Tag: Foreign Office

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

HMA Danielle Dunne presented her credentials to President Santiago Peña as the new British Ambassador to Paraguay.

In a protocol act held this morning at the Government Palace, Her Excellency Danielle Dunne, Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Paraguay, made the official presentation of her credentials to Paraguayan President, Santiago Peña.

Foreign Minister, Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, together with other national authorities and diplomatic representatives of Paraguay and the United Kingdom, attended the ceremony. On the occasion, President Peña also received the credential letters of the United Arab Emirates ambassador, Arsaghira Wabran Hamad Mubarak al-Ahbabi.

Next, Ambassador Dunne went to Panteón de los Héroes, a memorial site in the city of Asuncion, to make a floral offering to the Paraguayan national heroes on the occasion of the next commemoration of the Heroes Day in country.

During the meeting, Ambassador Dunne reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to continue strengthening bilateral ties with Paraguay, through an approach oriented to the development of bilateral trade, the fight against climate change and sustainable development.

Danielle Dunne has been appointed Ambassador of His Majesty King Charles III in succession of Mr. Ramin Navai, who moved to another destination within the British diplomatic service. Mrs. Dunne arrived in the country in early 2025 and served as director of the Western African anti -terrorism network and Sahel in Abuja, Nigeria, before arriving in Paraguay.

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

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Sudan.

President, nearly two years since the start of this war, and once again I cannot fail to be struck by the reports of death and destruction.

More violence. More families ripped apart. More children starving.

Last month, my Foreign Secretary visited Adré and heard first-hand about the suffering faced by women. The suffering of sexual violence, of rape, of hunger, who had fled the conflict.

It does not need to be this way.

The parties to the conflict can take actions now to end the suffering.

And I’d like to highlight three priorities.

First, we urge the parties to end their military ambitions and focus on creating the conditions for peace, including through full co-operation with UN and African Union mediation efforts.

We share the Secretary-General’s deep concern at the announcement by the Rapid Support Forces and affiliated civilian actors and armed groups of a political charter that expresses an intention to establish a governing authority in areas of their control.

Deepened divisions risk even further destabilisation in Sudan and the region.

Respect for Sudan’s charter rights, its unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity is vital and will be necessary for a sustainable end to this war.

In April, my Foreign Secretary will invite Foreign Ministers from some 20 states and international organisations to London, for discussions focused on supporting a peaceful way forward for the Sudanese people.

Second, both parties must facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief to people in need.

The decision by the Sudanese Armed Forces to keep the Adré border crossing open is welcome.

But with over 30 million people in humanitarian need, it is simply not enough.

We urge the SAF to open Adré permanently, and authorise the use of further regional border crossings.

We call on both sides to lift unnecessary bureaucratic impediments which are delaying aid deliveries by weeks, and to provide humanitarian actors with security guarantees to operate safely.

Third, we reiterate the Council’s calls for the Rapid Support Forces to end their siege on El Fasher and cease all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.

We call on both parties to protect civilians, in line with their obligations under the Jeddah Declaration.

Mr President, the parties to the conflict should act now to end this suffering.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 February 2025.

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East.

We welcome the return of the hostages during Phase One, after an appalling ordeal.

And we call for the release of all the remaining hostages, including Avinatan Or, who also has links to the UK.

We mourn the death of Oded Lifshitz, who had strong links to the UK, and we strongly condemn the vile killing of the Bibas family and the lack of dignity provided to deceased hostages.

We support all work, all efforts to hold to account Hamas, the PIJ and other terrorists who kidnapped so many innocents on October 7th.

And I recall that this Council has called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages in all four of our resolutions since October 7th and I repeat that call today.

The ceasefire agreement reached on January 16th marked a crucial first step towards ending the devastation and suffering in Gaza and achieving a sustainable peace.

We are calling for three things.

First, Palestinian civilians should be able to return home and rebuild their lives.

The people of Gaza have suffered unimaginable horrors, with over 46,000 people killed, and homes and lives destroyed.

The UK supports regional efforts to cohere around a single plan for the next phase and reconstruction in Gaza.

These plans should be Palestinian led with the PA front and centre along with a strong role for civil society.

Second, we welcome the improvement in aid supplies since the ceasefire agreement. But make no mistake, the humanitarian situation remains dire.

We still need to see a sustained increase in the volume and types of goods reaching civilians, especially shelter and medical items.

There can be no backsliding on this.

We call for an urgent update to the “dual use list” to allow essential supplies in, and for commercial deliveries to be reinstated.

The ceasefire has demonstrated the central role of the UN and humanitarian actors, including UNRWA.

However, the humanitarian space is tightening with ongoing visa restrictions and legislative proposals impacting NGOs.

So we call on Israel to continue to work with the UN and partners to ensure aid reaches people in need.

Third, the UK is seriously concerned at the expansion of Israel’s operations killing and displacing civilians in the West Bank.

We recognise Israel’s right to defend itself, but it must show restraint and ensure its conduct is proportionate.

Restrictions on Palestinian movement in the West Bank are excessive.

These fuel further instability and jeopardise the prospects for long-term peace.

President, in conclusion, we urge all parties to sustain the ceasefire deal, implement the agreement in full and support efforts to move to phase two for the hostages and their families, for Gazan civilians and for all the Israeli and Palestinian people who deserve a peaceful and secure future on the basis of a two-state solution.

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

Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

Today marks the third year of President Putin’s full-scale invasion, forced on the Ukrainian and Russian people, in clear breach of the UN Charter.

So first of all today, of all days, we pause to remember and honour the victims of this war. Those who have lost their lives, their homes, their futures, their limbs, their childhoods, family members and friends. Millions who have been displaced, tens of thousands who have lost their lives.

They’ve lost schools, playgrounds, farms, churches, hospitals.

While Russian forces have used rape, torture and execution as weapons of war and put nuclear safety at risk.

This is a war that Putin said would take three days.

Three years on, Ukrainians have paid a terrible price.

And the impact of this war is not limited to Ukraine.

Hunger, poverty and energy insecurity have increased worldwide.

So second, as we look forward to peace, let’s be clear, no country wants peace more than Ukraine. Ukraine is more than ready for this war to end.

But there needs to be a lasting and a just peace, with Ukraine’s voice at the heart of any talks.

A peace that is not just a pause in fighting but a peace that leaves Ukraine secure and free from Russian attack. A peace that shows that aggression does not pay. And a peace that ends forever Putin’s imperialist ambitions.

And we have to remember that Putin by contrast, only wants capitulation.

So if Russia is allowed to win, we will live in a world where might is right, where borders can be redrawn by force, where aggressors think they can act with impunity. The consequences for peace and security around the world are dire.

So third then, a lasting peace must come from strength.

Strength and courage that Ukraine has shown abundantly in the last three years.

But that strength and courage needs to be underpinned by robust security agreements from the outset because Putin has repeatedly shown that he will break a weak deal.

He has long denied Ukraine’s right to exist as a free state.

So the UK, with our European partners and the United States, will work closely together for Ukraine and Europe will continue to take responsibility for our continent’s security.

The UK is ready to play a leading role to support Ukraine in its right to self-defence. To support the negotiation and implementation of a peace agreement, a just and lasting peace agreement, which protects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, its internationally recognised borders, in line with the UN Charter.

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

Explanation of vote by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, following the vote on the UN Security Council Resolution 2774 on Ukraine.

Today marks three years since Russia’s unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Today, we remember the millions of Ukrainians displaced, the tens of thousands of civilians killed, the lives destroyed by President Putin’s imperial ambition.

As the Secretary-General said again yesterday, this war is illegal, a clear violation of the UN Charter and a threat to the core principles of the UN.

No-one wants peace more than Ukraine.

But the terms of that peace matter.

Only a just peace, one that honours the terms of our Charter, will endure.

And the terms of the peace must send a message that aggression does not pay.

This is why there can be no equivalence between Russia and Ukraine in how this Council refers to this war.

If we are to find a path to sustainable peace, the Council must be clear on the war’s origins.

We also owe it to the people of Ukraine who have suffered so much.

Russia chose to launch a war of aggression against a sovereign state, but again today is seeking to obfuscate that fact.

We must also insist on respect for the UN Charter, and Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, within its internationally recognised borders.

Upholding the Charter is the responsibility of every member of the UN, and especially every member of this Council.

Every member.

What, how and on what terms this war ends can only be decided by negotiations with Ukraine.

No peace will be sustainable without Ukraine’s consent.

We regret that our proposals making these points clear were not taken on board, and as such we could not support this resolution.

But we share the ambition to find a lasting end to this war, supported by robust security arrangements that ensure Ukraine never again has to face Russia’s attack.

As my Prime Minister has made clear – the UK remains ready to play its part.

We will continue to provide Ukraine with the support it needs to protect and defend itself and its people.

We remind the Council that Russia could achieve this tomorrow – by ceasing its aggression and withdrawing its forces from all of Ukraine.

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

Explanation of vote by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, in the UN General Assembly Emergency Special Session on Ukraine.

The United Kingdom welcomes the resumption of this Special Session on Ukraine.

Three years on, Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion has caused untold suffering, most recently in the massive wave of drone attacks over the weekend, reportedly the largest in a single night in three years.

Millions of Ukrainians have fled their homes, tens of thousands of civilians have been killed.

Children forcibly deported.

Schools, homes, hospitals, places of worship destroyed.

And Russia’s forces have committed the most appalling crimes – summary executions, torture, rape.

Enough is enough, as the Secretary-General reminded us.

Russia’s aggression did not begin three years ago, but long before that.

When my Prime Minister spoke to President Zelenskyy this week, he was clear that any outcome to the war must safeguard Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

A peace that rewards aggression is not a real peace.

And a peace that rewards aggression will not last.

Because Putin has a long track record of making deals with his fingers crossed behind his back.

Well, not this time.

We must not make the mistake of weak deals of the past.

This time, there must be peace through strength.

And that is why there can be no negotiations about Ukraine, without Ukraine.

Colleagues, it is not just Ukraine’s security that is at stake.

It is Britain’s too.

But it is the security of all of us.

Every single Member State who does not want to see tanks driving over their border, killing their people, stealing their children and redrawing their borders on a whim.

Today 93 countries again stood with Ukraine, voting to reaffirm our respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and for the UN Charter.

We all want an end to this war.

No country more so than Ukraine and its people.

As my Prime Minister has said, the UK is ready to play its part to support efforts for peace.

We will continue to support Ukraine to defend itself and to have its voice heard.

But let us not forget a simple truth: that Russia could end this war tomorrow, by ceasing its aggression and withdrawing its forces from Ukraine.

But the Kremlin shows no more sign of that than they have done at any point in the last three years.

So today, as for the last three years and for the future, we stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and with our allies for as long as it takes.

Until Ukraine wins a peace that respects the UN Charter and delivers a secure future for its people and for all of us.

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

Annual High-Level Mainstreaming Panel. As delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley, at the 58th HRC session in Geneva.

Thank you Mr President,

In this 30th anniversary year for gender equality, let me reaffirm the British government’s commitment to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

My government’s dedication to advancing gender equality at home has led to a narrowing of the gender pay gap, more women on the boards of the largest companies than ever before and stronger action to protect women and girls from violence and abuse. And we have put women and girls at the heart of our international work, from our diplomacy to our development spend.

But while it is important to acknowledge the progress made, quite clearly no country – the UK included – has achieved or even got close to achieving gender equality. Indeed, we are seeing a growing international trend of efforts to undermine and roll back the rights of women, girls and other marginalised groups.

We must resist that roll back, take concerted action to build on the progress we have made both at home and overseas. That is why we are putting women’s voices at the heart of everything we do and will make the changes needed so gender equality can, at last, become a reality.

We call on all Members of the Council and states to use this landmark year to accelerate action towards empowering all women and girls.

Thank you.

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

UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, addresses a Reinforced meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion and underlines continued UK support for Ukraine.

Three years ago, when Putin unleashed his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in a clear breach of the UN charter, he expected a swift victory.  What he got instead was a catastrophic failure.

Putin’s imperial ambitions have killed and injured close to a million in his own forces and driven its economy into the ground.  The rouble is plummeting, inflation is soaring, and the deficit at record levels.  All for a war that he thought would be over in three days.

The extent of death, destruction, and suffering caused by one man’s selfish ambition is staggering.  Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have been killed and millions more injured, displaced, and in need of urgent help as civilians are relentlessly attacked.

Repeated findings of the Moscow Mechanism and other independent reports document Russian atrocities.  There are increasing reports of Russian forces deporting children and using rape, torture and execution as weapons of war.  The OSCE is playing a crucial role in securing justice for survivors and victims.

Yet, in the face of this brutality, Ukrainians continue to defend their homeland with extraordinary courage and ingenuity.  This proves that, with the right support, they can defy Putin’s barbarism.

The UK has been at the forefront of this effort from day one.  Our military support worth £3 billion a year is putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position.  And our new 100 Year Partnership cements our unwavering commitment for generations to come.

Make no mistake, Putin’s invasion violates laws and principles which underpin Euro-Atlantic security – including the Helsinki Final Act.

Laws which Russia itself signed up to, and we cannot allow such aggression to succeed.

The days ahead will determine the future security of our continent.  This is the moment for all of us to step up.  Because it is the right thing to do for the values we hold dear and because it is fundamental to European security.

That’s why the UK will stand with Ukraine—today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.

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

Three years on from President Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the UK has today imposed over 100 new sanctions directly targeting those who continue to aid the invasion.

• 107 new sanctions announced as UK unleashes our largest sanctions package since the early days of the invasion.
• milestone package targets Russian military supply chains, revenues fuelling Putin’s illegal war, and Kleptocrats driving profits for the Kremlin
• strengthening Ukraine’s hand will help to build a secure and prosperous Europe and UK – a foundation of the government’s Plan for Change

Today’s measures will target funds going into Putin’s war chest and propping up Russia’s kleptocratic system.

As the Prime Minister said last week, we are facing a once in a generation moment for the collective security of our continent.  The UK is working with our Allies to put Ukraine in the best position to achieve peace through strength. Today’s action is a further step towards this.

The sanctions will also target Russia’s military machine, entities in third countries who support it and the fragile supply networks that it relies on.

Targets include:

• producers and suppliers of machine tools, electronics and dual-use goods for Russia’s military, including microprocessors used in weapons systems. These are based in a range of third countries including Central Asian states, Turkey, Thailand, India and China, which is the largest supplier of critical goods for Russia’s military
• North Korean Defence Minister No Kwang Chol and other North Korean generals and senior officials complicit in deploying over 11,000 DPRK forces to Russia. Putin is using DPRK forces as cannon fodder; DPRK has suffered over 4,000 casualties
• 13 Russian targets, including LLC Grant-Trade, its owner Marat Mustafaev and his sister Dinara Mustafaeva, who have used the company to funnel advanced European technology into Russia to support its illegal war

For the first time, we are also using new powers to target foreign financial institutions supporting Russia’s war machine.  We are sanctioning the Kyrgyzstan-based OJSC Keremet Bank, disrupting Russia’s use of the international financial system to support its war efforts.

Foreign Secretary, David Lammy said:

Today’s action, the largest in almost 3 years, underscores the UK’s commitment to Ukraine.

Every military supply line disrupted, every rouble blocked, and every enabler of Putin’s aggression exposed is a step towards a just and lasting peace, and towards security and prosperity in the UK as a part of this government’s Plan for Change.

Lasting peace will only be achieved through strength. That is why we are focused on putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position.

As the world marks the grim milestone of Putin’s full-scale invasion entering its fourth year, we cannot and will not turn our backs on Ukraine in their fight for our shared security.

Keeping the country safe is the Government’s first priority and an integral part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change. Sanctions against Russia’s military machine and the revenues fuelling it will improve the chances of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, which will benefit security and prosperity in the UK.

The new sanctions will put further pressure on Putin’s energy revenues, the most vital source of funding for his illegal invasion. They include specification of another 40 ‘shadow fleet’ ships carrying Russian oil. These vessels have collectively carried more than $5 billion worth of Russian oil and oil products in the last six months alone. The specifications bring the total number of oil tankers sanctioned by the UK to 133 – the highest of any nation in Europe.

Finally, we are sanctioning 14 ‘New Kleptocrats’, some of whom are fronting up strategic sectors of Russia’s economy.  Among them are Roman Trotsenko, one of the wealthiest men in Russia, worth £2.2 billion.

After three years of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainians continue to defend their country and way of life with ingenuity and courage. They have shown that with the right support they can defend themselves against Russian aggression. Today’s action will strengthen Ukraine’s hand at a critical time in their fight for our shared security.