Tag: Foreign Office

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 September 2024.

Interactive Dialogue on the UN Secretary General’s Report on Reprisals. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

Thank you, Mr President, and thank you to the Secretary General for his tireless work to highlight continuing efforts to silence those who cooperate with the UN to defend human rights.

The UK pays tribute to these courageous individuals.

This time last year, we highlighted the intimidation and harassment faced by the son of Jimmy Lai, Sebastien, and his international legal team, for their engagement with this Council. We are deeply troubled that such tactics appear to have continued, including death and rape threats and repeated attempts to hack email and bank accounts as set out in this year’s report.

In Belarus, members of the Congress of Democratic Trade Unions have been detained for advocating for workers’ rights and engaging with the International Labour Organization.  Delegates of the Human Rights Centre Viasna face years in prison for cooperating with UN mechanisms.

In Vietnam, author and journalist Pham Doan Trang remains in detention for her work to advance human rights, including through her engagement with the UN.

And in Russia, the authorities have dissolved the NGO “Man and Law” citing its engagement with the UN.

Mr President, a conservative figure of 300 human rights defenders lost their lives in 2023; what can be done to reduce this terrible toll?

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 September 2024.

The UK is providing £5 million to UNICEF in Lebanon to support humanitarian response efforts and enable UNICEF to distribute supplies to those in need.

The essential humanitarian support comes after further civilian casualties following this week’s air strikes. Thousands more have been displaced or forced to flee their homes.

The package includes essential medical supplies, hygiene kits and fuel for water stations, to help thousands of displaced civilians across Lebanon meet their basic needs.

It will also help emergency teams respond to urgent health and nutrition needs and provide a series of training sessions for key delivery partners and frontline workers to ensure an effective emergency response.

Minister for the Middle East and North Africa Hamish Falconer said:

Today we are providing £5 million to UNICEF in Lebanon to support the urgent humanitarian response in Lebanon.  The number of civilian casualties is unacceptable, and the UK is deeply concerned by the surge in numbers of displaced people.

An immediate ceasefire is essential.

Development Director and Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy Beirut Victoria Dunne said:

We are profoundly saddened by the civilian deaths in Lebanon. The number of casualties and the scale of displacement is deeply distressing.

Alongside our tireless diplomatic efforts, the UK is providing £5m to UNICEF Lebanon, to deliver vital supplies to support thousands of displaced civilians facing a humanitarian emergency in Lebanon. The UK has been and will remain a strong supporter of Lebanon.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 September 2024.

Statement by Lord Collins of Highbury, Minister for Africa and multilateralism, at the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.

President, let me start by underscoring a very clear message from my government. We need an immediate ceasefire and release of hostages in Gaza now. And we need an immediate ceasefire across the Lebanon/Israel border now.

We are on the brink of a much larger regional war, which risks even more devastation and suffering. Unfortunately, as we have seen both on the ground today with further strikes in Beirut and as we have heard from speeches in the General Assembly hall, the escalation continues.

We urge Israel and Hizballah to heed the calls of the UK and our partners to immediately agree a 21-day ceasefire. Calm heads must prevail to end this cycle of violence.

President, today’s meeting was called to focus on the dire situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Almost one year into the conflict, 41,000 Palestinians have been killed, and hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians lack access to clean water and sanitation, facing the threat of disease and famine.

And 101 hostages are still held by Hamas in horrific conditions, as Israel and its people continue to reckon with the aftermath of the worst terrorist attack in its history.

It is clear that there can be no military solution to this conflict. Israel and Hamas must agree a deal urgently.

In the meantime, Israel must fulfil its commitment to flood Gaza with humanitarian aid. Sadly this has not yet materialised.

Ahead of a winter, Israel must ensure that the right supplies and equipment can enter Gaza to protect vulnerable families.

And it must ensure it complies with its obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians.

Only last week over 200 Palestinians were killed in Gaza and many continue to live under a relentless barrage of attacks, unsafe in the shelters where they seek refuge.

The UK is also deeply concerned by the situation in the occupied West Bank. We call on Israel to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on actions of those who seek to inflame tensions.

The closure of Al Jazeera’s offices in Ramallah by the IDF is contrary to the democratic principles that Israel is rightly proud of. Media freedom and security of journalists must be respected.

President, without a revitalised political process towards a two-state solution we will not achieve a sustainable peace. We need galvanised international efforts to this end, and to realise a safe and secure Israel, alongside a safe and secure Palestinian state.

This must include the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in line with 1967 borders and under the effective control of the Palestinian Authority.

President, planning for Gaza’s future must also put Palestinians at the centre of governance, security, recovery and reconstruction efforts. This is the only way to deliver a lasting stability.

Together, we must stop the region slipping into a deeper crisis and pull it back on the path towards a peaceful future.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 September 2024.

Deputy Ambassador Brown condemns Russian disinformation and other forms of malign influence.

Thank you Madam Chair.

The United States has just informed this Council of steps it has taken to defend its democratic institutions in the face of a covert foreign influence operation by the Russian Federation. This follows other participating States’ interventions in this Council to highlight multiple forms of malign interference across our region in recent months.

Indeed the United Kingdom put Russia’s malign influence and interference onto the Permanent Council’s agenda in May and I thank the US for once again raising this matter.

All OSCE Participating States – including the UK – have made important commitments to uphold media freedom, including to foster “free, independent and pluralistic media” as part of open societies and accountable governments.

The United Kingdom will continue to uphold media freedom, learning from best practice – including that shared by the Office of the Representative for Freedom of the Media. And we again call on all other participating States – particularly Russia and Belarus – to uphold OSCE commitments on media freedom, safety of journalists and freedom of expression.

At the same time the United Kingdom will also take action to defend our national and regional security against the full spectrum of threats emanating from Russia, working in partnership with others. This has included sanctioning Russian media outlets like Rossiya Segodnya and TV Novosti (which controls Russia Today) which spread disinformation and propaganda designed to incite violence and hatred towards Ukraine and its people.

Madam Chair. Our message to Russia is clear: stop this illegal war; withdraw your troops from Ukraine; cease your malign activities including disinformation and information manipulation; and, respect the OSCE principles and commitments that keep us all safe.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 September 2024.

Ambassador Neil Holland voices UK support for the OSCE Programme Office’s work in Tajikistan, especially on border security, gender equality, and human rights.

Ambassador Kempel, welcome to the Permanent Council and thank you for your report. Your presence after a long vacancy in the role is very welcome. The OSCE field missions need leadership – as well as reliable resourcing – to operate effectively. We again urge participating States to break the endless impasse over budgets and ensure that all OSCE institutions – including the important Border Management Staff College – are adequately funded to effectively fulfil their mandates.

I would like to highlight several areas of the Programme Office’s work today that are particularly important to the UK.

Firstly, the Mission’s work to promote gender equality and support those affected by domestic violence through the Women’s Resource Centres. The importance the UK attaches to addressing domestic violence cannot be understated. These OSCE centres support vulnerable women and help them engage in crucial advocacy with local administrations to prevent Gender Based Violence.

Secondly, the crucial role the Programme Office plays in facilitating cross-border cooperation and security. Tajikistan has undertaken valuable work in the demarcation of 94% of its border with Kyrgyzstan, highlighting the value of diplomacy and peaceful dialogue. We commend these efforts and look forward to seeing further progress. The UK is also committed to working with Tajikistan, its neighbours and the OSCE to mitigate the challenges arising from Afghanistan.

Finally, I want to commend the mission’s efforts in the human dimension, notably its support to the Government of Tajikistan to promote the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners. I also welcome the Mission’s work with the Government of Tajikistan to embed human rights within government training courses. Issues remain: detention and prosecution of journalists and political opposition, including in but not limited to the Gorno Badakhshan autonomous region, is an issue of concern for the UK; and is undermining Tajikistan’s international reputation and prospects for investment.

Madam Chair, I would like to commend the Government of Tajikistan for their continued leadership on climate and water security, not least demonstrated by their water management event during the 31st OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum in Prague this month, as well as the Water Conference in Dushanbe in June. As climate change makes water access more competitive and harder to manage, cooperation and solutions become more vital.

From the environmental climate to the business one. For the Government of Tajikistan to make progress in its efforts towards driving economic development and improving the business climate, it must recognise the importance of offering a predictable business environment where business owners can generate profit. This will encourage quality foreign investment that can create clean growth and jobs for Tajik citizens.

To conclude, I would like to thank you again, Ambassador Kempel, for presenting your report today; and wish you all the best in your new role.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 September 2024.

Emma Logan, UK Delegation to the OSCE, says that by disrupting cultural property trafficking, we can also disrupt broader Serious Organised Criminal activity.

Thank you Chair for bringing together a set of very interesting speakers today.

The trafficking of cultural property, be it an antiquity or modern artwork, can be an enabling element to conflict, non-state threats and can facilitate money laundering for Serious Organised Crime (SOC). As today’s panel has illustrated, the protection of cultural property from intentional destruction, looting and trafficking becomes far more complex during times of war.

I will pick up on three points that have been mentioned today. Firstly, the need for continued cooperation of international organisations, agencies and bodies was recently reaffirmed at the G7 in Naples; with Minister Bryant, Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and- Tourism, representing the UK. Today, we thank the OSCE for continuing the dialogue in this critical area.

Secondly, I want to add the UK voice to underline the importance of the OSCE’s Heritage Crime Taskforce. The UK Government has invested specifically in the OSCE project establishing the new national Heritage Crime Task Force in Ukraine. We plan to continue this partnership with the OSCE, and invest in the Taskforce beyond this project, as recognition of the critical role that cross-border cooperation plays in combating transnational crime, including the illicit trafficking of cultural property.

UK organisations are part of that cross-border cooperation. As an example, the Metropolitan Police recently assisted Homeland Security in investigations which revealed new evidence of money laundering by proscribed terrorist organisations through the UK and US art markets.

We agree with what many of other speakers have said: that by enhancing a collective understanding of the linkages between cultural property trafficking and wider Serious Organised Crime, and by demonstrating opportunities to disrupt broader harms through the cultural property lens, we can expose the harms of cultural property trafficking to a wider group of stakeholders. For example, the UK Department for Culture Media and Sport’s International Cultural Heritage Protection Programme has funded investigations into artefacts known to have been looted from Syria and trafficked through pre-existing networks. Providing information and assistance to law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities, namely the Met Police, OSCE and INTERPOL was integral to this project. Additionally the UK Government is a founding member of the Atrocity Crimes Advisory (ACA) Group, which supports Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression through its own domestic criminal justice system. Over the last year, ACA has made concerted efforts to engage with national-level officials on issues relating to heritage crime.

The Met Police plays an important role in tackling the illicit trade in cultural property, with the support of expertise from the museum and antiquities sectors. Earlier this month, the Met played a pivotal role in repatriating the largest antiquity back to Iraq, a stone relief carving depicting a winged genie from the Palace of Nimrud, looted from Iraq after the first gulf war.

Lastly, every panellist has mentioned recommendations of what more needs to be done. For the UK, we recognise that our museums and art market businesses need to undertake more provenance research and engage more actively in the identification and authentication of looted items. And in cases where looted and illicitly-traded objects cannot be seized, we need to find effective ways within existing legal systems and by cooperating with the trade, so that they can be returned to the country or community to which they belong.

In conclusion, we should continue making the point that by disrupting cultural property trafficking, wider SOC activity can also be disrupted. This may stimulate engagement and a more effective response across operational, policy, programming, and diplomatic partners. The UK remains committed to being part of this network to combat illicit trade in times of war and peace.

Thank you, Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 September 2024.

Ambassador Holland calls out Russia’s illegal attempted annexation of Ukrainian territory and the system of violence and terror that accompanies Russian occupation.

Thank you, Madam Chair.  Next week marks the second anniversary of Russia’s illegal annexation attempts in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts. Russia claims these land grabs, and ten years of control over Crimea, have brought liberty. On the contrary, these years of occupation have brought violence, terror, and occupation. Carried out under the guise of sham referenda and backed by military force, Russia aims to legitimise its aggression and create a false narrative of rightful control over Ukrainian land.

First implemented in Crimea, the Russian state has expanded to the newly occupied territories a systematic campaign, designed to suppress Ukrainian heritage, history, and language. This campaign goes beyond territorial ambitions; it seeks to dismantle the idea of Ukraine as a distinct nation, stripping away the cultural and national identity of its people.

We continue to be appalled by widespread reports of violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and violations and abuses of International Human Rights Law (IHRL) within the temporarily occupied territories. As the independent Moscow Mechanism reports have shown, arbitrary detentions, forced deportations, and the persecution of civilians are prevalent. Particularly alarming is the forced deportation and indoctrination of Ukrainian children. The most recent report details the atrocious conditions faced by both civilians and prisoners of war held in detention, and the widespread and systematic use of torture, as well as sexual violence. In recent weeks, we have also seen media reports of POWs being executed in the most barbaric manner.

Russia is also deliberately targeting Ukraine’s cultural heritage in the territory it occupies. Museums, religious sites, and historic buildings have been bombed, looted, or appropriated. This systematic destruction of cultural sites not only devastates the physical symbols of Ukraine’s heritage but also attempts to erase crucial elements of its national identity.

Madam Chair, Russia’s annexation attempts are a clear violation of the Helsinki Final Act, which enshrines the principle of territorial integrity and the inviolability of national borders. As a signatory, Russia committed to respect the sovereignty and independence of all states in the OSCE region, including Ukraine. They made the same pledge more directly in the Budapest Memorandum in the 1990s.  By attempting to seize Ukrainian territory through force, Russia has flagrantly disregarded these principles. Moreover, the purported annexations represent a breach of the Paris Charter of 1990, in which all participating nations, including Russia, reaffirmed their commitment to peaceful relations, the rule of law, and the right of nations to determine their own destiny without external interference.

Russia’s continued imperialist ambitions destabilise the world, creating insecurity for all. We must call it what it is. And We must stand together to resist this dangerous expansionism. Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts, and Crimea are all irrefutably part of Ukraine. The UK will never recognise Russia’s illegitimate claims to these regions. We call upon Russia to immediately cease its unprovoked illegal war and withdraw its forces unconditionally from all of Ukraine. Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 September 2024.

States’ obligations on the role of the family in supporting human rights of its members. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

Thank you, Vice-President and dignitaries, for your opening remarks.

The United Kingdom is pleased to be joining this important panel discussion marking the 30th Anniversary of the International Year of the Family.

It is clear this commemoration reflects our common commitments to promoting and protecting all human rights of all individuals within the family unit, bringing us one step closer to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

The United Kingdom recognises the importance of considering the needs of all families, no matter how they are composed, to ensure everyone can live in a loving environment with dignity and respect.

We are committed to promoting and protecting the human rights of parents, children, persons with disabilities, older persons and other family members who experience societal marginalisation, including their right to an adequate standard of living and freedom from violence and discrimination.

We look forward to further collaboration with fellow member states on this initiative going forward.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 September 2024.

Statement by Foreign Secretary David Lammy at the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Lebanon.

This is a moment of maximum danger.

We are on the brink. The precipice. At a few minutes to midnight.

We talk of the risk of full-scale regional war but the truth is we are already witnessing conflict on multiple fronts.

In Gaza. In the West Bank. In Lebanon. And the Red Sea.

The strikes in recent days have taken 550 lives in Lebanon.

The death of civilians, women and children.

The UN workers killed.

The Hizballah rockets that have killed Israelis are just the latest in the cycle of pain, anguish and loss.

President,

As we face the abyss, this Council has a duty to speak with one voice.

And we must say that the rockets must stop now. The air strikes must stop now. Talks must start now. With an immediate ceasefire on both sides now.

It is time to pull back from the brink.

President,

A full-blown war is not in the interests of the Israeli or the Lebanese people.

And that is why within hours of last week’s strikes I called for an immediate ceasefire between Lebanese Hizballah and Israel.

Since then, we’ve worked closely with the US and France to formalise a wider demand for the ceasefire and a political plan to implement it.

And at the UN in New York, the Prime Minister and I have been urging our G7 and other partners to do the same.

Our priority must be a political solution in line with Resolution 1701. It is our duty to do all we can to exert maximum diplomatic pressure so Israeli and Lebanese civilians can return to their homes. So lives can be saved. So security can return to Northern Israel and Southern Lebanon. So that daily life can begin to return.

Now let me be clear.

The United Kingdom condemns Hizballah’s attacks on Israel over the last 11 months, which have driven more than 60,000 people from their homes.

There was no justification for these attacks.

They have brought misery to ordinary people in Lebanon and Israel.

And they have done nothing to end the conflict in Gaza or secure Palestinian statehood.

And Iran, nothing justifies supplying weapons to terror groups in defiance of this Council.

We call on Tehran to use its influence and urge Hizballah to agree a ceasefire.

President,

For the people of Israel and for the people of Lebanon, a brilliant, multicultural and tolerant nation taken captive by an armed militia that puts itself before the Lebanese people, we must come together to bring this conflict to an end.

In 2006, this Council acted in the interests of peace and security. All parties need to embody that same spirit today.

By coming together, act now to bring this conflict to an end.

To stop the cycle of destruction.

To stop the loss of yet more innocent lives.

And to stop this conflict from exploding into full-blown war and open a path to peace.

That is what we need.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 26 September 2024.

Rachel Kyte will support ministers to increase senior international diplomatic engagement on climate and clean energy.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Energy Secretary of State Ed Miliband have announced Rachel Kyte as the UK’s Special Representative for Climate. The role, previously left vacant for over a year, has been re-appointed under this administration as part of our ambitions to restore the UK’s role as an international leader on the climate.

Ms Kyte is Professor of Practice in Climate Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford and dean emerita of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. She has extensive international climate experience with previous roles including Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and CEO of Sustainable Energy for All, World Bank Group Vice President and Special Envoy for Climate Change as well as Vice President for Sustainable Development at the World Bank and for Business Advisory Services at the International Finance Corporation.

The announcement was made in New York in the margins of a discussion on ‘Accelerating Deployment of Clean Power: Building a Global Clean Power Alliance’, an event hosted by the Foreign Secretary and Energy Secretary.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

We cannot address the urgency of the climate and nature crisis without coordinated global action. This government is committed to boosting the UK’s climate leadership. Rachel Kyte will bring invaluable expertise and experience as we work together with partners to drive the energy transition, support those most vulnerable to the worst impacts of the climate crisis and meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

Climate change is the defining issue of our time. The governments mission for clean power by 2030 is about protecting energy security for families and businesses at home, whilst also driving global action to provide climate security for our future generations.

Rachel’s expertise will be invaluable in unlocking climate finance and supporting countries on the front line of the crisis – backing that strong action at home with leadership on the international stage.

Rachel Kyte said:

This government is committed to reconnecting the UK to the world with climate action as a priority.  And the world is being shaped politically and economically by climate change.

This provides an opportunity to use international action to help deliver on the UK’s energy mission. And it provides challenges, not least in mobilising the financing to protect people and drive greener growth. There is no time like now for the UK to help drive action and I am excited to play my part in this new role.

The UK Special Representative for Climate role will support ministers to increase senior international diplomatic engagement on climate and clean energy, increasing UK international leadership, building influence, raising global ambition and accelerating progress on UK strategic climate objectives.

A joint role between the FCDO and DESNZ, Ms Kyte will report to both the Foreign Secretary and Energy Secretary.