Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Liew Kee Sin, Executive Chairman of Eco World Development Group Berhad, has been named an honorary Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE). Liew was honoured for his services to successful regeneration and development projects in the UK and for his contribution to the UK-Malaysia trade and investment ties.

Liew, who was the Chief Executive of S P Setia Berhad, brought together a consortium including Sime Darby Berhad and the Employees’ Provident Fund Board in successfully bidding to redevelop the Battersea Power Station from an electricity-generating station lain dormant for decades into an integrated retail, office, leisure and housing real estate. He was appointed as the first Chairman of the Battersea Project Holding Company in 2012, a position he held until September 2015. Under his stewardship, the Battersea project was the largest ever inward investment from Malaysia into the UK.

Liew also founded EcoWorld International Berhad (EcoWorld International), another prominent property developer in Malaysia. EcoWorld International has over the last decade entered into joint ventures with UK companies Ballymore and Willmott Dixon to deliver large development projects in the UK. Under Liew’s leadership, EcoWorld International has also helped to bring into the UK several new Asian lenders such as UOB and Bangkok Bank, in addition to existing Malaysian banks such as CIMB and Maybank who had been operating in the UK, as well as engaging UK companies in its supply chain procurement contracts.

Reflecting on the honorary award, Liew said:

I am deeply honoured to receive this award and would like to acknowledge the contributions of so many of my current and former colleagues, as well as bankers and business partners, in everything that we have collectively achieved together. I would also like to thank the British and Malaysian Government for their generous and unwavering support when the various projects and ideas for development, inbound and outbound investments were presented to them, which have contributed immeasurably to the success of both the Battersea consortium as well as EcoWorld International today in the UK. This treasured award will certainly motivate me to do more to make a positive difference as we all endeavour play a meaningful role to help make our shared planet a better place.

H.E. Charles Hay, British High Commissioner to Malaysia, congratulated Liew:

I am pleased that Tan Sri Liew has been recognised for his immense contribution to the bilateral trade and investment ties between the UK and Malaysia. The iconic Battersea regeneration development and other projects in the UK that he led, have created huge economic benefits as well as tremendous value in the green and regeneration agenda. His remarkable acumen, vision and determination are attributes admired by his peers and inspirational to others.

Hay will present the honorary award to Liew on behalf of His Majesty King Charles III at a later date.

Liew was also recognised as UK-Malaysia Business Personality of the Year by the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce at their inaugural Business Excellence Awards in 2018.

Thank you Mr President.

Thank you Director for your admirably objective update.

Two weeks ago the Commission of Inquiry confirmed that war crimes have indeed been committed in Ukraine, days after the liberation of areas in Kharkiv oblast revealed yet more Russian atrocities.

Last week, President Putin purported to annex four regions of Ukraine – a blatant violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and of international law – and then used Russia’s veto to try to avoid the scorn of the Security Council.

Today, you have made clear the horrors and the scope of Putin’s violations of human rights law and international law in the course of his war of aggression.

Hospitals, schools, places of worship destroyed. Millions denied their basic rights to health, education and religion or belief.

Sexual violence and rape, including of children. Civilians shot dead in the street trying to gather fuel, food or medicine.

There are apparently no limits to Putin’s disregard for International Law, or to the Ukrainian people’s unspeakable suffering. And in Russia, those enough to protest the war and mobilisation face arrest and abuse in detention. Aggression abroad, repression at home.

There is one simple way to end the suffering in Ukraine. President Putin: bring your troops home. End the war. Respect the law.

Director,

Faced with Russia’s continued flouting of international law, how can the OHCHR minimise the devastating impact on ordinary people.

The Porth Transport Interchange will improve facilities for bus and rail passengers and create a gateway to Porth town centre. The scheme will include 7 operational bus bays, 2 lay over spaces and EV charging capabilities.

The project is part of the Metro Plus Programme – a £50 million programme of schemes supporting the wider South Wales Metro plan, which will transform transport and travel across the wider region.

The UK Government has contributed £125m to the South Wales Metro through the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal.  In addition, the PorthTransport Interchange project has received £3.5m in Levelling Up Funding from the UK Government.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales, David TC Davies said:

It’s great to see construction underway on projects that will have a huge benefit for the area and its people and businesses. A modern, green, seamless transport system is vital for supporting jobs and prosperity, and the UK Government is proud to help fund this work.

The Metro is an ambitious multi-million project to integrate rail, bus, cycling and walking, improve connectivity and make sustainable travel easier across South Wales. The projects are wide-ranging; from establishing new park and ride facilities with EV charging on-site, to new rail and bus interchanges equipped with secure bike parking and easier access. In Cardiff, for instance, new infrastructure will enable 20% of the capital’s commuters to travel by bus by 2030.

Chief Operating Officer Cardiff Capital Region City Deal, Rhys Thomas said:

Transforming our infrastructure, connectivity and mode of transport is absolutely critical to the sustainability and future success of South East Wales. That’s why we are committed to investing in programmes like Metro Plus, as they play a key role in contributing toward this ambition. The Porth Transport Hub is a great example of the transformational programmes that are reshaping our region. It’s a catalyst for the regeneration of the Porth town centre, bringing together bus and rail services for the very first time, making public transport far more accessible – and making a real difference to the people of Porth.

RCT Cabinet Member for Development and Prosperity, Cllr Mark Norris said:

The improvements to public transport are vital to support jobs and prosperity in South Wales. The region accounts for about 50% of the total economic output of Wales, and it is home for almost half the total population of the country.

Ensuring infrastructure is fit for the future will have a significant economic impact, improving lives and helping to achieve the UK Government’s aim of levelling up communities.

ENDS

• Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex, accompanied by FCDO Minister of State, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, the UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict (PSVI), visits a ground-breaking foundation for survivors run by Nobel Prize Laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege.
• This is the first visit by a member of the Royal family to DRC.
• The visit comes ahead of a major global conference on PSVI being hosted in London in November by the UK Government, which Her Royal Highness will attend.

The Countess of Wessex is visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), accompanied by Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office Minister of State Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, to raise awareness of the urgent need to tackle sexual violence in conflict in the DRC and around the world.

For Her Royal Highness, the visit is part of a long-standing commitment to championing this issue.

Lord Ahmad as the UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative for PSVI, joined her on the visit to gain a deeper and practical insight into DRC’s experiences of tackling conflict-related sexual violence, and identify lessons learned to share at a global PSVI Conference in the UK next month.

Nobel Peace Prize Winner Dr Denis Mukwege welcomed them to his groundbreaking foundation in Bukavu. The Panzi Foundation has transformed the lives of thousands of women who have suffered sexual violence in the armed conflict and violence in DRC. The Foundation provides medical care, legal assistance, psychological support and economic programmes to offer a holistic model of care for survivors of these horrific crimes.

The Countess of Wessex and Lord Ahmad saw first-hand the difference the Panzi Foundation has made to women’s lives during the first ever visit by a member of the Royal family to DRC.

The UK will host a major international conference in London in November, marking 10 years since the launch of PSVI, an initiative which Lord Ahmad now leads. The conference will bring together the UK and its partners around the world to review progress made in the last decade, identify shared challenges and agree further action.

Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon said:

Sexual violence in conflict continues to shatter lives and scar communities around the world. Tackling it is a top priority for the UK and we will continue to work with our partners to provide better support for survivors, bring perpetrators to justice and encourage partners to share new ideas and experiences of tackling sexual violence in conflict at the conference in November.

Since 2012, we have committed over £50 million to support projects around the world that help prevent conflict-related sexual violence, including in the DRC. This includes providing £2.7 million to the Global Survivors Fund, whose projects in the DRC have supported over 1000 survivors.

Dr Mukwege, Founder of the Panzi Hospital and Foundation, and President of the Global Survivors Fund, said:

My staff and I are grateful for the visit of Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex and Lord Tariq Ahmad. Too often, the world turns a blind eye towards the suffering of survivors, especially here in DRC. Their visit will highlight the ongoing critical work to end conflict-related sexual violence, both in this country and around the globe.

During the visit to eastern DRC, The Countess of Wessex and Lord Ahmad met with survivors of sexual violence, and civil society organisations in Bukavu to gain an understanding of the challenges they face.

In Kinshasa, Her Royal Highness and Lord Ahmad will also meet President Felix Tshisekedi and First Lady Denise Tshisekedi, the Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Christophe Lutundula, and other Ministers, for discussions on sexual violence in conflict, the UK’s international conference, and other important issues such as climate change.

Notes to editors

• Photography of the visit will be available from the Press Association.
• Since its launch in 2019, the UK has provided £2.7m to the Global Survivors Fund (GSF). Its projects in DRC have supported over 1000 survivors to access health and psychological care, education, or support for economic enterprises.
• Last year the UK provided $140,000 to help the Panzi Foundation to increase access to legal advice and mediation for survivors.
• In recent years, UK support to TRIAL International in DRC has provided free legal advice to survivors, strengthened capacity in the country to investigate, document and litigate effectively against crimes, and helped to tackle the culture of impunity.
• Between 2021-2022, the UK provided over £500,000 to the UN Team of Experts on conflict related sexual violence (CRSV) to increase the capacity of the DRC investigative and judicial authorities to investigate and prosecute CRSV crimes; and ensure judicial decisions on reparations are enforced. For instance, this funding supported training for police, special protection units, civil and military prosecutors and judges on the investigation and prosecution of CSRV cases, and on ensuring protection measures for victims and witnesses are in place. UK funding to World Vision supported community discussions in DRC led by religious leaders on the principles of the Declaration of Humanity, which challenge the stigma that survivors of sexual violence face.