Tag: Press Release

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

The UK launched the Climate and Ocean Adaptation and Sustainable Transition (COAST) programme, a key component of the UK’s £500 million Global Blue Planet Fund.

In a panel discussion on blue economy and biodiversity, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced that the UK’s COAST programme will be launched in the Philippines this year to support coastal communities. The programme aims to assist the Philippine government to deliver more sustainable small-scale fisheries and local aquaculture, support local livelihoods, protect vital ecosystems and promote sustainable growth within local blue economies.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated:

As fellow island nations, we have critical roles to play in the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems.

The announcement coincides with the 5th year anniversary of the UK-Philippines Climate Change and Environment Dialogue, which has been instrumental in delivering shared priorities on climate, nature and biodiversity between the UK and the Philippine governments.

His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils shared:

The UK is proud to support the Philippines unlock the potential of sustainable blue economy and catalyse blue finance to help coastal communities, especially the fisherfolk.

Joining the panel discussion were Environment Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga, Senator Loren Legarda, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity Acting Executive Director Clarissa Arida and ADB Director General F. Cleo Kawawaki.

Secretary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga said:

The United Kingdom and the Philippines, for our similarities as blue and archipelagic nations, have long been committed to the conservation and protection of the ocean, one of the world’s shared heritages.

Senator Loren Legarda said:

There’s so much to be done, but the first step is breaking barriers to access. Only by equipping women with education, capital and innovation can we truly build a resilient and inclusive blue economy.

The panellists underscored approaches to balance biodiversity protection and restoration with an expanding blue economy.

The Foreign Secretary also announced the new ASEAN-UK Green Transition Fund EnCORE Wetlands Project – a £1.4m initiative in partnership with the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity and Global Environment Centre.

This project will develop evidence-based policies, tools, and technologies to restore and conserve these critical ecosystems, ensuring wetlands and peatlands continue to play a key role in climate mitigation.

The project will begin with two model sites—Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary in the Philippines and Maludam National Park in Malaysia—which will serve as blueprints for wider regional action.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 April 2025.

UK sanctions four Georgian officials, including Georgia’s General Prosecutor, as part of latest action against serious human rights violations.

• UK becomes first state to sanction Georgia’s General Prosecutor as part of latest action against serious human rights violations.
• Georgian Head of the Special Investigatory Service also targeted for failure to properly investigate crackdown on protesters.
• Designations build on five Georgian individuals sanctioned under the UK’s Global Human Rights regime in December 2024.

The UK has sanctioned four more high-ranking Georgian officials for their role in allowing serious human rights violations in response to legitimate protests in Georgia since 2024.

Last year saw a series of public protests erupt across the country, triggered by the actions of Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream. In response, the authorities began an aggressive crackdown on demonstrations, attacking and arbitrarily detaining members of civil society, media and opposition figures.

With today’s action, the UK is the first state to sanction Georgia’s General Prosecutor and the Head of the Special Investigatory Service for failing in their positions to properly investigate those responsible for serious violence.

These measures support the UK Government’s work internationally to protect human rights, to reduce global instability and deter threats to UK national security – one of the foundations of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

“The scenes of brutal violence against protestors, journalists and opposition figures in Georgia were truly shocking. More than 100 days on, its authorities have failed to hold those responsible to account, flying in the face of Georgian Dream’s claim to be delivering a democratic future for its citizens.

“Our sanctions show the UK will not accept such a blatant lack of accountability by those in charge, and will continue to consider all options available to us until Georgia reverses its current trajectory. We stand with the people of Georgia and their constitutional right to fundamental freedoms and to pursue a European path.”

Individuals sanctioned today are:

1. Giorgi Gabitashvili, General Prosecutor
2. Karlo Katsitadze, Head of the Special Investigatory Service
3. Shalva Bedoidze, First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia
4. Mirza Kezevadze, Deputy Chief of the Special Task Department

All four are excluded from the UK and its economy through UK travel bans and asset freezes.

Since the beginning of this year, Georgia’s ruling party – Georgian Dream – has attempted to push through legislation for a series of new repressive laws which critics say will be used to silence civil society and opposition parties, with the prospect of hefty prison sentences for non-compliance.

Today’s announcement adds to UK sanctions against five Georgian officials in December for their roles in the violent attacks against demonstrators, media and opposition figures following the government’s decision to pause the country’s move towards a European future in – a key tenant of Georgia’s constitution.

The UK previously paused its annual flagship strategic dialogue, the ‘Wardrop Dialogue’, suspended governmental programme support and restricted engagement with Georgian Dream in response to an increase in anti-western rhetoric and democratic backsliding which restrict media freedoms and limits equality for the Georgian people.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 April 2025.

Ambassador Holland calls out Russia’s hollow words about peace while it continues to terrorise Ukraine’s civilian population and infrastructure.

Thank you, Madame Chair. It is now 29 days since Ukraine expressed its readiness to accept a full, unconditional and immediate 30-day ceasefire. If Russia reciprocated, we would be a huge step closer to ending this terrible war. They are yet to take this step.

Instead of showing a commitment to peace, President Putin has chosen to dither, delay and destroy. We have heard desperate and false accusations about the legitimacy of Ukraine’s democratically-elected President. This week the Kremlin said there remained questions “hanging in the air”, including what they say is Ukraine’s lack of control over those defending their homeland and its so-called militarisation. These accusations come from a government that has deployed North Korean troops to the front line and has just ordered the biggest conscription since the war began. They are absurd.

While the Russian state delays a ceasefire, it continues to terrorise Ukraine’s civilian population with indiscriminate aerial attacks. Earlier this week we met to condemn Russia’s awful missile attack on Kryvyi Rih, which claimed the lives of 20 people, including nine children, on 4 April. This attack came only a day after a further five civilians were killed by Russian drone strikes in Kharkiv and was followed by further civilian casualties during aerial attacks over the weekend. Since Ukraine committed to pursue a full ceasefire, Russia’s aerial attacks have increased.

Russia claims to have been respecting an energy ceasefire since 18 March, but it continues to launch attacks which result in damage to energy infrastructure, including two in the last week which left 50,000 people without power. Even when it appeared that Russia had agreed to the proposed Black Sea ceasefire, it immediately backtracked, imposing new and unwarranted conditions. And yet Russia has the cheek to accuse Ukraine of not being serious about peace.

Killing civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure is not the behaviour of a state genuinely willing to pursue meaningful peace talks. These attacks on the people of Ukraine, including its children and most vulnerable citizens, demonstrate the Russian Government’s true intentions. Their words of peace are so far hollow. We urge the Russian government to commit to peace, end the barbaric attacks on Ukraine’s civilians, and finally demonstrate the sincerity of its words.

Thank you, Madame Chair.