Tag: Press Release

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 October 2022.

Statement by Mungo Woodifield, UK Spokesperson to the UN, at the UN Fourth Committee, 12th meeting – General Assembly, 77th Session.

Thank you Mr Chair, Distinguished colleagues,

I would like to start by thanking Under-Secretary-General Fleming and the Department of Global Communications for their engagement with Member States, through reports submitted to the Committee on Information, as well as regular updates and exchanges on the work of the Department.

The United Kingdom welcomes the Department’s work to improve the UN’s strategic communications, news, media and outreach activity as well as its leadership and innovation in response to the complex communications challenges that face us.

The Department has continued to expand its reach through innovative partnerships and has been successful at mobilising wide and diverse audiences. These efforts are necessary to meet the growing demand around the world for accurate, impartial and comprehensive information on the most pressing global issues, such as Covid-19, the Climate Crisis, or Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine.

On these topics and others, people are looking at the UN now more than ever as a source of trusted information and we have to acknowledge that part of the reason why is that disinformation, propaganda and lies are out there in the world like never before. An infodemic carried on vectors of digital technologies and media.

We also need to be frank that this infodemic has a source and it is important that we focus our attention on “information manipulation, including disinformation, by states” and we recognise, this year in particular, the disinformation dimension of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

Since launching its invasion in February, the Kremlin’s propaganda machine has been in overdrive. The Russian government has lied to the world, lied to Ukrainians, lied to its own people and lied to itself. President Putin wants truth to be a casualty of this war, but we will continue to tell the truth about Russia’s aggression, including the strong evidence of war crimes that we are seeing committed in Ukraine.

The UN must do the same, guided by the language in resolutions adopted overwhelmingly by the General Assembly and the Secretary-General’s clear statements about Russia’s violations of the UN Charter and its aggression. The entire UN system must be consistent in how it describes this war.

Because this offensive against truth has global consequences. Russia’s disinformation about its invasion of Ukraine threatens to undermine public trust in the media and also confidence in public and international institutions, including the UN.

This really matters because if they succeed, then we will all fail. It is our responsibility as Member States to unequivocally condemn disinformation, especially when it provokes or encourages threats to peace or acts of aggression.

The ideals enshrined in the UN Charter cannot be realised in a world in which truth is obscured by State propaganda and muzzled media freedoms.

Together through our work in this Committee and in partnership with the UN, we can challenge disinformation and protect the space for impartial and accurate reporting of the threats and challenges that the UN was founded to address.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 October 2022.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the Annual Women, Peace and Security UN Security Council Open Debate: Strengthening Women’s Resilience and Leadership as a Path to Peace in Regions Plagued by Armed Groups.

Thank you, President. Let me thank the Deputy Secretary General and all our briefers today for your testimony, your advocacy and your leadership.

As we mark the anniversary of Resolution 1325, the UK is proud to be a leading champion of the Women Peace and Security agenda in the UN and around the world. And yet the stark reality presented by our briefers speaks for itself. Despite our collective efforts of 22 years, we all need to do more to deliver on the promise of 1325. Today I’d like to highlight three of our priorities.

First it is clear that we need to strengthen the global response to conflict-related sexual violence. A 20% increase in sexual violence against children and a 41% increase in the abduction of girls as reported in the Secretary General’s 2022 report on children in armed conflict cannot be ignored.

That is why the UK will host an International Conference on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict on 28-29 November. We will gather countries together to galvanise the response to CRSV, and we will launch a political declaration to send a strong message that we will support survivors, help prevent future violence, and hold perpetrators to account. We urge member states to endorse this declaration, and make a national commitment outlining practical steps they will take to prevent and respond to CRSV, for example implementing the Murad Code.

Second, we continue to support women’s participation in peace efforts. Women are integral to building lasting peace and security, and their full, equal and meaningful participation in peace processes is the cornerstone of our approach to WPS. But progress here has been too slow as we’ve heard today.

There has been no significant increase in women’s participation in peace processes since 2000, despite all the rhetoric. So the UK’s fifth WPS National Action Plan will focus on concrete and practical ways to reflect the contribution women make to peace in a changed strategic environment, from Afghanistan to Ukraine, from climate security to cyber threats.

Third, President, we need to create an enabling environment for women to participate. A major barrier to women’s engagement in political life is the rising risk of reprisals. The Secretary-General’s latest WPS report highlights that since 2018, over a third of the women briefers to the Security Council have faced reprisals. This is simply not acceptable. The UK is committed to protecting women human rights defenders and briefers who courageously speak in this chamber. In partnership with OHCHR, we developed Guidance for Member States to mitigate reprisals against civil society briefers.

President, Women’s place at the peace table is not only their right, it is essential to building and sustaining peace and security. Every absence will be our collective loss.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 October 2022.

The UK is implementing new sanctions on Iranian individuals and business responsible for supplying Russia with kamikaze drones used to bombard Ukraine.

The UK is today (October 20) implementing new sanctions on Iranian individuals and business responsible for supplying Russia with kamikaze drones used to bombard Ukraine.

Russia is using the drones to attack both civilian targets and critical infrastructure in Kyiv and across Ukraine, with the intention of cutting off Ukrainian people from energy, heating, and water.

By supplying these drones Iran is actively warmongering, profiting off Russia’s abhorrent attacks on Ukrainian citizens, and adding to the suffering of the people and the destruction of critical infrastructure. Both Russia and Iran are violating a UN Security Council Resolution that controls the transfer of these weapons from Iran.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Iran’s support for Putin’s brutal and illegal war against Ukraine is deplorable. Today we are sanctioning those who have supplied the drones used by Russia to target Ukrainian civilians. This is clear evidence of Iran’s destabilising role in global security.

These cowardly drone strikes are an act of desperation. By enabling these strikes, these individuals and a manufacturer have caused the people of Ukraine untold suffering. We will ensure that they are held to account for their actions.

Today’s sanctions target the individuals and business personally responsible for providing the drones that have been used in these barbaric strikes. They are:

• Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri – the Chairman of the armed forces General Staff who has overseen the army branches supplying Russia with drones. Bagheri is subject to an asset freeze and travel ban
• Brigadier General Seyed Hojjatollah Qureishi – the key Iranian negotiator in the deal that has provided Russia with the Iranian produced drones. Qureishi is subject to an asset freeze and travel ban
• Brigadier General Saeed Aghajani – the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a branch of the Iranian armed forces, Aerospace Force UAV Command – the IRGC are reported to have been in the temporarily controlled territories of Ukraine advising Russian forces on how to use the drones. Aghajani is subject to an asset freeze and travel ban.
• Shahed Aviation Industries – the Iranian manufacturer of the Shahed drones which have been used by Russia during its illegal invasion of Ukraine. Shahed Aviation Industries is subject to an asset freeze.

Procuring these weapons shows Russia is turning to countries such as Iran out of desperation in order to continue fighting their illegal war.

Open-source evidence has shown Russia’s own defence company and drone producer Kronshtadt struggle to maintain production since they were sanctioned (24 March 2022), with fridges and dishwashers being cannibalised in order to create military equipment, and Soviet-era tanks have also been sent to the front line as they strain to maintain their military equipment.

Background

The UK has previously designated close to 300 Iranian individuals and entities for their role in weapons proliferation, human rights abuses, and terrorism. These include those involved in Iran’s drone programme, including Iran’s Ministry of Defence Armed Forces Logistics and the Iran Aviation Industries Organisation and its subsidiaries including Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Company and Qods Aviation Industry and individuals including Amir Hajizadeh, the IRGC Aerospace Force Commander.

Iran has one of the largest and most diverse drone and missile arsenals in the Middle East and continues to increase the sophistication, range and accuracy of its weapons systems. It also has a long-standing track record of proliferating drones, missiles and missile technology, including to non-state actors. The missiles and drones are under the control of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Iran’s and Russia’s action violates UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which provides that the transfer from, or to, Iran of specified items require prior approval from the Security Council.

In response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, the UK and our international partners have implemented the most severe package of sanctions ever imposed on a major economy. The UK has sanctioned over 1,200 individuals and 120 entities since the start of the invasion as well as introducing unprecedented trade measures.