• Nine million vaccines to be donated bilaterally and offered to COVAX to help tackle Covid-19 abroad

• The vaccines are expected to start leaving the UK this week, with the Philippines among the countries set to receive doses

• The UK has pledged to donate 100 million vaccines overseas by June 2022, 80 million of which will go to COVAX

The UK will this week begin delivering nine million Covid-19 vaccines around the world, including to the Philippines, to help tackle the pandemic, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced today (Wednesday 28 July).

Five million doses are being offered to COVAX, the scheme to ensure equitable, global access to Covid-19 vaccines. COVAX will urgently distribute them to lower-income countries via an equitable allocation system, which prioritises delivering vaccines to people who most need them. Another four million doses will be shared directly with countries in need.

The UK is donating the University of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, made by Oxford Biomedica in Oxford and packaged in Wrexham, North Wales. The Philippines will receive 415,000 doses.

This is the first tranche of the 100 million vaccines the Prime Minister pledged the UK would share within the next year at last month’s G7 in Cornwall, with 30 million due to be sent by the end of the year. At least 80 million of the 100 million doses will go to COVAX, with the rest going to countries directly. The donations follow the pledge that G7 leaders made to vaccinate the world and end the pandemic in 2022.

This week’s deployment will help meet the urgent need for vaccines from countries around the world, including in Africa, South East Asia and the Caribbean. These regions are experiencing high levels of Covid-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said:

The UK is sending 415,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to the Philippines. This is part of the first batch of the 100 million doses we’ve pledged to get the poorest parts of the world vaccinated as a matter of urgency. We’re doing this to help the most vulnerable, but also because we know we won’t be safe until everyone is safe.

The UK has been at the forefront of the global response to Covid-19, including through investing £90 million to support the development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. Over half a billion doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine have been delivered at a non-profit price globally, with two-thirds going to lower and middle-income countries.

The UK also kickstarted efforts to establish COVAX in 2020, providing a total of £548 million to fund vaccines for lower income countries. The scheme has delivered more than 152 million vaccine doses to over 137 countries and territories, including in 83 lower-middle income countries. 65% of the initial vaccine doses have been Oxford-AstraZeneca. COVAX aims to deliver 1.8 billion vaccines to lower-income countries around the world by early 2022.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said:

This is a global pandemic and Covid-19 vaccines are the best way to protect people and prevent the emergence of new variants. We want to make sure developing countries can build a wall of defence against the virus as we have in the UK through our vaccine rollout.

The UK is one of the largest donors to COVAX and this donation is part of our pledge to send 100 million vaccines to some of the world’s poorest countries.

The government has secured enough doses for all UK residents, crown dependencies and overseas territories to support our ongoing vaccination programme and booster programme.

Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which is co-leading COVAX alongside the World Health Organization and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, said:

The UK has been a steadfast supporter of COVAX since its inception and this announcement comes at an important time.

Global vaccine demand is far outstripping supply, leaving millions of the most vulnerable unprotected, while higher vaccine coverage worldwide is one of our best shields against new variants.

In this pandemic nobody is safe until everyone is safe.

Sir Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President BioPharmaceicals R&D at AstraZeneca, said:

Each day we’re making progress in our mission to change the course of this pandemic by providing broad and equitable access to AstraZeneca’s vaccine. We are proud that over 80% of countries across the world have received doses of our vaccine, with two thirds supplied to lower middle income and low income countries.

The close collaboration between UK Government and our academic and industry partners is critical to ensure we deliver vaccines at speed and protect as many people as possible against this deadly virus.

Daniel Pruce, British Ambassador to the Philippines, said:

The UK is helping Covid-19 vaccines reach more countries. We’re donating 415,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to the Philippines so that more people here can get vaccinated.

Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., Presidential Peace Adviser, Chief Implementer of the Philippines’ National Task Force against COVID-19, and Vaccine Czar, said:

We are deeply grateful for this gesture of kindness and compassion from the UK government and your people. You are among the nations that are leading the global battle against COVID-19, as you have gone out of your way to protect as many people as possible through your humanitarian efforts. This generous donation of vaccine doses to the Philippines will boost the national government’s capacity to provide the country’s most vulnerable sectors with an added layer of protection, particularly our uniformed personnel who put their lives on the line to ensure the safety and welfare of the Filipino people across the country.

Notes to editors:

• The following footage is available at this WeTransfer link: https://we.tl/t-aoTEEbCgml: Wockhart facility in Wrexham: Vaccine vial production for Astra Zeneca. Astra Zeneca vaccines stored in refrigerated warehouse operated by Movianto in UK.

• The 9 million Oxford-AstraZeneca doses being donated are not needed for the domestic rollout. The doses will be UK-branded.

• Five million vaccines are being offered to COVAX, the global scheme to get Covid-19 vaccines to developing countries, to be delivered to the most vulnerable countries. Further details will be announced in due course.

• The UK has also signed agreements with Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Cambodia, Guyana, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Thailand and Vietnam to receive up to four million doses.

• The vaccines doses being donated on a bilateral basis are being transported by Crown Agents.

• Details of future donations will be announced in due course. Around 80% of the total 100 million doses will go to COVAX, and the remainder will be shared bilaterally with countries in need.

• The UK provided £90 million to support the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine: £25m on the initial research & development, and £65m to scale up manufacturing.

• The UK made it clear as part of that funding that the vaccine should be affordable around the world and consequently AstraZeneca agreed to distribute it at a non-profit price during the pandemic.

• The cost of this donation has been funded through UK Overseas Development Assistance and will come over and above the ODA spending target of 0.5% of GNI if needed.

The UK government has today (28 July 2021) announced that passengers arriving from amber countries who have been fully vaccinated in Europe (EU Member States, European Free Trade Association countries and the European microstate countries of Andorra, Monaco and Vatican City) and the USA will not have to quarantine when entering England, as part of a range of new measures designed to continue to drive forward the reopening of international travel, set out as part of the second Global Travel Taskforce checkpoint review.

From 4am 2 August 2021, passengers who are fully vaccinated in the EU with vaccines authorised by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or in the USA with vaccines authorised by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or in the Swiss vaccination programme, will be able to travel to England without having to quarantine or take a day 8 test on arrival.

Amber arrivals who have been fully vaccinated in the USA and European countries will still be required to complete a pre-departure test before arrival into England, alongside a PCR test on or before day 2 after arrival. Separate rules will continue to apply for those arriving from France. Those vaccinated in the US will also need to provide proof of US residency. Passengers from all countries cannot travel to the UK unless they have completed a passenger locator form.

Following the close monitoring of epidemiological evidence, gained through the restart of the domestic cruise industry earlier this year, the UK government has also confirmed the go ahead for international cruise sailings to restart from England in line with Public Health England guidance. International cruise travel advice will be amended to encourage travellers to understand the risks associated with cruise travel and take personal responsibility for their own safety abroad.

To further support the safe restart of international cruise travel, the government and cruise industry have signed a breakthrough memorandum of understanding (MOU) to help the industry build back from COVID-19 while protecting British nationals from future pandemic-related disruption.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

We’ve taken great strides on our journey to reopen international travel and today is another important step forward. Whether you are a family reuniting for the first time since the start of the pandemic or a business benefiting from increased trade – this is progress we can all enjoy.

We will of course continue to be guided by the latest scientific data but thanks to our world-leading domestic vaccination programme, we’re able to look to the future and start to rebuild key transatlantic routes with the US while further cementing ties with our European neighbours.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said:

Our vaccination programme is building a wall of defence against this virus so we can safely enjoy our freedoms again, with 7 in 10 adults in the UK now double jabbed.

By reopening quarantine-free travel for travellers who have been fully vaccinated in European countries and the USA, we’re taking another step on the road to normality which will reunite friends and families and give UK businesses a boost.

We are also relaxing the testing requirements for certain critical workers, who by the nature of their work do not mix with the public or leave their vehicles helping free up running times by removing undue burdens.

All measures announced today will be kept under review and be guided by the latest data. Public health remains our top priority, and we will not hesitate to act should the data show that countries risk ratings have changed.

Travel continues to be different this summer, and while some restrictions remain in place passengers should expect their experience to be different and may face longer wait times than they are used to – although the government is making every effort to speed up queues safely. We will continue to rollout upgrades to our e-gates over the summer to automate checks for health requirements, with many e-gates already in operation and more to be added over the coming months to increase automated checks on passengers at airports.

If travelling abroad, you should continue to take the steps to keep safe and prepare in case things change before you go or while you are there. Check the booking terms and conditions on flexibility and refunds and subscribe to FCDO travel advice updates to understand the latest entry requirements and COVID-19 rules at their destination.

Kenya and the UK have signed a new five-year Defence Cooperation Agreement in a side event during President Kenyatta’s three-day Guest of Government visit to the UK.

The Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Dr Monica Juma, and her UK counterpart, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, signed the new DCA in Last night (27 July) at the Ministry of Defence offices in London. This agreement will anchor the defence priorities between the two nations over the next five years.

Our two nations have a long and proud history of military cooperation, working together on land, sea and air to find shared solutions to our shared challenges, including countering the threat from terrorists groups like Al-Shabaab. The signing of the DCA comes six months after the two defence secretaries met in Nairobi, agreeing a refreshed Security Compact to deepen wider stability and security cooperation, part of the Kenya-UK strategic partnership. The new DCA, once ratified by the Kenyan and UK Parliaments, will allow our militaries to share expertise, experience and techniques, making both forces more effective.

Speaking at the signing event, the UK’s Defence Secretary, Rt Hon Ben Wallace, said:

It was great to meet Dr Monica Juma again today. We held very fruitful discussions and agreed a range of measures to keep both of our countries safer.

Kenya has long been our defence partner of choice in East Africa and, in a more uncertain world, we will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder as we tackle the threats of tomorrow.

Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Dr Monica Juma, said:

Today, Rt Hon Ben Wallace and I reaffirmed our commitment to continue deepening the defence cooperation between our two nations.

The framework underpinning this strategic relationship is the Defence Cooperation Agreement which has become an invaluable tool for enhancing the competencies of our defence forces. Overall our cooperation continues to significantly improve the ability of our forces to operate effectively in high-threat environments.

The current DCA has had many successes over the past five years of military cooperation. Under the agreement, the UK has provided an annual training of over 1100 KDF soldiers, with courses in the UK, or with UK military training teams in Kenya. Further training has also been provided through the UK-funded Counter-IED Wing at the Humanitarian Peace Support School (HPSS) in Embakasi. Since its opening in 2016, over 2,000 military and police from 22 countries have been trained in CIED skills and 40 CIED instructors developed, significantly improving the ability of African Union (AU) forces to operate effectively in high-threat environments, including against Al Shabaab.

The UK has also provided extensive support to infrastructure projects at the KDF’s School of Infantry, which include an urban village, a Forward Operating Base (FOB), and an assault course, all which prepare more than 600 KDF personnel for deployment in the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The UK has been supporting AMISOM Troop Contributing Countries since 2010, through the Short Term Training Teams (STTTs) from the British Army, which costs KES43M annually.

The presence of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) has had significant benefits for the local economy and community. It has contributed over KES 5.8 billion to the economies of Laikipia, Samburu and Isiolo. More than 550 local staff have maintained their jobs even during the harshest economic times brought in by the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, our community engagement projects have not only improved education, health an environmental protection, but have pivoted support towards COVID containment. At the onset of the pandemic, BATUK provided 443,000 litres of water across the three counties and also helped in food distribution.

Last month (June 2021), we handed over a multipurpose training facility to the Kenyan Navy with firefighting equipment alongside the Danish government. The facility will also be available to other maritime agencies to conduct their firefighting and sea survival training, which is essential for deployment at sea. This will go a long way in helping the Kenyan Navy progress towards becoming a centre of excellence in maritime safety.

Notes to Editors

1. The five-year Defence Cooperation Agreement will come into force once it has been ratified by both the UK and Kenya’s respective Parliaments. Some of the highlights of our support to Kenya’s defence are:

   • Investment: KES 1.165 billion – annual UK investment in the defence partnership with Kenya;
   • Land: 1,100 Kenyan soldiers trained by the UK every year, preparing for deployment to Somalia;
   • Sea: Training for Kenyan Navy on maritime security, safety and firefighting;
   • Air: Assurance visits, professional training and exchange of experience and expertise;
   • Community: Projects on sanitation, health, education, and tackling GBV – worth KES 28 million;
   • Economy: BATUK employs 550 local civilians, and has contributed KES 5.8 billion to the local economy since 2016.

• Becomes the 32nd UNESCO World Heritage Site in the UK, joining the likes of the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon National Park and Machu Picchu
• UK Government Heritage Minister Caroline Dinenage hails the announcement as a huge achievement and testament to the importance of Wales’ slate mining heritage

The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales has become the UK’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site, having been granted the accolade today, at the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee.

The landscape has become the UK’s 32nd UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the 4th in Wales, following the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Blaenavon Industrial Landscape and the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd.

The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales, which runs through Gwynedd, became the world leader for the production and export of slate in the 1800s. Slate has been quarried in the area for over 1,800 years and had been used to build parts of the Roman fort in Segontium in Caernarfon and Edward I’s castle in Conwy, however it wasn’t until the industrial revolution that demand surged as cities across the world expanded with slate from the mines at Gwynedd being widely used to roof workers’ homes, public buildings, places of worship and factories.

By the 1890s the Welsh slate industry employed approximately 17,000 workers and produced almost 500,000 tonnes of slate a year, around a third of all roofing slate used in the world in the late 19th century. The industry had a huge impact on global architecture with Welsh slate used on a number of buildings, terraces and palaces across the globe including Westminster Hall in London’s Houses of Parliament, the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, Australia and Copenhagen City Hall, Denmark. In 1830, half the buildings in New York had roofs made of Welsh slate.

Centuries of mining in the area transformed the landscape on a monumental scale with the inscription reflecting the important role this region played in ‘roofing the 19th century world’.

UK Government Heritage Minister Caroline Dinenage said:

UNESCO World Heritage Status is a huge achievement and testament to the importance this region played in the industrial revolution and Wales’ slate mining heritage. I welcome the prospect of increased investment, jobs and a better understanding of this stunning part of the UK.

The City of Bath – originally inscribed on the Word Heritage List in 1987 – has also been awarded a dual designation as part of the Great Spas of Europe.

A transnational nomination, Bath, along with 11 other European spa towns including Baden-Baden in Germany and Vichy in France, has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List for the second time, becoming only the second place in the UK with a double UNESCO listing.

The 11 towns making up the nomination are all mineral water sources. While Bath has been famous as a spa town since the Roman period, other nominations represent the heyday of European spa towns from around 1700 to the 1930s.

Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England said:

We are pleased to see both the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales and the city of Bath being recognised in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Beautiful Bath thoroughly deserves its rare double World Heritage Site listing. From its Roman remains to its stunning Georgian architecture, Bath is a city which has captivated residents and visitors for centuries. Being inscribed, along with ten other European Spa Towns, as a joint World Heritage Site demonstrates Bath’s importance as one of the earliest and most significant “Great Spas” and we are delighted to have worked alongside international colleagues to make Bath’s joint inscription a reality.

Additional quotes:

UK Government Minister for Wales David TC Davies said:

Achieving UNESCO World Heritage Status is a magnificent accomplishment and a great tribute to those who worked in these slate mines. I’d like to commend everyone involved for their commitment to ensuring Wales’ slate mining heritage and the role this region has played for 1,000 years receive the global recognition they richly deserve.

First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford said:

Today’s announcement recognises the significant contribution this part of North Wales has made to the cultural and industrial heritage not only of Wales, but of the wider world. Welsh slate can be found all over the world.

The quarrying and mining of slate has left a unique legacy in Gwynedd, which the communities are rightly proud of. This worldwide recognition today by UNESCO, will help preserve that legacy and history in those communities for generations to come and help them with future regeneration.

I’d like to thank and congratulate everyone who has worked so hard on this bid – it’s been a real team effort and today’s announcement is a credit to all those involved.

David Anderson, Director General, Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales said:

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales is very proud to have been a key partner in this bid and is delighted at the successful designation of the slate landscape of northwest Wales as a World Heritage site. Its success will ensure that the impact of the culture and industrial heritage of the area – including the story of the slate industry which we tell at the National Slate Museum in Llanberis – is recognised throughout the world. We have a rich and diverse heritage in Wales and this is a great opportunity to celebrate and showcase our cultural heritage on an international stage and will help preserve the legacy and history in communities for generations to come. Congratulations to all those who have worked so hard on this bid – today’s announcement is a credit to all those involved.

Kate Pugh OBE, Non-Executive Director for Culture at the UK Commission for UNESCO, said:

This UNESCO inscription is a magnificent achievement comparable to the effort and perseverance of the people who lived in these awe-inspiring places and worked these slate mines. UNESCO World Heritage Site status calls for a galvanising vision, and everyone from Gwynedd Council, its partners and the people now living in those historic settlements should be commended for their solid commitment to getting the global recognition that their landscape well deserves.

Lord Dafydd Wigley, Chair of the Wales Slate Partnership Steering Group, said:

After Chairing the Wales Slate Partnership Steering Group for over 5 years, I am thrilled by this decision by the World Heritage Committee and welcome our inscription on behalf of all our partners, landowners, communities and businesses.

Partners have worked tirelessly over more than a decade to reach this important milestone, and we will now need to strengthen our cooperation to ensure that we deliver for the people, communities and businesses of the slate areas. This inscription is a celebration of Gwynedd roofing the world, our unique language, culture and communities and how we exported people, technology and slate to the four corners of the world.

I would like to pay my thanks to all involved in developing this inscription and offer my congratulations to the newest World Heritage Site in Wales”.

Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn, Leader Gwynedd Council, said:

Gwynedd Council is extremely proud to be the lead body for the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales. The legacy of the quarries remains extremely evident around us from the striking landscape, the industrial buildings and steam railways to our villages and towns.

Not only is the influence of the quarrying industry visible, but its heritage is still heard strongly in the language, traditions and rich histories of these areas.

Our aim is to celebrate this heritage and landscape and recognise their historic and industrial importance to humankind – in order to create opportunities for the future”.

Councillor Gareth Thomas, Cabinet Member for the Economy and Community, Gwynedd Council, said:

The slate industry of this area was a hugely important part of the global economy in the past, and today the industry and those that gain inspiration from our landscape continue to make an important contribution to Gwynedd’s economy.

By celebrating our history, we want to regenerate our communities and create exciting opportunities for the benefit of the communities and businesses of Gwynedd and Northwest Wales in the future.

Today we celebrate what has happened in the past and start on a new journey to protect our outstanding slate landscape and ensure a lasting legacy for our economy and communities in the future”.

Christopher Catling, Secretary of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, whose staff helped to compile the nomination document, said:

Human muscle and ingenuity have left us with a remarkable landscape combining natural and man-made features that are fully worthy of being included in the top tier of all heritage sites in the world.

Here you can see the evidence for the entire slate production process, from hillside quarry and cavernous underground mines to the engine houses, wheelhouses and mills powered by ingenious water systems needed to work the slate; the inclines and aerial ropeways used to carry raw and worked slate from remote hills to tramways, and the narrow-gauge railways capable of negotiating mountainous terrain carrying slate to the harbours at Port Penrhyn and Porthmadog for shipment to all parts of the world.

Tony Crouch, Chair World Heritage UK

World Heritage UK warmly welcomes the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales to the UK’s family of World Heritage Sites. This monumental landscape reflects hundreds of years of endeavour, innovation, and community spirit, and produced the finest materials and skills that served the globe. Congratulations to all those in Wales who worked tirelessly to achieve this well-deserved international accolade.

Luke Potter, Assistant Director of Operations in North Wales, National Trust Cymru said:

We’re thrilled to be a part of Wales’ next World Heritage Site; the designation means so much to us at National Trust Cymru. We have important stories at Penrhyn of slate as well as sugar, and slavery. Being part of the designation is an exciting opportunity for us all to work with partners to unite these two stories that have shaped the communities around us and have a far-reaching impact on communities across the world. We have already benefited greatly from being part of the development of the nomination and really see the importance of working together to tell this important story that belongs to us all in Northwest Wales and beyond.

Jonathan Cawley, Director of Planning and Land Management for the Snowdonia National Park Authority, said:

We are extremely pleased that the slate landscape of North Wales has secured its World Heritage Site status today. The slate industry has shaped and influenced so much of our landscape and traditions, and this inscription will ensure that the unique cultural heritage of the area will be protected and celebrated for years to come.

As well as helping to boost a sustainable economy within the area, this designation will also nurture an awareness, interest and pride in our slate heritage, whilst safeguarding it for future generations.

Notes to editors:

The UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for meeting the requirements of the World Heritage Convention within the UK. This includes maintaining and reviewing the Tentative List of sites, formally nominating new sites, and ensuring existing sites are conserved, protected and given a life in the community.

The other UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Wales are the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape, the 13th-century castles and town walls built in Gwynedd by King Edward I and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

The UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the UK and Overseas Territories are:

Cultural:

• Blaenavon Industrial Landscape (2000)

• Blenheim Palace (1987)

• Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine’s Abbey, and St Martin’s Church (1988)

• Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd (1986)

• City of Bath (1987)

• Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape (2006)

• Derwent Valley Mills (2001)

• Durham Castle and Cathedral (1986)

• Frontiers of the Roman Empire (1987,2005,2008)

• Gorham’s Cave Complex (2016)

• Heart of Neolithic Orkney (1999)

• Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda (2000)

• Ironbridge Gorge (1986)
• Maritime Greenwich (1997)

• New Lanark (2001)

• Old and New Towns of Edinburgh (1995)

• Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret’s Church (1987)

• Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal (2009)

• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2003)

• Saltaire (2001)

• Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites (1986)

• Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey (1986)

• The English Lake District (2017)

• The Forth Bridge (2015)

• Tower of London (1988)

• Jodrell Bank Observatory (2019)


Natural:

• Dorset and East Devon Coast (2001)

• Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast (1986)

• Gough and Inaccessible Islands (1995,2004)

• Henderson Island (1988)
 


Mixed:

• St Kilda (1986,2004, 2005)