As this is the first time I’m taking the floor, I would like to say farewell to all those who are leaving us and thank them for their cooperation and friendship. I wish you all the best.

We have heard from many this morning about the scale of the COVID-19 crisis, and what it means for the global economy.

One thing we all know to be true is that, while this pandemic began as a global health crisis, it is now morphing into a global economic crisis in which no country will be spared.

In the 1930s, the crisis caused by the financial crash of 1929 led to unrestrained protectionism which enormously exacerbated the scale of global economic devastation that followed. This period is not known as the Great Depression for nothing.

Today, we are seeing an increase in protectionism in response to this pandemic, compounding an unprecedented collapse in global trade, as a consequence of the global lockdown.

It is not an exaggeration to say that we risk another Great Depression if we don’t take action, collectively, to protect the global trading system from serious long-term damage.

So what does that mean for our deliberations today?

First, we cannot afford a leadership vacuum between Roberto’s departure and his successor taking up the helm. If we want the World Trade Organization to be relevant in this crisis, we need a sense of urgency.

Second, the United Kingdom supports and open transparent and inclusive process, but we believe that this is possible if we make it a priority and accept that this will rely on virtual meetings.

Third, I urge colleagues to make the case to our capitals about why this should be a priority precisely because strong leadership by the WTO will be one of the best ways we can minimize the damage this virus is doing to the global economy, and accelerate the process of building back better.

The United Kingdom will be offering our strong support to Ambassador Walker’s efforts to run consultations in line with expedited deadlines, as necessary for this selection process; and we will be working with all other WTO Members to help facilitate the smoothest possible process to select a successor.

The United Kingdom is providing further assistance to Pakistan in the fight to stop the spread of the coronavirus and mitigate its impacts, by providing aid for the most vulnerable, and boosting wider public health communications.

This latest £4.39m package of support includes:

Being the first donor to contribute to Pakistan’s Humanitarian Pooled Fund (PHPF)

UK aid support for PHPF will help provide comprehensive support to fight the coronavirus and help those impacted indirectly by the crisis. This includes supporting emergency response systems and providing assistance towards food security, sanitation and hygiene, mental health and psychological support.

Supporting Aawaz II, which aims to empower and protect women and children

This joint programme from UNICEF, UNFPA and UN Women will provide support to nearly 10,000 women and children who face violence in their own home through, the Aawaz helplines staffed by men and women trained in the provision of psychosocial support and referral services. The Aawaz programme will also reach nearly 2 million people with messages fighting against stigma and discrimination as a result of coronavirus;

Supporting the Khairkhwah information campaign

The Khairkhwah campaign – which means Well Wisher – on TV and radio will reach up to 80 million people with messages on how to taking appropriate safety measures to reduce the spread of coronavirus in communities, as well as tackling coronavirus misinformation. This campaign will reach those living in rural and semi-urban areas who may otherwise struggle to get the latest information.

Lord Ahmad, UK Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth said:

By supporting the poorest and most vulnerable people, especially those facing discrimination and by spreading information on how to protect against coronavirus, we can save lives. The UK is proud to support Pakistan, and through our investment in international vaccine research and the Global Vaccine Alliance, we will help end this pandemic sooner and prevent future waves of infection.

The UK stands with you in these difficult times.

The British High Commissioner Dr Christian Turner CMG said:

Pakistan has shown international leadership in its response, balancing the need to keep healthy, with growing the economy and protecting the poorest. Friends must stand together at difficult times.

Although we are socially distancing, we are not apart.

Head of Office for the UK’s Department for International Development in Pakistan, Annabel Gerry, said:

It is increasingly important that we work together to help those who are the most vulnerable. This is why I am proud that UK aid will be there for the women and children who face increased threats of violence and stigma in their own home and need access to these support services.

The UK is playing a leading role in the global effort to tackle coronavirus, including on vaccine development, strengthening health systems and support for the global economy. On 4 June the UK will host the Global Vaccine Summit, to raise money to ensure Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, can vaccinate 300 million more children against infectious diseases including in Pakistan. By working together as international partners to defeat this pandemic, we are all safer.

Note to editors:

• High Commissioner’s video message to mark the announcement;
• The UK is repurposing its Department for International Development (DFID) aid programme to focus on coronavirus. This includes providing immediate health and humanitarian assistance to detect the virus, boost local health systems, and protect communities.
• The PHPF funding of £2.5m is linked to strategic objectives outlined in the Pakistan Preparedness and Response Plan and Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Pakistan.
• In partnership with the UN Joint Programs team £888,337 is being provided to fund psychosocial support services for women and girls who face violence in the home, as well as raising awareness for precautionary measures against coronavirus and its symptoms.
• The Khairkhwah campaign has been delivered by Icarus for radio and M&C Saatchi for TV.
• UK aid helps to tackle the global challenges of our time and is building a safer, healthier, more prosperous world.
• The UK has so far pledged £764 million of UK aid to end the coronavirus pandemic as quickly as possible. By preventing the virus from spreading in vulnerable countries, we will save millions of lives around the world and reduce the risk of future waves of infection.
• The UK is leading international efforts to develop a coronavirus vaccine. We have provided £250 million of UK aid to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to rapidly develop a coronavirus vaccine, the biggest donation of any country.
• The UK has pledged £200 million to help global organisations and charities tackle coronavirus in vulnerable countries. This includes £130 million for UN appeals, including £65 million for the World Health Organization (WHO); £50 million for International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement appeals; and £20 million for international NGOs, including UK charities, to tackle the virus.
• The UK has allocated £150 million to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Catastrophe Containment Relief Trust (CCRT) to help developing countries meet their debt repayments so that they can focus their available resources on tackling coronavirus.

For further information:

For updates on the British High Commission, please follow our social media channels:

The UK and Poland have signed a treaty that secures the right of British and Polish citizens to stand and vote in local elections in each other’s countries following the UK’s exit from the EU. This ensures that British people living in Poland and Polish citizens living in the UK have the right to choose who represents them in local government in the country where they reside.

The treaty was signed by the UK’s Ambassador to Poland, Jonathan Knott and the Polish Secretary of State for Legal and Treaty Affairs, Piotr Wawrzyk, today (Friday 29 May) in Warsaw.

Foreign Office Minister for the European Neighbourhood, Wendy Morton, said:

We have protected the rights of nearly a million British and Polish citizens who live and work in each other’s countries. This treaty underlines our countries’ shared commitment to democracy and is a testament to the close ties between the UK and Poland, and our people. These ties have never been more important, as our countries work in partnership to overcome the global challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

British Ambassador to Poland, Jonathan Knott said:

We have been determined that the difficult working environments we are all operating in due to the coronavirus pandemic should be no barrier to ensuring the rights of UK nationals living in Poland to elect their local representatives for many years to come, rights that will also be protected for Polish nationals living in the UK. I’m delighted we have reached this agreement – a sign of the depth of our bilateral relationship and the respect our countries have for each other.

Secretary of State for Legal and Treaty Affairs at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Piotr Wawrzyk, said:

Today’s ceremony of the signing of the Polish-British agreement on the electoral rights in the local elections in Poland and the United Kingdom bears a special, symbolic character. It is a proof that ties between Poland and the United Kingdom remain strong and resistant, also in the adverse circumstances of the global pandemic. Our relations have never been closer than they are today. Poland and Britain co-operate closely in many important areas, we are linked by many formats of bilateral co-operation, the most important of which being the annual Intergovernmental Consultations. The agreement signed today proves that both countries want to maintain the closest relations possible, also following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.

This document, however, has – first and foremost – a human and civic dimension. It strengthens the ties between our countries by building a sense of the Polish-British community on the local level, both here in Poland, and in Britain. The effect of our joint efforts is confirmation of the full electoral rights at the local level for Poles living in the United Kingdom, as well as for the British people who chose Poland as their home.

I am convinced that the agreement will serve to further strengthen our strategic relations, which will continue to grow also after the end of the transitional period.

Poland’s Ambassador to the UK, Arkady Rzegocki said:

On behalf of Poles living and working in the United Kingdom, I would like to express great satisfaction at the fact that they will be able to continue to take an active part in the political life of their local communities. The ability for Poles to choose their representatives in local authorities, but also to apply for the positions of councillors and mayors, is of great significance not only for increasing the visibility of our compatriots in the United Kingdom – who have lived here for generations and have contributed significantly to the British cultural, economic and social life – but it also gives practical tools to implement their important demands.

This is another proof of how the Polish government is determined that the rights of Poles are not weakened after the UK exits the EU.

Poland is the fourth country to sign a voting rights treaty with the UK, following treaties signed with Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg last year.