Speech: “Fifteen years of violence there have shown that there can be no military solution to the conflict.”

Thank you Mr President.

I would like to thank the Prosecutor for her 25th report on the situation in Darfur, the continued commitment of the Prosecutor and her Office to this investigation, and for her statement today.

At the outset, let me express the United Kingdom’s full support for the International Criminal Court and for its vital work challenging impunity and bringing to account those responsible for the most serious crimes of international concern.

We appreciate the important role you play, often amid difficult conditions on the ground.

This is clearly the case in Darfur. Fifteen years of violence there have shown that there can be no military solution to the conflict. A lasting peace can only be realised with the agreement of a permanent ceasefire and an inclusive political settlement that addresses the root causes of the conflict.

The UK had welcomed the reduction in military confrontation between the Government of Sudan and the Darfur armed movements and the announcements of unilateral cessations of hostilities by the Government, the Sudan Liberation Army -Minni Minawi and Justice Equality Movement in recent months. We were hopeful that this signalled the parties’ willingness to engage genuinely in the peace process. We are therefore deeply concerned by reports of renewed clashes between the Government and SLA-MM in recent weeks and the detrimental impact this ongoing risk of violence has for the safety of civilians and the overall stability of Darfur.

We also continue to be extremely concerned at the use of sexual violence in the conflict, although note the recent reduction in instances.

We urge all parties to show restraint, to abide by the unilateral cessations of hostilities and to focus their efforts on the peace process, under the auspices of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel.

Mr President,

On a more positive note, the UK welcomes the improvements in access for UNAMID and humanitarian actors in Darfur, particularly to Jebel Marra and urges the Government of Sudan to strive for unfettered access throughout Darfur. This will enable the Prosecutor to carry out her investigation and UNAMID to carry out its mandate to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian assistance. Like the Prosecutor, we remain concerned by reports of continued attacks against internally displaced persons and that some access restrictions remain in place.

In light of the fragile security situation in Darfur, the UK urges that any changes to UNAMID during the upcoming mandate renewal are done in a manner that is gradual, flexible and retains the Mission’s ability to continue to protect civilians.

Mr President,

Over the course of twenty-five reports, the Prosecutor has consistently made it clear that the Court needs the cooperation of States and the support of this Council in order to move forward on this situation. We all need to look carefully at what more we can do to ensure that the Court receives the support that it deserves. The United Kingdom will continue to call on the Government of Sudan to meet its obligations under resolution 1593, to cooperate fully with the Court, to execute outstanding arrest warrants and to fulfil its international obligations.

The United Kingdom is frustrated that fugitives of the Court, including President Al-Bashir and Mr Hussein, continue to travel unhindered. We appreciate that States may sometimes have conflicting commitments to other regional and international organisations, but we join the Prosecutor in urging those States to consult with the Court. For our part, we will continue to raise our concerns with the relevant governments with the ultimate goal of achieving justice for the thousands of victims in Darfur. We renew our call on all States Parties to cooperate with the ICC and to abide by their Rome Statute obligations.

Mr President,

We welcome the renewed vigour with which the Office of the Prosecutor is approaching this investigation. The Office should be commended for the progress it has made on the investigation, despite the fragile security situation, the access restrictions, the continued clashes and lack of cooperation.

Finally, the United Kingdom would like to offer its appreciation of the effort that the Prosecutor’s Office has put into making the most effective and efficient use of the resources it has available, and takes this opportunity to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to supporting the Court, as both a State Party to the Rome Statute and as a member of this Council.

Thank you Mr President.




News story: Priti Patel reappointed as International Development Secretary

Priti Patel is “delighted and honoured” to continue to help build a safer, healthier, more prosperous world, which protects Britain’s interests.

International Development Secretary Priti Patel said:

“I am delighted and honoured to be reappointed as Secretary of State for International Development.

“Every day UK aid helps millions of people and makes a powerful and positive statement about Global Britain’s place in the world.

“Our development work helps build a safer, healthier, more prosperous world, which protects Britain’s interests.

“This country leads the world when it comes to development and we will continue to show strong leadership by improving the results and value we achieve with taxpayers’ money.

“With a smart approach to aid, we can keep saving and transforming lives and tackle the big global challenges this country faces.”




Press release: DIT driving global UK tech investment during London Tech Week

Over 40,000 attendees from more than 70 countries will be participating in Europe’s largest technology gathering – London Tech Week – starting today (Monday 12 June), as recent overseas investments show London retaining its dominance as a global tech hub.

The UK tech sector is ranked the second biggest global market for developing new technology. In 2016 UK digital tech investment reached £6.8 billion, 50% higher than any other European country – contributing £97 billion to the UK economy 2017 and employing 1.64 million people (Tech Nation report 2017). Tech giants such as Google, Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft have all made significant investments since June 2016, bringing thousands of new highly skilled jobs to the UK and boosting research and innovation.

Now, the government is bringing together international investors, global household tech companies and UK businesses, to help boost exporting opportunities and encourage more investment into London’s tech hub.

The government will also provide £17 million of new research funding for robotics and artificial intelligence, as well as a £1 billion programme to strengthen digital infrastructure, including full fibre and 5G.

International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox said:

We’ve got a big job to do as an international economic department with tremendous opportunities out there for the UK and we’re determined to make a success of global Britain, particularly with London as a world-leading global tech hub, second only to San Francisco.

The UK has the tech ecosystem, the confidence of investors and start-ups, and an unprecedented level of government support, to seize new international opportunities to ride the 21st century’s technological wave. All of which we will be showcasing this week with the largest gathering of tech businesses in Europe.

The Department for International Trade (DIT) will welcome investors from countries across the world including Australia, Canada, India, Latin America, Spain, Turkey and the USA to meet London’s small and medium sized tech businesses at City Hall today – along with Deputy Mayor Rajesh Agrawal.

It will also welcome some of the world’s biggest technology companies, representing billions of pounds of investment in the UK, to Lancaster House on Thursday. They will be joined by international tech entrepreneurs looking to set up their businesses in the UK and UK firms looking to expand as the government commits to creating the best environment for growing future global tech firms here in the UK.

During the week, DIT will be collaborating with organisations like Tech City UK and Sino Open Data Apps to provide advice and support to companies looking to expand into global markets such as China and the USA. DIT recently led 60 UK technology companies to China, Japan and South Korea, arranging over 600 face-to-face meetings with over 300 local investors. The department helps UK companies attend over 600 global events each year to build connections and export opportunities.




News story: Animal medicines seizure: Termon Farm Supplies

Termon Farm Supplies, Carrickmore, Omagh. The following products were seized as they are not authorised in the UK:

  • 3 x 100ml bottles BVP Copper with Vitamin B12 injection
  • 4 x 100ml bottles BVP Copper 20mg/ml suspension for injection

This is an offence under Regulation 26 (Possession of an unauthorised veterinary medicinal product) of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013.




News story: New minister for the Cabinet Office: Damian Green

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Damian Green has been appointed First Secretary of State and Minister for the Cabinet Office.