperation through security dialogues with Ghana and Nigeria. And we are enhancing multilateral cooperation through the UN Development Programme’s Regional Stabilisation Facility.

Third, the humanitarian situation in the Sahel remains dire, compounded by rising prices and floods. The United Kingdom remains committed to our humanitarian efforts in the region. We call on all actors to ensure full cooperation as well as safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance.

In closing, President, we look forward to UNOWAS’s mandate renewal and the appointment of a new SRSG so that the Office can continue to support regional efforts towards peace and prosperity. Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 January 2023.

On 9 January 2023, the UK Government and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand (SEC Thailand) signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Financial Services to further strengthen their partnership in the financial sector.

The MoU aims to promote inclusive economic growth and support Thailand on the transition towards low carbon and sustainable economy. It builds on the previous MoU under which the two parties have been collaborating for the past few years.

Under the previous MoU, the UK and the SEC Thailand worked together with the UK providing technical assistance in areas including accounting standards, the development of financial technology (FinTech) ecosystem, sustainable finance such as green bonds and climate risk disclosure for listed companies, e-Know Your Customer (e-KYC) and cybersecurity.

The new MOU will focus on supporting Thailand to further develop the regulatory environment for the FinTech sector, promote sustainable finance, and increase awareness of sustainable investment in Thailand and other ASEAN countries.

The cooperation will be funded by the UK’s ASEAN Economic Reform Programme and the UK’s Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions Programme, which support knowledge and expertise sharing, and regular practices on financial technology and sustainable finance.

Ms. Ruenvadee Suwanmongkol, Secretary-General of SEC Thailand, said:

FinTech and sustainable finance are key areas emphasized by SEC Thailand. We strongly believe that the new MoU with the UK Government will support the enhancement of the financial ecosystem as well as promote the development for inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Recognising the partnership, Mark Gooding, His Majesty’s Ambassador to Thailand, said:

Financial services are a key driver of the modern economy. We are proud to take another step in our long-time partnership with SEC Thailand with a particular focus on the cutting edge of finance: FinTech and sustainability.

The press release issued by the Home Office on 9 January 2023.

A £36 million Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Intervention Fund and new guidance will tackle domestic abuse and stalking.

The Home Office has committed up to £18 million per year over 2 years towards the next phase of the Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Intervention Fund, bringing the total fund to £36 million.

Police and crime commissioners (PCCs) will be given funding to increase the availability of domestic abuse perpetrator intervention schemes in their areas, such as behaviour change programmes, that aim to improve victim safety and reduce the risk posed by abusers.

Since 2020 the Home Office has awarded over £41 million to PCCs across England and Wales.

Minister for Safeguarding Sarah Dines said:

I am fully committed to tackling domestic abuse and protecting victims from suffering the lasting impacts of these horrific crimes.

Our vital Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Intervention Fund allows police forces to intervene early, and work with perpetrators to change their behaviour and reduce the risk they pose, in order to protect victims.

Previous iterations of the Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Intervention Fund have funded schemes such as the Drive Project, which works with high harm and serial perpetrators to prevent them from abusing again.

Recent evaluation from the Drive Project has shown that participation from dangerous perpetrators resulted in a reduction in abuse and risk amongst users of the service, with 82% fewer perpetrators using physical abuse.

Today (9 January 2023) the Home Office has also published 7 standards which provide commissioners with the guidance they need to commission effective interventions with perpetrators, whilst also ensuring that victims’ safety and welfare remains paramount. These have been created based on existing evidence of perpetrator interventions.

The standards outline the need for interventions to be conducted at the right time and by highly skilled staff. They also outline the importance of holding the perpetrator accountable for their actions, and highlight that the priority outcomes for such interventions should be enhanced safety and freedom for victims and survivors.

The publication of the standards and launch of the Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Intervention Fund is part of the government’s commitment to tackle domestic abuse, as laid out in the Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan.

The plan signifies the government’s continuous efforts to tackle domestic abuse through prioritising prevention, supporting victims, pursuing perpetrators, and building a stronger system. In addition, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 gave clearer guidance as to what constitutes domestic abuse and provides stronger protection for victims of domestic abuse.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 January 2023.

Explanation of vote by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the adoption of Security Council resolution on cross-border aid in Syria.

Thank you, President. The UK welcomes the confirmation of the UN’s cross-border mandate, which will continue to provide lifesaving assistance to those in need in North West Syria.

We also strongly welcome the unity of Council in their clear support for this humanitarian lifeline, and thank Switzerland, Brazil, Ireland and Norway for their leadership.

4.1 million Syrians rely on the food, medical supplies and other humanitarian products that the mechanism provides. For now, they can breathe a sigh of relief – in the knowledge that this support will continue. But we must ensure that we provide more certainty to them – and to those UN and NGO workers who serve them.

The humanitarian community consistently warns that shorter mandates result in a perpetual cycle of contingency planning, which limits the capacity to help those in need. The Secretary-General has been clear – the humanitarian imperative demands a 12 month mandate. Let that humanitarian call be the guiding principle of our future discussions..

We are pleased that, today, the Council has played its role in supporting the Syrian people. But the people of Syria deserve more. A genuine political process, in line with Security Council Resolution 2254, is the only sustainable means of ending the suffering for the people of Syria.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 January 2023.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has summoned Iran’s most senior diplomat after the regime executed two more protestors.

Mohammad Mahdi Karami and Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini were executed by the Iranian authorities over the weekend, prompting widespread international condemnation. The UN responded to the executions by saying they followed ‘unfair trials based on forced confessions’.

The UK has repeatedly called on the regime to end the use of the death penalty, both publicly and directly with Iranian officials.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Today I have summoned the Iranian Chargé d’Affaires to condemn in the strongest possible terms the abhorrent executions we witnessed over the weekend.

The Iranian regime must end its campaign of brutal repression and start listening to the concerns of its people.

Stephen Hickey, Director Middle East and North Africa at the FCDO, held the meeting with Mehdi Hosseini Matin and underlined the UK’s opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances.

Since the death of Mahsa Amini, the UK has imposed more than 40 human rights sanctions including on leading political, judicial and security officials in Iran, for their role in serious human rights violations.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 January 2023.

Vice President Šefčovič met Foreign Secretary Cleverly and Northern Ireland Secretary Heaton-Harris in London on 9 January. They took stock of work to find joint solutions to the concerns raised by businesses and communities in Northern Ireland. The meeting was cordial and constructive.

They underlined the EU and UK’s shared commitment to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its parts, while protecting the integrity of both the EU Single Market and the UK internal market.

They agreed that while a range of critical issues need to be resolved to find a way forward, an agreement was reached today on the way forward regarding the specific question of the EU’s access to UK IT systems.

They noted this work was a critical prerequisite to building trust and providing assurance, and provided a new basis for EU-UK discussions.

EU and UK technical teams will work rapidly to scope the potential for solutions in different areas on the basis of this renewed understanding, and the Foreign Secretary, the Northern Ireland Secretary and Vice President Šefčovič would take stock of progress on 16 January.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 January 2023.

UK and international partners join a conference co-hosted by Pakistan and the UN in Geneva to help garner support for Pakistan’s flooding response and recovery.

• Minister Andrew Mitchell will announce funding package at international conference in Geneva
• British support will provide water, sanitation, cash, and shelter, on top of funding already pledged to boost climate resilience and adaptation
• More than 17,000 households in Pakistan have already been helped with clean water and healthcare
• The UK’s Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launched a Pakistan Appeal last September, which has had an amazing response from the British people with over £40 million raised, including £5m of UK Aid Match funding. This money will fund leading UK aid charities which are providing emergency relief on the ground

The UK and its international partners will today (Monday 9 January) join forces to support Pakistan rebuild and recover from the unprecedented floods last summer that affected tens of thousands of people.

Pakistan and the UN are jointly hosting a conference in Geneva to help raise support for the country’s recovery and reconstruction.

Last year, Pakistan was on the front line of the impact of climate change when catastrophic flooding swept away homes and livelihoods, leaving 20 million in need of humanitarian assistance.

It is estimated the country will need around $16 billion for the next three to five years to rebuild the devastation.

The UK, one of the first countries to respond to the disaster, is today allocating over £9 million from its Pakistan budget to help tackle the impact of the flooding, bringing the total it has now committed to the humanitarian response to £36 million.

This new allocation will help provide those most in need with essential services, and will also support the Government to plan for a climate resilient future. Support from the UK is providing water, sanitation, and hygiene to help prevent waterborne diseases, as well as nutrition to tackle malnutrition, cash support, shelter and protection services for women and girls.

This funding is in addition to support the UK has already pledged for climate resilience and adaptation in Pakistan.

Andrew Mitchell will speak at the conference, co-hosted by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and UN Secretary General António Guterres.

Andrew Mitchell is expected to say:

I visited Pakistan following the 2010 floods and saw the devastating impact on some of the world’s most vulnerable people. We stood by Pakistan then, as we do now.

He will also say

Looking to the future, it is crucial to build defences against weather-related disasters, as our changing climate puts us more and more at risk. This is why the UK will help Pakistan to adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change.