Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 21 August 2024.

The British Embassy and the Guatemalan Government are working together to upskill environmental capabilities of civil servants.

Nick Whittingham, British Ambassador to Guatemala, attended the inauguration of the training workshop: “The Art of the International Climate Negotiations 2024”.  The project is sponsored by the UK Government and other donors; and was attended by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maria Luis Ramírez; the Vice Minister of Environment, Edwin Castellanos; Ambassador Rita Mishaan, Director of the workshop, and Carlos Cerezo, representative of the Foundation for Eco-development and Conservation (FUNDAECO) of Guatemala.

The workshop will consist of 17 sessions from August to October 2024 where participants will address a variety of issues, from understanding the Paris Agreement, addressing gender and climate change, prepare for upcoming critical global appointments such as the COP16 and COP29, transition to the use of clean energies and developing of local policies aligned with international commitments.

Climate experts, international consultants and university professors will deliver the lectures which will be available in a hybrid format -in person and online-. The workshop will provide participants with basic negotiation skills, understanding of core environmental topics, and the ability to learn from the experiences of international negotiators. More than 40 people are expected for each session.

Nick Whittingham, British Ambassador to Guatemala, said:

We continue to be working with Guatemala in many environmental priorities, including supporting the development of a water law, protecting biodiversity through our Biodiverse Landscapes Fund and other Darwin initiative projects. This training course will continue this spirit of mutual collaboration and shared benefits.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 August 2024.

Mr Bharat Joshi has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Angola and non-resident Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe in succession to Mr Roger Stringer MBE who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.  Mr Joshi will take up his appointment during October 2024.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Bharat Suresh Joshi

Year	Role
2019 to 2023	FCDO, Head of Security Department and Senior Security Adviser
2018 to 2019	FCDO, South Asia and Afghanistan Department, leading on diaspora engagement and Cricket World Cup outreach
2013 to 2018	Chennai, Deputy High Commissioner
2009 to 2013	Yaounde, British High Commissioner and non-resident Ambassador to Gabon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and the Central African Republic
2007 to 2009	Doha, UK Border Agency International Group Regional Manager
2006 to 2007	Dhaka, Director of Visa Services
2004 to 2006	FCO, Private Secretary to Minister for Africa
2003 to 2004	UKVisas, Head of Public Affairs
2002 to 2003	UKVisas, Policy Section Team Leader
Sept 2001 to   Nov 2001	FCO, Consular team press officer in wake of 9/11 attack
1999 to 2001	Banjul, Deputy High Commissioner
1995 to 1998	FCO, Assistant Desk Officer, European Union Department (External)

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 August 2024.

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

President, Libyans deserve stability and prosperity, but disappointingly a political settlement to enable this remains distant. Clashes over the last few months in Ras Ajdir, Tripoli, Zawiya, and the Ghadames basin, as well as oil field shutdowns in Sharara, demonstrate the fragility of the current situation.

Let me make three points this morning. First, we note the political initiatives taking place outside of the UN’s auspices, including the recent meeting of members of the House of Representatives and High State Council.

We welcome all efforts to foster political dialogue. But these should be inclusive if they are to be effective, and should recognise the central role of UNSMIL, as mandated by this Council.

Second, we share the growing concern expressed by the Panel of Experts over increasing violations and abuses of human rights. These include recent reports of unlawful arrests and mistreatment of journalists.

There is also a continued lack of protection of women, restricting their ability to participate in all aspects of Libya’s civil, social, and political space. Libya can only prosper when its citizens enjoy universal rights, and when its leaders and institutions uphold the rule of law.

Third, we note with regret the continued ineffectiveness of the arms embargo. The Panel of Experts continues to highlight flagrant malign breaches, such as the provision of military support, including by members of this Council.

President, the UK remains steadfast in support of UNSMIL. The Secretary General has our full support in his efforts to appoint a new Special Representative as soon as possible. We continue to call on all Libya’s leaders to engage in the political process in the spirit of compromise.

We call on members of the Council and others in the international community to work with increased focus and vigour on a shared vision for a stable, peaceful and secure Libya which is in the interests not only of the Libyan people but the wider region.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 August 2024.

This week in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), we are fostering new collaborations and promoting GREAT UK creative industries at 30th Sarajevo Film Festival.

The United Kingdom is pleased to join celebrations of the 30th anniversary of the Sarajevo Film Festival, an iconic annual event for the world’s film and creative communities.

This year, the United Kingdom will promote mutually beneficial opportunities for collaboration with world-leading British experts.

The British Embassy Sarajevo, the British Council and the British Film Institute (BFI) will again be partnering with the Sarajevo Film Festival to support BiH creative talent.

British Ambassador Julian Reilly said:

We are proud of the UK’s longstanding association with the Sarajevo Film Festival. We are determined to nurture spaces where creative individuals and artists from various walks of life can come together, discuss art and culture, generate new ideas and build new collaborations .

This year, the UK‘s lead organisation for film and the moving image, the British Film Institute, will bring a delegation of 9 UK screen professionals to engage with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Southeast Europe professions and develop potential innovative collaborations with the region.

The BFI’s Head of UK Global Screen Fund and International Funds, Denitsa Yordanova, will join a panel discussion on collaborative opportunities, funding strategies and the exchange of creative resources with the UK.

Ambassador Reilly will host a reception for British and regional film professionals to cement their mutual relationships and promote the UK creative industry. Nine British productions and co-productions will be screened during this year’s Festival.

Ambassador Julian Reilly added:

Creative industries have a very important role in the UK. Our creative industries are worth £125 billion in economic value to the country as a whole, employing 2.4 million people.

Film and the TV sector is worth nearly £19 billion to the UK annually and provides more than 200,000 jobs. The cultural and creative industries can be a fantastic driver of economic growth, at the same time fostering cultural identity and diversity.

I am glad that the UK has for a while now been building closer relations and collaboration between the creative sectors of our countries. Our world-leading creative industry brings energy, ambition and economic opportunity, inspires new ways of thinking and doing, and invites you to see things differently.

We want Bosnia and Herzegovinian and Southeast European creatives to visit and collaborate with us.

The United Kingdom and the Sarajevo Film Festival have worked together since the first phases of the Festival. Many prominent UK artists, film directors and producers such as Mike Leigh, Jeremy Irons, Lesley Manville, Katrin Cartlidge, Stephen Frears, Mike Goodridge, Simon Wilkinson, Olivia Hetreed, Selina Ukwuoma, Kevin Dolan, Steve Matthews, have shared their wide experience and knowledge at previous festivals.

Numerous British movies were aired on the Sarajevo Film Festival screens, and major figures in British film including John Cleese, Mike Leigh, Mark Cousins, Cat Villiers, Stephen Frears, and Tim Roth have been awarded the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo.

Through PlayUK, a British Council platform for improving film audio-visuals in the Western Balkans, UK experts have shared their knowledge on visual effects, virtual reality, film production and marketing.

The British Council was one of the initial partners of CineLink, the Sarajevo Film Festival’s industry platform. CineLink Industry Days offers valuable insight and access to the film industry, particularly within the region and many UK experts have contributed to this platform.

The United Kingdom hopes that this year’s strong engagement will lead to even more UK–BiH partnerships in the future, supporting economic growth and the development of the arts in both our countries.

During the Sarajevo Film Festival, citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be able to learn more about the GREAT UK creative industry and about our cooperation with the Sarajevo Film Festival at the British Embassy Sarajevo  Facebook and Instagram pages.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 August 2024.

Foreign ministers of the UK, France, Germany and Italy gave a statement following an update on Israel-Gaza ceasefire negotiations.

Statement by Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy:

We, the Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy, strongly support the ongoing mediation efforts by the United States, Egypt and Qatar to conclude the agreement for a ceasefire and the release of hostages and are encouraged by the constructive approach adopted so far.

We welcome the fact that technical work will continue over the coming days, including on both the humanitarian provisions and the specific arrangements relating to hostages and detainees, and that senior officials will then reconvene before the end of next week with the aim of concluding the agreement.

We urge all parties to continue to engage positively and flexibly in this process. We underline the importance of avoiding any escalatory action in the region which would undermine the prospect for peace.  There is too much at stake.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 16 August 2024.

Signing of new Government to Government agreement between the Government of Peru and the Government of the United Kingdom.

• The signing took place at the Presidential Palace in Lima on Friday 16th August 2024 with the attendance of President Dina Boluarte, between His Majesty’s Ambassador to Peru Gavin Cook and Peruvian Ministry of Health Dr. César Vásquez Sánchez

Lima, 16 August 2024. The Government of Peru and the UK Government have signed a new government to government agreement to enable the delivery of a large-scale $630 million hospital infrastructure that will benefit around 5 million Peruvians in northern regions of the country.

The programme is a priority for the Peruvian government, as it aims to increase healthcare provision in those regions and reduce the regional healthcare gap in the country. It envisions the construction of two hospitals: the “Piura High Complexity Hospital” in the region of Piura, and the “Trujillo Regional Teaching Hospital” in the region of La Libertad, both in northern Peru.

The agreement further strengthens the UK and Peru’s diplomatic and trading relationship. Similarly, this new partnership enables a consortium of UK businesses – with local and international experience – to support the delivery of two large-scale hospitals, managed by the Peruvian Health Investment Agency, PRONIS.

HMA in Lima, Gavin Cook, said:

Today, the signing of this new Agreement is focused on closing gaps in health infrastructure and improving health services in a decentralised manner, promoting the implementation of hospitals following international best practices and standards in the care of people, and raising the quality of hospital infrastructure.

We hope that this is just the beginning of a new era of cooperation between the UK and Peru in the field of health where the UK can share the experience of the National Health Service (NHS) and the entire ecosystem of hospitals, primary care clinics, equipment suppliers, laboratories and researchers in the service of the health for the population.

We want to not only deliver hospitals but also promote access to innovation, knowledge transfer and capacity building to improve people’s healthcare.

Following an open procurement process, the UK consortium “UK Healthcare Alliance”, made up of Gleeds, Currie & Brown and Aecom, has been selected as partner on this large-scale hospital programme. The consortium will provide technical assistance, design and programme management, which will enable the hospital programme to progress.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed also commits the British Embassy in Lima and the Peruvian Government to work together in the areas of health and social infrastructure, sharing best practice and expertise, fostering knowledge transfer at all levels. The UK-Peru Healthcare Partnership will be formed to promote knowledge exchange and innovation in healthcare infrastructure.

This agreement is the fourth G2G agreement signed between the UK and Peru in the infrastructure sector, further enhancing our strong bilateral and trade relationship, boosting public investment as well as delivering social and sustainable infrastructure, resilient to climate change.

In 2017, the G2G partnership for the organisation of the Pan American and Parapan American Lima 2019 Games began. In 2020, the Reconstruction Programme was launched, which we are now implementing together with the National Infrastructure Authority. The third G2G agreement was signed in 2021 with the Special Public Investment Project Bicentennial Schools.

Through G2G agreements, the UK has brought international expertise and best practice to the Peruvian infrastructure landscape including through innovations in digital construction and the use of standard international contracts, that have reduced procurement timelines and increased transparency.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 16 August 2024.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy and French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné gave a statement following a joint ministerial visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Statement by the Foreign Ministers of France and the United Kingdom:

We, the Foreign Ministers of France and the UK, share a common interest in the security of the State of Israel and the stability of the region as a whole. We are in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories on the first joint UK-France ministerial visit for a decade. As 2 UNSC permanent members, we have a specific responsibility to support ending the current escalation and securing a lasting peace to the benefit of Israelis, Palestinians and the whole region.

The risk of wider conflict in the Middle East has never been higher and we must push for de-escalation now. We have urged Iran and its proxies to stand down the ongoing threats of military attack against Israel. We have also stressed to all parties that the spiral of escalating reprisals must end. We reiterate the importance of fully implementing UN Security Resolution 1701 on Lebanon.

We stress our full support for the current efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza led  by the US, Egypt and Qatar. There is no further time to lose to seize the opportunity and secure the release of the hostages. We strongly urge all parties to live up to their responsibilities. In addition, unfettered delivery and distribution of humanitarian aid is urgently needed, and civilians must be protected.

We reiterate that only a two-state solution, within the framework of international law, can bring a just and lasting peace to both Israelis and Palestinians. We strongly condemn settler violence in the West Bank which threatens both Israeli and Palestinian security and could put at risk ongoing diplomatic efforts. We remain committed to supporting cooperation and normalisation in the region. All actors in the region must make concrete gestures if they genuinely want to avoid war. We stand ready to engage with them to that end.

This joint visit is a symbol of the UK and France’s shared purpose in the region and wider world.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 15 August 2024.

The UK IHRA presidency commemorated Roma Genocide Remembrance Day on 2 August, at an event in Newcastle alongside representatives of the Roma community.

On 2 August 2024, the UK Presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) partnered with the Roma community in Newcastle, to participate in an event to mark the 80th anniversary of the ‘genocide of the Roma’. Associate Professor and Programme Director at University College London’s Centre for Holocaust Education, Ruth-Anne Lenga, attended in her capacity as Deputy Head of the UK Delegation to the IHRA, on behalf of the UK Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues Lord Pickles.

The event took place in Newcastle Civic Centre Memorial Garden and was hosted by former Newcastle Councillor, Mr Nicu Ion. Mr Ion invited attendees to lay wreaths and flowers at the exact site where a permanent memorial to the victims of the genocide of the Roma, is due to be built next year.

Once built, this memorial will be the first and only permanent memorial in the UK, dedicated to remembering the suffering and murder of the Roma during the Nazi era.

The event was attended by representatives from Roma civic society, local councillors, the Sheriff and Deputy Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor Henry Gallagher, Roma community leaders, poets, singers and activists from Newcastle and further afield.

Nicu Ion, who was the first elected Roma councillor in Newcastle, and a former teacher said:

“Today we stand at the spot of what is to be the first memorial to be built in the UK. There are very few in Europe. This will be a place to recollect, to share the story of suffering of our tragic history – which will hopefully be unveiled in January 2025.”

Associate Professor Ruth-Anne Lenga said:

“Today marks a triumph following years of struggle for recognition of this history. We are witnessing a watershed moment as we unveil the site on the landscape of this country where the first permanent memorial to the victims of the genocide of the Roma will lie. The UK Presidency of IHRA, join the community in mourning the souls of those that were murdered in the genocide and stand with you, side by side in friendship and solidarity.”

The IHRA has long advocated for the inclusion of the history of ‘the genocide of the Roma’ into learning programmes in schools and other educational settings. Later this year, the IHRA will launch a new publication: ‘Recommendations for teaching and learning about the persecution and genocide of Roma during the Nazi Era’.

These recommendations will offer advice to policy makers and teachers about what to teach, how to teach it, and why it is so important to teach about ‘the genocide of Roma’.

Miško Stanišić, Director of Terraforming, a Serbian organisation which develops educational methodologies and teaching materials about the Holocaust, and who has led the development of these recommendations within the IHRA, spoke of how he could sense the pride of Newcastle for being one of the only cities in Europe to have established a permanent site for a memorial to this catastrophic event, and how remembrance and education go hand in hand.

Following the Roma anthem and the raising of the Roma flag, second and third generation survivors also spoke, alongside other leading figures from within the Roma community.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 15 August 2024.

On 25 and 26 July, 35 Stolpersteine were laid in the Channel Islands: 20 in Jersey and 15 in Guernsey. These follow the first and only UK Stolperstein, laid in May 2022 in Golden Square, London, for Jewish Dutch woman Ada Van Dantzig.

Stolpersteine were created by the studio of German artist Gunter Demnig, and are 10cm by 10cm concrete cubes topped by brass caps, stating the name and life dates of victims and survivors of Nazism. They are laid into pavements outside the last freely-chosen address of those they commemorate before their arrest or deportation. Over 106,000 have been laid across mainland Europe. ‘Stolpersteine’ translates as ‘stumbling stone’, but these stones are laid flush with the surface of pavements. You ‘stumble’ across them, as Demnig puts it, ‘with your heart and head.’

Dr Gilly Carr of the University of Cambridge, and a member of the UK’s delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, introduced the Stolpersteine project to the Channel Islands.

The Stolpersteine in Jersey were laid, in all but two instances, for survivors to ensure no crossover with the purpose of other memorials in the island which commemorate the 21 women and men who died in Nazi prisons, forced labour camps and concentration camps. Chris Addy of Jersey Heritage, who oversaw the stone laying in the larger island, said:

“The Jersey stones will raise awareness of Islanders who were persecuted for their Jewish heritage or went into hiding for that reason; those convicted of acts of resistance and defiance, including those caught while attempting to escape from the island; individuals sent to Alderney as forced labourers; or interned in Germany for being English born.”

In Guernsey, the Stolpersteine were laid to eight Islanders who died in Nazi prisons and camps for acts of resistance and defiance; three Jewish women without protective British citizenship, deported to France in 1942 and later murdered in Auschwitz; and a Viennese-born Jewish islander with British citizenship who was deported to civilian internment camps and survived. Another stone was laid in memory of Frank Falla, who survived Nazi prisons and later campaigned for compensation for all Channel Islanders who were victims of Nazism. The final two stones were laid for Frank Tuck and Kingston Bailey, two of 16 policemen who were deported to Nazi camps in 1942 for stealing food from German stores and distributing it to starving Islanders. None of the 16 men have had their sentences overturned or received an official apology from the States of Guernsey.

Helen Glencross, Head of Heritage Services in Guernsey, who organised the installations in Guernsey, said:

“Guernsey Museums is honoured to be part of the Stolpersteine project. Logistically it has been challenging and I am very grateful to all those who have assisted. I hope that the Stolpersteine will raise awareness with islands and visitors about those who were victims and survivors of Nazism during the Second World War.”

On bringing the project to the Channel Islands, Dr Gilly Carr said:

“Each stone is so eloquent; they are quietly defiant. They say ‘you deported me but I’m back home and here to stay. I belong here.’ They also speak of pride and of acknowledgement that those deported did no wrong. I am proud to have been involved in this project and I hope it won’t be too long till we can bring more Stolpersteine to the Channel Islands.”

 

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 15 August 2024.

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

President, the situation in Yemen is desperate, with devastating flooding coming on top of an already dire humanitarian crisis and we express condolences to all those affected by the flooding. The prospect of regional escalation threatens to further undermine security and stability. We urge all parties to deescalate to avoid deepening the humanitarian crisis. The United Kingdom condemns the Houthis’ reckless and escalatory attacks across the region in conjunction with other Iranian-linked groups. We also reiterate our call on the Houthis to cease their attacks in the Red Sea which threaten international shipping.

Recent reports have also shown Houthi links to Al Shabaab. We firmly condemn these actions as part of a wider pattern of Houthi destabilising activity beyond Yemen’s borders. The relevant UN sanctions committees must coordinate closely to monitor and counter this worrying trend.

President, the UK condemns the Houthis’ closure of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Sana’a. The OHCHR presence is critical for the protection of civilians and reporting of human rights abuses. As we’ve heard, this follows the detention of UN, NGO and former diplomatic missions’ staff in June, and is yet another blatant aggression which will severely impede the delivery of vital aid to those most in need.

These acts demonstrate, once again, the willingness of Houthi leaders to inflict harm and suffering on the Yemeni people to advance their own ambitions.

It is the duty of this Council, to ensure the Houthis guarantee a safe and unimpeded operational environment for humanitarian organisations. We call on the Houthis to immediately and unconditionally release the detainees, leave the OHCHR premises and return the assets they have seized.

Finally President, the Yemeni people deserve peace and further escalation will only move us further away from achieving this. We urge restraint from all parties to preserve space for negotiations in line with the UN roadmap.

We call on this Council to remain unified in support of the Special Envoy’s efforts to secure an inclusive and sustainable peace in Yemen.