Tag: Press Release

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 January 2023.

The UK will play a leading role in a core group of likeminded partners to pursue criminal accountability for Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, the Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has announced today, Friday 20 January.

Alongside other international partners invited by Ukraine, the UK will shape thinking on how to ensure criminal accountability for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

This includes assessing the feasibility of a new ‘hybrid’ tribunal (a specialised court integrated into Ukraine’s national justice system with international elements).

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is an outrageous violation of the rules-based international order. The atrocities we’ve witnessed in Ukraine are diabolical – thousands of soldiers and civilians killed, and millions more displaced, forced to flee for their lives in the most horrific circumstances.

These atrocities must not go unpunished. That’s why the UK has accepted Ukraine’s invitation to join this coalition, bringing our legal expertise to the table to explore options to ensure Russia’s leaders are held to account fully for their actions.

An investigation into the Crime of Aggression could complement established mechanisms for investigating war crimes, including the International Criminal Court and Ukraine’s domestic legal process. Together these parallel processes would help ensure all crimes are fully investigated and that perpetrators are held to account.

In joining this additional core group focused on Crimes of Aggression, the UK will complement its previous support in the pursuit of accountability for Russia’s actions.

In March 2022 the UK led efforts to refer the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has now secured the support of 42 other countries. We have also provided £1 million of UK funding for the International Criminal Court to increase its collection of evidence capacity and provide enhanced psychosocial support to witnesses and survivors. Looking ahead, in March 2023 the UK and Netherlands will co-host an international meeting of Justice Ministers in London to encourage more practical support for the ICC’s work.

The UK has also co-founded the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group (ACA) with the US and the EU to directly support the War Crimes Units of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine in its investigations, and appointed Sir Howard Morrison KC as an Independent Advisor to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General.

Through the ACA, the UK has funded a £2.5 million package of assistance including training for more than 90 Ukrainian judges, the deployment of Mobile Justice Teams to the scene of potential war crimes, forensic evidence gathering, and support from UK experts in sexual violence in conflict.

Attorney General Victoria Prentis said:

Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is barbaric. The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, and we are committed to helping them secure justice for a growing catalogue of war crimes.

Ukraine’s resolve in bringing prosecutions in the middle of a live conflict is extraordinary. By providing funding and legal expertise to Ukraine’s domestic prosecutors and judicial system, the UK is helping them to investigate atrocities committed on Ukrainian soil and, where appropriate, bring speedy prosecutions in Ukrainian courts.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 January 2023.

• Minister for the Indo-Pacific held talks with government counterparts and business representatives on a week-long visit to Japan
• trip showcased cutting edge science and tech collaboration between the UK and Japan, one of its closest partners in the region
• visit follows the signing of a landmark new defence agreement between the UK and Japan to deepen key security partnership in the Indo-Pacific

In a milestone year for Japan, as it assumes its G7 presidency, the UK has committed to doing more with one of its closest Indo-Pacific partners to boost ties and robustly defend democracy, peace and freedom.

Following the recent signing of the landmark UK-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement in London, Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan spent the week in Japan, seeing first-hand the vital collaboration between the 2 countries on everything from trade to education.

Defence and security are at the heart of the UK-Japan relationship, with the newly announced treaty allowing UK and Japanese armed forces to more easily carry out joint training activities and exercises.

This builds on increasingly close military ties, including the Global Combat Air Programme announced in December 2022, and cements the UK’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific.

Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

Japan is one of our closest partners in Asia. From science and innovation to defence and digital, we are developing a modern, cutting-edge partnership that is rooted in our shared values.

My visit has showcased the depth of that collaboration, with so many more opportunities for investment, research and talent to be shared between our 2 countries.

The Minister saw Cambridge-based AstraZeneca’s Tokyo headquarters, where she set out the UK’s ambition to deepen collaboration with Japan in research, technology and innovation as 2 leading science superpowers. Deepening these links will grow both countries’ economies, creating better-paid jobs and opportunities right across the UK and Japan.

While in Japan’s capital, the Minister met Japanese graduates from UK universities to launch a new British Council alumni network, which will maintain the strong links between the UK and Japan’s world leading universities. The Minister also attended a Women in Parliament event alongside Japanese MPs, to hear about initiatives to promote women’s participation in political life.

Beyond Tokyo, the Minister travelled to Kobe to visit leading healthcare technology firm Medicaroid to hear about its work developing the next generation of surgical robots, supported by investors to the UK Sysmex and Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

In Osaka, the Minister met with the Organising Committee of the Osaka Kansai Expo 2025 and held talks with senior business figures, including the head of the Kankeiren, a regional federation of 1,300 businesses, organisations and educational corporations. They discussed the UK government’s ambition to strengthen economic ties with companies across Japan, as well as the benefits of the UK joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership trading bloc (CPTPP) as accession talks continue. Joining the CPTPP will bring the UK closer to a dynamic group of economies in the Indo-Pacific, including Japan, creating opportunities for cooperation not only on trade but also to uphold shared values.

In Hiroshima, the Minister visited the Peace Memorial Museum and Park to lay a wreath and meet atomic bomb survivors, and reiterated the UK’s commitment to the long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons. She also met the Mayor and Governor of Hiroshima as the city prepares to host the G7 Leaders’ Summit in May.

Minister Trevelyan met counterparts from the Japanese Government including Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kenji Yamada, with whom she discussed Japan’s priorities for its G7 presidency and explored what both countries can do to accelerate support for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion. The Minister also held meetings with Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Fusae Ota, and Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi.

The trip underlines the UK’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific, which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reiterated to Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on his visit to London last week. The region is not only home to likeminded partners with whom the UK shares fundamental beliefs in peace and democracy, but also many of the world’s fastest-growing economies, making it critical to UK prosperity.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 January 2023.

Ms Alyson King OBE has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in succession to Ms Emily Maltman who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms King will take up her appointment during April 2023.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Alyson Ruth Grace King

Married to: Ayman Jarjour

Children: 2

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 20 January 2023.

The Minister for Development Andrew Mitchell has announced UK humanitarian aid for regions of rising insecurity within Ethiopia.

• life-saving food and nutrition to help hundreds of thousands of people, has been announced by the UK Minister for Development Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP
• funding will support people facing the drastic impacts of drought and conflict across Ethiopia including Tigray and areas of increasing insecurity in western Ethiopia such as Oromia
• with violence and insecurity on the rise, the UK is calling for the international community not to lose focus on Ethiopia after the breakthrough peace deal in Tigray in November

Vital UK aid announced today (20 January 2023) will reach the most vulnerable people across regions of rising insecurity in Ethiopia. More than 600,000 people in Ethiopia will benefit from improved access to critical food supplies or nutrition products.

The Minister for Development Andrew Mitchell announced the new funding package, including food supplies and other nutrition, in response to the country’s worsening humanitarian crisis, with violence and insecurity still on the rise.

Nearly 30 million people are now in need of emergency aid in Ethiopia, more than any other country in the world. In northern and western regions an estimated 22 million people are experiencing devastating food insecurity due to drought, conflict and economic pressures.

In Tigray, humanitarian access has improved since the signing of a peace agreement in November. However, huge numbers of people still have limited access to essential supplies and basic services including food, fuel and healthcare.

Violence and insecurity continue to rise elsewhere in Ethiopia, including in the Oromia region. With the security situation deteriorating, significant numbers of civilians have been displaced from their homes, with many beyond the reach of aid agencies, lacking access to essential services such as electricity, a mobile network, health facilities and banks.

UK funding to the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) will address this humanitarian crisis by delivering aid to those most in need across Ethiopia including Oromia, Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions.

Minister for Development Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP said:

With nearly 30 million people across Ethiopia facing severe hardships, this support from the UK comes at a critical moment.

Our life-saving aid will reach hundreds of thousands of people – over half of which are women and children who are bearing the brunt of the country’s worsening crisis.

To alleviate suffering and save lives, I urge the international community not to lose focus on the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia.

The total UK funding announced today is £16.6 million supporting more than 600,000 people. A £11.6 million contribution to the PSNP will reach around 250,000 people living in extreme poverty with food and livelihood security.

Money will be pooled with multi-donor funding alongside international partners, and will go to regions across Ethiopia including Oromia, Amhara, Afar and Harar city zones. During the last 17 years, the UK has provided £650 million to the programme.

Through the World Food programme, a further £5 million of UK funding announced today, will also help treat almost 23,000 pregnant and lactating women suffering from moderate acute malnutrition, and provide better infrastructure for feeding programmes for 42,000 school pupils in 75 schools.

This critical support to malnourished mothers and children will reach the most vulnerable in desperate need, including those in conflict-affected areas of Northern and Western Ethiopia. World Food Programme funding will also be invested in boosting local production of nutrition products, benefitting a further 330,000 children per month.

British Ambassador Darren Welch said:

This latest contribution from the UK is part of a longstanding relationship with the Government of Ethiopia to help address the country’s humanitarian challenges.

UK support to the Productive Safety Net Programme and the World Food Programme will quickly reach those most in need of aid with assistance targeting the most vulnerable, including women and children who are too often the worst affected by climate shocks and conflict.

Darren Welch is newly appointed as His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union.

This funding comes just a month after the UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly visited Ethiopia following the recent peace agreement and the opening of humanitarian routes. The funding means the UK will meet its commitment to spend £156 million in humanitarian aid to East Africa in the financial year 2022 to 2023.