Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 March 2025.

UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the High Commission – Oral update on Ukraine. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

Thank you, Mr President.

High Commissioner, your update lays bare the toll this war has taken, bringing death, injury and lasting family separation to innocent children of Ukraine.

It is almost impossible to read your report or listen to your update without shock or dismay: toddlers sexually assaulted, other children summarily executed by Russian troops. Over 600 dead. Thousands forcibly separated and deported to Russia.

Children in occupied territories are also particularly vulnerable. Multiple reports lay bare the systematic indoctrination and militarisation of children in these areas. Of the 20,000 children reported to have been deported to Russia, only a handful have returned. Forced passportisation and punishment for speaking Ukrainian and studying the Ukrainian school syllabus are widely documented. A callous Russian attempt to erode Ukraine’s future by trying to reshape the identities of its youngest citizens, and wipe out Ukrainian culture, language and identity.

The Russian state must be held fully accountable for its actions. Ukrainian children are entitled to a childhood in which their rights are safeguarded, and a future which is free from war.

High Commissioner, your report highlights the worsening mental health of Ukraine’s children.

What more can we do to support Ukraine with expertise from countries who have experienced similar trauma for children and young people in past conflicts?

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 March 2025.

UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner on Haiti with the participation of the Independent Expert. Delivered by the UK Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

Thank you, Mr President.

We thank the High Commissioner for his report. The ongoing and rapid deterioration of human rights in Haiti is shocking.

The Haitian people have long suffered indiscriminate attacks by armed criminal gangs – these have contributed to over a million Haitians being displaced from their homes.

Widespread recruitment, exploitation and abuse of children by these gangs is still happening. At the same time the use of sexual violence as a form of punishment and to spread fear within communities is increasing.

Re-establishing security to end the scourge of gangs remains essential to Haiti’s long-term stability. The UK supports the work of the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti and is providing £5 million to OHCHR to ensure the Mission’s compliance with international standards on human rights, conduct and discipline.

We will continue to take action against perpetrators of human rights abuses in Haiti through sanctions.

High Commissioner,

Given the increasing chaos spread by Haitian gangs, how can the international community best assist the Haitian government in bringing about lasting improvements to the security environment?

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 March 2025.

UK Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Dame Karen Pierce, paid her first official visit in this role to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 27-28 March.

Dame Karen Pierce, one of the UK’s most experienced diplomats, has been appointed the UK Special Envoy for the Western Balkans in February this year, taking over from Air Chief Marshal The Lord Peach.

Dame Karen Pierce began her visit with talks with the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina members, Chair of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Minister of Foreign Affairs in which she reiterated the UK’s steadfast commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s stability and security.

Dame Karen Pierce said:

It’s an honour to have been appointed as the UK’s Special Envoy for the Western Balkans – a region of great personal attachment to me, and to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina so early on in my role. The UK remains fully committed to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

I am visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina in a moment of political crisis. It is important to underline that BiH has the institutions and mechanisms to respond to this crisis. An early domestic resolution will enable further progress on the country’s EU path. For our part, the UK will continue to support BiH in fulfilling its Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

This autumn, the UK is hosting the Berlin Process summit with Western Balkans leaders to support stability, security and economic co-operation in the region Dame Karen Pierce discussed objectives and delivery with Amer Kapetanovic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, a key regional partner.

During the visit, Special Envoy Dame Karen Pierce also met human rights defenders, journalists, and project partners with whom the UK works on a range of issues for the benefit of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In her meeting with leaders and representatives of the biggest religious communities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, she urged them to work together to deescalate political crises and to build trust between communities: preserving peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina is paramount.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 March 2025.

UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on the Oral Update of the Independent Expert on the Human Rights Situation in Mali. Delivered by the UK Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

Thank You Mr Vice President.

We thank the Independent Expert for his report. His mandate is ever more vital following the withdrawal of the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). We also welcome the cooperation of the Malian authorities in facilitating the Expert’s first visit and encourage their continued collaboration.

As we have heard, the human rights situation remains grave. Increased reports of gender-based violence, and violence against children are particularly concerning. Civic space continues to shrink, key opposition figures remain detained, and civil society organisations disbanded.

We therefore encourage authorities to create the necessary conditions for free, fair and inclusive elections, as soon as possible.

Mr President, the UK urges the Malian authorities to further strengthen independent accountability mechanisms, including for alleged incidents committed by military personnel and Russian proxies. These actors continue to create deep-rooted insecurity for the Malian people.

Mr Gonzalez, as reports of human rights violations and abuses persist, international accountability processes remain vital to hold perpetrators to account.  What more could the International Criminal Court do to enhance accountability under the existing referral?

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 March 2025.

Connor Creeley (UK Delegation to the OSCE) praises the landmark border agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, which resolves decades of conflict and instability along their shared border.

Thank you Chair.

The UK commends this historic border agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Since the 1990s, there have been repeated outbreaks of violence over the long, shared border. After the most recent clash in September 2022, both governments agreed that enough was enough and began negotiations to resolve the conflict. Through hard work and patient cooperation, a decades-long issue – and source of instability for Central Asia – has now been resolved, with the border delineated.

We note positively that both states achieved this agreement without the need of any third-party mediators. Such actions by our fellow participating States help to reaffirm the OSCE commitments and uphold the Helsinki Final Act’s core principles of non-use of force, peaceful settlement of disputes and cooperation among States. We hope this peaceful resolution will help to promote stability throughout the region and serve as an example to the wider world.

I encourage both countries to support their local communities on the border. This agreement offers huge potential for regional integration and supports economic cooperation and development. We look forward to the resumption of cross-border trade and travel that will help to build people-to-people ties. The UK will continue to reiterate – in this Council and beyond – the importance of diplomacy to help resolve disputes. We look forward to a new era of cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and the OSCE stands ready to support.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 March 2025.

UK assistance continues advancing forests protection and sustainable livelihoods of communities in Peten, as the British Ambassador endorses a conservation agreement during her visit.

Ambassador Juliana Correa visited Petén on 26-28 March to learn about the progress of projects supported by DEFRA’s Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF). She met with local authorities, implementing partners and communities.

On 26 March Ambassador Correa had discussions with representatives of the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP) about the achievements and challenges in natural resource management in the region. She also met with implementing partners of the Guatemalan Mayan Forest sub-landscape, who presented progress in ecosystem restoration, fire prevention, and sustainable forest management.

Representatives of the communities of Cruce a La Colorada, La Pasadita, Paso Caballos, San Miguel, and San Miguel Poptún, explained to the Ambassador how their Climate-Smart Community Development Plans were helping them to better adapt to the effects of climate change and improve their environmental resilience.

During a visit to Uaxactun on 27 March, the Ambassador participated as witness in the signing of a Conservation Agreement between the BLF’s leading implementing organization Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), CONAP, and other partners, reaffirming the United Kingdom’s commitment to protecting forests and strengthening community governance models. As part of the focus on sustainability, she visited a forest nursery and a community sawmill, where she learned about the impact of responsible forest management and its contribution to the local economy.

On 28 March, the Ambassador toured the Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Association (ARCAS) rescue centre, an organization that has received support from the United Kingdom for the conservation of endangered species and to promote environmental education. Finally, he met with FORESCOM, an organization that promotes the sustainable use of timber and non-timber products, contributing to the economic development of communities and the protection of forests.

DEFRA’s Biodiverse Landscapes Fund seeks to strengthen the resilience of ecosystems and communities in regions of high ecological value, such as the Mayan Rainforest. The UK is investing in precious areas covering Guatemala and Belize, which compose the largest tropical forest in Mesoamerica and is a refuge for endangered species. The BLF’s activities in Peten are carried out by WCS, and other implementing partners.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 March 2025.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Democratic Republic of the Congo.

First, the UK regrets that despite the clear and urgent message that this Council sent last month, with the unanimous adoption of resolution 2773, M23 and the Rwandan Defence Forces have continued their territorial advance.

We strongly condemn the capture of Walikale.

And we reiterate that the Rwandan Defence Forces must withdraw from sovereign Congolese territory, and all regional actors must cease support for armed groups.

In addition, the UK condemns M23’s continued restrictions on MONUSCO which have prevented the Mission being able to deliver key tasks mandated by this Council.

Second, the UK welcomes efforts to deliver a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

This includes the joint work of EAC and SADC and its creation of a Panel of Facilitators.

The UK also recognises the efforts of His Highness the Amir of Qatar to convene President Tshisekedi and President Kagame for discussions in support of regional processes.

We regret that despite the commitments made, an immediate and unconditional ceasefire has not yet materialised.

In addition, the UK is grateful to Angola and President Lourenco for his exemplary leadership in securing significant agreements for a sustainable peace.

The Luanda process made important steps forward, including agreement on a harmonised plan for neutralising the FDLR, disengaging the Rwandan Defence Forces from DRC and, most recently, agreement by the DRC government to direct talks with M23.

We deeply regret that M23 were not willing to participate in these talks.

Third, as we’ve heard from our breifers, the humanitarian situation in DRC remains dire.

The UK supports the joint calls by EAC and SADC for the reopening of Goma airport and humanitarian supply routes.

We call on all parties to protect civilians, including from sexual and gender-based violence, and immediately end and prevent the abduction and recruitment and the use of children.

The UK has committed over 18 million dollars of humanitarian support to those in need in eastern DRC.

Finally, President, the conflict in eastern DRC is undermining security across the region.

We urge the parties to engage now in the regionally led peace processes to bring it to a sustainable end.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 March 2025.

Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown highlights the ongoing economic and environmental impacts of Russia’s illegal war of aggression on Ukraine and welcomes the activities of the OCEEA.

Thank you, Ambassador Dzhusupov, for your presentation and welcome to the Permanent Council.

Since your last address to the Permanent Council, we have continued to see the devastating effects of Russia’s brutal and illegal war of aggression. Each day there is yet more impact on Ukraine’s – and the OSCE region’s – economy and environment. We are pleased to see the focus in your report on how your office is working to mitigate the effects of the war, which stretch right across the OSCE’s comprehensive concept of security.

Your focus on Economic Good Governance is also particularly crucial. The OCEEA’s initiatives to combat corruption, money laundering, and the financing of terrorism are vital for promoting transparency and integrity within the region. The UK is proud to support the ExB project “Innovative Policy Solutions to Mitigate Money Laundering Risks of Virtual Assets” to build capacity in Central Asia, Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus, to deal with this fast-evolving area.

The UK is also pleased to be able to continue to support your office’s pioneering work on climate migration. There is still work to be done to fill knowledge gaps and ensure we have data which show us the relationship between climate change and human mobility. The UK is expanding its work to tackle upstream migration and we are interested in closer collaboration with the OSCE in this area.

Ambassador Dzhusupov, thank you again for your report, and we look forward to supporting you and your able team in the months ahead.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 March 2025.

Politico-Military Counsellor, Ankur Narayan, says that Russia’s citing of a fake UK newspaper article would damage trust and credibility if, as seems likely, it was a deliberate attempt to manipulate the Forum.

Thank you, Mr Chair. I am delivering this statement, on Russia’s Foreign Interference and Manipulation of Information in the FSC, on behalf of the United Kingdom. Norway has aligned with it.

This statement is about a falsified UK source, cited in the Russia FSC statement last week. It appears to be a brazen attempt to manipulate the members of this Forum. As Russia has made no attempt to correct the record, the UK and our Allies must now do so.

We have seen the Russian state using information warfare to attempt to undermine Ukraine and its supporters, sow divisions and bolster support for the Kremlin’s war aims. Each week we use this Forum to hold Russia to account for its information manipulation, the scale and nature of which has been demonstrated through its war on Ukraine. And this is not just confined to the FSC – we continue to see Russia’s attempts to push its information manipulation across international fora. The UK and our Allies stand firm in our commitment to the integrity of the multilateral system, and we will not allow Russia’s deception to be normalised.

Mr Chair, last week, Russia took this an unprecedented step further. In its weekly General Statement, it displayed and quoted from the purported front page of a March edition of a local UK newspaper, the Hull Daily Mail. The headline was evidently designed to stoke criticism amongst the British public of the UK’s continued support for Ukraine. However, it has been clearly established that the image displayed by Russia was a faked image, in which the actual headline of that edition had been replaced with a fake one about Kursk. The newspaper itself has made clear that the image had been faked. Two other newspaper headlines were also displayed which have also been proven to be faked.

The use by Russia of faked newspaper images and headlines was at best, a failure to ensure the authenticity of its sources. At worst, and far more likely given what we know about Russian behaviour, this was a deliberate attempt to manipulate the representatives in this Forum. Either way, this represented an egregious departure from the norms of conduct in international organisations.

The use of falsified documents by States in multilateral fora, and other efforts to sow disinformation, must be called out, and the record corrected. We cannot allow this Forum, or any other international organisation, to be influenced by these attempts to deceive us. Such attempts fundamentally undermine trust and credibility. Without trust, how can we deliver on our mandate of transparency, risk-reduction and Confidence and Security Building Measures? Without the credibility of our counterparts, how can we take seriously what Russia is saying?

Mr Chair, all of us have committed to executing the mandate of this crucial Forum. Trust and credibility are cornerstones of this. We urge Russia to return immediately to professional diplomatic conduct. Its efforts to deter us from supporting Ukraine will not succeed. We will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. Thank you, Mr Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 March 2025.

Ambassador Holland welcomes the work of the OSCE Mission over the last 12 months, and condemns recent attempts by Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik to undermine regional stability.

Firstly, I would like to welcome back Ambassador Aggeler to the Permanent Council. Thanks once again to you and your team for your work over the past 12 months, and for this comprehensive report. The United Kingdom highly appreciates the work and added value of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Mr Chair, the United Kingdom strongly supports a stable, prosperous and inclusive Bosnia and Herzegovina, making progress on its Euro-Atlantic path. We therefore condemn Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik’s illegal and dangerous recent attacks on the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dodik and the Republika Srpska National Assembly’s attempts to break up the state – including through a proposal for a new secessionist constitution – will only harm the citizens he claims to protect. As a signatory to the Dayton Peace Agreement, the UK rejects any such attempts to undermine regional stability and prosperity.

In this difficult context, we welcome the OSCE Mission’s continuous efforts and engagement on reconciliation, peace- and trust-building. We particularly support the Mission’s work on strengthening inter-ethnic relations, and in connecting neighbouring communities across political and administrative divides. A more inclusive and cohesive society is essential to achieving a positive future for the whole of BiH. We highly value the insight and information provided by the nine Field Offices across the country towards this.

The UK welcomes that local elections held in Bosnia and Herzegovina in October proceeded smoothly and were found by ODIHR and other partners to be competitive and managed efficiently. However, we note concerns over the perceived lack of genuine public engagement. We encourage authorities in BiH to fully align BiH’s Election Law with international standards, following ODIHR recommendations, and to ensure that funding for the Central Election Committee’s work is agreed in good time for the 2026 general elections. Changes to the Election Law will rebuild voters’ trust in the democratic process and ensure that the results reflect their will. The UK is pleased to have supported work through the OSCE Mission to improve the integrity of electoral processes.

The UK also fully supports the work of the Mission towards safeguarding fundamental freedoms and shares the Mission’s concerns at the shrinking space for civil society and media observed over the last 12 months. We encourage BiH to focus on its reform agenda and positive legislative steps required as part of the EU accession pathway.

Mr Chair, this remains a critical and dangerous time for European security. It is vital that the international community takes a collective approach to supporting the development of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Further economic, social and political progress must build on the many years of reforms.

The UK joins international partners in urging all actors to fully adhere to the Dayton Peace Agreement and respect the state institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We reaffirm our unequivocal commitment to the territorial integrity of BiH and support for a single, sovereign state comprising two entities, in which all its peoples and citizens are equal. As we approach the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide and of the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, the UK is committed to supporting BiH in its efforts to build a secure, stable, inclusive society, and heal the fractures caused by conflict.

Ambassador Aggeler – dear Brian – on a personal level, I also wanted to thank you for your leadership of the Mission over the last three years, and wish you all the best with your future endeavours.

Thank you, Mr Chair.