With permission, I want to update the House, on behalf of my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister, on the NATO and G7 Leaders meetings in Brussels last week.

Together with our allies, we agreed to keep the pressure up on Putin to end his appalling war in Ukraine: through tougher sanctions to debilitate the Russian economy; supplying weapons to Ukraine and boosting NATO’s Eastern Flank; providing humanitarian aid and dealing with the wider consequences of this crisis; and supporting Ukraine in any negotiations they undertake.

Strength is the only thing Putin understands.

Our sanctions are pushing back the Russian economy by years.

We owe it to the brave Ukrainians to keep up our tough approach to get peace.

We owe it to ourselves to stand with them for the cause of freedom and democracy in Europe and across the world.

It is vital we step up this pressure.

We cannot wait for more appalling atrocities to be committed in Ukraine. We know that the impact of sanctions degrades over time.

That is why we need to act now.

Next week, NATO Foreign Ministers will meet to follow up on the statements of Leaders, and I will be pressing allies over the next week for all of us to do more.

On oil and gas, the UK has already committed to end imports of Russian oil by the end of this year.

We must agree a clear timetable with our partners across the G7 to end dependence on Russian oil and gas permanently.

On banks, we’ve already sanctioned 16 major Russian banks. We have hit Gazprombank and we have placed a clearing prohibition on Sberbank, Russia’s largest bank. We want to see others adopt these sanctions and go further.

On individuals, we’ve cracked down on oligarchs like Roman Abramovich. Last week we sanctioned the despicable Wagner Group of mercenaries.

On ports, Britain has banned entry to all of our ports by Russian vessels. I will be lobbying partners across the G7 to join us in stopping Russian ships.

We must maximise the flow of weapons that are being supplied to Ukraine under the UN Charter of self-defence.

The UK was the first European country to start sending lethal aid to Ukraine.

We are more than doubling our support with a further 6,000 missiles, including NLAWs and Javelin anti-tank weapons.

And we are now equipping our Ukrainian friends with anti-aircraft Starstreak missiles.

We are also strengthening NATO’s Eastern Flank, deploying troops to Bulgaria, and doubling the numbers in Poland and Estonia.

We are coordinating deliveries with our allies and we want others to join us in getting Ukraine what it needs.

The UK is providing £220m in humanitarian support to help the people of Ukraine, from shelters to heaters to medicine.

Today we announced our partnership with Australia to fly out more relief, including blankets, cooking equipment and power generators.

And we are getting supplies directly into Ukraine’s encircled cities with £2 million of canned food, water and dried food.

As refugees come into countries like Poland, we are working with the UNHCR so they are informed about the UK’s Homes for Ukraine scheme.

This scheme has already got over 150,000 applications, thanks to the generosity of the British public.

We know Putin is not serious about talks. He is still wantonly bombing innocent citizens across Ukraine.

And that is why we need to do more to ensure he loses and we force him to think again.

We must not just stop Putin in Ukraine, but we must also look to the long-term.

We need to ensure that any future talks don’t end up selling Ukraine out or repeating the mistakes of the past.

We remember the uneasy settlement in 2014, which failed to give Ukraine lasting security. Putin just came back for more.

That is why we cannot allow him to win from this appalling aggression and why this Government is determined Putin’s regime should be held to account at the International Criminal Court.

We will work to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

We have set up a negotiations unit to ensure the strongest possible support is available to the Ukrainians, alongside our international partners.

We have played a leading role alongside our G7 allies in driving the response to Putin’s war. And I want to ensure that unity continues.

Sanctions were put on by the G7 in unison and they shouldn’t be removed as long as Putin continues with his war and he still has troops in Ukraine.

That is not all. We need to ensure that Putin can never act in this aggressive way again.

Any long-term settlement needs to include a clear sanctions snapback which would be triggered automatically by any Russian aggression.

In the aftermath of Putin’s war, Ukraine will need our help to build back.

In these exceptional circumstances, we have a duty to step up with a new reconstruction plan for rebuilding Ukraine.

And we will work with the international community to do this.

At this defining moment, the free world has shown a united response.

Putin is not making the progress he craves. And he is still not serious about talks.

President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people know that everybody in the United Kingdom stands firm with them.

We were the first European country to recognise Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union.

Thirty years on, we are the first to strengthen their defences against Putin’s invasion… and lead the way in our support. Over the next week, I will be working to drive forward progress in unison with our allies. Together, we can secure a lasting peace, which restores Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Together, we can ensure Putin fails and Ukraine prevails.

I commend this statement to the House.

¿Cuál es el objetivo del programa?

Este programa busca promover la inclusión de la mujer en los distintos ámbitos de trabajo y de la sociedad en general y contribuir a su empoderamiento a partir de ofrecer mayores herramientas para su desarrollo pleno.

¿Qué implica ser “Embajadora por un Día”?

La/s embajadora/s por un Día se seleccionará/n a través de un concurso y podrán:

• Conocer y acompañar a la Embajadora Británica en reuniones relevantes al área de interés de la ganadora/s.

• Participar en reuniones del equipo de trabajo de la embajada que lleva temas de interés de la ganadora/s.

• Conocer instituciones y expertos con los que interactúa la embajada en temas relacionados al área de interés de la ganadora/s.

• Sumarse de la red regional de Embajadoras por un Día y participar en reuniones virtuales o presenciales con embajadoras y vice-embajadoras británicas de la región.

• Acceder a mayores oportunidades de cursos o charlas en temas de empoderamiento de la mujer.

• Por ser alumni del programa “Embajadora por un Día”, podrán participar en eventos y actividades relacionadas a su tema de interés que la embajada británica organice en el futuro.

¿Qué requisitos deben cumplir las participantes y cuál es el perfil de una “Embajadora por un Día”?

La/s “Embajadora/s por un Día” debe/n:

• Identificarse como mujer y ser ciudadana argentina.

• Ser actualmente estudiante universitaria (de universidades públicas o privadas), o haberse recibido no antes del 1/1/2021.

• La/s ganadora/s deben demostrar compromiso e interés en impactar positivamente en sus ámbitos de especialidad a través de su actuar en sus comunidades locales y a nivel global.

• Las áreas de especialidad profesional y desarrollo de carrera deben encuadrar con alguna de estas 4 prioridades de la embajada británica:

1) Cambio Climático

2) Democracia y Derechos Humanos

3) Relaciones Económicas y Comercio

4) Ciencia e Innovación

• Tener disponibilidad de tiempo y el compromiso de participar en las actividades de Embajadora por un Día durante el periodo acordado en 2022.

• Estar dispuesta a participar en diversas actividades e iniciativas de la Embajada durante a lo largo de 2022.

¿Cómo se participa en el concurso?

Para participar, las candidatas interesadas deberán seguir los siguientes pasos en tiempo y forma:

• Realizar un video de con las siguientes características:

Responder, en español, la siguiente pregunta: ¿Por qué querés ser Embajadora por un Día?

El video podrá ser de hasta 1 minuto de duración.

En el video se deben mencionar el nombre y edad de la candidata (lo puede decir la persona hablando a cámara o insertar mediante un graph).

• Subir el video a alguna de estas tres plataformas: YouTube, Instagram o Facebook. La candidata puede elegir publicar el video de forma pública o privada (sólo accesible para las personas con el link).

• En el posteo que acompañe a su video se debe incluir el hashtag #EmbajadoraPorUnDía2022 y taggear a @UKinArgentina

• Seguir a @UKinArgentina en la red en la que haya subido el video.

• Llenar el formulario correspondiente: https://forms.office.com/r/jGmyVvgpMF

Sólo se aceptará una postulación por participante.

Al enviar sus videos, las participantes aceptan que estos puedan ser compartidos total o parcialmente en las redes sociales de la Embajada Británica y otros medios de comunicación, con crédito de autoría. La fecha límite para enviar solicitudes es el viernes 29 de abril de 2022 a las 23:59 horas, hora de Argentina.

¿Cómo es el proceso de selección?

Una vez recibidas las solicitudes, personal de la Embajada Británica en Argentina llevará a cabo la selección de la/s ganadora/s a través de un proceso de dos etapas:

Primera etapa:

Evaluación inicial de las solicitudes y videos y asegurando que los datos recibidos cumplan con los criterios establecidos. También se evaluará la relevancia y concordancia con las prioridades estrategias del programa de las áreas de experiencia seleccionadas. Asimismo se hará una preselección de las finalistas que mejor representen cada grupo temático.

Segunda etapa:

Las finalistas preseleccionadas pasarán a una etapa de entrevistas por video-llamada. Un panel integrado por los equipos de las áreas de interés específico de las postulantes la Embajada Británica en Argentina estará encargado de llevar a cabo las entrevistas para la evaluación final el 13 de mayo (fecha sujeta a disponibilidad).

La/s ganadora/s de la convocatoria será/n notificada/s por correo electrónico la semana del 16 de mayo de 2022. La decisión del comité de selección será inapelable.

Calendario de actividades convocatoria “Embajadora por un Día”

• Recepción de solicitudes hasta el 29 de abril del 2022.

• Evaluación de solicitudes y entrevistas a finalistas entre el 29 de abril y el 13 de mayo de 2022.

• Publicación de la/s candidata/s ganadora/s durante la semana del 16 de mayo del 2022.

Periodo de Actividades “Embajadora por un Día”: A definir y acordar con la/s ganadora/s por área temática. Hay opción de participar en más actividades a lo largo del año.

Aviso de Privacidad, Embajadora por un Día 2022

La Embajada Británica en Argentina es la responsable del tratamiento de los datos personales que se recolectan de forma general a través de este formulario. Los datos personales que se recaban a través de este medio serán utilizados con la finalidad de hacer llegar información relevante a la Convocatoria ‘Embajadora por un Día 2022’.

In November 2020, the Prime Minister announced his 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution. Its aim to build back better from the pandemic, to use our recovery to level up the country, to scale up new industries and to support new green jobs across our industrial heartlands and throughout the United Kingdom as we work towards net zero by 2050.

Now, following the UK’s demonstration of global leadership on climate change, as President and host of COP 26, I am pleased to tell the House that we continue to deliver on that plan.

In Bus Back Better, we committed to set a legal end date for the sale of new diesel buses – today we are launching a consultation to set an end date for the sale of new, non-zero emission buses across the UK. Working together across the United Kingdom to provide certainty to the market, stimulating innovation and investment in alternative approaches and encourage local authorities and bus operators to plan together to deliver a decarbonised bus fleet.

Buses are at the centre of the public transport network, connecting people right across the country, playing a vital role in fostering and strengthening communities, reducing congestion and helping build a high-growth, high productivity economy across the UK.

Buses are already one of the most environmentally friendly ways of travelling and this policy will go further ensuring that their future operation produces no carbon impact – with no negative impact of passengers.

Last year, the government published the Transport Decarbonisation Plan, which set out our plans to decarbonise all of transport.

The plan reaffirmed the crucial role that public transport has in tackling climate change with buses having an integral position at the centre of the public transport network – but also recognising the huge contribution from the coach and minibus industry.

To this end, we are today launching a consultation on setting an end date for the sale of new non-zero emission buses, at the very latest by 2032. Importantly this consultation also sets out calls for evidence on setting an end of sales date for coaches and minibuses.

Late last year, we announced almost £71 million in new funding to support 335 zero emission buses across 5 local areas in England, and on Saturday we announced almost £200 million in further funding, for almost 1,000 more zero emission buses – delivering on our promise to build 4,000 new zero emission buses right across the country. We will continue to go further and provide greater support for zero emission buses through the Bus Service Operators’ Grant, from April 2022, ahead of a wider reform to refocus the scheme on reducing emissions, levelling up and keeping fares low.

This government’s national bus strategy, Bus Back Better, lays out actions to drive this transition to zero emission buses. This consultation begins to deliver one of the key commitments in the strategy. We want zero emission buses not only to be the right choice environmentally but to be the default choice for operators economically, with maintenance and fuel saving costs making it the only logical purchasing decision.

As we recover from COVID-19, we are putting transport at the heart of our decisions. Building back better and greener will make our economy more sustainable and resilient, help us deliver cleaner air and lower carbon emissions, and benefit passengers across the country. Accelerating the transition to a zero-emission bus fleet is absolutely key to this.

Thank you, Madam President. Let me begin by thanking SRSG Perthes for his briefing, and commend his and his team’s continued efforts in challenging circumstances.

Before focusing on the situation in Sudan, I wanted to note the concerns raised by the Government of Sudan in its 22 March letter to the Council. The United Kingdom fully supports UNITAMS’ efforts to monitor and report on the situation in Sudan, including human rights, as mandated by this Council. For the appropriate support to be provided by the Mission, it is essential for UNITAMS to be able to provide a full and balanced representation of the situation in Sudan in its reporting.

Madam President, since we last discussed Sudan, there has been little cause for optimism. The military seized power on 25 October, claiming that the civilian-led government was failing to deliver on key aspects of the transition. In the five months since, the suffering of ordinary Sudanese people has increased. They continue to face violence, including as we heard sexual violence, human rights abuses, economic hardship and humanitarian crises.

The civilian-led government inherited enormous challenges in 2019. Despite difficulties faced by the transition, Sudan was on a path to a more peaceful, prosperous and stable future. Regrettably, the coup has put these gains at risk, including on economic reform, the peace process and human rights, and it is our sincere hope that there can soon be a return to such progress .

In this regard, we welcome the collaboration between the UN and the African Union, in particular the efforts of SRSG Perthes and AU Envoy Lebatt towards the next phase of talks, with the aim of restoring the transition. There is a great opportunity to end the political crisis. We are encouraged by the consensus on issues like the need for a civilian cabinet, justice and accountability, and the role of women in the transition.

We urge all parties, including the military, to engage fully and in good faith in the next phase of talks.

We deplore the loss of at least 88 lives since the coup began. These people were killed while calling for freedom, peace and justice – something that thousands of Sudanese people continue to do, despite the threat of violence. We urge the authorities to allow protest without violence, to lift the state of emergency and to release political detainees, journalists and activists.

Madam President, the political crisis and actions of the military have contributed to delays in implementing the Juba Peace Agreement, leading to further violence and marginalisation in areas like Darfur.

And, a regrettable consequence of the coup is the economic hardship and increasing humanitarian need across the country. The United Kingdom has a strong track record of providing economic, humanitarian and political support to Sudan.

Let us be clear, it is the actions of the military that have led to the pause in international economic support. We hope the early restoration of a credible, civilian-led transitional government can create the conditions for much needed economic reforms and for international support, including debt relief, to resume.

Instead of calling on the international community to provide economic assistance, let us instead call on the Sudanese stakeholders, especially the military, to reach the sustainable political agreement needed to enable the resumption of such support.

In conclusion, Madam President, the United Kingdom remains committed to supporting Sudan’s journey to democracy, and the realisation of the Sudanese people’s calls for freedom, peace and justice. As a Council we should remain focused on these aspirations and support to the UN-AU-IGAD process.

Thank you.