The COP26 President-Designate, Alok Sharma, has visited Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Libreville, Gabon, to discuss how the UK can work with the countries to address climate change challenges.

In his first overseas visit since becoming full-time COP26 President, Mr Sharma met leaders from government and civil society, stressing the need for urgent climate action ahead of the important UN climate change summit the UK is hosting in November 2021, COP26.

His visit to Addis reaffirmed the UK–Ethiopia climate partnership signed by the UK Foreign Secretary, during his recent visit, which will step-up cooperation ahead of COP26.

Following high-level talks with Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen Hassen, and other senior ministers, Mr Sharma launched Ethiopia’s ‘Enfluencers’ (Ethiopia, Environment, Earth, Education and Entertainment) Network, a group of young environmental activists and influencers who are working to raise awareness and build support for climate action.

In Gabon, Mr Sharma held high-level talks with President Ali Bongo and other senior ministers.

He met a number of conservation NGOs and visited an arboretum and a timber processing plant where he learnt about Gabon’s success in, and future plans for, sustainable forest governance and industrialisation, as well as the Gabonese Space and Earth Observation Agency through which the country monitors deforestation.

The visit underlines the UK’s commitment to championing adaptation and action to avert, minimise and address loss and damage from climate change to protect vulnerable communities from the impacts of climate change. This follows the launch of the Adaptation Action Coalition, a new international coalition which will turn international political commitments made through the United Nations Call for Action on Adaptation and Resilience into on-the-ground support for vulnerable communities.

Speaking at the end of his visit, COP26 President, Alok Sharma, said:

Globally, we must go further and faster to protect people from the worst impacts of climate change, and climate vulnerable countries should be at the heart of that process.

I have been impressed by the ambition and determination I have seen on this visit, particularly from inspiring young people in Ethiopia. I will continue to work closely with my friends in Ethiopia and Gabon, and hope that both countries will continue to show leadership on climate action, which has such a vital role to play in the COP26 process.

British Ambassador to Ethiopia, Alastair McPhail, said:

I’m glad that COP26 President Alok Sharma has recognised Ethiopia’s importance in the fight against climate change, in choosing it as the site of his first overseas visit in the role full-time.

Ethiopia is one of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world but it is also a country with an admirable and ambitious green agenda.

British Ambassador to Gabon, Rowan Laxton, said:

Climate change remains a global concern that requires concerted efforts, and this visit has underlined the UK’s support for Gabon in the fight against climate change, whilst showcasing some of the important work already being done here to protect people and planet. In the run-up to COP26 we will continue working with Gabon to build on this momentum.

Ends.

Notes to editors:

1. In Ethiopia, Mr Sharma also met Minister of Agriculture, Oumar Hussein; Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide; Mr Mensur Dessie and Mr Abdeta Debella from the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commission, and Mr Gebru Jember to discuss Ethiopia’s negotiating priorities for COP26; and Ambassador Josefa Sacko, AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture.
2. In Gabon, Mr Sharma also met Foreign Minister Pacôme Moubelet-Boubeya, and Environment Minister, Professor Lee White.
3. This year, the UK will host the UN climate change conference COP26, in Glasgow with our partners, Italy. This will provide an opportunity for the world to come together and commit to urgent action.
4. As hosts of COP26, the UK will lead by example during this unprecedented time. Guided by science, the UK will invest in a green recovery which creates sustainable jobs and addresses the urgent and linked challenges of public health, climate change, and biodiversity loss.
5. The UK is committed to working with all countries and joining forces with civil society, companies and people on the frontline of climate change to inspire action ahead of COP26.

The next phase in the Government’s ambitious plans for a ‘Blue Belt’ of marine protected areas around the UK’s seas has begun with the Marine Management Organisation’s (MMO) formal consultation to protect four of England’s 40 offshore Marine Protected Areas.

Now that the UK has left the EU, the UK Government has powers to implement evidenced based marine management that will help ensure our seas are managed sustainably, protecting both the long-term future of the fishing industry and our precious wildlife and habitats.

Marine Protected Areas are designated areas of the ocean which include habitats and species essential for healthy, functioning marine eco-systems. The purpose of a Marine Protected Area is to protect and enhance rare, threatened and important habitats and species from damage caused by activities that take place within it.

The MMO is consulting on byelaws being proposed under new powers introduced under the Fisheries Act, the UK’s first major domestic fisheries legislation in nearly 40 years. These byelaws aim to prohibit fishing activities in Marine Protected Areas where there is evidence that they harm wildlife or damage habitats. The proposed byelaws seek to prohibit the use of bottom towed fishing gear in all four sites and additional restrictions for static gears over sensitive features in two of the sites.

The consultation runs from 1 February 2021 to 28 March 2021 and follows a call for evidence, which closed in December 2020, where the MMO sought additional evidence and views on the draft assessments and management options for the four offshore Marine Protected Areas.

These first four Marine Protected Areas were chosen as a priority to help protect their vibrant and productive undersea environments, and include the Dogger Bank Special Area of Conservation, which has the largest shallow sandbank in British waters and supports commercial fish species such cod and plaice, as well as sand eels that provide an important food source for kittiwakes, puffins and porpoises.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said:

Now that we have left the Common Fisheries Policy, we are able to deliver on our commitment to achieve a healthy, thriving and sustainable marine environment.

The UK has already established an impressive ‘Blue Belt’ covering 38% of our waters and our Fisheries Act has provided us with additional powers to go further to protect our seas around England.

This proposal to introduce byelaws to safeguard four of our precious offshore Marine Protected Areas shows how we are putting these powers into action.

Action is already being taken to tackle unsustainable activities within England’s seas, with management measures introduced in many inshore sites through byelaws introduced by both MMO and the Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities.

Tom McCormack, Chief Executive Officer of MMO, said:

This consultation is a big step forward in agreeing measures that will help protect and revive important marine habitats, vital to the unique and vibrant marine life that live within them.

We are ambitious for England’s seas and want to hear as many views as possible in order to create benefits for people and the economy, while protecting our precious marine environment for future generations.

The MMO is seeking views on proposed byelaws for the following four offshore Marine Protected Areas:

• Dogger Bank Special Area of Conservation (East of England)
• Inner Dowsing, Race Bank and North Ridge Special Area of Conservation (The Wash approaches, off the Lincolnshire and North Norfolk coasts)
• South Dorset Marine Conservation Zone (South West – Dorset)
• The Canyons Marine Conservation Zone (South West – Offshore)

The MMO will announce its plan for engagement on the management of non-licensable activities, including anchoring for recreational vessels, for the Studland Bay Marine Conservation Zone on the Dorset coast later this month.

Background:

• UK announces first set of designations of individuals under the UK’s Zimbabwe sanctions regime
• Human rights violations in 2019 saw protestors killed for expressing right to free speech and protest
• Sanctions go hand-in-hand with UK efforts to hold the Government of Zimbabwe to account and to make good on its promise to deliver much-needed crucial reforms.

Four Zimbabwean security sector chiefs responsible for serious human rights violations – including the deaths of 23 Zimbabwean protestors – have been designated under the UK’s new autonomous sanctions regime, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced today.

Today’s announcement ensures these individuals cannot freely travel to the UK, channel money through UK banks or profit from our economy. These restrictive measures are not targeted at, nor intended to impact, the wider economy and the people of Zimbabwe.

Following the UK’s departure from the European Union and the end of the Transition Period, the UK can now pursue an independent sanctions policy reflecting our foreign policy and national security interests. Today’s designations are the first the UK has made of individuals under the UK’s Zimbabwe autonomous sanctions regime, which came into force at 11pm on 31 December 2020.

The new sanctions include a travel ban and asset freeze on four officials:

• Owen Ncube, Minister for State Security;
• Isaac Moyo, Director General of the Central Intelligence Organisation;
• Godwin Matanga, Commissioner General of the Zimbabwe Republic Police; and
• Anselem Sanyatwe, former Brigadier General, Commander of the Presidential Guard and Tactical Commander of the National Reaction Force.

These targeted designations hold to account those responsible for the worst human rights violations against the people of Zimbabwe since President Emmerson Mnangagwa took power in November 2017. This includes a state-sponsored crackdown against protests in January 2019 that resulted in the deaths of 17 Zimbabweans and post-election violence in August 2018 in which six protestors lost their lives.

Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab said:

These sanctions send a clear message that we will hold to account those responsible for the most egregious human rights violations, including the deaths of innocent Zimbabweans.

These sanctions target senior individuals in the Government, and not ordinary Zimbabweans. We will continue to press for the necessary political and economic reforms that will benefit all Zimbabweans.

The UK’s autonomous Zimbabwe sanctions regime seeks to encourage the Government of Zimbabwe to respect democratic principles and institutions; refrain from the repression of civil society; and to comply with international human rights law and to respect human rights.

These sanctions are in addition to our work to hold the Government of Zimbabwe to account in implementing genuine political and economic reforms that benefit all Zimbabweans.

Contrary to claims by those who seek to stop institutional reform and respect for human rights in Zimbabwe, these sanctions will not deter investment into the country. Instead, UK investors repeatedly highlight three concerns that prevent them from investing in Zimbabwe: poorly-managed currency; arbitrary property rights and the legal system.

We will continue to support the Zimbabwean people through our aid programme, focusing on tackling poverty, humanitarian assistance, standing up for human rights and supporting Zimbabwe’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. None of this aid goes directly through Government of Zimbabwe systems.

Notes to Editors:

1. The UK Zimbabwe Autonomous Regime comprises targeted travel bans and asset freezes, as well as trade restrictions on military items and items that could be used for internal repression. The regime came fully into force on 31 December 2020 at the end of the EU transition period. This is the first time that the UK has used its autonomous Zimbabwe sanctions regime to impose travel bans and asset freezes against individuals. You can find a link to the legislation here. This is a different sanctions regime to the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 which launched in July 2020.

2. The Motlanthe Commission report found that the Zimbabwean security services were responsible for 6 deaths and 35 injuries during the 1 August 2018 protests. The report also concluded that the use of live ammunition on civilians was “clearly unjustified and disproportionate”.

3. The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission’s January 28 2019 report on the response to the January 2019 fuel protests found that law enforcement agents seemed to “resort to use of brute, excessive and disproportionate force in most circumstances thereby causing avoidable loss of life and also worsening the situation”, resulting in the deaths of 17 people. A Human Rights Watch report details allegations of rape and indiscriminate door-to-door raids by the Zimbabwean security services.