Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 October 2022.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council meeting on the situation in Somalia.

Thank you, President.

This vote today sends a powerful message of Security Council support not just to UNSOM but to President Hassan Sheikh and all Somalis.

UNSOM has played an important role in Somalia since its inception. The recent strategic review found its mandate well aligned with Somalia’s national priorities. Its recommendations will enable the Mission to keep supporting Somalia through a new era.

The successful conclusion of the electoral process and the peaceful transition of power gives Somalia an opportunity to make progress in achieving its national objectives and in the fight against Al-Shabaab. We encourage all Somalis to work together and seize this opportunity.

The United Kingdom will continue to stand with Somalia and we commend President Hassan Sheikh’s determination to defeat Al-Shabaab.

Finally President, let me take this opportunity to thank SRSG Swan for his extraordinary leadership and commitment during this critical transition phase. And I also thank all colleagues for their engagement on this resolution, and to the work of my team. Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 October 2022.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council briefing on the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Thank you, President, and I thank Under-Secretary Griffiths and Secretary-General Grynspan for their briefings today.

The Black Sea Grain initiative is vital to global food security. The UN estimates that it has indirectly prevented 100 million people from falling into extreme poverty.

Over 60% of the wheat exported under the deal has gone to low and middle-income countries, including via the World Food Programme to Ethiopia, Yemen, and Afghanistan.

Russia’s suspension of this initiative over the weekend has meant over 100 ships blocked from seeking permission to enter Ukrainian ports to load grain.

An average of 100,000 tons of grain is exported each day under the initiative. This is enough to feed 5 million people for a month. The severe impact, should Russia’s suspension of the agreement continue, is clear.

Recognising the global food crisis, the UK has not placed sanctions on food or fertiliser exports from Russia to third countries. We have worked hard, and continue to do so, to ensure there are mitigations in place to avoid indirect impacts of sanctions.

And we note that there has been no decrease in Russian grain exports since the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
President, Russia claims it suspended participation in the grain initiative due to an attack on its Black Sea Fleet, falsely claiming those vessels were involved in implementation of the deal.

As we heard from Under-Secretary-General Griffiths, no military vessels or assets are involved in supporting this initiative.

And what Russia neglects to mention is that Russia’s Black Sea fleet is illegally occupying Ukrainian waters and bombing Ukrainian towns.

The global impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine has already been profound. Ending the grain initiative would unleash the “unprecedented wave of hunger and destitution”, of which the Secretary-General’s Global Crisis Response Group warned in June. We therefore urge Russia to renew its cooperation under the agreement so that shipments of grain can continue as before.

We call on Russia to work with all parties to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative this month.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 31 October 2022.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council briefing by the President of the ICAO Council on the event involving Ryanair flight FR4978 in Belarus Airspace on 23 May 2021.

Thank you, President.

When we discussed this issue immediately after the incident, many Council members emphasised the importance of an international independent investigation. We therefore thank Mr Sciacchitano, the President of the Council of ICAO, for attending the Security Council today to relate the findings of the Fact-Finding Investigation Team, and the subsequent decisions of the ICAO Council and Assembly.

President, it is clear from the investigation that on 23 May 2021, the Belarus authorities deliberately communicated a false bomb threat to Ryanair flight FR4978, before manipulating circumstances to influence the aircraft to land at Minsk airport. That the threat was communicated to the aircraft before the so-called bomb threat email was even sent to Minsk airport, leaves little room for doubt.

It appears the purpose of this brazen and dangerous operation was to arrest and detain a journalist, Mr Roman Protasevich, and his partner Sofia Sapega, who with their fellow passengers happened to be flying over Belarus on their way from Athens to Vilnius.

As the ICAO Council and the Assembly made clear, the actions of the Belarusian state endangered the safety and security of a commercial passenger aircraft and the lives of all those on board. And they were a flagrant violation of the Chicago and Montreal Conventions.
But not only this. As we said last year, the use of a spurious terrorist threat to divert an airliner also served to undermine measures put in place by the international community to counter real aviation terror threats, including those this Council addressed in resolution 2309 in 2016.

So the Lukashenko regime has broken international law, created a major risk to the safety of innocent passengers, and undermined aviation safety more broadly – proving itself to be entirely irresponsible on the issue of international peace and security. And for what? All to silence an opposition journalist, further stifling any semblance of free speech left in Belarus.

This has only been compounded further by its role as a staging-ground and facilitator of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, through which it continues to show reckless contempt for international law and the UN Charter.
We call on Belarus to hold accountable those responsible for this incident, desist from any further such unlawful actions, and end its support for Russia’s illegal war on Ukraine.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 October 2022.

• Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will address the UN Security Council Counter Terrorism Committee during a visit to India this week
• He will use his speech in New Delhi today (Saturday) to call for like-minded partners to come together behind a mission to cut terrorist resources and prevent future attacks like that seen in Mumbai in 2008
• The Foreign Secretary started his first visit to India in his role in Mumbai yesterday (Friday) before travelling on to New Delhi today

The international community must work together to “starve terrorists of the finance and emerging technologies” that will cause destruction around the world, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will set out today (Saturday 29 October).

Speaking at the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee in New Delhi, he will call on countries to work together to fight online terrorism – including global terror recruitment campaigns and live streaming of attacks.

It comes after he paid his respects yesterday at the Taj Palace Hotel in Mumbai, to those who lost their lives in the city’s 2008 terror attack, including three British nationals.

The Foreign Secretary is due to say:

Within the space of two decades, terrorists have gone from circulating crackly voice recordings from the depths of Tora Bora, to global online recruitment and incitement campaigns, to live-streaming attacks.

Online incitement has radicalised vulnerable people in far off countries, who have gone on to use rental vans as weapons of terror.

So we must continue to work together to fight terrorist ideologies online.

He will conclude we must “starve terrorists of the finance and emerging technologies that will cause death and destruction around the world”.

The UK’s Counter Daesh Communication Cell, in partnership with the US and UAE Governments, works to challenge Daesh propaganda. The UK is also working to stop terrorists exploiting online platforms and to push tech companies to crack down harder on extremist online content through the G7 and the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism.

Around the world unmanned aerial systems are being used to inflict terror. The UK is funding new technology to tackle these drones and stop terrorists from misusing them.

During the visit, the Foreign Secretary announced further collaboration between the UK and India through British International Investment. This included £11 million of UK funding invested in Kinara Capital, a woman-led fintech company. British International Investment is designed to strengthen trade ties with our partners and generate economic growth, benefitting the UK and creating jobs at home.

He also announced a £22 million investment by the UK-backed Neev II Fund into Hygenco which will help India’s green energy transition by pioneering green hydrogen.

The Foreign Secretary is due to meet India’s Minister of External Affairs Jaishankar today to discuss the latest on the 2030 Roadmap, the landmark commitment to boost cooperation between the UK and India over the next decade.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 October 2022.

The UK will provide £2 million to UNICEF in response to the cholera outbreak in Syria, which continues to spread across the country and risks overwhelming fragile health systems.

As the international community scales up its response to the outbreak, which has now spread to Lebanon, this funding will contribute to UNICEF’s cholera response, including establishing cholera treatment centres, giving people access to cholera kits and training the public on how to prevent the spread of cholera.

Minister of State and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad said:

We are deeply concerned by the cholera outbreak across Syria, the first in more than ten years. With humanitarian needs the highest they have ever been, there is a significant risk that malnutrition, lack of access to clean water and chronic conditions, will see the situation deteriorate even further.

This funding to UNICEF will provide vital lifesaving assistance to those in affected areas. The UK has not forgotten Syria and we will continue to work with international partners to ensure there is a coordinated response on the ground.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 October 2022.

Statement from Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the Security Council Debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

Thank you Mr President,

As we have heard from UN Special Coordinator Wennesland, we are seeing an increasingly worrying deterioration of the security situation in the West Bank. It is crucial that all parties take urgent steps to reduce tensions, condemn incitement and avoid further escalation in violence.

The cycle of violence continues to take many lives. We are alarmed by the number of Palestinians killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, by Israeli Security Forces, including six minors this month. Investigations should be transparent and comprehensive. Where there has been excessive use of force, those responsible must be held to account.

We are also concerned by the increase in Palestinian violence, where two IDF soldiers sadly lost their lives this month after being shot by Palestinians. We repeat our call on all parties to take immediate steps to reduce tensions. We also stress the importance of ensuring access for humanitarian and development organisations, including in Palestinian refugee camps, even during periods of instability.

More action also needs to be taken to tackle settler violence, which has affected IDF soldiers, but affects Palestinians on a daily basis across the West Bank, especially during the olive harvest. The Israeli government needs to end the culture of impunity and bring those responsible to justice.

Mr President, as we celebrated the tenth anniversary of the International Day of the Girl this month, we should all be reminded of the vital role that UNRWA plays in the region, including in providing education and health services to women and girls. But while girls in the OPTs outperform boys at school and represent around 60% of Palestinian graduates, the fact that employment rates remain low, with only 13% of women over 25 employed, needs urgent and meaningful attention.

The UK remains a firm supporter of UNRWA and values its importance as a vital humanitarian and stabilising force. We encourage efforts to improve UNRWA’s serious financial situation, which threatens its ability to deliver vital services later this year if action is not taken.

Mr President, the need for the parties to engage in meaningful dialogue and collaborate to address the escalating situation in the West Bank is urgent. We are working closely with the parties to that end and we welcome the efforts of the UN Special Coordinator to support de-escalation and encourage further work to reverse negative trends on the ground.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 October 2022.

Representatives from Egypt, France, Germany, Turkey, the UK and US met at Wilton Park from 26-27 October to discuss the situation in Libya.

Senior officials representing Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States met to discuss the situation in Libya. They underlined the need for unified international support for Libya in overcoming the current political impasse. They welcomed the new UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Libya and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily, and reiterated support for a UN facilitated, Libyan led and owned process that enables Libya to hold credible, transparent, and inclusive presidential and parliamentary elections in the shortest possible time. Participants agreed on the need for Libyan leaders to engage constructively together, avoid actions that would cause divisions in Libya and work with SRSG Bathily to build confidence and re-establish consensus on the path forward as soon as possible. Participants stressed the importance of elections in fulfilling the democratic aspirations of the Libyan people and delivering a future where opportunities and resources are distributed fairly for all.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 October 2022.

A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office spokesperson statement on North Korea’s ballistic missile tests on 28 October.

The two short range ballistic missile tests by North Korea on 28 October are a clear violation of UN Security Council Resolutions.

The UK is working closely with our partners to urge North Korea to return to diplomacy and take credible steps towards denuclearisation in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner. We call on North Korea to prioritise the well-being of its people instead of the unlawful pursuit of nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 October 2022.

In preparation of the forthcoming COP27 meeting that will take place from 6 to 18 November 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, UN Resident Coordinator Office, British Embassy in Kazakhstan, Embassy of Italy in Kazakhstan and Embassy of Egypt in Kazakhstan in partnership with KazGUU University organised a student debate ‘COP27: the Voice of Youth from Glasgow to Sharm El-Sheikh’.

The event was aimed to raise awareness about climate change, to put the topic on the public agenda, inspire and encourage youth to find climate solutions.

The pre-COP27 debates united about 30 students of International Relations, Economics, and Law faculties from KazGUU University, forming 4 teams to discuss countries’ collaboration, climate change mitigation, adaptation and sustainable finance.

Addressing the students, UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan Ms. Michaela Friberg-Storey noted:

Today’s event is a continuation of a good tradition. It’s time to regain trust and work together constructively to build on Glasgow and deliver a package of concrete outcomes at COP-27. UN Country Team collaborates with the Government of Kazakhstan in terms of updating NDC for further submission to the Conference of the Parties this year. It won’t be easy, but scientists say that it is possible-and that each degree matters, each year matters, and each decision matters. In this regard youth is a strong force, which helps us to accelerate the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals and make us more accountable.

Ms. Kathy Leach, British Ambassador to Kazakhstan said:

The Glasgow COP brought together close to 200 countries (including over 120 world leaders) and gave the world the tools needed to keep 1.5C alive. The Glasgow Climate Pact remains the blueprint for accelerating climate action in this critical decade. Yet the Pact is simply words on a page without action. This is a pivotal moment to redouble our efforts. Every country must revisit and strengthen their climate change targets. We must also support climate vulnerable countries by making sure commitments on adaptation and loss and damage are honoured, driving real, practical action on the ground. None of this will be possible without mobilising climate finance. We continue to work with countries, international financial institutions and private financial institutions to meet the commitments they have made and help secure greater access to critical finance.

Mr. Marco Alberti, Ambassador of Italy to Kazakhstan, said:

COP26 messages were pretty clear: ensuring promises on emissions reductions; delivering for climate vulnerable countries by ensuring commitments on adaptation and loss and damage are honoured; getting finance flowing; working together and continuing to be an inclusive Presidency. This is the very core of the message we would like to deliver to our Egyptian friends. The strapline of COP27, “Together for implementation” is made up of 2 key words: implementation, which is the common goal we must share to save the planet; and together, which indicates the path we must pace if we want to reach out to that goal.

Next month, Egypt will be hosting COP27 with a view to building on previous successes and paving the way for future ambition.​ Ms. Manal Elsayed Yehia Elshinnawi, Ambassador of Egypt to Kazakhstan, said:

Egypt’s COP27 Presidency believes in the necessity to have inclusive, rules based, ambitious and substantive outcomes, up to the scale of the challenge and reflective to the political will, based on science and guided by principles, building on decisions and commitments from Rio 1992 to Glasgow 2021. Effective implementation requires meaningful and inclusive engagement with all stakeholders. This acquires particular significance in relation to youth, as we live in a world where 52% of its inhabitants are under 30 years old. Youth as well are leading at the frontline of creative and effective solutions that support their local communities and the broader global response to the climate crises. Thus, the incoming Egyptian Presidency is keen to make COP27 a hallmark for youth inclusive and meaningful engagement.

Ainur Karbozova, Deputy Chairman of the Board of M. Narikbayev KAZGUU University, commented:

Since Kazakhstan joined the UN back in 1992, our country is one of the most active members of the United Nations with all the important political initiatives being put forward from the UN headquarters. The United Nations is a solid supporter of all the reforms in Kazakhstan, but at the same time facilitates successful implementation of SDG Agenda by engaging students to tackle climate change issues as well. We are therefore very thankful of our students having such a unique chance of wearing hats of the global politicians and facing current challenges of humanity.

The conference will provide an opportunity for multilateral collaboration between countries to phase out fossil fuels, accelerate the shift to renewables and implement energy efficiency measures to support demand reduction.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 October 2022.

Ambassador Bush thanks Director of OSCE’s Conflict Prevention Centre, Ambassador Yrjölä, for CPC’s work in the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine and beyond.