Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 December 2022.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 December 2022.

Statement from Norway, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the UK and the USA:

Members of the Quad and Troika (Norway, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States) welcome the agreement of an initial political framework. This is an essential first step toward establishing a civilian-led government and defining constitutional arrangements to guide Sudan through a transitional period culminating in elections. We commend the parties’ efforts to garner support for this framework agreement from a broad range of Sudanese actors and their call for continued, inclusive dialogue on all issues of concern and cooperation to build the future of Sudan.

We urge all Sudanese actors to engage in this dialogue urgently and in good faith. We acknowledge the military has made clear it is ready to step back from politics and engage constructively in the ongoing dialogue. We call on all parties to put Sudan’s national interest above narrow political ends. We also fully support the UNITAMS-AU-IGAD (the Tripartite Mechanism) role in facilitating these negotiations and call on all parties to do the same. Quad and Troika members support this Sudanese-led process and condemn spoilers attempting to restrict political space and undermine Sudan’s stability and democratic transition.

A concerted effort to finalize negotiations and reach agreement quickly to form a new civilian-led government is essential to address Sudan’s urgent political, economic, security, and humanitarian challenges. This is the key to unlocking the resumption of international development assistance and deeper cooperation between the government of Sudan and international partners. We are working with partners to coordinate significant economic support to a civilian-led transitional government to help address the challenges facing the people of Sudan.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 5 December 2022.

The British Foreign Secretary, The Rt. Hon. James Cleverly MP, has announced the appointment of Dr Christian Turner CMG to a senior diplomatic position in London as Director General Geopolitical (Political Director) at the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). This is a position equivalent to Under Secretary of State.

Currently serving as the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, a position he has held since December 2019, Christian Turner is expected to depart the country and take up his new role in London by mid-January 2023. This follows the end of a standard three year diplomatic posting.

Over his three years as High Commissioner, Christian Turner oversaw the UK’s COVID-19 repatriation efforts, welcomed a UK Foreign Secretary visit, lobbied for and secured direct flights from the UK to Pakistan, initiated a drive to double UK-Pakistan trade by 2025, ensured that the UK was at the forefront of the international Pakistan flood crisis response and played a pivotal role in the promotion of sports diplomacy and the return of the England Men’s cricket team to Pakistan following a 17 year absence.

The British High Commissioner, Christian Turner, said the following:

The last three years have been some of the most rewarding of my life, both professionally and personally. I will continue closely to follow Pakistan’s future in my new role in London.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 December 2022.

• life-saving healthcare, water, food and climate-change protection to help half a million people, was announced during a visit to Somalia by the UK Minister for Development
• Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP, in his first visit in his new role, pledged the emergency support in response to the country’s devastating drought
• this funding package also includes international partnerships with Germany and Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief)

The UK is providing vital aid to Somalia in response to its growing risk of famine – as climate change threatens to make such crises more frequent.

Andrew Mitchell, the UK Minister for Development, announced the new support on a visit to Somalia – his first overseas visit since his appointment.

The funding will tackle drought, food insecurity, gender-based violence and boost climate resilience, reaching over 480,000 of the country’s most vulnerable people. New funding will also help Somali troops in their fight against al-Shabaab.

The humanitarian crisis in Somalia continues to worsen, with 300,000 people projected to be in famine by the end of the year and 1.8 million children at risk of malnutrition.

The UK is working with the UN and NGO partners to address this humanitarian crisis, providing life-saving health and nutrition support, cash transfers to buy food, safe drinking water, and ensuring those displaced by drought will receive emergency assistance shelter.

The funding will also protect children from violence and exploitation and provide women subject to gender-based violence with mental health support.

The Minister for Development, Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP said:

Somalia faces one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with millions of people in desperate need of aid, including over half a million children under 5 years old who are at risk of death.

I visited Somalia in 2011 at the height of famine and I was appalled by the loss of life.

The UK is committed to providing urgent support to the most vulnerable who are in the most desperate need. But we cannot act alone. The international community needs to do all it can to stop famine, and also to help the country be better prepared for such disasters in the future.

During the 2-day visit to Somalia, Minister Mitchell met Somalia’s President and other government figures, as well as partners, to discuss how to meet immediate humanitarian needs, and better prepare for future crises such as extreme weather.

He also witnessed first-hand the impact of the drought on vulnerable populations.

Working with international partners and NGOs, the UK is stepping up humanitarian efforts to meet the most immediate needs while better equipping Somalia for future crises.

The UK has deepened its relationship with Saudi Arabia to meet urgent humanitarian need. This new partnership with Saudi Arabia has seen £1.7 million of the UK’s humanitarian funding package matched by Saudi Arabia’s KSRelief. This will provide a boost to the World Food Programme and will go towards food security and famine prevention programming.

The UK is also expanding this work with partners including Germany and the World Bank to put in place innovative disaster risk finance and insurance arrangements, particularly towards agriculture investments and drought response. This is part of the World Bank’s Horn of Africa DRIVE project and will deliver long-term financial protection for Somali communities and help them be better prepared to deal with the impact of climate change.

Background

During his 2-day visit, Minister Andrew Mitchell confirmed:

• £6.7million in humanitarian aid funding which includes health, nutrition, water services, food security assistance and support for victims of gender based violence
• £1.7 million aid match funding with Saudi Arabia’s KS Relief fund that will go towards the World Food Programme
• £3.8 million (matched by Germany) as part of the Global Shield initiative for a programme combining support to improve the livelihoods of pastoralists with access to financial services and insurance against drought
• £3 million in funding which was previously announced at the UN General Assembly to support the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). This funding will increase the provision of support services to victims of emergency gender-based violence, and will provide sexual reproductive health support to women in new internally displaced person (IDP) sites. This funding plans to reach over 34,800 women
• £1.5 million to the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) trust fund to support Somali troops in the fight against al-Shabaab

This package of support takes the UK’s total humanitarian, health and nutrition funding for Somalia this financial year to nearly £61.2 million. The UK has committed to spending a total of £156 million in humanitarian support for crises in East Africa this financial year.

Roughly 50% of Somalia’s population require humanitarian aid with 300,000 people projected to be experiencing conditions akin to famine by the end of the year. When famine last occurred in Somalia more than 250,000 people died – the majority young children.

Conflict and climate extremes including flooding and drought are the key drivers of suffering in Somalia and the East Africa region.  There have been 5 successive failed rainy seasons and there are concerns for the upcoming March to May season. More than 68 million people in need of life-saving aid across the wider East Africa region.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 December 2022.

Canadian Ambassador Jocelyn Kinnear gave a statement at the 2022 OSCE Ministerial Council closing session, reaffirming full support for Georgia’s sovereignty.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 December 2022.

Ambassador Neil Bush condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and stresses that the OSCE and the European security architecture are worth fighting for.

Thank you Mr Chair, to you and your talented, committed team. And for your hospitality here in Łódź. In this testing year, we are grateful for your outstanding leadership and that of the Secretary General, the institutions and the hard working OSCE staff. You have all stood up for this institution. You have all stood up for the values and principles we have freely signed up to. And you have rightly realised that those who violate those principles and commitments should not be able to hide behind consensus or rules of procedures.

Russia’s unprovoked and barbaric invasion of Ukraine – supported by the Belarusian regime – has attempted to break the foundations of European security. Russia has violated the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act’s core principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the non-use of force. As the vast majority of OSCE States have expressed here in Łódź – these principles matter, this organisation matters and we will stand up to defend both. The OSCE and the European security architecture are worth fighting for.

As my Foreign Secretary said – if the OSCE was irrelevant or ineffectual it would not have been so systematically attacked by Russia. Russia forcibly ended the mandates of the Border Observation Mission, the Special Monitoring Mission, and the Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine. This unilateral and destructive behaviour was designed to blunt the tools of the organisation. But, Mr Chair, we have united under your leadership. We have innovated. And we have ensured the OSCE’s toolkit – designed to make us all safer and more secure – has remained both relevant and effective. By using the OSCE’s military transparency measures, we exposed Russian and Belarussian lies, false promises and ill-intent towards their sovereign neighbour. We deployed the Moscow Mechanism to shine a spotlight on the atrocities committed by Russian forces in Ukraine and to support accountability. We are proud to contribute to the OSCE’s Support Programme for Ukraine – an innovation which shows that the OSCE will not be held to ransom.

As we stand united with Ukraine, we must not forget the state of human rights within the Russian Federation and Belarus. Internal repression and external aggression are two sides of the same coin – when a State places a stranglehold on the freedoms of its own people – it sets the conditions for, and enables, aggression abroad. Mr Chair, we should thank our predecessors for understanding that human rights and fundamental freedoms sit at the core of our collective security. They were right. Our job – day in and day out – is to continue to defend and advance those crucial rights and freedoms.

Yesterday Russia spoke about confrontation. Ironic for a country which has invaded Georgia in 2008, illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 and then launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February this year. In parallel, Russia has vainly tried to frustrate and disrupt the work of the OSCE. We have shown once again in Łódź – that no one is fooled. We will uphold the rules because they are the foundation of the security of every State in this room.

We offer our full support to North Macedonia as incoming Chair. We are under no illusions. Their task will also be a challenging one, but we are fully committed in our support. We stand by Ukraine. We stand by the OSCE. And we stand by the foundations and values of the European security architecture. That is why we are here.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 December 2022.

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverley says the disaster in Ukraine will only end when Russia halts its barbaric war and withdraws fully and unconditionally.

Thank you, Foreign Minister Rau.

The tragic events of this year have shown the enduring value of the OSCE as a forum for dialogue, transparency, and confidence-building. Everything the OSCE does is based on the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the non-use of force. These are the foundation stones of peace in our continent.

Last year in Stockholm, the UK and many other countries warned Russia that any attack on Ukraine would be a ‘strategic mistake’. And yet, on 24 February, Russia – with the support of Belarus – invaded Ukraine.

Our Ukrainian friends fought back with courage and tenacity, defeating Russian forces at the gates of Kyiv, repelling them from Kharkiv, and now expelling the aggressor from Kherson. Is there anyone anywhere – even in the abodes of the guilty – who would still doubt that Russia’s aggression was a strategic mistake as well as a crime?

The reports of the Moscow Mechanism have detailed the atrocities of Russia’s armed forces in Ukraine, including torture, executing civilians, unlawful detention and enforced disappearances, and countless other breaches of international humanitarian law.

No wonder that Russia tried to conceal these outrages, including by blocking the mandate renewal of the OSCE’s Border Observer Mission and the Special Monitoring Mission, by frustrating the work of OSCE human rights institutions, and stopping civil society meetings with all 57 states. The UK supports the continued OSCE presence in Ukraine and welcomes the efforts to ensure this continues. We commend the work of OSCE staff throughout the whole OSCE region who have been working in challenging circumstances this past year.

This disaster will only end when Russia halts its barbaric war and withdraws its forces fully and unconditionally from the territory of Ukraine. Until that day comes, the UK will stand with Ukraine and provide humanitarian, economic, diplomatic and military support until our friends prevail – as they inevitably will – and their brave country is free once more.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 November 2022.

• Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office staff marking 150th anniversary of famous fixture by playing Scotland v England games around the world
• granddaughter of football legend Jack Charlton amongst those pulling on their boots to celebrate the world’s first international football match
• diplomats working overseas in countries including Bahrain, British Virgin Islands, Malaysia, Mozambique, Poland and Serbia celebrate with St Andrew’s Day kickabouts 150 years on from first ever Scotland v England friendly

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office staff around the world have been marking the 150th anniversary of the first ever football international on St Andrew’s Day by holding their own Scotland v England matches.

The granddaughter of football legend Jack Charlton will line-up for England in a charity match organised by staff at the FCDO’s joint HQ, Abercrombie House, in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire this Sunday (4 December).

Kate Wilkinson moved to Scotland 6 years ago to work as a Syria programme manager for FCDO and is looking forward starring in the staff Scotland v England clash, which is raising funds jointly for the East Kilbride Community Trust and Women’s Aid South Lanarkshire and East Renfrewshire.

Diplomats working overseas in countries including Bahrain, the British Virgin Islands, Malaysia, Mozambique, Poland and Serbia are also celebrating the historic fixture’s 150th birthday.

The fixture is celebrated as the world’s first international football match after Scotland and England drew 0-0 in front of 4,000 spectators at the West of Scotland Cricket Ground, in Glasgow, on 30 November 1872.

World Cup winning defender Jack, who died aged 85 in 2020 after a battle with lymphoma, made his mark on the famous fixture.

Leeds-born Kate, 28, said:

My grandad loved England v Scotland games and used to joke to fans that if he had not got injured in the famous 1967 match, Scotland would never have won 3-2.

There were no substitutes allowed back then so my grandad was forced to hobble around as a striker for most of the match after breaking his toe early on. He still managed to score a goal.

I’m very much looking forward to helping celebrate the 150th anniversary of the fixture, although I’ve told my team not to expect much from me- I’ve got 2 left feet!

Funnily enough, the Charlton soccer skills did not pass down from either Jack or Bobby to the rest of the family. There was no danger of me being part of the England Lioness’ Euro winning side this summer.

I think my grandad must have taken one look at me and my siblings playing when we were younger and thought ‘Gosh, what on earth has happened here?’.

I’m sure once my team have seen me play, they will decide I’d be better cheering them on to victory from the touchline. It’s a great chance for us to raise money for good causes.

Almost 1,000 staff are at the heart of delivering UK foreign policy from the FCDO’s joint HQ in Scotland – with plans to redeploy a further 500 jobs to the East Kilbride site as part of the UK government’s levelling-up agenda.

Sunday’s fundraiser is taking place at the K-Training Academy in East Kilbride at 4pm.

East Kilbride Community Trust Facilities Manager Ian Aitchison said:

It is fantastic that the FCDO is marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of international football by holding Scotland v England games around the world.

Ideally, Scotland would have been facing England this week at the World Cup, but we are proud to be part of this event in East Kilbride.

Scots diplomat Euan Davidson and English colleague Freddie Brunt skippered the sides for a Scotland v England 6-a-side match in Maputo, Mozambique on Sunday. The Dark Blues triumphed 9-5.

Euan beamed:

It was a great game for the neutral, with England regaining the lead in the last 10 minutes before Scotland came back to secure a historic win.

What the Scottish players lacked in fitness, skills and ability, we made up for with some creative signings, drawing on Mozambicans, Brazilians and Dutch players to score all our goals!

Freddie said:

It was a topsy-turvy game played in true British conditions – windy and wet. Scotland were leading, England came back, but then we tired and Scotland ran away with it.

I suppose the Scotland win will soften the blow of them not having a team to cheer on at the World Cup… unlike England and Wales.

Staff in Warsaw, Poland braved snow and sub-zero temperatures to play their game, while in Belgrade, Serbia diplomats Lara Bryden and Thomas Wright had fun contesting a Scotland v England Subbuteo game during a St Andrew’s Day event held at the British Embassy. Their match finished 1-1.

The FCDO is also celebrating St Andrew’s Day around the world – with Scottish Secretary Alister Jack travelling to Paris on a 2-day trip to promote Scottish trade with France.

The Secretary of State will meet UK and French businesses, as well as government ministers, diplomatic staff, parliamentarians, senators and British community leaders. He will visit Chanel, to see how they are using Harris Tweed and other Scottish materials in their latest range, and will also jointly host a St Andrew’s night dinner with the British Ambassador to France, Dame Menna Rawlings.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 November 2022.

UK explanation of vote at the Security Council adoption on the mandate of the 1540 Committee.

Thank you Mr President.

We voted in favour of this resolution, as the United Kingdom is steadfast in its commitment to preventing the proliferation of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons and their means of delivery. Resolution 1540 remains a key pillar of the non-proliferation framework. We call on all states to implement their obligations under Resolution 1540 in full.

We pay tribute to the Chair of the 1540 Committee and his team in guiding us through the review process and to a new ten-year mandate for the Committee. We thank the Group of Experts and its coordinator for their support to the Committee in its work.

The obligations set out in Resolution 1540 remain as relevant as ever, but the context in which states are implementing them has changed since 2004. We are disappointed that due to the resistance of one Council Member, this resolution did not go further in strengthening the 1540 Committee’s support to Member States as they implement the resolution, including on the important issue of proliferation finance.

We look forward to continued cooperation with all Council Members through the 1540 Committee. The risks of WMD proliferation to non-state actors are grave. Collectively, we must redouble our efforts to address them.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 November 2022.

The Foreign Secretary has announced a new package of 22 sanctions targeting officials who have promoted and enforced mobilisation in Russia.

• Deputy Prime Minister of Russian Federation and officials behind the forced mobilisation of citizens in Russia sanctioned
• Arkady Gostev, Director of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation, also sanctioned for supporting the recruitment of prisoners into Wagner Group
• The UK has now sanctioned over 1,200 individuals and over 120 entities in response to Putin’s war in Ukraine

The Foreign Secretary has today (Wednesday 30 November) announced a new package of 22 sanctions targeting the officials who have promoted and enforced the conscription of citizens to fight in Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine.

This includes the Deputy Prime Minister Denis Valentinovich Manturov, who is responsible for overseeing the Russian weapons industry and responsible for equipping mobilised troops.

10 governors and regional heads have also been sanctioned. This includes the heads of Dagestan, Ingushetia and Kalmykia – some of Russia’s poorest ethnic republics, from which a significant number of conscripts have been drawn. In July, the UK sanctioned 29 regional governors for their role in providing financial support to Russian proxy administrations in Ukraine.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The Russian regime’s decision to partially mobilise Russian citizens was a desperate attempt to overwhelm the valiant Ukrainians defending their territory. It has failed.

Today we have sanctioned individuals who have enforced this conscription, sending thousands of Russian citizens to fight in Putin’s illegal and abhorrent war.

The UK will continue to use both sanctions and military aid to support Ukraine in the defence of their independence.

Arkady Gostev, Director of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation and Dmitry Bezrukikh, the head of the Federal Punishment Service of the Rostov region, have also been sanctioned.

Bezrukikh and Gostev have reportedly worked closely with oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, ally of Putin and head of the Wagner Group, to fill the ranks of the mercenary gang that is supporting Russia’s army in Ukraine.

They have drafted criminals, including murderers and sex offenders, in exchange for pardons from President Putin – resulting in Bezrukikh’s region being dubbed ‘The Wagner Group recruitment hub’.

Also sanctioned today are Ella Pamfilova, chairperson of the Central Election Commission and Andrey Burov, head of the regional election commission in Rostov, who were both responsible for organising the sham referendums in the four temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine. Pamfilova has since actively supported Russia’s forced mobilisation.

The UK has continued to support Ukraine through delivering vital military equipment, as well as implementing targeted sanctions to undermine the Russian war machine.

The UK has committed over £2.3 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including most recently a package including 25 anti-aircraft guns and technology to counter deadly Iranian-supplied drones.

UK sanctions are also having a significant impact on Russia’s ability to maintain their war machine. Technology imports have forced them to mobilise Soviet-era tanks and use semiconductors from kitchen appliances to restock equipment. Recent Defence Intelligence has shown that Russia is likely removing nuclear warheads from ageing cruise missiles, and using them in Ukraine, as a desperate attempt to maintain their assault.