The UK Government has awarded scholarships to two emerging Canadian leaders in the medical field to study at UK universities.

Third-year Dalhousie University paediatrics resident, Dr. Henry Annan, has begun studying for a Master of Public Policy Degree at the University of Oxford during the 2020-21 academic year. While McGill University and Université de Montréal alumnus Dr. Wenzhen Zuo will head to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 2021 to study for a MSc in Public Health.

Chevening is the UK government’s global scholarship programme for future leaders, influencers, and decision-makers, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. It is currently run in over 160 countries and territories and counts 14 current or former heads of government among its alumni.

Dr. Henry Annan said:

I am immensely grateful to the Chevening Secretariat and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for affording me the opportunity to study at the University of Oxford while joining an inspiring network of global change leaders. I look forward to commencing my studies in the fall and working to further address some of the most pressing policy challenges of our time.

Dr. Wenzhen Zuo said:

I feel extremely honoured and privileged to receive the Chevening award. Not only will it allow me to study Public Health at LSHTM, but also to be part of the Chevening community with young global leaders. This is a unique opportunity to exchange our ideas and be inspired by each other for our future endeavour.

Susan le Jeune d’Allegeershecque, British High Commissioner to Canada, said:

Congratulations to Dr. Annan and Dr. Zuo on being awarded these scholarships. While both would have been leading candidates in any year, it feels particularly timely to recognise their potential during a period of intense UK-Canada cooperation to tackle the most serious pandemic of our times. I am proud that the UK can play a part in the journey of emerging Canadian leaders like Dr. Annan and Dr. Zuo.

Chevening offers fully-funded scholarships to undertake any master’s course at any UK university. More information, including on how to apply, can be found at www.chevening.org/scholarships/. Applications for 2021-22 are open until 3 November 2020.

Dr. Annan graduated from Dalhousie University as a Doctor of Medicine in 2018 and will resume his paediatrics residency at the IWK Health Centre following his scholarship at Oxford. Dr. Zuo obtained her Doctor of Medicine degree at the Université de Montréal in 2018. She then studied at McGill University for her post-graduate residency training in family medicine from 2018 to 2020 at St.Mary’s Hospital.

The British High Commission in Ottawa, is the UK government’s main diplomatic mission in Canada. Along with Consulates-General in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver, we work closely with the Canadian government and partners across the country to develop and maintain a wide range of substantive partnerships of real value to both countries. These partnerships cover business, defence, climate change, science and innovation, education, and culture.

In build (4) 1. Midland Metropolitan Hospital Midlands Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust The new Midland Metropolitan hospital will bring together urgent care services from 3 hospitals across the region into one state-of-the-art site, promoting better patient safety and care while ensuring value for money.   2. Cumberland Cancer Hospital North East & Yorkshire North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust To establish a modern oncology hospital with the equipment and facilities to comply with national service specifications, transforming cancer care services for patients across North Cumbria.   3. Royal Liverpool Hospital North West Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Development of a new hospital to replace the current Royal Liverpool University Hospital.   4. 3Ts Hospital, Brighton South East Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust Three-phase building works to deliver a Regional Centre for Teaching, Trauma and Tertiary Care at Royal Sussex County Hospital Pending Final Approval (4) 5. Moorfields Eye Hospital London Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust A new eye care, research and education facility, Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology.   6. Northgate Hospital, Morpeth, Northumberland North East & Yorkshire Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Northgate hospital to provide single integrated secure service centre of excellence, and the re-provision of Newcastle and Gateshead adult acute inpatient services at St Nicholas Hospital, Newcastle. Reprovision of Children’s and Young People’s medium secure inpatient services to Ferndene, Prudhoe, Northumberland.   7. Greater Manchester Major Trauma Hospital North West Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust To provide an additional non-elective, high-acuity hospital to support Greater Manchester Major Trauma Service and the transfer of high-acuity surgery.   8. Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre Midlands Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust To build a national rehabilitation centre at Stanford Hall, near Loughborough. HIP 1 (6) 9. Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow East of England Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust A new integrated, high-tech healthcare campus to replace the aging Princess Alexandra Hospital.   10. Watford General Hospital East of England West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust Rebuilding Watford General, including women & children’s services.   11. Whipps Cross University Hospital, North East London London Barts Health NHS Trust A new hospital at Whipps Cross, providing a range of patient services including emergency and maternity.   12. Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals London Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust A new major hospital for Epsom General Hospital and St Helier Hospital.   13. University Hospitals of Leicester Midlands University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust Rebuild at Leicester Royal Infirmary and Glenfield & new facilities at Leicester General.   14. Leeds General Infirmary North East & Yorkshire Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Centralising children’s and adult services at LGI with pathology services at St James University Hospital. HIP 2 (25) 15. West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds East of England West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust To rebuild West Suffolk Hospital, replace poor estate and provide a better patient environment at West Suffolk Hospital   16. East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust South East East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust To provide a new hospital at Eastbourne; new medical wards and refurbishment at Conquest; new clinical building at Bexhill.   17. Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading South East Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Royal Berkshire to replace ageing estate to tackle significant critical backlog.   18. Milton Keynes Hospital East of England Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust To build a new women and children’s hospital at Milton Keynes hospital.   19. The Hillingdon Hospital, North West London London Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Hillingdon Hospital to replace ageing estate to tackle significant critical backlog.   20. Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust South East Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust New hospital at Basingstoke & North Hampshire Hospital and major refurbishment at Royal Hampshire Hospital in Winchester.   21. St Ann’s Hospital, Dorset South West Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust New build on existing site for Child and Adult Mental Health Services in Dorset.   22. North Manchester General Hospital North West Manchester University Hospitals Foundation Trust Rebuild of North Manchester General Hospital provide new healthcare facilities to replace poor estate and provide better patient environment.   23. Dorchester Community Hospital, Dorset South West Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust New build of Dorchester Community Hospital on site and also to build new ED and ICU. Service model sees better integration of the DGH with GP and community services in a new hospital.   24. Poole Community Hospital, Dorset South West Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Poole Community hospital with theatres and sterile services. Part of the ‘One Dorset Estate’ which links acute and community services to reduce pressure.   25. North Devon District Hospital South West Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust Rebuild of North Devon District Hospital to provide new healthcare facilities to replace ageing estate and enable the delivery of new models of care at.   26. James Paget Hospital , Great Yarmouth East of England James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of James Paget Hospital.   27. Kettering General Hospital Midlands Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Kettering General. Options being developed to move to a hot/cold configuration or a single site rebuild.   28. Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham City Hospital Midlands Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Rebuild of both the Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital sites.   29. Royal Preston and Lancaster Royal Infirmary North West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals and University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Planned replacement of Royal Preston and Lancaster Royal Infirmary, where subject to consultation either a single or two hospitals with appropriate re-provision of 3 community urgent care hubs and 3 out of hospital hubs will result.   30. Bournemouth Community Hospital, Dorset South West Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Bournemouth Community Hospital   31. Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton South West Somerset NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Musgrove Park Hospital   32. Torbay District General, Torquay South West Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Torbay Hospital. New smaller acute ‘hot’ hospital, a ‘cold’ elective centre and monies for a collaborative North East South elective centre all underpinned by an EPR system and technology enabled care.   33. Addenbrookes Cancer hospital East of England Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust New cancer hospital at Addenbrookes   34. Royal United Bath Hospital South West Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Foundation Trust A new Cancer Hospital, completing a programme of phased capital work at the Royal United Hospitals Bath (RUH) which has specifically aimed to deliver a new Cancer Hospital, reduce critical areas of organisational risk and improve the quality of the environment for service delivery across the northern part of the Combe Park estate   35. Cornwall Children’s Hospital South West Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust New Women’s and Children’s Hospital in the centre of the Royal Cornwall Hospital site in Truro.   36. Derriford Emergency Care Hospital South West Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust A new integrated emergency care hospital, bringing all urgent care into one emergency care hospital, with dedicated areas for children and frail patients.   37. St Mary’s Hospital, London London Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Rebuild of St Mary’s Paddington   38. Charing Cross Hospital, London London Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Rebuild of Hammersmith Hospital, new clinical academic redevelopment near ICL White City Campus, co-located with Imperial College biomedical campus at White City. Major floor-by-floor refurbishment of Charing Cross.   39. Christchurch Community hospital, Dorset South West Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust Rebuild of Christchurch Community hospital, Implementing. Consolidating services into new community hubs, with associated investment in DGH and mental health care. 1 additional 40. Shotley Bridge Hospital, Durham North East & Yorkshire County Durham New hospital including inpatient beds, with unscheduled care, outpatient activity, chemotherapy and diagnostics to replace the existing Shotley Bridge Hospital. Open competition Competition to find 8 further new schemes Various Various Competition for 8 further hospitals including new Mental Health Hospitals

Thank you Madam President,

The United Kingdom thanks the Independent Expert for her work and strongly supports the extension of her mandate. We welcome the report’s recommendations, and emphasise the importance of delivering the commitments the Somali Government made at the 2019 Somalia Partnership Forum, where they adopted the Mutual Accountability Framework which includes work to improve human rights and deliver more inclusive politics.

We welcome the progress described in the report and recognise the positive role of the Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development in championing human rights, including those of women and girls who have been disproportionally impacted by COVID-19.

However, we remain deeply concerned by persistent insecurity and its cost in civilian lives; the marginalisation of displaced people, minorities and women; continuing sexual and gender-based violence; and restrictions on freedom of expression. A lack of accountability for perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses persists. We urge the Somali authorities to strengthen the rule of law and bring an end to impunity, including by establishing a National Human Rights Commission.

Ms Dyfan

How can the international community support women and girls to make their voices heard in the debate around the ‘Sexual Intercourse Related Crimes Bill?’

This is the latest in a series of flights which has brought asylum seekers to the UK from Greece to reunite with family, demonstrating that throughout the pandemic, the UK has remained open and fully committed to family reunification.

Around two thirds of the group were children, who will now be supported by their UK family.

The 28 are a mix of Afghan, Iraqi, Kuwaiti, Syrian and Bangladeshi nationals. Five arrived on Monday, eight on Tuesday and seven yesterday (Thursday). The remaining eight will arrive today (Friday). The youngest of the group was aged six, while the oldest was 42.

Through resettlement schemes, the UK resettles more refugees than any other country in Europe and are in the top five countries worldwide. Since September 2015, more than 25,000 vulnerable refugees have been resettled, with around half being children.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

I am delighted that we can bring families, who have suffered the trauma of being separated, back together. These individuals, most of whom are children, are now able to be in the UK alongside their loved ones.

Such arrivals show that our commitment to those in need of protection has not waivered, even in the midst of a global pandemic.

Legal and viable routes to the UK demonstrate that it is not necessary for people to try and reach the UK via dangerous journeys, such as across the Channel.

The UK granted protection to more than 6,320 children in the year ending June 2020 and more than 44,600 children since 2010 through a range of legal pathways, including asylum and through world leading refugee resettlement schemes.

The group were transferred to the UK under the Dublin Regulation and will now be allowed to have their asylum claim assessed alongside their family members.

The UK has a proud tradition of providing safe and legal routes to the UK and has continued to honour its commitments under the Dublin Regulation throughout the Pandemic and the transition period.

Even beyond the transition period, the UK has committed to continue to process all family reunion applications made before the 1 January.

The UK also presented a genuine and sincere offer to the EU on a future reciprocal arrangement for the family reunion of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. On 19 May the government published a draft legal text as a constructive contribution to negotiations.