Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 14 October 2022.

Ambassador Neil Bush welcomes OSCE’s work on combating the risk of trafficking in human beings resulting from Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.

Thank you, Special Representative Richie, for preparing this report and for your and your team’s work during this particularly challenging time.

I welcome your office’s reaction to Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine and prioritisation of this most pressing issue and its possible consequences for human trafficking.

As Russia continues its war of aggression against Ukraine we are used at this council to hearing about the terrible price innocent Ukrainian civilians pay for Russia’s bloody war. For those living in temporarily Russian-controlled areas life can be unbearable in many ways, but reports that Ukrainian parents are being separated from their children are particularly heart breaking.

The second Moscow Mechanism report documented large-scale deportations of people to Russia against their will, and cases of orphaned children brought to Russia, whose whereabouts are now unknown.

Ukrainians forced to flee their homes are vulnerable to human trafficking. The UK is helping these people through our Ukraine Family Visa and Homes for Ukraine scheme. We recognise that there are organised criminals who would exploit vulnerable refugees entering the UK, which is why our foreign ministry works closely with our visa issuing agency and housing ministry to mitigate these risks.

Dear Val,

Your response to the war in Ukraine was quick and effective. We welcomed the immediate policy responses to enhance anti-trafficking prevention and the specific recommendations for cyber and trafficking police, technology companies, and NGOs working to prevent and combat online exploitation. The existing guidelines for the identification and referral of victims among migrants and refugees was also a useful tool following Russia’s invasion.

We share your assessment of the highly gendered and toxic demand for sexual services that resulted from the migration flows, as criminals preyed on the vulnerability of those fleeing. We welcome your gender-sensitive approach. The specific needs of women and children are also factored into our humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine.

The UK is pleased to be able to financially support your office’s project to respond to the increasing risk of trafficking as a result of the migration from Ukraine, particularly targeting destination and transit countries.

At the Alliance conference this year, we were grateful for the conference’s specific focus on migration risks from Ukraine and the needs of victims, especially on methods for identifying victims, the scale of the problem, and the types of support that victims in these cases may require.

Ensuring victims get the support they need and are empowered requires us to better understand drivers and vulnerabilities. This is done by listening to survivors, and having their voices shape the support and protection we can offer, which is why the UK has commissioned independent research through the Modern Slavery Policy and Evidence Centre to inform our approach. We look forward to sharing the findings of this research with you all at a later date.

We support your office’s efforts to focus on partnerships. Indeed, modern slavery is not an issue that can be fought alone. Earlier this year G7 leaders continued the focus on supply chains from the UK’s Presidency in 2021. New commitments included calling on others to align to the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights, the ILO Principles, and the OECD Guidelines for responsible business.

In concluding, I was pleased to see you were able to resume travel this year, and completed country visits to Poland, Moldova, Romania and Hungary, working with national and local governments and civil society organisations to raise awareness, offer targeted advice, and develop project proposals.

We look forward to welcoming you and your staff next month for your country visit to the UK, and the helpful and constructive recommendations and findings that we are sure will result.

Thank you again, Val, to you and your team for your tireless work and this report.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 October 2022.

The UK is providing further humanitarian support to Pakistan following the devastating floods that have killed over a thousand people and affected more than 33 million.

As part of a visit to the country, FCDO Minister Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon has today announced a further £10 million of humanitarian aid, bringing the UK Government’s total contribution to £26.5 million.

The extra support will be spent on urgent life-saving needs such as providing shelter, water and sanitation to prevent waterborne diseases. It will focus on supporting people who are still displaced and those that are returning to their land, by helping re-establish communal water supplies.

During his visit to Pakistan, Lord Ahmad will meet the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and other government counterparts to discuss the impact of the floods, visit the areas most affected and speak with key UK-funded aid agencies on the ground in Sindh.

UK Minister of State for South Asia, FCDO, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon said:

The UK continues to help the people of Pakistan recover from the recent devastating floods.

Our support will help to tackle the spread of waterborne diseases and to improve access to clean water, sanitation, medical care and shelter across the country.

We are working night and day with Pakistan and our international partners to ensure that UK aid reaches the hardest hit areas.

As well as helping with urgent life-saving needs, the UK is supporting Pakistan’s economic recovery and resilience against future climate disasters.

The UK’s new Developing Countries Trading Scheme will help grow trade by giving duty-free access to 94% of goods exported from Pakistan to the UK.

In addition to the UK’s £26.5 million donation in humanitarian funding, a UK Royal Air Force flight recently delivered eight boats and ten portable generators for use in flood relief operations.

As well as discussing the floods, the Minister will also use this visit to raise the need for strong international support for Ukraine following Russia’s illegal annexation of sovereign territory, and reaffirm the strong people-to-people links between the UK and Pakistan in the context of the 75 year anniversary of Pakistan’s independence.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 October 2022.

Joint Statement by the Federative Republic of Brazil and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Cooperation to Promote Inclusive Economic Growth through Internationalisation of Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

The government of the Federative Republic of Brazil, represented by the Ministry of Economy (ME), and the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, represented by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), have been cooperating since 2019 to promote inclusive economic growth in Brazil through the internationalisation of Brazilian micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

This cooperation is a direct result of the 20 August 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between the Foreign & Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (FCO) and the Ministry of Economy of the Federative Republic of Brazil (ME) on Prosperity Fund Cooperation on Trade Facilitation.

The main deliverable of this cooperation is the Global Trade Hub (GTH), or BRAEXP in its Brazilian brand name, a digital marketplace for export services focused on MSMEs and based on the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) Integrated Services for MSMEs in International Trade (ISMIT) concept, to be fully developed and transferred to Brazilian ownership and operation by March 2023.

An early outcome of this cooperation is the full digitisation and automation of the Brazilian National Plan of Export Culture (PNCE) export maturity self-assessment service, based on a benchmarked methodology originally developed by the Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI). The PNCE service allows any Brazilian MSME from any region or sector and with access to the internet to self-assess its export maturity and receive, for free, a tailor-made internationalisation plan with the identification of the export services it needs to consume to access or expand its sales in international markets.

The PNCE service digitisation, automation, and technological transfer to ME was concluded in July 2022. While the service is already available to Brazilian MSMEs, it will be fully integrated into the GTH once the digital marketplace for export services is transferred to Brazilian ownership and operation and goes online.

The PNCE service and the GTH digital marketplace are based on open source, cloud-ready, and cutting-edge technology as well as on innovative international best practices. They place Brazil as a leader among emerging economies in the digitisation of foreign trade procedures and trade facilitation, as well as demonstrate the value of British Official Development Assistance (ODA) to foster inclusive economic growth and strengthen bilateral economic partnerships.

FCDO will continue to provide technical and financial support to the delivery of the GTH until March 2023 while ME will continue to lead negotiations with GTH stakeholders to secure a Technical Cooperation Agreement with a roadmap for the full implementation of the digital marketplace and the definition of its final legal and financial models. ME will also aim at adopting a new brand name for PNCE with a view to increasing MSMEs awareness and use of the service.

The Brazilian and British governments consider their cooperation on inclusive economic growth through the internationalisation of MSMEs as very successful and will continue cooperating with a view to concluding it by March 2023.

 

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 October 2022.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki to the UN Fifth Committee on the introduction of the proposed budget for 2023.

Thank you Mr Chair, Secretary-General, all

Member States have a responsibility to the UN and the people it serves to ensure the Organisation has the correct level of resource to carry out its mandates, in particular in support of the 2030 Agenda.

We will evaluate the Secretary-General’s budget proposals carefully. Programmes must use resources efficiently and effectively, to deliver results that make a real difference for those in greatest need. We will hold the Organisation to account for how it has used, and will use the resources we give it.

The United Kingdom welcomes the Secretary-General’s reforms, in particular the move to an annual budget cycle, which have contributed to a UN that is more results-orientated and better able to respond to fast changing challenges. While we see positive progress on results and responsiveness, there is always scope to go further.

We look to all programmes to ensure effective coordination and to collaborate across the UN system; to focus activities where they have comparative advantage and avoiding duplication; and to use innovation, evaluation and continuous improvement to enhance performance and mandate delivery. It is crucial that every dollar the United Nations spends has the greatest impact on the ground.

The UK notes a number of proposals to move activities previously funded through extra-budgetary contributions onto the regular budget. We support predictable and sustainable funding for UN work. But shifting more activity onto the regular budget is not always the solution, especially at a time when national budgets are under pressure. Nevertheless, we will consider such proposals on their individual merits.

Mr Chair,

Like others, we have serious concerns about certain ACABQ recommendations on the 2023 budget. Member States expect the ACABQ to provide clear, technical and evidence-based advice to inform our decision-making. But we have seen recommendations that seek to expand the ACABQ’s remit to extra-budgetary funded activities, to reopen long-standing GA resolutions. Most concerning, are recommendations that, if endorsed, could result in defunding human rights council mandates. We welcome the opportunity to engage with the ACABQ on these issues.

Finally Mr Chair, I would like to assure you and the Secretary-General of my delegation’s commitment to work constructively with all delegations to reach a good and timely outcome on the 2023 budget.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 October 2022.

The UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French, signed a joint statement alongside ten other European Human Rights Ambassadors on the human rights situation in Iran.

Human Rights Ambassadors from the UK, Germany, France, Finland, Spain, Sweden, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Estonia, the Netherlands and Slovakia made the following joint statement following recent events in Iran:

“The violent death of 22‑year‑old “Zhina” Mahsa Amini as a result of mistreatment while in custody of the Iranian morality police brings home the dramatic human rights situation in Iran. It is a shocking reminder of the repression experienced by women, who face the threat of detention and physical violence simply for how they choose to dress. Over the past weeks, Iranians – both men and women – have bravely raised their voices against this violation of their freedom of expression. Protests have also called for freedom of the press and freedom of assembly, against the death penalty and extrajudicial executions, against torture, enforced disappearances and systematic impunity.

In short, the people of Iran are calling on their leaders to guarantee their fundamental rights. The Iranian security forces responded to the demonstrators with unjustifiable violence. The brutal response to the recent demonstrations at universities throughout the country is deeply concerning.

The international community must speak out clearly and unambiguously on the issue of repression and violence by the security forces and condemn these steps. We welcome the cross-regional statement at the UN Human Rights Council condemning the flagrant violation of women’s rights and calling on Iran to uphold the right to the freedom of expression and assembly.

Iran, as a signatory to the ICCPR, has a responsibility to put political and civil rights into practice. We call on the authorities to immediately stop its violent crackdown on protests, to immediately release demonstrators who have been unfairly detained, to cease the imprisonment of journalists who have been at the forefront of reporting on the protests, to restore reliable internet services across the country, and to guarantee human rights for all in Iran.”

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 October 2022.

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

Thank you, Mr President. And let me thank Special Envoy Grundberg and ASG Msuya for their powerful briefings, and for the tireless work they and their teams are making on behalf of the Yemeni people.

After six months of relative peace, it is deeply disappointing that the truce in Yemen has not been extended.

The Houthi introduction of new maximalist demands in the final days of negotiations hindered the ability of the Special Envoy to broker agreement.

As we’ve heard today, this seriously jeopardises the tangible benefits that the truce has brought to the Yemeni people. In the past six months Yemenis have been able to live more safely and travel more freely than at any time since the war began, four times more oil has flowed into Hudaydah than the whole of last year, and tens of thousands of Yemenis have been able to fly out of Sana’a to visit loved ones and receive vital medical treatment. The protection of these measures must be a priority.

The United Kingdom calls on the parties to continue implementing these measures, and to return to the negotiating table to expand these benefits, as outlined in the UN’s proposal. This includes the payment of nurses, teachers and other civil servants their hard-earned salaries for the first time in years; the opening of roads around the country, including in Taiz; more commercial flights to more destinations; and further easing the flow of fuel into Hudaydah.

There is even more to lose. Refusal to extend the truce threatens to dismantle the foundation built for a negotiated peace settlement. A resolution to this terrible war depends on it.

But the door for an extended truce remains open. It is clear from Special Envoy Grundberg’s briefing that the UN is dedicated to achieving this outcome. The UK reiterates its full support to these efforts.

I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome ASG Msuya’s trip to the region. It is imperative that the international community learns lessons from the recent inter-agency humanitarian evaluation not just in Yemen, but globally. We praise the continued work of humanitarians to deliver lifesaving support. But only an end to the conflict will the deliver the lasting relief the Yemeni people need

At this fragile moment, it is encouraging that there has not yet been a return to war. We urge all parties to refrain from provocations. The costs of an end to the truce would be devastating.

Now is the time for the parties to show leadership, to act on behalf of the Yemeni people, and to continue on this path towards lasting peace.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 October 2022.

Ambassador Raphael Naegeli from Switzerland marks the 20th World Day against the Death Penalty at the OSCE, on behalf of the UK and other OSCE states.

Mr. Chair,

I am delivering this statement on behalf of Canada, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, the United Kingdom and my own country Switzerland.

The 10th of October marked the 20th World Day against the Death Penalty. We welcome the fact that the global trend towards the abolition of capital punishment continues unabated in many parts of the world, including the OSCE region. At the launch of the World Day, twenty years ago, only 76 states had abolished the death penalty. Today, 110 states have done so. In this light, we commend Kazakhstan for the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. As of today, only two participating States continue to apply capital punishment: Belarus and the United States.

In the case of Belarus, we are deeply concerned by the extension of the application of the death penalty for what is deemed “attempted acts of terrorism”. This step is contrary to Belarus’ obligations under international law. We therefore call on the authorities of Belarus to reverse this decision.

Mr. Chair,

The use of the death penalty represents a violation of human rights, human dignity and personal integrity everywhere in the world and under all circumstances. It does not serve as a greater deterrence to potential offenders than other severe punishments, and hence has no impact on the prevention of crime, violence and violent extremism.

As we were reminded at the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference, it is crucial to continue involving civil society actors in the campaign towards the universal abolition of capital punishment. Their contribution has been instrumental in the progress achieved thus far.

Our countries remain committed to the universal abolition of the death penalty and call on all States, within the OSCE and beyond, to completely abolish capital punishment or, as a first step, establish a moratorium on its use. In this regard, we encourage all participating States to vote in favour of the UN resolution calling for a moratorium on capital punishment which is being negotiated at the UN General Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

 

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 October 2022.

Deputy Ambassador Brown voices strong UK support for the Geneva International Discussions (GID) as well as for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Thank you. The United Kingdom continues to strongly support the Geneva International Discussions (GID) and the work of the GID Co-Chairs. As the only international forum that brings together all sides from the conflict, the GID plays a vital role in trying to achieve a lasting resolution.

The UK reaffirms full support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We call on the Russian Federation to reverse its recognition of the so-called independence of Georgia’s Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions.

We also call upon the Russian Federation to immediately fulfil its obligation under the ceasefire agreement to withdraw its forces to pre-conflict positions, fulfil its commitments to allow unfettered access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and cease all borderization tactics.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 October 2022.

Ambassador Neil Bush thanks Head of OSCE’s Mission to Kosovo, Ambassador Davenport, for their work including on strengthening Kosovo’s institutions.

I would like to welcome Ambassador Davenport back to the Permanent Council. Thank you to you and your team for this comprehensive report, which provides a helpful summary of developments and activities over the reporting period.

The UK highly appreciates the work of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, its close engagement with government institutions, municipalities, and civil society, and its delivery of important initiatives across the three core pillars of its mandate.

In particular, I would highlight the Mission’s work in contributing to the development of government strategies on Preventing and Countering Terrorism, and on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Communities. We also commend the work of the Mission in supporting reviews of 22 draft legal and policy documents for compliance with international human rights standards; and in launching the “Protection of Cultural Heritage in Kosovo” Report in July. The UK also particularly values the Mission’s important ongoing work to implement activities focused on tackling domestic and gender-based violence.

The UK notes the increased tensions in late July – highlighted in the Report – around the introduction of new measures on car number plates, and entry and exit documentation. The UK welcomes the subsequent agreement between Serbia and Kosovo on ID documentation, which we strongly support. We continue to encourage both parties to engage constructively to resolve outstanding issues, and to refrain from any inflammatory rhetoric which may increase tensions between communities and reduce the chances of constructive progress.

The UK – alongside our international partners – continues to strongly support the EU-facilitated Dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo, and the need for a comprehensive, conclusive, legally binding agreement, which is acceptable to the citizens of both countries and will deliver long-term benefits to them and to the whole region. We value the continued work of EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajčák, including through his visit to Pristina and Belgrade on the 9th of September, outlined in detail in this Report.

Mr Chair, the United Kingdom remains a long-standing and strong supporter of Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state. In this context, we value and appreciate the Mission’s renewed commitment to its work to strengthen Kosovo’s institutions.

In conclusion, I would like to thank you, Ambassador Davenport, for your leadership of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo during this reporting period, and your team for their continued commitment, hard work and expertise.

Thank you, Mr Chair.

 

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 October 2022.

Ambassador Neil Bush denounces Russia’s ongoing and indefensible attacks against civilians across Ukraine, and commends human rights defenders.

Thank you Mr Chair. The Special Permanent Council on Tuesday 11 October denounced Russia’s ongoing and indefensible attacks against civilians across Ukraine. Later that day, G7 leaders “condemned these attacks in the strongest possible terms”.

Again – yesterday, we heard reports of further Russian missile attacks, including on a market in Avdiivka, killing at least seven people and injuring eight.

We mourn with Ukraine for all those impacted by these unspeakable acts across Ukraine. We will not allow these individuals to be forgotten. Individuals such as Dr Oksana Leontieva. On Monday morning, Oksana woke up, got her five year old son ready for school, then drove to her job at one of Kyiv’s children’s hospitals. She took the same short route as every week – but on this day, she unknowingly drove straight into the worst missile attack on her country in months – where she was sadly killed. Oksana specialised in treating childhood cancer. Her hospital described her as “a true professional and supporter of her patients and colleagues”. Her son is now an orphan.

Mr Chair, Oksana and her son are but two innocent victims of Russia’s continued intense barrage of missile attacks on Kyiv and across Ukraine. More civilian infrastructure has been severely impacted in the latest attacks. There have continued to be multiple power blackouts, with areas cut off from water supply and communications. Let us recall: deliberate attacks on innocent civilian populations constitute a war crime. Russia must end its invasion and withdraw all of its forces from Ukraine now.

We condemn Russia’s continued actions at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant and the pressure exerted on the personnel of the facility. This is a further irresponsible escalation and we will hold Russia responsible for any incident caused by their actions. The safety, security and safeguards of the nuclear facility are paramount and we support the International Atomic Energy Agency’s efforts in this regard.

Mr Chair, as the latest Moscow Mechanism report made clear – internal repression and external aggression are two sides of the same coin. I want to spotlight the incredible bravery of those who have stood up in defence of human rights and democracy – many of whom have been detained or ‘disappeared’, notably in Russia and Belarus. We commend the Center for Civil Liberties in Ukraine, Ales Bialiatski in Belarus and Memorial in Russia for being awarded the Nobel Prize – three of the seven recipients of the OSCE Democracy Defenders Award are now Nobel Peace Prize laureates. We are proud to have spearheaded the OSCE award with a group of States championing democracy and supporting human rights defenders at the OSCE. The role of these human rights defenders is as important as it ever has been in our region.

The UK also commends Vladimir Kara-Murza for being awarded the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize. He has continued to champion human rights and freedom in the face of Russian state aggression. Vladmir Kara-Murza remains in detention on politically-motivated charges; he should be released without delay. But he is not alone. During the Warsaw Human Dimension Conference earlier this month, we heard directly from the courageous wives, mothers and sisters of Ukrainian political prisoners, detained civilians, and those forcibly disappeared. Many remain detained and missing to this day, their families resolutely searching for scraps of information on their whereabouts. We urge Russia to engage with and provide access to international humanitarian organisations. These families deserve answers. We will continue to raise cases until political prisoners are free and the whereabouts of those forcibly disappeared are revealed.

Mr Chair, 143 countries stand united in condemnation of Putin’s illegal attempts to annex four regions of Ukraine, as reflected by the UNGA vote yesterday. The UK calls on Russia to cease all hostilities and “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its troops and military equipment from Ukraine”. As the G7 leaders have said “we are undeterred and steadfast in our commitment to providing the support Ukraine needs to uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will continue to provide financial, humanitarian, military, diplomatic and legal support and will stand firmly with Ukraine for as long as it takes”. This needless war has inflicted suffering on too many. Those responsible will be held to account and will serve justice. We are committed. We are in this for the long run. We will not forget.