Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 December 2022.

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Chile, Iceland, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 December 2022.

Ambassador Neil Bush voices UK support for the High Commissioner’s mandate and urges the protection of national minorities in the face of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Thank you, Chair. Welcome back to the Permanent Council, High Commissioner Abrakhmanov. Dear Kairat, thank you for your update and report. The UK is grateful for the varied activities undertaken by your Office, including your visits to, and dialogues with, many participating States this year. We are supportive of your mandate and welcome your work and the work of your team in promoting human rights for all, including those belonging to national minorities. This is an integral part of security and an instrument of conflict prevention and early warning. High Commissioner, you have made the point before that, managed effectively, diversity is an asset – the UK is a firm believer in this principle.

As you report, we face a new reality due to the Russian Federation’s attempt to illegally annex sovereign territories of Ukraine. Today, 17.7 million people in Ukraine are assessed to be in humanitarian need. Europe faces the largest movement of refugees since the Second World War. As you have previously noted, prior to 24 February, Ukraine was ‘a country working to maintain the delicate balance between the interests and rights of all groups in society’. The Russian government used minority issues as a false pretext for its full-scale invasion. And it is the responsibility of every one of us to step up and respond.

The UK remains appalled by ongoing human rights abuses and violations in Crimea, especially those experienced by ethnic and religious minorities. Crimean Tatars in particular face regular harassment and risk arrest, arbitrary detentions, and threats to seize their property. The banning of the Mejlis Council, an integral part of the Crimean identity, is of great concern. Likewise, the Russian government’s systematic vandalism of Tatar heritage and restrictions on the use of and education in the Crimean Tatar language. This persecution has been ongoing since 2014, and has worsened following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), last year saw a ten-fold rise in arbitrary detentions. Like you, we are deeply concerned by reports that Crimean Tatars are being disproportionately targeted by Russian authorities for mobilisation into the Russian Armed Forces. And we too have been similarly concerned by reports that ethnic minorities inside Russia have been disproportionately affected by the mobilisation. We urge continued scrutiny on the human rights abuses and violations endured by Crimean Tatars and other ethnic and religious minorities at the hands of the Russian authorities.

We encourage all participating States to fully cooperate with you and your staff to enable you to fulfil your mandate without impediment throughout the whole of Ukraine, including areas temporarily under Russian control. We welcome your continued dialogue with representatives of national minorities in Ukraine, and for drawing our attention to the impact on their lives and physical safety, including their ability to maintain and continue expressing core aspects of their identity, such as in education and culture. We also welcome your dialogue with Ukrainian authorities and your support to the legislative and institutional framework on minority rights and related issues in Ukraine.

We have emphasised before that the UK values highly your Office’s research into the intersectionality of gender and national minorities. Women with a minority background face unique and multiple challenges. We fully support women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation, protection, and leadership in all aspects of public life, including in peace and security, and encourage further research in this area.

High Commissioner – to conclude – the UK is a strong supporter of your institution. It has a vital role in early warning and preventing conflict related to national minorities. We thank you and your dedicated team for all your work across the OSCE arena and will continue to follow your work with interest.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 December 2022.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has issued a statement on Peru’s new President.

The UK stands together with the people of Peru in support of their democracy. We welcome Dina Boluarte being sworn in as President of Peru, and her commitment to unity, inclusion and dialogue. We look forward to working with the President and her administration to help Peru advance sustainable and inclusive development in ways that respect human rights. Peru is an important partner and through our work together our two countries deliver more strongly across our shared interests.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 December 2022.

Over 1 million Ethiopians have been supported since April 2021 with £90 million of UK aid.

• Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has seen trucks set off today to deliver UK aid to parts of Ethiopia affected by drought and conflict, following peace talks and the reopening of humanitarian routes
• he has witnessed first-hand how UK aid this year has been supporting over 1 million Ethiopians facing drastic impacts of a perilous drought and conflict
• the Foreign Secretary is holding meetings with the Ethiopian government and promises UK support to the peace deal which paves the way for a stronger future partnership

UK-funded trucks carrying aid have been reaching Tigray, following a vital peace agreement made possible by effective international diplomacy.

After seeing trucks set off for northern Ethiopia today, the Foreign Secretary will tell the Ethiopian government that this is a symbolic moment which paves the way for a stronger future partnership, delivering lasting peace and safety, with an international community focused on saving Ethiopian lives.

The UK has previously led calls for a restoration of full aid access to Tigray, with millions cut off during the devastating two-year conflict.

The Foreign Secretary will see UK aid making a difference on the ground. Travelling to a region affected by both the conflict and drought, he will see vulnerable mothers and children treated for conditions including malnutrition and malaria at a mobile health clinic run by UK-funded partner UNICEF.

Over 1 million Ethiopians have been supported since April 2021 with £90 million of UK aid.

And now the UK is preparing to provide further support for Ethiopia’s peace process and longer term reforms to promote peace, justice and economic reform.

With almost 30 million in need of emergency aid in Ethiopia, collaborative action from the international community is paramount and so the Foreign Secretary is using his visit to discuss stepping up support across the international community, with meetings held with the UN, World Bank, African Development Bank and IMF.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The peace agreement signed in Ethiopia last month is bringing to an end 2 years of a conflict which caused immense suffering for the people of Ethiopia.

Success here is a vital step to addressing the urgent humanitarian needs, but also longer-term aims for prosperity and peace. Ethiopia can rely on the UK’s full support in its path to recovery and the international community must also get behind these efforts.

During his trip, the Foreign Secretary saw a sample of the huge impact UK aid has delivered in Ethiopia over the last 12 months.

Over 200,000 malnourished women and children have been provided with nutritious food, a similar number have received clean water, child protection services have reached 40,000 children affected by the conflict and provided emergency health supplies for 1 million people.

The Foreign Secretary recognises that there is more to be done. That’s why he’s rallying the international community, ensuring support for the peace deal and more humanitarian aid to deliver health, water, hygiene and nutrition for the 28.6 million people in need of assistance.

And in meetings with senior members of the Ethiopian government he will highlight UK assistance for survivors of sexual violence, strengthening of human rights and improved coordination of humanitarian efforts including better management of services such as water and education across the country which will save lives.

The Foreign Secretary is reiterating that the potential of the UK-Ethiopian partnership goes far beyond humanitarian support. Economic reforms can bring greater prosperity to both our countries, as is seen through the recent launch of Safaricom – a consortium that includes British Investment International (BII) and Vodafone – in Ethiopia.

This evening the Foreign Secretary will host a reception for inspiring young Ethiopian leaders.

The visit coincides with Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day (today, 8 December), from which funds raised will provide life-saving nutrition and health services for over 200,000 women and children facing chronic food shortages in Kenya.

The UK government announced last week that it is match funding up to £2 million of public donations to Save the Children’s UK Aid Match appeal, with funds raised providing life-saving nutrition and health services for 200,000 women and children in Kenya’s Mandera and Turkana counties.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 December 2022.

Ambassador Neil Bush says that Russia is trying to break Ukrainian resolve through its brutal attacks on civilians, hospitals and energy infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr Chair. And a warm welcome to Foreign Minister Landsbergis to the Permanent Council. The UK agrees with your assessment. We agree on the need for the international community to step up support to Ukraine so that it can win this war. We agree on the need to hold the Russian government to account for flagrant breaches of international law. And we agree on the need for the OSCE’s continued support to Ukraine and for this organisation to emerge stronger from this crisis.

Mr Chair, since October, the UK and others have repeatedly come together to condemn President Putin’s attacks on Ukraine’s civilians and critical national infrastructure. Sadly, this week is no exception.

This Monday, as the temperature in Kyiv dipped below freezing, Russia launched its latest round of missiles, targeting energy infrastructure and hitting residential buildings. According to President Zelenskyy, while Ukraine shot down ‘most of them’, the missiles which did land killed four people and caused power cuts across Ukraine. In Odesa, a missile strike cut power to pumping stations, leaving the entire city without water. We heard reports of doctors having to perform emergency surgery with flashlights, barely meeting hygiene protocols due to lack of water as a result of power outages. Sadly this is not new, but neither should it be accepted as normal. Russia would like to push Ukraine back into the dark ages.  We need to ensure that Russia fails.

Mr Chair, Russia’s systematic targeting of critical infrastructure since 10 October has damaged over 400 energy facilities. According to the World Health Organisation, this winter will be ‘life-threatening’ to millions of people in Ukraine. Cold weather can kill – and temperatures are predicted to plummet as low as minus 20 ˚C in parts of Ukraine over the coming months.

In addition, as of 5 December, Russia has conducted 630 attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine. Its latest missile attacks on energy infrastructure are further degrading Ukraine’s health system and compounding the impact on the most vulnerable. Maternity wards need incubators. Blood banks need refrigerators. Intensive care beds need ventilators. They all require energy.

Mr Chair, Russia’s intent is clear. It is trying to break Ukrainian resolve through its brutal attacks on civilians, hospitals and energy infrastructure over the cold, hard winter months. It is trying to crush the Ukrainian people’s spirit. Russia will fail.

As Russia well knows – intentionally directing attacks at civilians and civilian objects is not just deeply inhumane, but also violates international humanitarian law. Russia must observe its obligations under international humanitarian law and the UN Charter. If Russia is serious about a diplomatic end to its barbaric war, the path forward is simple: Russia needs to immediately withdraw all of its forces illegally present in Ukraine and cease attacks against Ukraine, including critical national infrastructure and innocent civilians.

Mr Chair, we remain deeply humbled by the bravery and the resilience of the Ukrainian people. They are paying a monstrously high price to defend the principles of sovereignty and democracy. Principles that the OSCE was founded on. Principles which are now being undermined by Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion. The UK and the international community must not – and will not – let Ukraine face this hardship alone. This is why my Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have both visited Kyiv in recent weeks to demonstrate the UK’s commitment to stand with Ukraine. The UK is providing additional air defence capabilities to Ukraine, to defend against Russia’s brutal missile attacks and we are stepping up humanitarian support to ensure Ukrainians can make it through the difficult winter ahead.

And to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people – know that your friends stand with you on this difficult journey. We will not let you face this winter alone.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 December 2022.

Statement by Rebecca Russo, UK Senior Policy Advisor, at the ECOSOC meeting on non-governmental organizations.

Thank you Madam President,

The UK welcomes the decision tabled by the United States to provide accreditation to these nine additional NGOs. These are legitimate NGOs that have faced repeated arbitrary deferrals for politicised reasoning for years, one as long as 14 years! This is despite adequately answering every, often repetitive question. Such endless deferrals demonstrate that some Committee members continue to abuse its working methods – yet another example of reprisals against NGOs seeking to work with the UN. We are therefore grateful that these NGOs have been brought forward for decision.

We were disappointed by the extensive misinformation that was spread ahead of today’s accreditation vote. ECOSOC is the parent body of the NGO Committee and therefore governs the Committee’s working methods. According to the rules and procedures, the Committee makes recommendations to ECOSOC for their consideration. Any suggestion that this decision bypasses or supersedes the NGO Committee is false. Tabling a decision in this way is a legitimate course of action with established precedent. The UK was therefore happy to cosponsor.

We would have preferred that such action not be required, that we could have worked fairly through the Committee. But the actions of a minority of member states have made it impossible for the Committee to work effectively, time and again.

Civil society voices are essential for the work we do at the UN and we will not tolerate attempts to shut them out.

We therefore encourage member states to vote in support of this decision.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 December 2022.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council briefing on Sudan.

Thank you President. And thank you also to SRSG Perthes for his briefing today and for the continued herculean efforts of UNITAMS. I also welcome the presence of the Permanent Representative of Sudan in our meeting

President, first, I would like to welcome the signing of the political framework agreement as an important step toward a return to a civilian-led transitional government in Sudan.

The efforts by all parties involved to agree on genuinely civilian-led transitional governance arrangements are commendable.

But, there is much more to be done. We now urge all Sudanese parties to urgently unite behind a final agreement to form a civilian-led government.

The United Kingdom condemns the killing of two more protestors in the reporting period and calls for the security forces to exercise maximum restraint and to respect the right to peaceful protest.

Second, we should be clear that the consequences of delay in reaching a final agreement would be severe.

Approximately one third of Sudan’s population is projected to be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2023. A concerted effort to finalise negotiations is essential to address Sudan’s urgent humanitarian and economic challenges.

A civilian-led transitional government can put the country on the road to recovery and allow for the full resumption of international support. The United Kingdom is working with partners to coordinate significant economic support to a civilian-led transitional government once it is formed.

Third, as SRSG Perthes told us, the security situation across Sudan also remains fragile. We reiterate our deep concern about the significant violence in Blue Nile State and West Kordofan.

We urge the Sudanese authorities to implement the security arrangements of the Juba Peace Agreement, engage with the impacted communities to restore peace, and fulfil their responsibility to protect civilians.

To conclude, President, the United Kingdom commends the compromises made by all parties to agree the initial political framework.

We call for an inclusive dialogue on the outstanding issues to commence without delay, and support a strong role for UNITAMS, along with the AU and IGAD, in facilitating these Sudanese-led negotiations.

The United Kingdom is committed to supporting Sudan’s journey to democracy, and the realisation of the Sudanese people’s calls for freedom, peace and justice.

And we hope that the Council will be able to give collective public expression to the latest developments in a Press Statement shortly.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 December 2022.

Ian Stubbs (UK delegation to the OSCE) says Russia has attempted to distract from failures on the battlefield with a campaign of lies, threats and propaganda.

Thank you, Mr Chair. At the Ministerial Council last week, Russia’s Ambassador delivered familiar false narratives about confrontation. I would like to again highlight the irony of this coming from 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.

Since that fateful day, the Kremlin and our Russian colleagues in this room have attempted to distract from failures on the battlefield with a campaign of lies, threats and propaganda. They have concocted increasingly ridiculous false claims and made allegations of an epic scale which do not stand up to the scantest of scrutiny. But no amount of threats and propaganda can hide the fact that Ukraine is winning this war, nor can it hide the appalling litany of atrocities and devastation left behind in the areas from which Russian forces have retreated.

Against the backdrop of this sustained onslaught of disinformation, it is perhaps timely to consider what the last nine months has demonstrated: that Putin made a grave miscalculation when he chose to invade a sovereign neighbour.

On land, the Russian Battalion Tactical Group (BTG) concept, a major part of Russia’s military doctrine for over 10 years has proved a failure. Poor logistics, agility, training, equipment, maintenance, discipline and leadership have all contributed to abject failure. Over the last three months, Russian forces in Ukraine have largely stopped deploying the BTG concept.

In the air, Russia has failed to achieve air superiority. In recent months, the number of sorties conducted by Russian tactical combat aircraft over Ukraine has reduced significantly. Russian aircraft now probably conduct tens of missions per day in contrast to a high of up to 300 per day in March 2022. It has now lost over 60 fixed wing aircraft in the war.

At sea, Russia’s failure to conduct effective force protection has left its Black Sea Fleet dangerously exposed with devastating consequences. The vulnerability of its ships and submarines is evident from their significantly reduced operational footprint.

In response to his military failures, Putin has sought to punish the Ukrainian people. He and his military leadership’s attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure aim to spread terror and deprive families of shelter, light, and heat as we enter winter. They are particularly cruel acts of vengeance, resulting in widespread humanitarian suffering across Ukraine. However, the effectiveness of Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s electricity distribution grid as a strategy has likely been blunted given that Russia has already expended a large proportion of its suitable missiles against tactical targets.

Putin and his military leaders have also doubled-down on their failed strategy of blunt-edged attritional warfare. He and his Generals have sent thousands of Russia’s own citizens to their deaths, poorly trained, poorly equipped and poorly led. More continue to be sent to the battlefield to provide numbers and mass in place of fighters and effective leadership.

But the failures of Putin’s horrendous adventurism are becoming increasingly apparent to the Russian people. Recent polling suggests that Russian public support for the so-called “Special Military Operation” is falling significantly. Data which was reportedly collected by Russia’s Federal Protective Service indicated that 55 percent of Russians favour peace talks with Ukraine, with only 25 percent claiming to support continuing the war. This contrasts with polling in April 2022 where around 80 percent of Russians claimed to support the conflict.

The persistent and institutional poor decision making by the Kremlin is having a terrible impact on the Russian people – more needless deaths; more grieving families; more defeats; more demoralised troops; more discontent; and more isolation. Putin is creating a legacy which millions of young Russians did not choose and did not vote for, but will be forced to bear the cost of for years to come.

Mr Chair, yesterday marked Ukrainian Armed Forces Day. For the brave men and women of the Armed Forces of Ukraine it was also the 285th day they have been fighting to defend and protect their homeland from a brutal and barbaric invader. We do not underestimate the continuing threat posed by the Russian Federation but, in time, there will be cause for Ukraine to celebrate. Ukraine will continue to demonstrate their resolute courage, determination and enduring moral strength as they fight to liberate more of their homeland. Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence will be fully restored. The UK and the international community will remain steadfast in our support – we will stand by Ukraine for however long it takes. Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 December 2022.

• The Foreign Secretary pledges to build “mutually beneficial partnerships of the future” on a visit to Kenya and Ethiopia.
• James Cleverly will announce new UK support to the Africa Development Fund to tackle climate change, strengthen food security and boost Africa’s growing economies.
• He will break ground on the Railway City regeneration project – a high-tech green development, designed by British architects and supported by UK export finance.

The UK will announce new support for the African Development Fund (ADF) today to help the poorest communities in Africa grow their economies, create jobs and improve healthcare.

The Foreign Secretary will confirm the funding in Kenya as a key plank of the UK’s honest, reliable investment offer, on his first visit to Sub-Saharan Africa since becoming the Foreign Secretary.

The UK will contribute £650million as part of a wider international financing package of $9 billion for the ADF over the next three years, providing high impact and low-cost finance to Africa’s poorest countries. This includes £200 million provided to the ADF’s new Climate Action Window that was announced at COP27.

The UK funding will help deliver electricity for almost 20 million people, improved sanitation for over 30 million people and create over 2.3million new jobs across the continent. The fund supports 37 of the most vulnerable countries across the African continent.

The Foreign Secretary said:

We hugely value working with our allies and friends across Africa. Such relationships benefit us all. The UK offers honest, reliable investment that does not load countries with debt, but instead unlocks huge potential for economic growth, while boosting global health and tackling climate change.

The UK’s contribution to the African Development Bank shows our long-standing commitment to the continent. We will go far when we go together.

Arriving in Kenya today (7 December) the Foreign Secretary will also see how the UK’s support is helping to grow Kenya’s green economy.

Just one month after the Prime Minister and President Ruto promised to fast-track green British investment, the Foreign Secretary will break ground on the construction of Railway City – Nairobi’s renovated central station, designed by British architects with the latest green technology. The Kings Cross London-style development, backed by £80m of UK Export Finance, will regenerate Nairobi’s bustling central business district as a green urban environment of the future.

And ahead of the Railway City launch, the UK’s development finance institution British International Investment (BII) will sign a new risk-sharing agreement with the African Guarantee Fund (AGF), to support green economic development and job creation across Africa.

The agreement will unlock $150million of affordable finance for small and medium enterprises – expected to facilitate up to 17,300 loans for businesses across Africa. BII and AGF will each underwrite 25% of the loans.

It is reflective of the UK’s ongoing support to small businesses in Africa to create jobs and transition to green energy, while helping vulnerable countries to deal with the adverse impacts of climate change.

During a climate reception at the British High Commission the Foreign Secretary will congratulate a winner of the Earthshot Prize, launched two years ago by Prince William and David Attenborough. He will announce that the UK is supporting new re-forestation projects in Kenya through the UK PACT programme with an £3.8million investment.

The Foreign Secretary will head to Ethiopia on Thursday 8 November, where he will see first-hand the devastating impacts of climate change, conflict and food insecurity.

In both countries, the Foreign Secretary will meet with key government figures where he will reiterate his vision of stronger partnerships between the UK and African countries, built on mutual respect and benefits, and supporting populations in Africa, the UK and beyond to be more prosperous, healthier and greener.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 6 December 2022.

Ambassador James Kariuki outlines the UK’s vision for the humanitarian system to the UN General Assembly.

Thank you Mr President, and good afternoon colleagues.

Every year, we meet here to reflect on the global humanitarian picture, and to look ahead to how we can respond to future challenges.

Yet again, we are faced with a sobering picture.

In 2023, 339 million people will be in need of humanitarian assistance – an increase of 25% from this year.

These are not just numbers.

They represent individual lives.

People suffering the impacts of both new and protracted conflicts.

People are hit simultaneously by droughts and floods driven by climate change.

People who are the most vulnerable to the global energy and food crisis caused by Russia’s choice to illegally invade Ukraine, in a year that should have been the year of recovery from the Covid 19 pandemic.

To tackle the magnitude of global challenges, we need a shared vision, and the collective political will to deliver it.

Mr President, the UK’s International Development Strategy, launched in May this year, is a commitment to the world’s most vulnerable. It sets out how we will ensure a more effective international response to humanitarian crises.

We will deliver this in three areas.

Firstly, we will push for the system to prioritise limited resources effectively, including towards the one million people who are living in famine or famine-like conditions in Yemen, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan.

We will do this by ensuring that humanitarian responses are accountable, data-driven and cost effective. And we will continue to champion the scale-up of digital cash transfers as an effective and dignified way to deliver assistance.

Secondly, we will continue to use our voice to protect the most vulnerable, and to uphold International Humanitarian, Human Rights and Refugee Law.

We will use our position on the UN Security Council to enable unhindered access to those in need, including 4.1 million people in North-West Syria this winter. And we will use all the tools at our disposal to ensure accountability for those who violate the humanitarian principles and the UN Charter in Ukraine.

We will also deliver on our commitments at last week’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Conference, bolstering our support to local, women-led organisations. These are vital to the humanitarian response, and to ensuring that women and girls are free from violence, and able to meet their full potential.

Finally, we will use our expertise to prevent today’s problems from turning into tomorrow’s crises.

We will leverage UK networks in the private sector, climate science and academia to deepen early warning expertise, promote innovation and strengthen systems to prevent and anticipate shocks.

And we will use our position on the boards of the International Financial Institutions to unlock the finance for these efforts, such as the doubling of the World Bank’s Early Response Financing to $1 billion, which we helped to secure this year.

Building on sustained advocacy at COP 26 and COP 27, we will continue to push for an increase in access to climate finance in climate vulnerable countries with the highest levels of humanitarian need. This will help communities adapt to new challenges with dignity and agency.

Mr President, with needs soaring every year, the UK humanitarian vision is not an ideal, but rather, a necessity. Today we are asking for all of you to join us in delivering it.