Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 August 2022.

Statement by Chanaka Wickremasinghe, UK Legal Adviser at the Security Council briefing by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on Darfur.

Mr President, I thank the Prosecutor for the thirty-fifth report on the Situation in Darfur, pursuant to Resolution 1593.

I also thank the Prosecutor for his briefing to this Council, and welcome this being delivered during the Prosecutor’s second visit to Sudan, as a sign of the Court’s unwavering commitment to help deliver justice for the people of Darfur.

In this light, the UK welcomes the progress made in the trial of Mr Abd-Al-Rahman, in which 28 witnesses have provided evidence since April. It is testament to the victims’ courage and patience for them to tell their stories after two decades, and represents a vital step towards seeking accountability for all survivors and affected communities in Darfur.

This historic moment demonstrates how enhanced cooperation can translate into meaningful action in the pursuit of justice. It is our sincere hope that this initial step begins to deliver justice for the people of Darfur, and helps to break the cycle of impunity that exists across Sudan.

However, Mr President, it is regrettable that sufficient cooperation has been lacking from the Sudanese authorities since last October’s military coup. This puts at risk the progress that the previous Government of Sudan had been able to make with the Court.

The UK therefore urges the Sudanese authorities to immediately enhance their cooperation with the Court.

Firstly, we call for the Sudanese authorities to engage in helping to facilitate the establishment of a field office in Khartoum. A permanent presence is vital for the Office of the Prosecutor to continuously deepen its engagement with affected communities and to facilitate stronger cooperation with the Sudanese authorities.

Secondly, the UK urges the Sudanese authorities to respond swiftly to the Court’s outstanding requests for assistance, noting the Court have only had a response to two of the seventeen requests they have made in the last six months. We also urge the Sudanese authorities to provide unimpeded access to the documentation and witnesses that the Court have identified.

Finally, Mr President, the UK would like to commend the ICC’s tireless efforts in delivering justice for the people of Darfur, and reiterate our support to the Court in this endeavour. In this respect we call for action to deliver on the four ICC warrants which remain outstanding in the Darfur situation, and we continue to call for the surrender of Mr Banda, who remains a fugitive from the Court.

Thank you.

 

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 August 2022.

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

Thank you, President.

On behalf of the United Kingdom, I thank the Secretary-General and Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for their briefings. We warmly welcome President Zelenskyy’s participation in today’s meeting.

Six months ago, even as this Council met late into the night to try and avert catastrophe, Russia launched an unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine in violation of the UN Charter.

In the months that have followed, Ukraine has been subjected to the full horrors of war.

As we have heard today, thousands of civilians have been killed or wounded.

Over 17 million are now in need of humanitarian assistance.

Schools, hospitals and other medical facilities have been attacked. We have seen a pattern of Russian violations of international humanitarian law. And of Russian human rights abuses and violations including reports of torture, inhumane treatment and arbitrary detention.

Ukrainian citizens, including children, have been forcibly deported to Russia. 6 million people are displaced within Ukraine and over 6 million are refugees abroad.

The people of Ukraine are not the only victims of this war.

Beyond Ukraine’s borders, Putin’s decisions have had a devastating impact on the world’s most vulnerable, with many millions across the world affected by rising food and fuel prices.

We again pay tribute to the work of the Secretary-General with Türkiye to negotiate the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Today, in what would be another violation of the UN Charter, there are reports that Russia is planning fake referenda to illegally annex more territory from Ukraine.

Any such attempt would fool no one.

Russia has, after all, lied throughout their illegal invasion, using disinformation to create false pretexts, undermine Ukrainian sovereignty, obscure the truth and hide war crimes.

And it would further demonstrate Russia’s contempt for the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. Principles which, as Member States of this organisation, we have all committed to upholding.

President, 31 years ago today, Ukraine declared its independence with over 90% of Ukrainians voting in favour.

Today, that pride in Ukrainian identity and sovereignty remains as strong as ever.

We have all seen the courage and ingenuity of the Ukrainian people as they have fought to defend their nation against Russia’s attack on their national sovereignty and right to self-determination. Ukraine’s fight is a fight for the principles of the UN Charter. All all of us in this Chamber have a responsibility to recognise that. It is a fight that has inspired the world with its courage and defiance against brutality.

So today, on Ukrainian Independence Day, we stand together with the nation of Ukraine and its heroic people who continue to resist Russia’s attempts to rewrite international borders by force.

We once again call for Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine immediately. And we call for full accountability for Russia’s crimes.

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 24 August 2022.

Ambassador Bush reaffirms UK’s commitment to use all tools available to ensure that Ukraine succeeds in the face of Putin’s unprovoked and unjustified war.

Mr. Chair, today we should solely be celebrating with Ukraine as they mark 31 years of independence. Instead, we have also gathered here at this Special Council to once again condemn Russia’s unprovoked, full-scale and illegal invasion of Ukraine. These have been six long, dark months. The Russian government anticipated a three-day war – it is fitting that exactly six months on, we celebrate the indomitable spirit of the proud nation of Ukraine that refuses to yield to President Putin’s imperialism. We congratulate our Ukrainian colleagues and all the people of Ukraine on their national day, and look forward to many more to come.

Yesterday, politicians met for the International Crimea Platform. Since 2014, the people of Crimea have endured a brutal and systematic campaign of human rights abuses by the Russian authorities, including the persecution of the Tatars, arbitrary arrests, and the restriction of land ownership. Let us remember that the 24th February was an escalation in Putin’s hostilities against Ukraine; not the beginning. It has never been more important to emphasise that Crimea is Ukraine.

We reaffirm our solidarity with the people of Ukraine, pay tribute to all those who have sacrificed their lives in the face of evil and tyranny, and express our deepest sympathy to the families of the victims of the ongoing aggression against Ukraine. 6.5 million people have become refugees across Europe, with one third of Ukrainians forced from their homes. As of Monday, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights recorded 13,477 civilian casualties, of which over 5,500 are fatalities. Behind each of these numbers is a human being – with a name, a face and family and friends who love them. And the true figure is almost certainly significantly higher, rising every day as Russia continues to target civilians and critical infrastructure – including recent indiscriminate shelling in Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Donetsk.

Russia’s disregard for international law, and its lack of humanity has appalled the international community. The world was horrified to learn of reports of war crimes and atrocities committed by Russian forces in places such as Irpin and Bucha. I and many of my colleagues here have repeatedly emphasised the callousness and blatant illegality of Russia’s tactics. Tactics which include the exploitation of prisoners of war and civilian detainees for political purposes; we’ve heard reports of torture and mistreatment, and the use of sham trials – all in a clear breach of the Geneva conventions. By continuing to wage this war of brutality, Russia does not make us accustomed to its inhuman methods – it only increases our collective outrage. The UK is committed to ensuring that those who commit war crimes in Ukraine are brought to justice.

Having been humiliated militarily and failing in his initial war aims, President Putin has shown his true colours and resorted to the use of food and energy as weapons, threatening global food security and pushing some of the world’s most vulnerable populations to the brink of famine. We remain gravely concerned about the implications of Russia’s illegal invasion for nuclear safety and security. Since February, nuclear facilities in Ukraine have experienced significant disruptions to operations, posing a grave threat to the populations of Ukraine and wider Europe. Specifically, Russia must immediately restore full control of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to the competent Ukrainian authorities and ensure that the International Atomic Energy Agency has appropriate access to address critical safety, security and safeguard concerns. Failure to comply would be an exceptionally costly act of desperation. Though let us be clear – the quickest path to restoring nuclear safety and security in Ukraine is the immediate and complete withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine’s sovereign territory.

Since the invasion started, the UK has provided economic, humanitarian and military assistance totalling over £3 billion, including towards holding those responsible for war crimes to account and an unprecedented package of sanctions on those facilitating this invasion. We will continue to use all the tools available to ensure that Ukraine succeeds in the face of President Putin’s unprovoked, premediated and unjustified war.

On this Ukrainian Independence Day, we resolutely reaffirm that we remain committed to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, extending to its territorial waters. Today, once again, we reiterate our demand for the immediate cessation of hostilities by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, of all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, and the full, immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Russian forces and military equipment from the territory of Ukraine. Ukraine – we stand with you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 August 2022.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council briefing on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine.

Thank you Mr President and thank you to Under-Secretary-General Di Carlo for this briefing.

The United Kingdom remains gravely concerned about the implications for nuclear safety, security and safeguards of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Russia’s invasion has disrupted the operation of nuclear facilities across Ukraine, posed a grave threat to operational safety, and prevented Ukrainian authorities from carrying out routine safeguards tasks.

Instead of calling yet another meeting on the crisis at Zaporizhzhia, Russia could resolve it immediately by withdrawing its forces from the plant, and all of Ukraine, and ceasing its senseless aggression. As well as causing untold suffering to the Ukrainian people, the simple fact is that Russia’s invasion – and its efforts to seize by force Ukraine’s nuclear plants – has jeopardised the safety of millions in the region who would be affected by a nuclear incident in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, important nuclear safety and safeguards activities at the site are needed more than ever. We welcome progress towards an IAEA technical visit. Any visit should take place in a manner that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty over its territory. The Secretary General has been clear that the UN can facilitate a visit from the Ukrainian side, and we welcome his and the UN’s engagement. We also welcome the efforts of the Ukrainian administration, and of IAEA staff to plan and support a mission, and call upon Russia to provide appropriate security guarantees.

We commend the heroic efforts of Ukrainian staff operating the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, despite the great pressure they are under. They must be allowed to carry out their duties without threats or further disruption. Cutting off a major supply of electricity to the people of Ukraine would cause further immense suffering. As USG Di Carlo said today, the electricity at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant belongs to Ukraine.

Russia’s war is reckless and irresponsible. A nuclear disaster should be unthinkable, and no member of the United Nations – let alone a permanent member of this Council – should bring about that threat by seeking to take another country’s nuclear facilities by force. Russia’s actions are contrary to the principles of the Convention of Nuclear Safety and other international nuclear safety conventions. So we call once more upon Russia to return full control of all Ukraine’s nuclear facilities to their rightful sovereign owner to ensure their safe and secure operation.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 August 2022.

UK Ambassador to Guatemala, Nick Whittingham, addressed prosperity, human rights and climate change with local leaders during a visit on 7-11 August.

In Huehuetenango, Ambassador Whittingham met with the Governor, Jose Juan De León, and the Major of Huehuetenango, Gustavo Cano, to address the economic portfolio in the Department. They discussed challenges and possible opportunities offered in services, tourism and other areas for UK companies wishing to invest in this region in the future.

Ambassador Whittingham invited local leaders to continue seizing the opportunities of the UK-Central American Association Agreement, which is now under its second year of implementation and has helped to increase Guatemalan exports to the UK. He also stressed the importance of continue improving transparency and rule of law to create a proper environment for investors to come.

While in Huehuetenango, the Ambassador also visited the local offices of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), which has the objective of expanding attention to the population requesting refugee status, refugees, in transit, host communities and Guatemalan people in vulnerable situations.

In Quiche, the Ambassador met with the association of local journalists “Prensa Comunitaria”, to highlight the UK’s commitment to promoting media freedom and the importance of community and investigative journalism in real time from the different regions of the country. The Ambassador also held a meeting with the Governor of Quiche, Ervin Macz Hó.

While in Quiche, the Ambassador visited Bosques de Lemoa Reserve, a forest reserve in Quiche, which has approximately 30,000 trees and was one of the four initiatives recognised by the British Embassy and Prensa Libre in 2021 for its positive impact on environmental protection. Tackling climate change remain a global top UK priority and the Embassy wants to continue working with Guatemalan partners on this issue.

Ambassador Whittingham held meetings with indigenous leaders from both departments to understand more about the challenges and opportunities they seek to promote their participation, development and inclusion and how the British Embassy can support these efforts. The continuous coordination between the local government and the indigenous authorities is fundamental for the development of the communities and the prosperity of this region.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 August 2022.

£37.65 million of urgent UK humanitarian funding will deliver life-saving assistance across Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Nigeria and Niger

20 million people are projected to be in need of urgent aid across the region by the end of 2022

the money will help fund 2 projects for the next year focused on the most vulnerable, including malnourished women and children

The UK will support around 1 million of the most vulnerable people across the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin with food, water and sanitation.

Growing instability and violent extremism across the region and the war on Ukraine have exacerbated existing issues with food insecurity and malnutrition. As things stand, there will be close to 20 million people across the region in need of humanitarian aid by the end of the year.

And the Sahel faces further vulnerabilities due to climate change and extreme weather shocks, putting unimaginable stress on communities, meaning urgent intervention by the international community is now a necessity.

The UK is providing £37.65 million in urgent humanitarian assistance, focused on these areas where conflict, climate change and extreme hunger is causing the most suffering.

Minister for Africa Vicky Ford said:

“Millions of people across the Sahel and West Africa are unimaginably suffering with hunger and malnutrition.

That’s why the UK will step up with an urgent £38 million of humanitarian funding, reaching those most vulnerable and saving lives across the region.

The number of people facing starvation are at their worst for a decade. Whilst this UK funding is a necessity, it has to be part of a bigger international effort. We’re calling on international partners to enhance our collective support and scale-up intervention to halt this humanitarian catastrophe.”

£19.9 million will support The Sahel Humanitarian Assistance and Protection Programme (SHAPP), a programme which has been responding to the most acute needs, including those of displaced and malnourished women and children, and enables safer access for humanitarian aid workers to reach them.

The funding ensures delivery partners including the International Committee of the Red Cross and the INGO-run Sahel Regional Fund can continue their heroic, life-saving work in the region. The funding also supports the work of the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) and the International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO).

Their work between 2019 to 2022 under the Sahel Humanitarian Emergency Response Programme (SHERP) supported 2.7 million people with food assistance, provided treatment to nearly 900,000 severely malnourished children and ensured over 1.5 million mothers could detect malnutrition among their children, enabling early intervention.

In addition, £15 million of emergency humanitarian funding has been made available for North-East Nigeria over the next few months, when food is most scarce and humanitarian needs are highest. Violence, displacement, poverty and climate shocks are just some of the many reasons why 8.4 million people need life-saving humanitarian assistance there. This emergency funding supports the UK’s work alongside the Nigerian government to build security in the face of growing instability in the north of the country.

In North-East Nigeria, the UK is proud to be supporting the work of our delivery partners – the World Food Programme and UNICEF – whose aid workers put themselves at great risk in order to reach those suffering most.

This food assistance funding is part of the UK’s wider commitment to prioritise life-saving humanitarian aid to communities around the world who are most vulnerable due to the ongoing combination of crises.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 22 August 2022.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Security Council briefing on promoting common security through dialogue and cooperation

Thank you, Mr President.

I thank the Secretary-General and Ambassador Zlauvinen for their important briefings today.

Mr President, dialogue and cooperation are essential components for settling disputes and building peace and security. In this Council, we have seen some significant positive examples in recent months.

In Yemen, sustained efforts, including Council members and regional actors, have brought us to a fragile truce.

On Somalia, cooperation within the Council and with the African Union have led to the establishment of a new mission, establishing the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS).

But dialogue can only ensure our collective security if it is matched and underpinned by states upholding the international system that keeps us all safe. This must start with the Charter as the guarantor of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.

Today, there is no contest for the gravest threat to the system of common security that is enshrined in the United Nations. Russia, a permanent member of this Council, has torn up the Charter and trampled on the rules that underpin international peace and security. This undermines the entire system we are all here to uphold.

To ensure all of our security – and the system we all rely on – we must hold to account states that transgress universally accepted norms, such as sovereignty and territorial integrity. If we accept that a big country can simply invade its smaller neighbour, we return to dark days of human suffering as well as wider international instability and conflict.

This is why we call – again – for the Russian Federation to stop its illegal invasion of Ukraine and withdraw its forces.

Mr President,

With the global system under challenge, we must do everything we can to avoid nuclear escalation. The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) remains a cornerstone of the global security architecture in this era. And the only route to our shared goal of complete nuclear disarmament.

The joint statement on this subject in January from P5 leaders was an important signal of the willingness to work together to reduce risks and build confidence.

And in this context, we thank Mr Zlauvinen for his tireless work as President of the NPT Review Conference. The UK remains unwaveringly committed to its aims, and to working with other states to ensure implementation of the NPT and other treaties.

So we echo the concern of the Secretary General about the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant in southern Ukraine. He has our support in efforts to deescalate the situation. We also underline the importance of a mission of IAEA experts to address nuclear safety, security and safeguarding concerns, in a manner that respects full Ukrainian sovereignty over its territory and infrastructure.

Mr President,

The UN Charter and the international security architecture that we collectively built are crucial for all of our countries. Let us defend that, together, to ensure a world in which all sovereign states can ensure the safety of their people and the integrity of their territory.

Thank you.

 

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 August 2022.

People whose lives have been upended by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, drought and food shortages in East Africa, and conflict in Syria will be among those to benefit from £36 million in UK humanitarian funding announced today.

The announcement comes on United Nations World Humanitarian Day (Friday 19 August) as parts of the globe come under increasing strain from lasting effects of the pandemic, the increasing impact of climate change, and conflicts in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Local aid workers are at the forefront of the effort to alleviate the disastrous consequences of these crises as they provide humanitarian assistance for communities across the world. The UK’s funding announcement will support them to continue their essential work.

In Ukraine and Poland, where the majority of Ukrainians who have fled the conflict have travelled, £15 million in UK funding will support up to 200,000 of the most vulnerable impacted by Russia’s invasion. This includes children, older people and those with disabilities. International aid organisation Mercy Corps will work with grassroots civil society groups to provide emergency assistance to cover basic needs, including food, water and sanitation, psychological support and childcare services.

In East Africa, where severe food insecurity threatens over 48 million people, the UK has allocated an additional £14 million to the countries on the frontline of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. This new spending, which will work immediately to save lives and prevent more people experiencing famine-like conditions, includes:

– a £5 million boost to the UK Somalia programme, which is providing life-saving health, nutrition, food security and water and sanitation assistance to over half a million people in some of the most vulnerable families

– £6 million for the Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund which will provide vital assistance to under-funded emergencies across Ethiopia, including drought and conflict-affected regions

– £3 million in emergency humanitarian funding to the World Food Programme, Sudan, helping reach approximately 120,000 vulnerable people with food assistance

Minister of State for South and Central Asia, North Africa, UN and the Commonwealth and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon said:

“In 2022 millions more people are now in desperate need of humanitarian support.

UK funding is ensuring that the UN and local partners can reach those affected by Russian aggression in Ukraine, drought in East Africa and ongoing conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan. We thank those on the ground who so often risk their own lives to help and protect them.

Britain has a proud humanitarian tradition, and we will continue to support the most vulnerable, wherever they are.”

The Russian invasion is exacerbating the world food crisis, which is hitting the poorest hardest, particularly in East Africa. The UK and its allies have pushed hard for the UN grain initiative and the world is watching to ensure that Russia complies, so food continues to flow from Ukraine and feed the hungry.

The UK is also providing £1.5 million to deploy technology to identify whether grain sold by Russia on the world market has been stolen from Ukraine. A package of rail support to Ukraine will also ensure grain trains can run. Moreover, the UK is providing Ukraine with the military capability to help protect its ports, essential for the grain deal to be a success.

Minister for Africa Vicky Ford said:

“In the Horn of Africa, around 700,000 people are experiencing famine conditions – and in Somalia over 386,000 children are projected to be severely malnourished and at risk of death by the end of the year.

UK aid in east Africa is providing life-saving support to the most vulnerable people in the hardest hit countries.

We must now bring new stakeholders to the table to strengthen our international action towards the world’s worst humanitarian crisis today.”

The UK is also announcing a £7 million package to support Syrian refugees who have fled the conflict to Lebanon, delivered through the World Food Programme. This funding will help provide more than 150,000 people with food, water and nutrition. This is part of the UK’s pledge to provide up to £158 million earlier this year at the Brussels Pledging Conference for the Syria Crisis, which will support food production, protect women and girls from violence and ensure humanitarian access to the North East of Syria, where the situation is deteriorating.

The UK is the third largest bilateral donor to the crisis in Syria, having committed over £3.8 billion to date in our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. This includes support to the governments of Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey to cope with the protracted refugee presence by supporting displaced Syrians until they can return safely to Syria.

Since 2012, across Syria and the region, the UK has provided:

– over 28.3 million food rations

– over 24 million medical consultations

– 6.3 million cash grants/vouchers

– 11 million relief packages

– over 15.2 million vaccines

Our aid provides life-saving support to millions of Syrians, supporting refugees to remain in countries in the region, and enabling their host communities to accommodate them.

The UK has consistently been one of the largest bilateral humanitarian donors globally and have been at the forefront of driving more effective and innovative approaches to crisis prevention, preparedness, and response.  Since 2015, the UK has reached 32.6 million people with humanitarian aid, saving lives and alleviating suffering in places like Syria, Ethiopia, and Afghanistan.

Now in Ukraine, the UK is working alongside trusted partners to deliver its £220 million humanitarian pledge.

Mercy Corps Ukraine Response Director, Michael Young, said:

“In Ukraine and Poland, we have partnered directly with local organisations that know their community needs best and are working quickly to deliver humanitarian aid.

With this funding, our partners will continue to deliver emergency assistance and ship essential supplies such as food and hygiene items to people affected by heavy fighting, as well as providing reliable information on where to access basic services, safe routes, legal rights for refugees and people displaced inside Ukraine.”

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 August 2022.

The scheme will help these countries grow and prosper, and in turn tackle poverty by harnessing the power of trade. The DCTS replaces the UK’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP), a preferential trading system that provides tariff removals and reductions on various products.

Under the DCTS, Pakistan will continue to benefit from duty-free exports to the UK. In addition, the DCTS will remove tariffs on over 156 additional products. It will also simplify some seasonal tariffs, meaning additional and simpler access for Pakistan’s exports to the UK.

Total trade (goods and services) between the UK and Pakistan each year currently stands £2.9bn. In total, 94% of goods exported from Pakistan will be eligible for duty-free access to the UK. Pakistan will save £120m in tariffs on exports to the UK under the scheme.

Pakistan, and other DCTS countries, will also be supported to participate in the international trading system through the UK’s Trade Centre of Excellence, which will provide specialist support so that they can fully participate in the global trading system. This will include support on meeting trade standards, and participating in multilateral trade fora.

UK’s Trade Director for Pakistan and British Deputy High Commissioner, Karachi, Sarah Mooney, said:

“A prosperous UK-Pakistan relationship matters. As we celebrate 75 years of our bilateral relations, we want to further cement our strong ties and double bilateral trade by 2025. The newly announced DCTS Scheme will be pivotal in achieving this.”