Tag: Foreign Office

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

Baroness Chapman gave a speech at the launch of a new Global Compact on Nutrition Integration on the eve of the Nutrition for Growth Summit in Paris.

Welcome everyone. Thank you to our co-hosts – the Government of Nigeria, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the World Bank, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, and thank you to the Government of France for bringing us together.

It is great to see such a diverse group of people gathered here – from Gavi and the Green Climate Fund, to private sector investors, philanthropy, and civil society networks, to countries deeply affected by malnutrition, including members of the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement.

I know that for some of you this is your life’s work. And as the UK’s Minister for International Development, and for Latin America and Caribbean, it is a pleasure to welcome you all on the eve of the fourth Nutrition for Growth Summit, and to share a few reflections before we hear from you.

Thanks in no small part to many of you – the work we have done together over many decades has shown that we can make a difference. Lives changed and lives saved.

This agenda can serve as an example of how coming together, being more than the sum of our parts, can help us maximise our impact.

Now, before going into more detail about our collective work on nutrition, I want to address something head on. I know many of you will have seen our announcement about our ODA budget in recent weeks –  as the UK responds to the world as it is now – less stable, more insecure.

It was a decision we neither relish, nor take lightly. But I hope my presence here, the work of our dedicated experts, and our continued efforts on this important agenda, demonstrates the UK will never turn its back on the world – or on international development. Far from it.

How we work has to change, but I promise, what we all care about is not. The task for all of us now is to make sure we secure the reforms we need to meet the challenges and opportunities of our times.

That includes making the case for development anew. And thinking afresh about the kind of genuine, respectful, modern partnerships we pursue, and the commitment, energy and expertise we bring to forums like this – not just how much public money we have to spend.

And as we work through the difficult choices before us now, my focus is on making sure this new reality gives even greater impetus to modernising the UK’s approach to international development. That is already underway. And it is how we maximise the impact of every pound of public money we are able to put in – and our collective impact.

So let me talk about our impact.

Over a decade after the world came together in the UK for the first of these important summits, the UK has helped to improve the nutrition of over 50 million women and children – from Nigeria, to Pakistan, Bangladesh, and beyond.

That spans everything from getting micronutrient supplements, specialist support, and therapeutic foods to treat malnutrition in women and children, to helping farmers grow more nutritious foods like vegetables and legumes, to improve the diets of their families and communities.

I talked a moment ago about the importance of working in partnership – we need to learn from our successes. Partnerships like the Child Nutrition Fund. Alongside UNICEF, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, and the Gates Foundation, we are aiming to prevent, detect, and treat malnutrition for 70 million women and 230 million children in 23 countries, from Afghanistan, to DRC, Malawi, Madagascar, Somalia, and South Sudan.

At the end of last year, a new partnership with the World Food Programme, World Health Organisation, and UNICEF got underway – focused on preventing the most horrible and deadliest form of malnutrition, child wasting.

It’s a dreadful and shameful phrase to even say – and we must keep our minds on that, as we stand here together in these wonderful surroundings, to reaffirm all our commitments and initiatives.

Commitments like those we made at the last summit in Tokyo 4 years ago, on integrating nutrition across everything we do, from climate to health – such as developing nutritious crops that help us address a lack of key nutrients. So that the 2 billion people who don’t get the nutrition they need can have a healthier life.

It means working with Gavi, the Government of Ethiopia, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation to reach vulnerable mothers and children with life-saving immunisation and nutrition.

And, when it comes to nutrition, we all know what is at stake in every country in the world. Combating malnutrition is vital for a healthy population and healthy economies – malnutrition translates into a loss of 10% of GDP for countries most affected. It’s a good investment – every pound, euro or dollar we invest pays for itself 23 times over.

We know how to make our work even more effective. Invest in science. Go for solutions supported by the evidence. Put nutrition at the heart of everything we do – from health, to water, hygiene, and sanitation, food systems, social protection, and our wider resilience.

So, this evening, it’s fantastic we have all come together to launch the Global Compact on Nutrition Integration.

Tomorrow, we convene a new coalition of signatories. And I am looking forward to hearing from some of you this evening, about your commitment to this vital cause.

As we learn from each other, challenge each other, push each other to do more, and keep going – not just at summits like this where we all get together. That is how we maximise the impact we can achieve.

So, thank you all once again for being here.

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

Ambassador Holland commends Ukraine’s agreement to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and urges Russia to show that it is serious about peace by agreeing to one without further delay.

Thank you, Mister Chair.  We all want to see an end to the fighting and an enduring peace in Ukraine.  We thank the United States for their efforts to deliver this, including during talks this week in Riyadh.

Under President Zelenskyy’s leadership, Ukraine has shown that it is the party of peace.  They have proposed a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.  The only condition that Ukraine attached to this was that Russia should agree to it too.  To date, Russia has not done so.  We hope that President Putin will agree to this without further delay.

The ball remains in Russia’s court to demonstrate that the words we have heard about Russia wanting peace are sincere.

It can do so by removing conditions designed to hamper and delay US-led efforts to end the fighting.  It can do so by ceasing the attacks which continue to kill and injure innocent civilians at a pace which has not changed despite the altered context.  And it can do so by showing that it is able to honour, in good faith, past agreements it has signed, starting with the Geneva Conventions, which include rules on the targeting of healthcare and minimising civilian casualties.  The Russian State has shown little regard for these laws since it launched its full-scale invasion, an attitude that continues to this day.

We will not lose sight of the fact that this remains an illegal and unprovoked war against an independent, sovereign nation. It is a violation of the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act.  And the longer it takes President Putin to agree to end the fighting, the more innocent lives will be lost.

Mister Chair, I would also like to say a few words about the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) in Ukraine.  As you know, the SMM was in place between 2014 and 2022.  The men and women of the SMM performed their functions with integrity and professionalism.  They did so despite a risk to their safety, a risk underlined by the tragic deaths of two of its members and the arbitrary arrest and continued detention by Russia of three of its staff: Vadym Golda, Maxim Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov.

The SMM’s task – to provide independent and objective reporting on the security situation in Ukraine – was made impossible by Russia and its proxies restricting its movements and mandate. Blaming the OSCE for these flaws is disinformation and distraction. This organisation and its staff deserve better.  Thank you, Mister Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 24 March 2025.

2025 Rohingya Joint Response Plan: UK statement delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

The United Kingdom would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Bangladesh for its generous hospitality in hosting so many Rohingya refugees since 2017.

We also wish to express our deep appreciation to all the humanitarian partners, their staff and the volunteers on the ground, who have provided vital assistance in this ongoing crisis.

The UK remains steadfast in our commitment to supporting the Rohingya people while they remain in Bangladesh. Since 2017, we have provided £405 million for the Rohingya and host communities in Bangladesh. We have also contributed £105 million to the response in Rakhine, with £52 million of this supporting Rohingya and other Muslim minorities.

Through our role as penholder at the Security Council, the UK convened six meetings on Myanmar in 2024, and one earlier this year, to ensure continued attention on the crisis.

In November, our Minister for the Asia Pacific visited Bangladesh, where she reiterated the UK’s unwavering support for Bangladesh and the Rohingya people.

So we are also pleased to welcome this year’s Joint Response Plan, aimed at assisting both the Rohingya refugees and the vulnerable host community members living in Bangladesh. We continue to see it as important that we target our support to ensure protection of the most vulnerable.

We recognise the immense challenges that Bangladesh faces in hosting such a large refugee population, including the pressures on security and infrastructure in the camps. The UK is committed to:

• Continuing our partnership with Bangladesh and our international partners to find sustainable solutions,
• Working with Bangladesh to offer the Rohingya refugees greater self-reliance,
• Improving the safety and security of the camps,
• Coordinating with international partners to achieve the maximum impact with the resources available.

As this crisis continues to evolve, we will continue to do everything we can to support those in need, while actively working towards a safe, dignified, and sustainable future for the Rohingya people.

Thank you.

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

Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown congratulates Armenia and Azerbaijan on the conclusion of negotiations on a peace agreement and urges both sides to sign it as soon as possible.

Thank you, Mr Chair.  And thank you also, Your Excellency, Deputy Foreign Minister, for your update this afternoon.

The United Kingdom warmly congratulates Armenia and Azerbaijan on the conclusion of their negotiations on a peace agreement.  This is a historic moment, and we urge both sides to sign the agreement as soon as possible.  Finalisation of this peace treaty is the best route to achieving lasting peace and to delivering security and stability in the South Caucasus as a whole.  It will open the way to increased trade and prosperity, not only for Armenia and Azerbaijan, but their neighbours also.

We urge both sides to refrain from rhetoric that undermines the prospects for peace.  A return to conflict would be a tragedy and set back progress on peace in the region by years.

The United Kingdom continues to support all efforts, alongside our international partners, to ensure a durable and lasting peace in the South Caucasus.

Thank you, Mr Chair.

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

UK Statement for the 3rd Trade Policy Review of Cambodia. Delivered on 26th March 2025.

Chair, let me warmly welcome the delegation, led by Minister of Commerce Mrs Cham Nimul, to their 3rd Trade Policy Review. Let me also express my gratitude to the government of Cambodia and to the WTO Secretariat for their Reports, to you Chair and to Ambassador James Baxter as discussant, for facilitating this Review with your insightful comments.

Bilateral Relationship

The UK and Cambodia enjoy long-standing and positive relations, with our diplomatic relationship dating back to 1953. In recent decades, the UK has been a considerable investor into Cambodia’s real estate and manufacturing industries, while supporting new approaches to developing Cambodia’s infrastructure to increase confidence in its investment potential is at the heart of our recent engagement. The UK’s development finance institution, British International Investment, has also focussed on renewable energy and climate financing in Cambodia.

2024 was a particularly positive year for the UK-Cambodia trade and investment partnership. In June we welcomed the first official Cambodian trade and investment mission to the UK, including Senior Minister for Trade and Investment Sok Siphana meeting the UK-ASEAN Business Council. In November, the Cambodia-UK business roundtable was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chantol, and the second annual UK-Cambodia Joint Trade and Investment Forum took place.

The Joint Forum’s theme was the ‘Road to 2030’ and pathways to mutual growth, drawing on both parties’ experience and expertise. We agreed focus areas, including tax predictability, double taxation, and developing domestic capital markets. We look forward to the third meeting of the Forum later this year.

I mentioned infrastructure investment. On this we hope a UK Export Finance Memorandum of Understanding to promote infrastructure development will help unlock up to £2bn in finance. We are also pleased the UK’s Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), which coordinates investments for sustainable economic development and poverty reduction, has several projects in Cambodia, and a strategic partnership with the Cambodian Credit Guarantee Corporation.

UK-Cambodia Development Relationship

The UK has also aimed to be a reliable partner to Cambodia through wider development programmes, including UK bilateral  ODA  funding, to support Cambodia’s economic development, enhance trade and investment, and cooperate in areas offering longer-term resilience and growth, including encouraging green and inclusive growth.

Our trade for development tools include ensuring Cambodian exporters can take advantage of comprehensive preferences under the UK Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS). The UK also partners the Cambodian Ministry of Economy on the development of a Green Special Economic Zone and supports for agricultural SMEs.

With all these initiatives in mind, we were also pleased to see confirmation last year of the UN recommendation for Cambodia to graduate from LDC status in 2029.

Report Analysis

The Trade Policy Review illustrates Cambodia’s significant economic policy progress during the reporting period, including the role of trade in Cambodia achieving GDP growth as high as 6% in 2024, and annual increases in the value of merchandise exports. This is impressive progress, and among other achievements is testament to Cambodia’s ability to respond to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

WTO and Regional Engagement

As well as national achievements, we welcome Cambodia’s active international engagement. This includes regional trade agreements like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and wider ASEAN economic initiatives. Here at the WTO we welcome Cambodia’s constructive and thoughtful approaches in a wide range of WTO business. We pay tribute to the Cambodia Permanent Representative, Ambassador Suon Prasith, and his team for their efforts in this regard.

Recent examples of this include Cambodia’s active voice as a LDC focal point on dispute settlement reform. As co-convenor of work on accessibility the UK particularly welcomed Cambodia’s role in this regard. We have also appreciated Cambodia’s informed participation as Member of the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) Board, including drawing insights from its own national use of EIF funding in sectors such as rice and silk.

On WTO agreements, we welcomed Cambodia’s acceptance of the 2022 Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies in 2024, and are especially grateful for Cambodia’s active role in discussions to achieve incorporation of the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement soon.

In other areas, we encourage Cambodia to consider joining the Agreement on E-commerce and the Services Domestic Regulation initiative, both of which aim to break down barriers to cross-border trade in services and facilitate digital trade, which we believe would have significant benefits for Cambodia’s economic development.

We are very interested to hear Cambodian views and any remaining concerns on these agreements, and look forward to continuing to work together in these and other areas. This also includes ongoing work on the additional fisheries subsidies agreement relating to overcapacity and overfishing where Cambodia’s continued insights and support would be welcome.

Taking account of feedback from UK business, we also encourage Cambodia to increase momentum to achieving greater transparency in their customs valuation processes and regulations, including clearer processes for foreign business licensing, taxation, and land ownership.

We also encourage Cambodia to accelerate efforts to establish stronger intellectual property protections, including enforcement of trademarks, copyrights and patent protections; and to pursue clear policies to strengthen regulatory frameworks in areas such as sustainable waste management, green investments, and emissions standards for automotive and construction industries.

We also hope that Cambodia will continue to upskill their domestic workforce and implement stronger labour protections to meet increased economic demands, including after LDC graduation.

Finally, Cambodia has made important efforts to advance women’s economic empowerment and strengthen gender equality, notably through its credit guarantee schemes and national strategy. On behalf of Ambassador Simon Manley, as co-chair of the Working Group on Trade and Gender, who due to other commitments could not be here in person today, we would also welcome Cambodia sharing its experiences at a forthcoming session of the Group.

In closing, Chair, let me thank Cambodia for their report, for our wide cooperation bilaterally and here at the WTO. I again thank the delegation for its hard work and look forward to a productive Trade Policy Review.

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

Extra detail on the UK’s international development budget up to March 2030 has been set out in yesterday’s Spring Statement.

• modernised approach to development to help provide best value for money for UK taxpayers and deliver mutual benefits at home and overseas
• aid budgets across Spending Review period to be based on Spring Statement 2025 Gross National Income forecasts with gradual reduction to 0.3% by 2027 – and will no longer automatically fluctuate in line with economic conditions, providing predictability
• Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office budgets will no longer be automatically adjusted for unforeseen changes to the ODA budget, such as if asylum forecasts change, improving stability

Extra detail on the UK’s international development budget up to March 2030 has been set out in yesterday’s Spring Statement, alongside new plans to ensure it is focussed on UK objectives and provides the best value for money.

This follows the Prime Minister’s announcement last month that the UK government will increase spending on defence to 2.5% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from April 2027, funded from reductions in the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget.

Figures set out in the Spring Statement show how the UK will go from spending around 0.5% of the UK’s Gross National Income (GNI) on international development this financial year (2024 to 2025) to 0.3% of GNI by April 2027, with the budget gradually reduced over three years to help smooth the transition.

The government is to accelerate plans to modernise the UK’s approach to development, putting partnerships first, and mobilising private capital for international development and climate projects by strengthening links with the financial sector and international partners.

The statement also confirmed the UK will now set annual aid budgets from 2027 onwards in cash terms and based on GNI forecasts at the Spending Review, and these budgets will not be adjusted for GNI fluctuations in future years.

Minister for Development Baroness Chapman confirmed as a result of this change, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will no longer hold the ODA ‘spender and saver of last resort’ role. This will bring more stability and certainty.

It will also increase the predictability of international development budgets, which will no longer be automatically exposed to the volatility of GNI fluctuations or spending by other government departments, including demand-driven refugee and asylum costs in the UK.

Minister for International Development, Baroness Chapman, said:

Our work on development is critical for the UK’s interests, making the world safer, more secure and better off. We have to work harder than ever to make sure it delivers for the British public and our Plan for Change.

We are committed to modernising our approach with less money: working with our partners in new ways to maximise our impact. These latest changes to the ODA budget will give greater certainty and stability, helping us provide the best value for money for taxpayers.

She has set out the changes in a letter to the International Development Committee (IDC). For 2025 to 2026, the letter confirms FCDO’s plans to allow for critical development work to continue, to honour live contractual agreements with partners, and to deliver on the Prime Minister’s commitment for the UK to continue to play a key humanitarian role.

Our development investment is part of our hard power, building a stable international environment that strengthens UK safety, security and prosperity, necessary for the delivery of all the UK government’s Missions.

In her letter to the IDC, Baroness Chapman also confirmed a new review of cross-government development programming to ensure it delivers on UK objectives and provides best value for money.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 March 2025.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

I would like to start by thanking Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya for the briefing today.

Colleagues, last month marked three years since President Putin launched his illegal and unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The invasion displaced over 10 million people. Today, 12.7 million remain in need of urgent humanitarian support.

The suffering caused by Russian forces is well known to this Council: war crimes, torture of civilians and prisoners of war, mass killings, the forced deportation of thousands of children, the forced cleansing and Russification of areas under their illegal control.

It is a shocking record for any state, let alone a Permanent Member of the Security Council.

In recent weeks, Russian drone and missile attacks have intensified nationwide, with daily reports of damage to residential areas and civilian infrastructure across multiple Oblasts.

According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mechanism of Ukraine, in one attack which took place on 7 March, two ballistic missiles hit a residential area in Donetsk Oblast killing 11 people and destroying homes.

Emergency responders who arrived to treat the wounded were then targeted by further strikes.

This has to stop.

The UK is clear that we want to see an end to the fighting and to the killing. We must have enduring peace in Ukraine.

Putin could bring about peace tomorrow by withdrawing his forces and ending his illegal invasion.

President, we welcome US efforts towards just and lasting peace. And we welcome President Zelenskyy’s clear commitment to peace and readiness to move quickly towards a comprehensive and lasting settlement.

In agreeing to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire, Ukraine has shown that it is the party of peace.

Russia must now agree to this without further delay.

Ukraine’s humanitarian needs are immense, and the UK will continue to do what we can in support.

To date, we have committed £477 million in humanitarian support to Ukraine, providing its people with food, water, shelter, and medical care, alongside support to safeguard the rights, dignity, and well-being of civilians.

We repeat our call on Russia to end its brutal war, withdraw from Ukrainian territory within its internationally recognised borders.

Until that day comes, the UK will continue to work with Ukraine and our international partners to achieve a just and lasting peace, which ensures Ukraine’s future security and upholds the core principles of the United Nations Charter.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 March 2025.

Politico-Military Counsellor, Ankur Narayan, commends Ukraine as the party of peace for proposing a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire – and urges Russia to agree to this without further delay.

Thank you, Mr Chair. Our Helsinki Final Act commitments include sovereignty, territorial integrity and the non-violability of borders. As per the first line of the Helsinki Final Act, these principles are designed to protect “true and lasting peace” in our region. This is why we remain unwavering in our support for Ukraine defending its territorial integrity, its right to exist, its sovereignty, and its independence.

We welcome the progress President Trump has made towards a ceasefire in Ukraine and in negotiations with Russia and Ukraine. We are in close contact with US and Ukraine following the conclusion of talks in Riyadh yesterday. President Zelenskyy has already shown Ukraine is the party of peace by proposing a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.  We hope that President Putin will agree to this without further delay.

Any lasting peace must ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and security – in line with the Helsinki Final Act and the UN Charter. With robust security arrangements to ensure Russia is never able to invade again. The UK will play its full part – and is already taking a leading role, alongside France, to build a coalition of the willing to support Ukraine’s future security.

Over the last week, Russia has continued to launch brutal attacks that cause daily suffering for innocent Ukrainians. The drone strike on Kyiv on March 23rd exemplifies another horrific assault, tragically killing a 5-year-old girl and severely injuring ten others. A Russian missile strike on Sumy in northeastern Ukraine injured 88 people, including 17 children. In Donetsk, Russian shelling over the past three days across the eastern Oblast province has resulted in the deaths of seven civilians. We must emphasise the need for accountability for these actions and renew our commitment to collaborating towards achieving enduring peace.

Mr Chair, we are absolutely committed to securing a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in support of this effort. A just and lasting peace is vital for Ukraine and for wider Euro-Atlantic and international security and prosperity.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 March 2025.

UK Statement at Australia’s World Trade Organization Trade Policy Review. Delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley.

Thank you very much Chair. Let me join others in offering a very warm welcome to the Acting First Assistant Secretary and his team here in Geneva and Ambassador Baxter. We are very grateful to Australia and to the WTO Secretariat for their reports, and to you Chair and to the Discussant for your insights.

Chair, it would have not escaped your notice that Australia is one of the closest allies and our relationship continues to go from strength to strength, underpinned by the strong security, trade and investment links, close personal ties – and of course our mutual passion for cricket, Kylie Minogue and indeed Neighbours. We are both members of the Commonwealth, the G20, the OECD, and, with thanks to Australia’s recent ratification of the UK’s accession, the CPTPP. We share a similar outlook, as reflected in the First Assistant Secretary’s comments this morning, driven by the pursuit of open, values-based democracy and a rules-based international system.

Bilateral Trade

We have a consistently strong economic relationship: bilateral trade worth £22 billion each year and mutual investment in excess of £800 billion. And our trade relations have been clearly furthered by the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement, which was referred to this morning. That deal eliminates tariffs on the vast majority of bilateral trade, makes it easier to travel between our two countries and guarantees an equal footing for many of our investors and services providers. Our work together on that FTA resulted in, as we look upon, as a modern and comprehensive trade agreement between our countries, which provides, we hope, a strong basis for our trade and bilateral relationship with Australia, and also to the growth of our relations in the future.

Chair, I would like to highlight the progress we have made through the Strategic Innovation Dialogue to highlight one of our successes, found in the world’s first Innovation Chapter in a Free Trade Agreement. Discussions focusing on key areas such as Future Health, Offshore Wind, Battery Manufacturing and the Interoperability of AI enabled goods, have been channelled through a joint-work programme, that brings together representatives from government, the private sector and academia to explore the impact of innovation on trade and trade policy.

And our shared values include our joint recognition of animals as sentient beings and the connection between improved welfare of farmed animals and sustainable food production systems. Together, we established a world-leading precedent for a standalone animal welfare chapter in a Free Trade Agreement, which sets out our commitment to sharing expertise, to improve practices, through an Animal Welfare Working Group.

And as part of that FTA, we have agreed to deepen cooperation to advance gender equality and the human rights of all women and girls, including through a strategic dialogue on gender equality. That marks, I believe, Australia’s first FTA to feature a dedicated chapter on gender equality, and that chapter complements provisions which advance gender equality throughout the Agreement in the chapters on Labour, SMEs, Digital and Financial Services.

As a Co-Chair of the Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender, I would like to welcome and pay tribute to Australia’s role as a founding member of the IWG and their active engagement in that Group. And indeed Australia was amongst the five winners of our first International Prize on Gender Equality in Trade, with a programme which is having a transformative impact for advancing women’s economic empowerment across Southeast Asia. Thank you and congratulations for that.

Economic Security

Chair, our strong, allied collaboration extends to our shared priorities of upholding international rules and deterring hostile actions. We recently held a second UK-Australia Economic Security Dialogue, which champions our joint work on this matter, aiming to deepen our shared understanding of the current global economic security challenges and to share lessons on approaches and partnerships to strengthen our economic security and our bilateral partnership.

For us, for both of us, a rules-based international order and open global economy are fundamental; fundamental to our economic and national security and to our customers, our workers and our businesses so they can continue to enjoy the benefits of the multilateral trading system. International trade plays a central role in both our economies, with trade activity supporting one in four trade jobs I believe in Australia, and we applaud Australia’s focus on building economic resilience and challenging unfair trading practices to support global growth.

Climate Leadership

Chair, Australia’s increased ambition on climate policy over the last three years extends well beyond this organisation. We are delighted to endorse Australia’s bid to host COP31 in partnership with other Pacific Nations. And we welcome the Australian government’s Net Zero Plan, including increased investment in renewables and the phasing out of coal-powered electricity generation, and we look forward to sharing our knowledge on emerging sectors like offshore wind or carbon capture and storage.

Market Access Barriers

Chair, our bilateral trade discussions also continue in FTA subcommittees including our Professional Services Working Group and Legal Services Regulatory Dialogue. So let me take the opportunity to celebrate recent bilateral agreements for architects and auditors. We also welcome Australia’s willingness to engage on mutual recognition of professional qualifications, to ensure successes such as these continue. Going forward, we would like to hear more from Australia on its ongoing priorities and approaches, including the efforts at State level.

We also support Australia’s ongoing tax reforms which focus on prosperity, productivity and fairness, goals shared by my government. Regarding taxes, in the continued absence of a specific and satisfactory policy rationale, we would like to reiterate our concerns about domestic taxes which disproportionately affect imports, such as the Luxury Car Tax and Alcohol Excise Duty. We would like to hope Australians are able to treat themselves to Scotch Whisky and drive our luxury cars… but perhaps not at the same time.

WTO

Chair, the close ties between our two countries extend of course to this organisation where we work so closely alongside each other and share so many policy objectives. We work together, along with many developing and developed Members, to ensure the sustainability of fishing stocks and to enable the potential of trade in green goods and services.

Australia has, as similarly many others have said this morning, demonstrated its commitment to this organisation and the system by consistently pushing forward concrete outcomes for businesses, for workers and consumers, as is evident in their enthusiastic leadership and participation in the WTO Joint Initiatives. Their efforts as co-convenors of the negotiations on the E-commerce Agreement highlight that and I think led to a large part of the successful stabilisation of that Agreement back in July last year.

Australia’s strong ambitions on climate policy are showcased by the commitment to discussing Trade and Environment in this organisation. Their ambitions are underpinned by the efforts to foster dialogue on such issues in their co-coordinator role in the Dialogue on Plastics Pollution.

As the Chair of the Cairns Group, Australia has been a loud, constructive voice in agriculture negotiations in this house, helping discussions progress, including through the Cairns and Africa Group informal discussions. While the UK and Australia don’t always agree on preferred outcomes in that area, our strong bond and shared focus on finding solutions brings us together when needed.

Conclusion

Chair, let me conclude by discussing how the relationship between Australia and the UK goes from strength to strength, and let me conclude on that same note. Our relationship has strengthened enormously in the past few years, and we admire Australia’s leadership in this organisation, its commitment to Net Zero, and its views on free and open trade. We continue to host a large, extraordinary number of each other’s citizens, enriching both our countries with vibrant exchanges, cherished memories, and of course Tim Tams and Penguins. And, as we look forward to the oldest and greatest rivalry in the sporting world, the Ashes, we can say, with utter confidence, let the best team win. Which of course will be England.

Thank you, Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 March 2025.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on cooperation with the EU.

The United Kingdom welcomes the EU’s ongoing commitment to championing multilateralism, tackling global challenges and assisting the Security Council’s work.

With multiple global crises threatening the foundations of international peace and security, cooperation between the EU and UN is more important now than ever.

Nowhere is this truer than in Ukraine.

Three years on from Russia’s brutal invasion, the EU continues its critical role in supporting Ukraine and countering Russian aggression.

This includes its enhanced level of economic, humanitarian and military support to Ukraine, and willingness to further contribute to security guarantees.

The UK will continue to work closely with the EU to ensure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine that secures its sovereignty and security.

In the Western Balkans, the EU-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue plays a vital role in normalising relations between Serbia and Kosovo, and EUFOR ALTHEA continues to help provide stability and security in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The UK continues to support the region’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations as a driver for reform and economic growth.

Beyond Europe, the UK welcomes the EU’s commitment to stabilisation in the Middle East, including its efforts toward securing a two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace.

EUBAM Rafah is a vital third-party presence, allowing individuals to access urgent medical care.

The EU is also helping support an inclusive political transition and economic recovery in Syria, and we welcome its recent sanctions suspensions to this end.

The EU is a valued partner for UN efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. We are pleased it is among the co-hosts of April’s Foreign Minister-level discussions in London, which will foster consensus on ending the conflict and improving humanitarian access.

We also welcome the EU’s commitment of €60 million in new humanitarian aid in response to the recent eruption of conflict in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

President, the UK looks forward to continuing to build on the UN’s ambitious and cooperative relationship with the EU to promote responsible multilateralism and to act as a force for good in the world.