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Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : Minister for the Armed Forces meets defence leaders and military chiefs in Central Asia and Mongolia [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Minister for the Armed Forces meets defence leaders and military chiefs in Central Asia and Mongolia [October 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 1 October 2023.

    James Heappey meets counterparts in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia with talks focusing on cooperation on regional security.

    In Kazakhstan on Tuesday, he met with officials including Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko, Deputy Defence Minister Lieutenant General Sultan Burkutbayevich Kamaletdinov and members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security of the Mazhilis of Parliament, to discuss future cooperation on peacekeeping missions. The Minister also welcomed Kazakhstan’s support for the sanctions regime against Russia in response to the war against Ukraine.

    For over 20 years, the UK has assisted Kazakhstan in building the capability of the Peace Operations Centre (KAZCENT), helping to enable Kazakh deployments on peace support operations such as the UN missions in Côte d’Ivoire, Lebanon and Western Sahara. These efforts have been underpinned by military English language training delivered by the UK.

    The minister then travelled to Uzbekistan on Wednesday, where he held regional security talks with the Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Bakhodir Kurbanov, as well as the Commander of the National Guard, General Rustam Jo’rayev, and Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan Ismatulla Irgashev. He also laid a wreath at the Victory Park in Tashkent to pay tribute to Uzbek soldiers who lost their lives in World War Two.

    His visit concluded in Mongolia, where he became the first British defence minister to visit the country. He met Defence Minister Gürsediin Saikhanbayar and discussed cooperation on peacekeeping missions. The UK and Mongolia have an especially close relationship: our soldiers have served together in Afghanistan and as peacekeepers in South Sudan, and 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of the UK becoming the first Western country to forge diplomatic relations with Mongolia.

    Minister for the Armed Forces, Rt Hon James Heappey MP, said:

    My visits this week form part of the approach outlined in the recent Defence Command Paper as we build our strategic international partnerships across Asia, in the interests of security and prosperity for everyone.

    I’ve held productive discussions with defence ministers and military leaders in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia, laying the groundwork for future cooperation, especially on peacekeeping operations.

    As set out in the Integrated Review Refresh 2023, the UK is committed to strengthening engagement with Central Asia and Mongolia to boost their prosperity, security and resistance to Russian interference.

  • PRESS RELEASE : FCDO to recruit more armed forces veterans [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : FCDO to recruit more armed forces veterans [October 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 October 2023.

    The FCDO will implement new measures to increase the number of staff employed with military backgrounds.

    Plans will encourage applications from veterans to the department and improve their chances of successful appointment. Roles are open to veterans in both the diplomatic service and in jobs across the UK. This will include FCDO representation at career fairs for veterans of the armed forces, and promotion to increase take-up of a guaranteed interview scheme for people who have served in the military.

    Once recruited, plans are being developed to encourage career progression. This includes a bespoke mentoring scheme to support veterans to reach the Senior Civil Service.

    Data on the number of veterans recruited will be published next year to demonstrate progress made against this ambition.

  • PRESS RELEASE : RAF Fighter jets deploy to Poland for joint exercises ahead of Warsaw Security Forum [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : RAF Fighter jets deploy to Poland for joint exercises ahead of Warsaw Security Forum [October 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 1 October 2023.

    Four RAF Typhoon jets have been deployed to Poland, to conduct exercises with aircraft from Spain, Poland, and Italy.

    The deployment will provide an opportunity for RAF pilots to practice dogfighting against different types of aircraft, and develop tactics to exploit their weaknesses.

    The Typhoons, which deployed to Poland today, will remain in Poland for two weeks and practice engaging targets beyond visual range, simulating various possible combat scenarios. They will be supported by a team of more than 50 RAF personnel during the deployment.

    It is just one of many joint exercises conducted with Polish forces, including the UK’s permanent deployment of hundreds of troops in Poland as part of our NATO commitment under Operation CABRIT.

    The activity comes ahead of UK Ministers attending the Warsaw Security Forum this week. Defence Minister James Heappey and FCDO ministers Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Lord Ahmad will all use the forum to stress the need to maintain support for Ukraine and keep up the pressure on Russia.

    Earlier this year, the UK and Polish foreign secretaries and defence ministers signed a strategic partnership on foreign policy, security and defence – emphasising both countries’ commitment to European security and collective defence through NATO.

    On Wednesday, James Heappey will visit RAF personnel deployed with the Typhoons, as well as troops deployed in eastern Poland who operate the Sky Sabre surface-to-air missile system, bolstering Poland’s air defences close to the border with Ukraine.

    The Warsaw Security Forum is focused on transatlantic cooperation in response to common challenges, first organised in 2014, bringing together ministers and senior officials from across defence to provide a forum to discuss challenges facing Central and Eastern Europe, and the wider international community.

    The UK is the Partner Nation of this year’s Warsaw Security forum and the British Embassy Warsaw has worked closely with the Polish government and conference organisers to design a programme that reflected the UK’s objectives and views, as outlined in the Integrated Review Refresh 2023 and the Defence Command Paper 2023.

  • PRESS RELEASE : £4 Billion UK contracts progresses AUKUS submarine design [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : £4 Billion UK contracts progresses AUKUS submarine design [October 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 1 October 2023.

    Next phase of next-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine is underway.

    UK businesses will be behind the design and manufacture of the world’s most advanced submarines, following the awarding of £4 billion of contracts today [1 October].

    The signing of the Detailed Design and Long Leads (D2L2) Phase with BAE Systems (BAES), Rolls-Royce and Babcock represents a significant milestone for both the UK and the trilateral AUKUS programme as a whole, in the lead up to build the future class of nuclear-powered attack submarines, known as SSN-AUKUS.

    The contracts totalling £4 billion will progress the programme through the design, prototyping and purchase of main long lead components for the first UK submarines, allowing construction to commence in the coming years and ensure the stability and resilience of our domestic supply chain.

    Building on more than 60 years of British expertise in designing, building and operating nuclear-powered submarines, the D2L2 contracts will support thousands of highly skilled jobs in the UK – a clear demonstration of how the AUKUS programme supports the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy.

    Alongside the design development and long-lead procurement, infrastructure at the submarine shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness and the nuclear reactor manufacturing site in Raynesway, Derby will be developed and expanded where needed to meet the requirement of the future submarine build programme.

    The aim is to deliver the first UK submarines into service in the late 2030s to replace the current Astute-Class vessels, and the first Australian submarines will follow in the early 2040s. They will be the largest, most advanced and most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy, combining world-leading sensors, design and weaponry in one vessel.

    Construction of the UK’s submarines will take place principally in Barrow-in-Furness, while Australia will work over the next decade to build up its submarine industrial base, and will build its submarines in Australia with Rolls-Royce supplying the nuclear reactors for all UK and Australian submarines.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Defence Secretary deploys UK forces to Kosovo for NATO peacekeeping mission [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Defence Secretary deploys UK forces to Kosovo for NATO peacekeeping mission [October 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 1 October 2023.

    UK forces will deploy to Kosovo following increasing tensions in the northern part of the country.

    UK forces will deploy to NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo following a request from NATO. This follows on from the violent attack on Kosovo Police in northern Kosovo on 24th September and increasing tensions in the region.

    Following a request from Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and approval by the North Atlantic Council, the UK will deploy around 200 soldiers from 1st Battalion of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment in the coming days to join the 400-strong British contingent already in country as part of an annual exercise. The British Army unit has been assigned to the NATO Commander of the Kosovo Force following a specific request from the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, “SACEUR”, US General Chris Cavoli. This deployment is testament to the leadership and agility of UK defence, this deployment will provide strength and expertise to NATO, as part of our pivotal and unwavering commitment to the alliance.

    Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, Chief of the Defence Staff, said:

    The deployment of the 1st Battalion of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment demonstrates the responsiveness of the UK’s Armed Forces. We continue to be a fundamental part of the NATO alliance, sharing our military expertise and strength.

    The extension of our support to the Kosovo Force (KFOR) underlines our unwavering commitment to NATO and the security of the Western Balkans region.

    Under NATO command, and working alongside other Allied nation forces, the UK forces will be available to conduct operations in accordance with KFOR’s mandate to maintain a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all people of Kosovo .

    NATO has been leading a peace-support operation in Kosovo – the Kosovo Force (KFOR) – since June 1999. Troops from the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) are provided by 28 countries. The UK contributes two intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) units, staff officers to the mission Headquarters alongside the SRF commitment, held at 14 days’ readiness. The UK commitment to KFOR was extended in May 2023 when the Minister for Armed Forces James Heappey announced the UK would continue to contribute to the NATO mission until at least 2026.

    UK forces have been undertaking a key role in peacekeeping and bolstering security in the region for more than two decades, and alongside its Allies continue to show collective strength in dealing with the complex issues the world faces today.

    Background:

    • NATO has been leading a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo – the Kosovo Force (KFOR) – since June 1999. KFOR was established when NATO’s 78-day air campaign against Milosevic’s regime, aimed at putting an end to violence in Kosovo, was over.
    • KFOR’s original objectives were to deter renewed hostilities, establish a secure environment and ensure public safety and order, demilitarize the Kosovo Liberation Army, support the international humanitarian effort and coordinate with the international civil presence.
    • Today, KFOR continues to contribute towards maintaining a safe and secure environment in Kosovo and freedom of movement for all
  • PRESS RELEASE : Defence Secretary visits Armed Forces in first month in post [September 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Defence Secretary visits Armed Forces in first month in post [September 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 1 October 2023.

    Defence Secretary Grant Shapps visited multiple military locations, vowing for personnel to remain at the heart of our Armed Forces.

    People will remain at the heart of our Armed Forces, the Defence Secretary has said, as he made his first visits as Defence Secretary to the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.

    The Defence Secretary prioritised meeting Armed Forces personnel to understand their experiences and give his steadfast commitment to supporting serving personnel and their families.

    Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said:

    The work of each and every one of our Armed Forces personnel is critical to our nation’s security, and I am grateful for their tireless dedication and expertise, and proud to be leading such a brilliant organisation.

    I am committed to protecting the security and prosperity of our nation while ensuring that all personnel and their families have the best possible experience, from childcare and accommodation, to pay and equipment.

    On his visit to the Navy in Portsmouth, the Defence Secretary met with serving Navy personnel to understand their experiences and opportunities they have had in the forces.

    He toured Type 45 HMS Defender which has recently been at the heart of joint operations with the UK’s allies, having completed four operations and four exercises in the year prior to her refit – including Exercise Formidable Shield. The Defence Secretary received briefs on Navy priorities and met with representatives from BAE Systems – a key defence partner – which is supporting thousands of jobs and livelihoods across the UK.

    On Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, visiting the Army, the Defence Secretary and Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Patrick Sanders, met the British soldiers at the centre of the UK-led training programme which has trained more than 26,500 Ukrainian recruits to date. He heard their inspiring stories and observed the world-leading training, before receiving briefings on the Army’s priorities, including modernisation.

    At RAF Waddington, accompanied by Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, the Defence Secretary met the personnel serving at the station – including 51 and XIII Squadrons, who operate Rivet Joint and Reaper Aircraft respectively. The Defence Secretary heard about their experiences in the Armed Forces and the work they have recently done. Grant Shapps was briefed on the intelligence gathering roles the RAF provides for defence.

    Providing the often-unseen elements of Defence is Strategic Command, based at Northwood, London and led by its Commander, General Sir Jim Hockenhull. During a meeting with General Jim, the Defence Secretary was briefed on the work of the specialists in the organisation such as cyber operators, intelligence analysts, medics, and logisticians.

    By integrating capabilities across Defence, Strategic Command ensures our Armed Forces are ready to respond anytime and anywhere. People are the key to making this work, and the Defence Secretary discussed the broad range of initiatives ongoing in Strategic Command to attract, upskill, and retain people, particularly those with science, digital and technical skills.

    This week, the Defence Secretary also visited Kyiv with Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin to discuss the UK’s steadfast support to Ukraine.

    Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said:

    I am pleased the Secretary of State has had an opportunity to see how the Armed Forces are adapting to the lessons from the war in Ukraine, and to a world of state-on-state competition.

    An Army that is benefitting from a £40 billion investment programme to become even more lethal and even stronger within NATO. A Royal Air Force which is transitioning from fourth-generation aircraft to fifth-generation aircraft, more capacity to transport people and cargoes, and is improving our ability to both use and defend in space. A Royal Navy that is a carrier force once again with an enhanced global presence and an ongoing renewal of our nuclear deterrent.  And all our Services striving to make more use of technology and data both to provide the winning edge and look after our people better.

    Most of all I am pleased the Secretary of State is able to meet even more of our people. It is their commitment and skill, and the partnerships they forge internationally and with industry, that keep our nation safe.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister puts local people in control of more than £1 billion with long-term plan for left-behind towns [September 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Prime Minister puts local people in control of more than £1 billion with long-term plan for left-behind towns [September 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 30 September 2023.

    Fifty five towns given £20 million endowment-style funds each over 10 years to invest in local people’s priorities.

    • 55 towns given £20 million endowment-style funds each over 10 years to invest in local people’s priorities
    • Long-term Plan for Towns will empower communities across the UK to take back control of their future – taking long term decisions in the interests of local people
    • Funding to be spent on local priorities; reviving high streets, tackling ASB, improving transport and growing the local economy

    The government has unveiled 55 towns that will benefit from a £1.1 billion levelling up investment, as part of a long-term plan for towns that provide long-term investment in towns that have been overlooked and taken for granted.

    Towns that will be given the opportunity to develop a long-term plan supported by a Towns Board include 6 in the North East, 10 in the North West, and 4 in the West Midlands. In total, 55 towns will benefit from the UK-wide approach, including 7 towns in Scotland and 4 in Wales.

    The government will work with local councils and the devolved administrations to determine how towns in Scotland and Wales will benefit from funding and powers under the long-term plans. In Northern Ireland, we look forward to working with a restored Executive to determine the approach to providing support there.

    Under the new approach, local people, not Whitehall-based politicians, will be put in charge, and given the tools to change their town’s long-term future. They will:

    • Receive a ten-year £20 million endowment-style fund to be spent on local people’s priorities, like regenerating local high streets and town centres or securing public safety.
    • Set up a Town Board to bring together community leaders, employers, local authorities, and the local MP, to deliver the Long-Term Plan for their town and put it to local people for consultation.
    • Use a suite of regeneration powers to unlock more private sector investment by auctioning empty high street shops, reforming licensing rules on shops and restaurants, and supporting more housing in town centres.

    More than half the population live in towns, but half-empty high streets, run-down town centres and anti-social behaviour undermine towns in every part of the UK. Today’s announcement marks a change in approach that will put an end to people feeling like their town is ignored by Westminster and empower communities to take back control of their future, taking long term decisions in the interests of local people.

    This plan builds on the government’s central mission to level up the UK by putting more power and money in the hands of people who know their areas best to build a brighter future for their community, creating bespoke initiatives that will spark the regeneration needed.

    Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:

    Towns are the place most of us call home and where most of us go to work. But politicians have always taken towns for granted and focused on cities.

    The result is the half-empty high streets, run-down shopping centres and anti-social behaviour that undermine many towns’ prosperity and hold back people’s opportunity – and without a new approach, these problems will only get worse.

    That changes today. Our Long-Term Plan for Towns puts funding in the hands of local people themselves to invest in line with their priorities, over the long-term. That is how we level up.

    Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove said:

    We know that in our towns the values of hard work and solidarity, common sense and common purpose, endeavour and quiet patriotism have endured across generations. But for too long, too many of our great British towns have been overlooked and undervalued.

    We are putting this right through our Long-Term Plan for Towns backed by over £1 billion of levelling up funding.

    This will empower communities in every part of the UK to take back control of their future, taking long term decisions in the interests of local people. It will mean more jobs, more opportunities and a brighter future for our towns and the people who live and work in them.

    Our ‘Long-Term Plan for Towns’, published today (1 October 2023), is carefully designed to complement the wider levelling up programme, working alongside funding for specific projects across the UK, our targeted support to the places most in need through Levelling Up Partnerships, and initiatives supporting economic growth in wider city regions like investment zones.

    The Long-Term Plan for Towns will require town boards to develop their own long-term plan for their town, with funding over 10 years and aligned to the issues that research shows people want the most, including:

    • Improving transport and connections to make travel easier for residents and increase visitor numbers in centres to boost opportunities for small businesses and create jobs
    • Tackling crime and anti social behaviour to keep residents safe and encourage visitors through better security measures and hotspot policing
    • Enhancing town centres to make high streets more attractive and accessible, including repurposing empty shops for new housing, creating more green spaces, cleaning up streets or running market days

    Local people will be at the heart of decisions, through direct membership of a new Towns Board, which will include community groups, MPs, businesses, cultural and sports organisations, public sector agencies and local authorities for each town and through a requirement to engage local people on the long-term plan for each town.

    These Town Boards will have direct government support in addition to the funding and powers they receive through Long-Term Plan for Towns, and will be required to engage local people on their long-term plan.

    The government has also announced a new ‘Towns Taskforce, sitting in the Department for Levelling Up and reporting directly to the Prime Minister and Levelling Up Secretary. This will help town boards to develop their plans, and advise them on how best to take advantage of government policies, unlock private and philanthropic investment and work with communities.

    A new ‘High Streets and Towns Task Force’ will also be established, building on the success of the existing version, providing each selected town with bespoke, hands-on support.

    Further information

    • Towns have been allocated funding according to the Levelling Up Needs Index which takes into account metrics covering skills, pay, productivity and health, as well as the Index of Multiple Deprivation to ensure funding goes directly to the towns which will benefit most, without new competitions or unnecessary hurdles. A full methodology note has been published.
    • This commitment to towns follows other initiatives designed to support towns, including driving economic growth in 101 areas through the Towns Fund, and the £1 billion Future High Streets Fund, which is creating thriving high streets.
    • Local authorities will be the lead delivery partner for plans.  This programme has been developed following our work with local authorities, with funding designed to be spent flexibly over a number of years based on local and evolving needs, and distributed through an allocative rather than competitive process.

    Towns receiving funding

    • Mansfield
    • Boston
    • Worksop
    • Skegness
    • Newark-on-Trent
    • Chesterfield
    • Clifton (Nottingham)
    • Spalding
    • Kirkby-in-Ashfield
    • Clacton-on-Sea
    • Great Yarmouth
    • Eston
    • Jarrow
    • Washington
    • Blyth (Northumberland)
    • Hartlepool
    • Spennymoor
    • Darwen
    • Chadderton
    • Heywood
    • Ashton-under-Lyne
    • Accrington
    • Leigh (Wigan)
    • Farnworth
    • Nelson (Pendle)
    • Kirkby
    • Burnley
    • Hastings
    • Bexhill-on-Sea
    • Ryde
    • Torquay
    • Smethwick
    • Darlaston
    • Bilston (Wolverhampton)
    • Dudley (Dudley)
    • Grimsby
    • Castleford
    • Doncaster
    • Rotherham
    • Barnsley
    • Scunthorpe
    • Keighley
    • Dewsbury
    • Scarborough
    • Merthyr Tydfil
    • Cwmbrân
    • Wrexham
    • Barry (Vale of Glamorgan)
    • Greenock
    • Irvine
    • Kilmarnock
    • Coatbridge
    • Clydebank
    • Dumfries
    • Elgin
  • PRESS RELEASE : The UK remains committed to the universal vision for economic, environmental, and social development of Agenda 2030 – UK statement at the UN General Assembly [September 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : The UK remains committed to the universal vision for economic, environmental, and social development of Agenda 2030 – UK statement at the UN General Assembly [September 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 September 2023.

    Explanation of Vote by Tom Woodroffe, UK Ambassador to the ECOSOC, at the UN General Assembly meeting on SDG Summit Political Declaration.

    Presidents and esteemed colleagues, I would like to begin by expressing our gratitude to you and the Co-facilitators, Their Excellencies, the Permanent Representatives of Qatar and Ireland, and indeed their full teams, for their hard work, which has enabled the adoption of the declaration today. We are pleased that, after months of negotiations, we have been able to join consensus here in the GA following endorsement of the declaration at the highest levels during the SDG summit last week.

    Now, as our Deputy Prime Minister set out at that summit, the UK remains fully committed to delivering the universal vision for economic, environmental, and social development set out in Agenda 2030 and the SDGs. With seven years to go, our collective promises are in jeopardy. We need robust political will and commitment to greater action to get them back on track.

    Indeed and in fact, as His Excellency, the Permanent Representative of Pakistan, set out earlier, the declaration includes a number of ambitious and welcome commitments which should provide the impetus to do so.

    The UK recognises how important finance is to achieving the 2030 agenda. That is why we are pushing for a bigger, better, fairer international financial system which increases the voice and representation of the poorest and most vulnerable. We are driving reforms of the Multilateral Development Banks, including stretching their balance sheets to release over $200 billion of additional finance over the next 10 years, scaling MDB lending to unlock $1 billion in education financing and $1.8 billion of climate finance for countries in Africa and the Asia Pacific, and making the MDBs more agile, shock-responsive, and better able to mobilise private investment.

    We are also encouraging the MDBs, NDBs, and all other creditors to offer climate-resilient debt clauses to pause debt payments when disaster strikes. And that is also why, at the G20, our Prime Minister announced a further $2 billion for the Green Climate Fund.

    But, of course, finance is only one part of the equation. We must also ensure that this is invested in areas which will accelerate progress across all the goals, such as gender equality, science and data, education, health, food security, and renewable energy. We must rapidly cut emissions, decarbonise, and transition to renewable energy to keep 1.5 degrees in reach.

    The UK remains committed to our 2013 nationally determined contribution, reaching net-zero by 2050 and supporting developing countries to achieve their climate and biodiversity ambitions. We would have liked to see the declaration reflect the need for continued high policy ambition to tackle climate change and limit global temperature risk as we look towards a critical COP 28.

    Given the importance of gender equality to accelerating progress across the goals and to their delivery, we are also disappointed that the declaration does not represent the full range of gender commitments we collectively made in Agenda 2030.

    It will be critical for us to build on our 2050 agreements as we go into the second committee this year, CSW and ICPD30 next year, the proposed social summit, and indeed the Summit of the Future, in order to be sure we really do leave no one behind.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Global Conference for the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) 2023 [September 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Global Conference for the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) 2023 [September 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 September 2023.

    This page provides statements following the IDUAI global conference at the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, University of Oxford.

    Oxford statement on importance of access to information and digital connectivity

    The Global Conference to celebrate the International Day for Universal Access to Information was organised by UNESCO and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. It took place at the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, on 28 September 2023. The conference participants recognised the importance of the online space for access to information, and agreed the following:

    • we reaffirmed the importance of digital connectivity and the free flow of, and access to, information as a vital means to support an open international community that upholds stability, security, rule of law, prosperity, and promotes sustainable development
    • we reaffirmed that human rights, as protected by the international human rights framework, are applicable online just as they are offline. Access to information, including through the Internet, is widely recognised as an enabler of a broad range of human rights, and that access to information includes accessibility for persons with disabilities
    • we reaffirmed the importance of an open, free, global, interoperable, reliable, safe, secure and sustainable Internet. We recognised the vital role of a multi-stakeholder approach to counter the growing, global challenge of Internet shutdowns and restrictions
    • we reaffirmed the importance of free and fair elections to the integrity of a democracy. The free flow of information through the Internet is a crucial means to enable full and inclusive participation in elections. We welcomed the potential of technology, including a responsible use of Artificial Intelligence, to empower engagement in the electoral process
    • we recognised the vital importance of access to information in supporting the democratic process, including enabling institutions to discharge their commitments to individuals and communities, which can deepen inclusion and strengthen accountability
    • we affirmed the vital role the online space offers everyone, irrespective of gender, to exercise their right to participate fully and effectively in public life – economically, socially, and politically. We rejected the increased use of divisive narratives and gendered disinformation to undermine women’s political participation, polarise and weaken democratic institutions
    • we recognised the vital role the independent media plays in facilitating access to information, often through the Internet. Too often shutdowns go hand in hand with attempts to restrict press freedom, silence debate and spread mis and disinformation.  We welcome UNESCO’s efforts to support the capacity building of judges, prosecutors and other judicial operators aiming to guarantee that their decisions, including regarding internet freedom and access to information, are aligned with International Human Rights Law
    • lastly, we welcomed efforts by the international community, including UNESCO; the Freedom Online Coalition; the Taskforce on Preventing Internet Shutdowns; the Media Freedom Coalition; the Open Government Partnership and the International Conference of Information Commissioners. These partners and others, play an important role in supporting free-flowing information and digital connectivity, including by preventing internet shutdowns, defending a free and independent media, tackling disinformation, and supporting access to information

    Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon said:

    We want all citizens to exercise their rights armed with transparent and trustworthy information.  The internet and independent media have a powerful role in supporting democracy to thrive. This is why the UK is at the forefront of efforts to support media freedom, counter politically motivated internet shutdowns and tackle disinformation – all of which are serious threats to democracy.

    UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information Jelassi said:

    Internet accessibility is crucial for bridging the digital divide, ensuring equal opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status. Limited internet accessibility, such as slow or unreliable internet connections, can create inequities, particularly for marginalized communities or remote areas with limited internet infrastructure.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Support service for Northern Ireland traders extended [September 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Support service for Northern Ireland traders extended [September 2023]

    The press release issued by HM Treasury on 29 September 2023.

    The Trader Support Service has been extended until December 2024.

    Support for businesses moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland will remain in place as further trade improvements under the Windsor Framework are introduced.

    The Trader Support Service, which helps businesses of all sizes successfully navigate changes to the way goods move under the Windsor Framework, has been extended until December 2024. The government remains committed to long-term support for traders moving goods within the UK between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This follows the agreement reached earlier this year by the UK and EU to introduce the Windsor Framework.

    Thousands of businesses have now registered with the free-to-use platform since its launch in 2020, providing end-to-end support for traders moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

    The Trader Support Service also provides guidance and training to help businesses understand what the Windsor Framework means for them, and avoids traders having to use specialist software, saving time and money.

    Businesses moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland can sign up to the Trader Support Service and access free online courses and training materials.