This initiative further strengthens the relationship between the two central banks and is part of the UK’s broader efforts to support economic prosperity in South Africa, which also includes sponsoring the recently published IFC study: Creating Markets in South Africa: Country Private Sector Diagnostic.

The programme, financed by the UK government’s Prosperity Fund delivered 7 successful workshops during its pilot phase. Under the broad umbrella of financial stability, these included:

• developing tools to better measure systemic risk and vulnerabilities in the financial sector
• developing prudential policies for the insurance sector
• dealing with volatile capital flows considering the interplay between macro-prudential and monetary policy
• best practice in resolving failing banks that have cross-border operations

Confirming the programme’s continuation, Governors Carney and Kganyago exchanged letters expressing their satisfaction with the proposed co-operation under the second stage of the relationship between the SARB and the BoE. This will consist of both bilateral events and others that support SARB in its role as a regional leader, including on cross-border banking stability and central bank communication.

Published 7 November 2019

I, too, would like to thank the prosecutor for briefing the Council in her 18th report on the situation in Libya.

The United Kingdom strongly supports the work of the International Criminal Court. Its role in holding accountable those responsible for the most serious crimes in Libya is of paramount importance. And this is especially so given recent flagrant breaches of international humanitarian law and human rights violations and abuses, including the targeting of civilian infrastructure, such as the Tajura Detention Center in July, as she set out. The conflict is having an unacceptable impact on civilians, including migrants and refugees. And the United Kingdom is clear that civilians should be protected and that those responsible for violations should be held accountable. The ICC is crucial to this.

International criminal justice is a collective effort. States should ensure cooperation and fulfill their obligations. We support the prosecutor’s call for all relevant states, including state parties and non-state parties, to cooperate with the ICC in the arrest and surrender of warranted individuals. And we share concerns reports of Mr Al-Werfalli’s promotion within the Libyan National Army and the ICC’s call on General Haftar to facilitate his immediate surrender.

It’s clear that the ongoing conflict is having an unacceptable impact on the humanitarian and human rights situation in Libya. We call on all member states to continue to engage with UN-led efforts to secure greater security and stability. We all know that there is no military solution to Libya’s problems. All parties to the conflict should commit to an immediate ceasefire and respect their obligations under international humanitarian law.

The indiscriminate shelling of civilian infrastructure, such as Matenga Airport, threatens Libyan lives and livelihoods and is unacceptable. The United Kingdom remains particularly concerned over the disappearance of MP Siham Sergewa in July 2019. And we reiterate our condolences following the car bomb attack in Benghazi, which killed five people, including three UN staff members.

Support for international criminal justice is a fundamental part of our foreign policy and the British government strongly supports the ICC’s role in pursuing accountability in Libya. The United Kingdom has always been and remains a strong supporter of the mission of the ICC to hold accountable those accused of the most serious crimes, to uphold the rule of law and to achieve justice for victims. We will continue to support the prosecutor and your team, Madam Prosecutor, as you pursue your investigations.

The United Kingdom recognises San Marino’s progress since its 2014 review. We welcome the engagement with civil society during the preparation of the previous San Marino national report, during which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs engaged with every San Marino non-governmental organisation. We also commend the recent inclusion of protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation in San Marino’s constitution.

The UK welcomes the ratification of the regulation of civil unions, which marks a significant step towards equal rights for LGBT individuals. We do, however, remain concerned that this only extends some of the legal effects to same-sex couples and therefore does not grant full equality. We encourage San Marino to recognise same-sex marriage.

We also note reports that strict defamation laws can cause self-censorship among journalists. We urge the government to promote and protect freedom of expression for all.

We recommend that San Marino:

1. Develop a multi-disciplinary framework for the proactive identification of victims of trafficking, involving law enforcement agencies, labour inspections, health-care staff, social workers and child protection authorities, with particular attention to at-risk sectors, for referral to assistance and support.

2. Adopt an open, merit-based process when selecting national candidates for UN Treaty Body elections.

3. Ensure that the legislation to regulate journalism and the Code of Conduct do not lead to undue restrictions on media freedom.

Published 6 November 2019

On Tuesday 5 November, on what was the Western Front just over a century ago, a soldier of The Essex Regiment and an unknown soldier of an unknown regiment, who were killed during the Great War, were finally laid to rest with full military honours. The ceremony took place at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) New Irish Farm Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium and was conducted by the Reverend Paul Whitehead CF, Chaplain to 3rd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment.

The service was organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, who also try to make an identification when British remains are found.

Rosie Barron, JCCC said:

This burial service has been especially poignant as we build up to Remembrance Sunday. Although it has not been possible to identify them, these two men have now been laid to rest alongside their comrades. Today we remember their sacrifices and the loved ones they left behind who mourned for them.

The Reverend Whitehead said:

Although we do not know these young men’s names, every person is created in God’s image. It is a fitting tribute to pray and personally commit them into the hands of our heavenly Father who has always known them intimately by name.

The remains of these two soldiers were found alongside twenty-one others during ground work at an industrial development at Briekestraat, just north of Ypres. The location, thought to be the original Irish Farm Cemetery, is an original wartime cemetery created by 1st Battalion The Royal Fusiliers under war conditions. Until the discovery, it was believed that all those buried there had been transferred to the New Irish Farm Cemetery, some 300 metres away, after the war.

Nineteen of the twenty-four soldiers found were buried with full military honours on 28 September 2017. Five were not buried at the time as it was thought that they may be identifiable. Two soldiers of The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) were buried on 9 October 2019.

One of the soldiers buried today was found with shoulder titles of The Essex Regiment and a Church of England Men’s Society pendant. Research carried out by the JCCC War Detectives showed that this soldier most likely died between May and September 1915. Due to the high number of soldiers of 2nd Battalion The Essex Regiment who were killed in the area in 1915, the soldier could not be named.

No artefacts were found with the second soldier which would enable him to be identified.

The burial service was supported by current soldiers of 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment who supplied a bearer party and a firing party for the ceremony.

The graves will now be marked by headstones provided by the CWGC, who will care for their final resting place in perpetuity.

Geert Bekaert, CWGC Central European Area Director said:

Although it has not been possible to identify these casualties by name, we are honoured to lay them to rest with respect and dignity alongside their comrades at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s New Irish Farm Cemetery. We proudly mark their graves, ensuring that their service and sacrifice will not be forgotten. The Commission will care for them, together with all of those who served and fell.

To build on this momentum, the British Embassy in Paris, in collaboration with the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recently launched an open competition to fund Franco-British partnership projects. We were particularly looking for modern and innovative partnerships, with clear objectives and a positive impact on both the local community and the bilateral relationship. We also wanted projects that responded to the main priorities identified at the Mayors’ Summit:

• protecting the environment and tackling climate change
• promoting innovation and digital and increasing regional attractiveness
• promoting culture, heritage and sports at local level

We received 47 applications from across France and the UK. After a selection process, we are delighted to support seven:

• Bristol (UK) and Bordeaux (FR): A project to jointly understand how the two cities manage a shared history of slavery and how they fight against racism today
• Greater Manchester (UK) and Montpellier Metropole (FR): An exchange of experts from both cities to encourage advancements in the field of health innovation and develop a programme of collaboration
• Glasgow (UK) and Marseille (FR): An exchange exploring how to create infrastructure that increases the production of accessible art
• Jersey and the South Coast of England (UK) and Ille-et-Villaine (FR): A new group bringing together a range of actors to facilitate business exchange, starting with digital
• Kent (UK) and Pas de Calais/Hauts de France (FR): A conference to formalise the framework for a new way of working between local authorities on either side of the Dover Straits (i.e economic, transport and environmental issues, young people and promoting the culture, heritage and attractiveness of coastal and local communities)
• Newcastle (UK) and Nancy (FR): An exchange of hospital staff to share their experience of the impact of ecological transition within hospitals
• Plymouth (UK) and Brest (FR): A project to tackle energy poverty that would see experts exchange best practice following case studies in their cities

The range of these projects and partnerships reflect the diversity of the bilateral relationship between the UK and France. We hope that concrete outcomes from the projects will encourage others to collaborate and explore the benefits of joint working in the future.

Published 6 November 2019