UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary’s meeting with China’s Director of Foreign Affairs Commission Office and Foreign Minister [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary’s meeting with China’s Director of Foreign Affairs Commission Office and Foreign Minister [July 2024]

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

    On 26 July, the Foreign Secretary David Lammy met China’s Director of Foreign Affairs Commission Office and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting in Vientiane, Laos.

    They had a constructive first discussion and the Foreign Secretary outlined this government’s vision for a long-term, consistent and strategic approach to UK-China relations. He set out that the government would cooperate where we can, compete where needed and challenge where we must. He made clear the UK would always stand firm in prioritising our national security, as well as supporting human rights.

    The Foreign Secretary welcomed the opportunity to work with a fellow member of the UN Security Council and the world’s second largest economy to combat global challenges like climate change.

    The Foreign Secretary underlined the UK’s ironclad commitment to Ukraine and urged China to prevent its companies supporting Russia’s military industrial complex which poses a material threat to international security and prosperity.

    Both sides agreed to work towards building long-term communication channels.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Energy Secretary convenes COP leaders past, present and future to offer UK support and leadership in responding to the climate crisis [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Energy Secretary convenes COP leaders past, present and future to offer UK support and leadership in responding to the climate crisis [July 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 26 July 2024.

    The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero met with COP leaders in London to discuss the need for greater urgency in tackling the climate crisis.

    On Friday 26 July, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero met with the Rt Hon Sir Alok Sharma, President for COP 26, HE Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President Designate and HE Ana Toni, National Secretary for Climate Change from Brazil as COP 30 Presidency. This was part of a visit that included a roundtable with His Majesty King Charles III to discuss the need for greater urgency in tackling the climate crisis.

    The Secretary of State welcomed the outcomes achieved through the UAE consensus, including the historic agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, and offered full support to Azerbaijan and Brazil for their upcoming COP 29 and COP 30 Presidencies. He underlined the UK’s determination to act as a global leader and reliable partner on climate action. Emphasising the importance of all countries, especially major emitters, taking action to implement the outcomes of the Global Stocktake and bringing forward 1.5°C aligned Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as soon as possible, he offered to share the UK’s experiences from COP 26 in supporting ambition in NDCs. He further emphasised the UK’s commitment to working together with all Parties to agree an ambitious New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance and accelerate the necessary reforms of the global financial architecture.

    The Secretary of State underlined the importance of the UK’s renewed domestic leadership in encouraging ambitious action abroad. Climate and clean energy are at the heart of the new government’s agenda. The UK is taking immediate action to unlock investment in onshore wind, begin a solar revolution, and setting out our plans for Great British Energy.

    The Secretary of State expressed the UK’s utmost concern at the growing scale and severity of climate impacts around the world, especially in developing countries, and emphasised our full commitment to working with the Troika and all Parties in this critical decade to deliver increased ambition to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, keep 1.5°C in reach and support the most vulnerable.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Change of British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands – Paul Turner [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Change of British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands – Paul Turner [July 2024]

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

    Mr Paul Turner has been appointed British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands in succession to Mr Thomas Coward who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Turner will take up his appointment during January 2025.

    Curriculum Vitae

    Full name: Paul Robert Turner

    Year Role
    2020 to 2024 World Bank, Uganda – secondment from FCDO
    2017 to 2020 Kampala, DFID, Senior Private Sector Adviser
    2016 Pretoria, FCO, Head of UK Prosperity Fund for Southern Africa
    2013 to 2016 Harare, DFID, Head of Economic Livelihoods
    2011 to 2013 Tunis, UK Representative to African Development Bank
    2005 to 2011 Brussels, EU Afghanistan Unit – secondment
    2002 to 2005 Skopje, North Macedonia, Deputy Head of EU Agency for Reconstruction
    2000 to 2002 Pristina, Head of DFID Kosovo
    1998 to 2000 DFID, China desk, East Asia Directorate
    1997 to 1998 DFID, Assistant Private Secretary to Secretary State for International Development
    1997 Home Office, Assistant Private Secretary to Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
    1993 to 1996 Home Office, Northern Ireland section
  • PRESS RELEASE : Scotland to have world’s first peatland UNESCO World Heritage site [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Scotland to have world’s first peatland UNESCO World Heritage site [July 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 26 July 2024.

    The Flow Country has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

    Site to become world’s first peatland bog to gain world heritage status
    Becomes Scotland’s first natural world heritage site, joining the likes of the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef
    The Flow Country has become the UK’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site, having been granted the accolade today, at the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee.

    The landscape, which is widely considered to be the largest area of blanket bog in the world covering around 1,500 square miles in Caithness and Sutherland, has become the UK’s 35th UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the world’s first ever peatland site to gain world heritage status.

    The site will also become Scotland’s first natural world heritage site and joins a very exclusive list of natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including The Grand Canyon and The Great Barrier Reef.

    It will be the seventh Scottish site, joining St Kilda and the Forth Bridge, which attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to Scotland.

    Due to the nature of the site, this listing is also expected to bring new opportunities for local people through the creation of green jobs in landscape restoration and conservation.

    The Flow Country is home to a wide range of wetland and moorland species, including many birds, such as the red-throated diver, golden eagle and short-eared owl and has been considered to be of outstanding universal value due to its remarkable diversity, the home that it provides for these species and the role it plays in storing approximately 400 million tonnes of carbon in the north of Scotland.

    The news follows the announcement of Gracehill in Northern Ireland receiving World Heritage Status, making this the second new addition to the list of UK World Heritage Sites today.

    UK Government Culture Minister Sir Chris Bryant said:

    It is fantastic to see the UK adding two new sites to the World Heritage List in the space of a day – of historical and natural significance respectively.

    The Flow Country is one of our most precious resources, as a vital habitat for many species and a key site for carbon capture that continues to inform our understanding of how blanket bog can be used to help mitigate climate change.

    It is right to recognise this truly inspiring landscape and I look forward to working closely with counterparts in Scotland to showcase this important addition to our UK World Heritage Sites.

    Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said:

    Scotland has a rich history of UNESCO World Heritage sites with six spread across our country from Heart of Neolithic Orkney to New Lanark, the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh to St Kilda and I am delighted the Flow Country has become Scotland’s seventh.

    Thanks to a strong endorsement from the UK Government the Flow Country, which has international importance as a habitat and for the diverse range of rare and unusual breeding birds it supports, is now the first peatland site on the World Heritage list.

    Acting Scottish Government Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin said:

    This is a truly momentous day for Caithness and Sutherland, and indeed Scotland as a whole.

    The Flow Country is an area of truly outstanding natural beauty and its diverse ecosystems and peatlands are a vital part of our efforts to combat climate change and nature loss. This new global prominence will help preserve the area for many generations to come.

    I want to congratulate the Flow Country Partnership and everyone who has worked so hard towards this tremendous achievement. Their passion and determination has not only elevated the Flow Country to UNESCO World Heritage Status, but has ensured its protection far into the future.

    Bid lead for the Flow Country World Heritage Site project and NatureScot Head of Operations for the North of Scotland, Graham Neville, said:

    World Heritage status for the Flow Country is a momentous moment for Scotland’s people and their beloved landscape. This successful bid is testament to the hard work and determination of the Flow Country World Heritage project team as well as community members, scientific experts, businesses, landowners and public bodies from across the Flow Country who have been so generous with their time, knowledge and expertise to shape the bid for the benefit of the whole area. World Heritage Site status will lead to greater understanding of the Flow Country and raise the profile of Scotland’s peatlands globally for their value as biodiverse habitats and important carbon sinks. It is a wonderful recognition of the expert stewardship of farmers and crofters in maintaining this incredible ecosystem as a natural legacy for future generations.

    Professor Mike Robinson, Non-Executive Director, Culture at the United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO says:

    We are delighted that the Flow Country has been inscribed onto the UNESCO World Heritage List in recognition of its Outstanding Universal Value. World Heritage status recognises the global importance of the Flow Country and its peat bogs, not only as an important ecosystem for wildlife but also, through their carbon storage, as a critical defence against the impact of climate change. In this sense, World Heritage and the protection afforded to it will contribute directly to sustainable development.

    ENDS

    Notes to editors:

    The UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for meeting the requirements of the World Heritage Convention within the UK. This includes maintaining and reviewing the Tentative List of sites, formally nominating new sites, and ensuring existing sites are conserved, protected and given a life in the community.

    The other UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Scotland are St. Kilda, Edinburgh Old Town and New Town, The Heart of Neolithic Orkney, New Lanark, The Antonine Wall and The Forth Bridge.

    The first UNESCO World Heritage Sites were announced in 1986. The full list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the UK and Overseas Territories are:

    Cultural:

    • Blaenavon Industrial Landscape (2000)
    • Blenheim Palace (1987)
    • Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine’s Abbey, and St Martin’s Church (1988)
    • Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd (1986)
    • City of Bath (1987)
    • Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape (2006)
    • Derwent Valley Mills (2001)
    • Durham Castle and Cathedral (1986)
    • Frontiers of the Roman Empire (1987,2005,2008)
    • Gorham’s Cave Complex (2016)
    • Heart of Neolithic Orkney (1999)
    • Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda (2000)
    • Ironbridge Gorge (1986)
    • Maritime Greenwich (1997)
    • New Lanark (2001)
    • Old and New Towns of Edinburgh (1995)
    • Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret’s Church (1987)
    • Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal (2009)
    • Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2003)
    • Saltaire (2001)
    • Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales (2021)
    • Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites (1986)
    • Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey (1986)
    • The English Lake District (2017)
    • The Forth Bridge (2015)
    • The Great Spa Towns of Europe (2021)
    • Tower of London (1988)
    • Jodrell Bank Observatory (2019)

    Natural:

    • Dorset and East Devon Coast (2001)
    • Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast (1986)
    • Gough and Inaccessible Islands (1995,2004)
    • Henderson Island (1988)

    Mixed:

    • St Kilda (1986,2004, 2005)
  • PRESS RELEASE : The fourth European Political Community summit held at Blenheim in the United Kingdom – UK statement to the OSCE [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : The fourth European Political Community summit held at Blenheim in the United Kingdom – UK statement to the OSCE [July 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 July 2024.

    Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown says the fourth European Political Community summit held in the UK demonstrated strong commitment to Ukraine and on shared challenges like migrant smuggling and energy security.

    Thank you, Chair. I would like to provide a brief readout of the meeting of the European Political Community last week at Blenheim Palace. At that summit, the Prime Minister reaffirmed our commitment to security, freedom, democracy and the rule of law – and to work with our European partners to meet the challenges we all face.

    As you know, for the first time the OSCE Secretary General was invited to attend. Unfortunately, it was not possible for her to attend, but I hope that demonstrates our commitment to this institution and to ensuring a coherent approach to shared challenges from all the countries and institutions of Europe.

    Front and centre of the Summit was clear and steadfast support for Ukraine among European leaders, who reiterated their commitment to do whatever it takes in the face of continued Russian aggression. We were honoured to host President Zelenskyy, to whom the Prime Minister personally committed the UK’s continued and deep support.

    For the first time, migration was on the agenda with a roundtable discussion chaired by Italy and Albania. The UK was pleased to agree new deals with Slovakia and Slovenia to tackle organised crime; to increase the UK presence at Europol, playing our full part in the European Migrant Smuggling Centre; and to announce £84 million in support to tackle upstream migration.

    Leaders also agreed on the challenge of increasing energy security through a roundtable chaired by Norway and Slovenia. There was a focus on resilience and interconnection, with particular emphasis on assistance to Black Sea countries, as well as discussing novel energy projects, sharing expertise, and accelerating the pace of electrification.

    Leaders did not lose sight of the fact that European security is also under threat beyond Ukraine. A roundtable also discussions challenges around Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference. The margins of the Summit also saw a meeting of the Friends of Moldova Group which underlined the international commitment to Moldova’s sovereignty and democracy.

    Colleagues, the UK was immensely proud to host the EPC last week, and we look forward to continuing the work of revitalising our relationships with our friends and partners across the globe, and particularly in this room, as we place European security at the forefront of our foreign and defence priorities. And for the UK it was an opportune moment to make clear our government’s focus on resetting our relationships with our neighbours and friends across Europe.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Gracehill Moravian Church in County Antrim becomes UK’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Gracehill Moravian Church in County Antrim becomes UK’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site [July 2024]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 26 July 2024.

    Moravian Church settlement in the Georgian village of Gracehill, Northern Ireland has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

    Settlement becomes Northern Ireland’s second UNESCO World Heritage Site and the 34th UNESCO World Heritage Site in the UK
    Joins the likes of the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon National Park and Machu Picchu on the World Heritage List
    The Gracehill Moravian Church settlement in County Antrim has become the UK’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site at the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee today.

    The site was nominated as part of a transnational effort led by the United States to achieve World Heritage Status for Moravian Church settlements founded in the 18th century, alongside other sites in Herrnhut, Germany and Bethlehem in the United States.

    Each of these settlements exemplifies the Moravian Church’s spiritual, societal, and ethical ideals that aimed at the creation of a religious community and found expression in a distinctive style of town planning and architecture.

    Founded in 1759, Gracehill includes distinctive Moravian buildings, including a particular type of congregation building known as Gemeinhaus, a church, choir houses and a cemetery. There is an active congregation present at the site today, who continue Moravian traditions.

    Gracehill is the best preserved example of a settlement representing the Moravian ideal in the UK and Ireland and the only example built on the island of Ireland, with its urban plan clustered around a central green square.

    It becomes Northern Ireland’s second UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the first being Giant’s Causeway, which was listed in 1986.

    UK Government Culture Minister Sir Chris Bryant said:

    Gracehill has been rightly cherished by the local community since its foundation in 1759 as a town built around the central values of equality and tolerance and I am glad to see it gain the recognition that it deserves.

    I look forward to working together with the international community and my counterparts in Northern Ireland to celebrate the Gracehill site and ensure the Moravian traditions live on to be passed onto future generations.

    The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Fleur Anderson, said:

    I am delighted to see the Moravian Church settlement becoming a new member of the globally renowned list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

    This is an exciting moment for the community of Gracehill and a huge achievement for everyone involved in the bid. The significance of it is carried throughout Northern Ireland and the whole United Kingdom.

    Northern Ireland has a rich heritage and is home to many culturally significant sites, and I have no doubt this accolade will encourage more visitors to come and see them for themselves.

    Northern Ireland Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said:

    I am delighted that the cultural importance of Gracehill to the world has been recognised through the UNESCO designation.  In recent years, my department has worked with the Gracehill community to maintain the village and develop their World Heritage bid. We have supported listed building repairs and provided advice and, since the US formally decided to proceed in 2021, we have contributed to the nomination costs. Gracehill is a special place with an active community and this recognition of a small village on the world stage is a great endorsement, helping to remind us all that Northern Ireland has a fascinating heritage that is well worth exploring.

    Dr David Johnston, Chair of Gracehill Trust said,

    The prize of a cultural World Heritage listing is a huge good news story for Northern Ireland as a whole, something that everyone can share in and be proud of, with the potential to promote understanding and reconciliation and bring social, economic and cultural benefits right across the region now and for generations to come.

    We are fortunate and thankful to have had the enthusiastic support of the whole community, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, the Northern Ireland Department for Communities and the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport as well as the enthusiasm of our international partners.

    Professor Mike Robinson, Non-Executive Director, Culture at the United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO said:

    We are delighted that the Moravian Church Settlements, including Gracehill in Northern Ireland, Herrnhut in Germany, and Bethlehem in the United States of America, have been inscribed onto the UNESCO World Heritage List in recognition of their Outstanding Universal Value. Along with Christiansfeld, a Moravian Church Settlement (Denmark) that was inscribed onto the World Heritage List in 2015, the inscription not only represents the international reach of the Moravian community, but also highlights the opportunities, where appropriate, for World Heritage transnational-serial nominations to bring communities together through their shared histories.

    Notes to editors:

    The UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for meeting the requirements of the World Heritage Convention within the UK. This includes maintaining and reviewing the Tentative List of sites, formally nominating new sites, and ensuring existing sites are conserved, protected and given a life in the community.

    The first UNESCO World Heritage Sites were announced in 1986. The full list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the UK and Overseas Territories are:

    Cultural:

    • Blaenavon Industrial Landscape (2000)
    • Blenheim Palace (1987)
    • Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine’s Abbey, and St Martin’s Church (1988)
    • Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd (1986)
    • City of Bath (1987)
    • Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape (2006)
    • Derwent Valley Mills (2001)
    • Durham Castle and Cathedral (1986)
    • Frontiers of the Roman Empire (1987,2005,2008)
    • Gorham’s Cave Complex (2016)
    • Heart of Neolithic Orkney (1999)
    • Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda (2000)
    • Ironbridge Gorge (1986)
    • Maritime Greenwich (1997)
    • New Lanark (2001)
    • Old and New Towns of Edinburgh (1995)
    • Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret’s Church (1987)
    • Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal (2009)
    • Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2003)
    • Saltaire (2001)
    • Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales (2021)
    • Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites (1986)
    • Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey (1986)
    • The English Lake District (2017)
    • The Forth Bridge (2015)
    • The Great Spa Towns of Europe (2021)
    • Tower of London (1988)
    • Jodrell Bank Observatory (2019)

    Natural:

    • Dorset and East Devon Coast (2001)
    • Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast (1986)
    • Gough and Inaccessible Islands (1995,2004)
    • Henderson Island (1988)

    Mixed:

    • St Kilda (1986,2004, 2005)
  • PRESS RELEASE : The Russian Federation is increasing its malign activities and interference – UK statement to the OSCE [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : The Russian Federation is increasing its malign activities and interference – UK statement to the OSCE [July 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 July 2024.

    Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown underlines the increased scale and intensity of the hybrid threat now faced by many participating States.

    Thank you, Madam Chair. The threat from the Russian Federation comes in many forms, so let me thank France for tabling this item, and allowing participating States the opportunity to put on record just how reckless it is becoming. As Russia continues to pursue its devastating war in Ukraine at ever greater cost to Ukraine and itself, Russia’s operations abroad have become more diverse and more widespread.

    Russia’s use of disinformation and other malign tactics is well documented – deployed to advance its influence, sow discord and undermine global rules and norms. This is pervasive across the globe, but particularly in its near abroad. Alongside the US and Canada, the UK recently condemned Russian attempts to undermine Moldova’s democratic institutions in the leadup to the October presidential elections, and the referendum on Moldova’s EU membership. The UK will continue to stand firm with our friends, against Russia’s persistent attempts to undermine sovereignty and democratic processes, and to provide support to bolster regional resilience.

    In Europe, participating States have seen buildings burned down. In May, five British men were arrested and charged in relation to an arson attack in London. Two of these individuals were arrested and charged under the UK’s new National Security Act including offences relating to a foreign intelligence service – with the Crown Prosecution Service confirming Russia as the foreign state involved in the sabotage incident. Similar incidents and arrests have taken place in Poland, Czechia, and Latvia, which we assess to be part of a covert and coordinated sabotage campaign, directed by Russia. It is clear that those behind this activity do not care who bears the consequences of their recklessness.

    This year, there have been numerous reports of assassination plots allegedly prepared by Russia, including one which allegedly resulted in the death of a Russian defector, who was shot dead in Spain. This is nothing new; it brings to mind the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal by the GRU, which led to the death of an innocent British civilian in 2018, or the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko in 2006. What is new, is the scale and intensity of the hybrid threat now faced by so many participating States, signalling an increase in Russia’s readiness to use covert and illegal methods abroad to further its agenda, posing the most acute threat to European security and to global stability.

    Such aggression requires a robust and collective response from all participating States who seek to uphold the core values of this organisation. We must make clear to President Putin and the Russian authorities that attempts to undermine our support for Ukraine will not work, by maintaining the assistance it urgently needs to defeat Russia on the battlefield. And we must work together to deny Russia’s attempts to operate inside our own borders, whether directly or through its proxies.

    The UK has taken action to expel the Russian Defence Attaché, an undeclared GRU officer, and is working intensively to make the UK the hardest possible operating environment for Russian hybrid attacks. Such measures are vital to prevent Russia from destabilising those who stand in its way, and to send a clear message that we will not falter in the face of its belligerence. Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Report by the Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana – UK response [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Report by the Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana – UK response [July 2024]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 July 2024.

    Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown thanks head of OSCE mission in Kazakhstan Dr Frobarth for his and his team’s work, especially on human rights, transnational threats, and prosperity.

    Thank you, Dr Frobarth, for your detailed report and a warm welcome back to the Permanent Council. I would also like to thank you for your support to the successful visits of Chairpersons-in-Office Osmani and Borg over the past year. The UK remains strongly committed to – and supportive of – the essential work that the OSCE field mission is doing in Kazakhstan and across Central Asia. We recognise the impact that failure to agree the Unified Budget is having on that work.

    Kazakhstan is a key partner for the United Kingdom. The signature of the UK-Kazakhstan Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement by our then Foreign Secretary earlier this year demonstrates the importance the United Kingdom places on this relationship. The Agreement sets out a framework for closer cooperation, and we look forward to building on it across shared priorities including trade, climate, education and security.

    Your report rightly focuses on the importance of ensuring the full implementation of reform in Kazakhstan, and progress on the Human Dimension agenda. Representatives of the Government of the United Kingdom have had constructive discussions on this with government counterparts and civil society leaders in Kazakhstan over the past year. We are, however, concerned by calls from some groups to limit the freedom of expression of LGBT+ people in Kazakhstan, and hope that the Government of Kazakhstan will reject such calls for restrictions on the rights of vulnerable minority groups.

    I would like to draw particular attention to the report on Gender Based Violence, published by the OSCE Programme Office in advance of the criminalisation of domestic violence in April. This was an important step forward for Kazakhstan and we commend the OSCE Programme Office for its contribution. We also were pleased to see Kazakhstan refer the text of its new law on Mass Media to the Representative on Freedom of the Media for legal review.

    The United Kingdom commends the OSCE for their excellent work on security and transnational threats. Ensuring that transnational threats to security are addressed and managed successfully, justly and openly, is of great importance. We fully support the OSCE in this field, and we are pleased to hear of the wide-ranging work undertaken on the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, internet freedom and digital rights, and border security.

    We would like to thank the OSCE Office for their continued work in Kazakhstan on anti-money laundering, anti-corruption, trade facilitation, and support for small- and medium-sized enterprises, ensuring that opportunities in Kazakhstan are open to all; and that economies in Central Asia continue to attract investment and build prosperity.

    Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Kazakhstan for their leadership and wide-ranging support for, and activity in, multilateral organisations. We underline the significance, importance and value of the OSCE mission in Astana.

    Once again, thank you Ambassador Frobarth, and your team, for your crucial work. We and our colleagues at our embassy in Astana stand ready to support in any way they can.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Britain back open for business, Chancellor to tell G20 [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Britain back open for business, Chancellor to tell G20 [July 2024]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 25 July 2024.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves to attend first G20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    • Reeves to bang the drum for British business on first international visit since taking office
    • First female Chancellor to champion the importance of female leadership in economics and finance

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves will today arrive in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to attend the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting on her first international visit since taking office.

    The Chancellor will meet with G20 counterparts for the first time, where she will champion British business and declare the country is ‘open for business’ once again after years of uncertainty and instability.

    The Chancellor will tell an international audience that the number one priority of the new British government is to deliver economic growth to make every part of the country better off. She will urge business leaders to “take another look at Britain” as she talks to the Government’s plans to boost international investment.

    She will outline to leaders of world economies how she will always act in the national interest on major international issues, including climate change and support for Ukraine as Russia’s illegal invasion continues into its third year. The Prime Minister has already recommitted £3 billion per year of military support to the end of the decade or for as long as needed.

    Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said:

    Over the coming days my message to international leaders is simple: after years of uncertainty and instability, Britain is open for business once again.

    This new government’s number one mission is to boost economic growth so we can make every part of the country better off. That can only happen by working alongside business from around the world to encourage them to invest in the jobs and industries of the future.

    That is why over the coming two days I will be banging the drum for British business and urging leaders to take another look at us. I’m ready to take my seat at the table alongside fellow finance ministers, steering the world economy and representing our national interests on the major issues of our time, including grasping the growth opportunities of the net zero transition and putting pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

    Chancellor Reeves will also use her platform as the UK’s first woman Chancellor to champion the importance of female leadership in economics and finance, as she meets with other female leaders while at the G20.

    Chancellor Reeves’ visit to Brazil is the latest step in the government’s national mission to grow the economy. Since taking office, she has pursued reform of the economy to fix its foundations and make every part of Britain better off, including announcing changes to the planning system, ending the ban on new onshore wind and launching a National Wealth Fund to catalyse private sector investment.

    Brazil holds the presidency for the G20 this year, with a focus on social inclusion and the fight against hunger; energy transition and sustainable development; and reform of global governance. Ministers and governors will discuss the global economy, financial stability, international taxation, climate, and debt and development. The Chancellor will promote collaboration on issues including addressing inequality, driving growth and progressive taxation.

    The UK and Brazil’s relationship is particularly strong in green finance, with Brazil raising $2 billion by listing its new sustainable sovereign bond on the London Stock Exchange. The UK government recently renewed its Memorandum of Understanding with the Brazilian Development Bank on cooperation on the green transition, in particular on green finance. Britain has also made £5 billion available in UK Export Finance funding to meet Brazil’s needs.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Criminals and immigration offenders removed on charter flight [July 2024]

    PRESS RELEASE : Criminals and immigration offenders removed on charter flight [July 2024]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 25 July 2024.

    46 foreign criminals and immigration offenders have been returned to Vietnam and Timor-Leste on a groundbreaking charter flight.

    The operation is the UK’s first-ever charter returns flight to Timor-Leste, and the first to Vietnam since 2022.

    It comes after the Home Secretary announced this week that she has immediately replaced flight planning for Rwanda with flights to return foreign criminals and immigration offenders who have no right to be here to their home country.

    After setting off on Wednesday (24 July), the flight arrived in Timor-Leste at approximately 9am BST today (25 July), having transported the cohort from the UK to the 2 countries in south-east Asia.

    The flight highlights the government’s commitment to expanding its returns ability for individuals without the right to remain in the UK and building strong relationships with partner nations in a shared mission to end irregular migration. Vietnam has recently been one of the top nationalities crossing the Channel in small boats.

    The operation began on the same day as a gang of British people-smugglers, including a brother and sister, were jailed after trying to hide 2 Vietnamese migrants in a hidden compartment of their campervan.

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

    Today’s flight shows the government is taking quick and decisive action to secure our borders and return those with no right to be here.

    We thank the governments of Vietnam and Timor-Leste for their co-operation, without which this could never have happened. Our strong diplomatic bonds with other countries have never been more crucial to our mission to bring order back into the asylum and immigration system, tackling irregular migration, and making sure the rules are properly respected and enforced.

    Images from the court case show the migrants crammed into the dangerously small crawlspace, less than 1 foot high, as they were transported between the UK and France.

    Siblings Natalie Sirrell and Alan Sirrell, Casey Dennis Loughnane, and Charlotte Smyth have been sentenced after a hearing at Canterbury Crown Court.

    The court heard how on 19 July 2020, Border Force officers conducted a search of a campervan bound for the UK in Coquelles, France. During the search, they found 2 Vietnamese nationals concealed underneath a bed.

    Driving the van was Natalie Sirrell, with Charlotte Smyth in the passenger seat. Both were arrested at the scene.

    An investigation led officers to identify Alan Sirrell, Loughnane and Benjamin Tokeley as further members of the smuggling operation.

    Alan Sirrell was sentenced to three and a half years behind bars and Loughnane to four and a half years after being found guilty at trial of conspiring to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law.

    Natalie Sirrell was sentenced to 2 years suspended, electronic monitoring and a £500 fine, and Smyth to 2 years suspended after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to the same offence. Credit was given by the judge due to the length of time passed to reach court, and for early pleas from Natalie Sirrell and Smyth.

    Tokeley pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing and is due to be sentenced separately at a later date.

    Home Office Criminal and Financial Investigation Lead for the North East Command, Stuart Wilkinson said:

    Today’s sentencing is the result of strong collaboration between agencies to bring another people-smuggling ring to justice.

    Our teams will continue to work tirelessly to secure our borders and clamp down on the gangs who heartlessly endanger vulnerable people to make money. I am enormously grateful for the tireless efforts of the officers involved in this case.