UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UK government’s export credit agency, has increased its international business development network in key emerging markets by hiring senior trade representatives in China, Colombia, Kenya and South Africa.

Jiang Wu joins UKEF as Country Head for China, Camilo Neira as Country Head for Colombia, Isaac Kahara as County Head for Kenya and Dirk Van den Berg as Country Head for South Africa.

Working alongside HM Trade Commissioners and British Ambassadors overseas, UKEF’s Country Heads work with overseas governments and multinational companies looking to buy from the UK to create trading opportunities for British businesses.

The global economic impact of the pandemic means UKEF are currently identifying overseas projects with robust fundamentals and long-term growth potential that could benefit from UK expertise.

This includes helping to put UK companies at the heart of the green recovery from coronavirus, following the £2 billion allocated to UKEF’s direct lending facility to finance green projects in the latest budget.

UK Export Finance now has 12 Country Heads operating across 11 countries and will increase this to 20 in strategic trading markets from Asia to North America in the coming months.

UK Minister for Exports, Graham Stuart, said:

We are determined to build the UK into an exporting superpower. Having overtaken France last year to become the world’s fifth largest exporter we are conducting the most ambitious trade policy programme ever pursued by a major economy. We are negotiating free trade agreements and providing improved access to markets around the world, and will ensure that British businesses have access to finance and advice to take advantage of the opportunities created.

That’s why I am delighted that we are adding to the overseas roster of our award-winning export credit agency, UK Export Finance. UKEF’s new experts will work with DIT and FCDO staff to help UK businesses – with a particular focus on green industries and sustainable projects.

Richard Simon-Lewis, Director & Head of Business Development, Marketing & Communications at UKEF, said:

The global financial disruption caused by COVID-19 is likely to be felt for some time. We are building a robust business development pipeline that has sector and regional breadth – with an increasing focus on clean growth – so that UK exporters and suppliers remain in a strong position to trade internationally.

UK Export Finance is the UK’s export credit agency. It exists to ensure that no viable UK export lacks for finance or insurance from the private market, providing finance and insurance to help exporters win, fulfil and get paid for export contracts.

Scotland and the whole of the UK will be better protected and able to play a more active role defending our allies and values following the landmark defence investment announced by the Prime Minister today [Thursday].

A £16.5 billion boost to the defence budget over the next four years will ensure the UK remains the second highest defence spender in NATO and will allow us to invest in the cutting-edge, next-generation technology that will demonstrate to our allies that they can always count on the UK.

The Prime Minister said:

Next year will be a year of British leadership, when we preside over the G7, host COP26 in Glasgow and celebrate the 75th anniversary of the of the first United Nations General Assembly.

Britain must be true to our history and stand alongside our allies, sharing the burdens and bringing our expertise to bear on the world’s toughest problems.

The returns of this investment will go far beyond our Armed Forces, creating thousands of jobs, reinforcing the Union and levelling up our country.

The spending commitment will finance the UK’s order of 8 Type 26 and 5 Type 31 frigates, which are currently being constructed on the Clyde, creating thousands of jobs. The Prime Minister will also set out his commitment to the next generation of warship – the Type 32 – which would also be built in the UK.

The record contribution will also allow the Ministry of Defence to invest in research to create the technology of tomorrow – for conflicts on land and sea, and in the air, space and cyberspace.

As we have seen in the past, and as we’re currently seeing in areas such as autonomous vehicles and aviation, these developments will also have civilian applications.

In his speech the Prime Minister will announce a new ‘Space Command’, capable of launching our first rocket from Scotland in 2022.

Scotland has always played a critical role in the UK’s defence. That is thanks to its important geographical position which makes it an ideal home for half of the UK’s typhoon force and the Royal Navy’s entire submarine service, and to its people, who have always answered the call of duty to serve their country. Around 10,000 regular personnel and 4,000 reservists call Scotland home and this number is growing.

The projects announced by the Prime Minister today will therefore directly benefit the people of Scotland, bringing security and economic benefits for decades to come.

The Vivaldi 2 study will more than triple in size to provide a detailed picture of coronavirus infection in care homes in England. These findings will help improve understanding of these vulnerable groups’ immune response to COVID-19 and help inform future treatments for the virus.

As part of the major research study led by University College London (UCL), 14,000 care home residents and staff will be tested quarterly for their immune response to COVID-19. The number of care homes taking part will increase from 100 to 340, testing approximately 4,500 residents and 9,500 staff.

Researchers will analyse how antibody and cellular immunity to the virus differs among different groups and help shape the planning and national public health response to COVID-19 as well as wider social-care policy.

This study will help complement the work the department of health and social care (DHSC) is doing to support the care sector. This includes this week’s launch of visitation trials in a number of care homes with a roll out planned across care homes in December. Protection of staff and residents has been a priority throughout the pandemic with 120,000 daily tests ringfenced, free personal protective equipment (PPE) and more than £1.1billion worth of support through the Infection Control Fund.

Minister for Care Helen Whately said:

Expanding this brilliant study, with the support of UCL, is another step towards improving our understanding of the virus.Testing people’s antibody reaction to Covid-19 is crucial in helping us to control the spread of the virus, particularly amongst people who are vulnerable.

The more we know about this virus and are able to control it, the safer it will be for people in care homes.

The expansion will:

• provide a larger and more nationally representative sample of care home residents and staff, allowing the Vivaldi 2 study team to provide more robust estimates across the population
• address important immunity research questions such as whether individuals can be infected twice, how quickly neutralising antibodies wane and whether the immune response in the elderly is the same in younger generations
• link immunity data with epidemiological data to better understand the links between infection, demography and clinical outcome on the elderly and the impact of care-home characteristics on the spread of the virus in the sector
• offer an opportunity to work with a wider range of small care home chains and independent providers to ensure results are representative of all care homes in England

The Vivaldi 2 study uses trained phlebotomists to draw blood from care home residents and staff which is then used to test for the presence of antibodies for COVID-19. This data is cross-referenced with DHSC-delivered swab testing in care homes to analyse prevalence of the virus over time.

Vivaldi 2 is led by University College London (UCL) and funded by DHSC. It began in June 2020 and is predicted to last to April 2022. The exact end date will be determined by how prevalent COVID-19 is in the tested care homes.

Dr Laura Shallcross of UCL Institute of Health Informatics said:

Expanding the Vivaldi study will tell us how many people living and working in care homes have been infected with COVID-19, and whether being infected once protects against future infections. This study will help us protect the most vulnerable members of society from this devastating infection.

Testing in these new homes is being phased in through November.

Understanding both the antibody immunity and cellular immunity responses as part of the expansion of the original Vivaldi study will provide crucial data to help inform future treatments for COVID-19, including vaccine development.

Thank you very much, Madam President, and thank you to Special Coordinator Mladenov for his briefing.

Madam President, as others have done, I would like to start by reflecting on the tragic passing of Saeb Erekat. I echo the words of my Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary in offering our condolences to the family of Saeb Erekat, to President Abbas, and to the Palestinian people. Dr Erekat dedicated his life to dialogue, to Palestinian rights, and to advancing the cause of peace. He will be sorely missed.

It is with Dr Erekat’s legacy in mind that we must renew our commitment to acting through dialogue, to building trust and cooperation, and to avoiding the unilateral and inflammatory steps that undermine the cause of peace.

Madam President, as we made clear repeatedly in this Council, the United Kingdom opposed annexation and welcomed its suspension. Other unilateral action which jeopardises the physical viability of a future Palestinian state is also unacceptable. The United Kingdom condemns the Government of Israel’s publication of tenders for construction in the East Jerusalem settlement of Givat Hamatos, an extremely sensitive area of the West Bank. Settlements are illegal under international law, and remain an obstacle to peace and a threat to the two-state solution.

The United Kingdom also expresses our serious concern following the demolition of Humsa Al-Baqai’a by the Israeli Authorities on 3 November. This act caused the displacement of vulnerable Palestinians, including 41 children, and it caused unnecessary suffering. 2020 has seen the highest levels of demolitions of Palestinian homes and structures since 2016. The United Kingdom calls on the Government of Israel to cease this policy, and provide Palestinians with a clear, transparent route to construction in Area C of the West Bank. In all but the most exceptional of circumstances, Madam President, demolitions are a violation of International Humanitarian Law.

Madam President, the United Kingdom remains deeply concerned by the situation in Gaza, particularly at this time of global pandemic. We continue to urge the parties to prioritise progress towards reaching a durable solution for Gaza and to take the necessary practical steps to ensure Gaza’s reconstruction and economic recovery. We encourage actors to put forward long-term, sustainable proposals to resolve the threat posed to Israel’s security by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other militants in Gaza. We call upon Hamas and other terrorist groups to permanently end their incitement and rocket fire against Israel.

We note the Commissioner General’s urgent call for additional funding for UNRWA this month, without which schools will close from the beginning of December. We call in particular on states which have cut their funding significantly in recent years to support UNRWA now. And I note that this year the United Kingdom has given over $65 million, and that is commensurate with previous years as well. We are sympathetic to those who argue that UNRWA must do more to reach a secure and sustainable financial footing; but this cannot be achieved by 1 December, and money is needed by then to avoid unnecessarily adding to the refugees’ suffering.

This week, Madam President, we have seen the historic first Ministerial visit of the Kingdom of Bahrain to Israel. Normalisation agreements show that the Arab world and Israel can pursue a positive path, away from hostility, and towards a more peaceful, prosperous region.

With dialogue in mind, my government therefore welcomes reports that the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel will return to cooperation and abide by signed agreements. Full cooperation, across financial, security and health matters, puts the needs and security of Israelis and Palestinians first. This is an example of the dialogue and compromise that we have called for, and that will be required to make meaningful progress towards a two-state solution. Both parties should now seize this positive momentum, and show commitment to their bilateral agreements through their actions on the ground.

73 years ago this month, the United Nations decided on the partition of Palestine. Piece by painful piece, over many years, progress was made towards an agreed partition – a two-state solution. As the region takes strides towards dialogue, it is time, too, for the parties to the Israel-Palestine conflict to stop dismantling peace, and start building it again.

Thank you, Madam President.