Foreign Secretary will today (18 November) arrive
at the UN in New York during the UK's Presidency of the United
Nations Security Council.
The Foreign Secretary will chair a vote on a UK/Sierra
Leone-penned draft UN Security Council resolution on Sudan to
push for a national ceasefire, the protection of civilians and
the unrestricted passage of aid. He will tell the Security
Council: “the UK will never let Sudan be forgotten,” while
announcing a doubling of the UK's lifesaving aid for the
people of Sudan to £226 million.
In the UK's signature Security Council briefing on the Middle
East, the Foreign Secretary will call out Israel's restrictions
on humanitarian aid. He is expected to say: “400 days into this
war, it's harder than ever to get aid into Gaza. In October, just
37 humanitarian trucks entered the Strip each day. The
situation is intolerable.” He will use the UK's Security Council
Presidency to call for an immediate ceasefire, and the immediate
release of all hostages including British national Emily Damari.
He is expected to say, “We must not give up our pursuit of
a future where all people of the region can live side by side in
peaceful co-existence, Israelis and Palestinians amongst them.
Ending the war. Securing a lasting peace, with a two-state
solution at its core.”
On the eve of one thousand days of Putin's full-scale invasion of
Ukraine, the Foreign Secretary will host a second UK signature
Council meeting on Ukraine, joined by Ukrainian Foreign Minister
Andrii Sybiha. He will reaffirm the UK's ironclad support for
Ukraine. He is expected to say, “Ukraine and its partners want
peace. But we know that Putin only responds to strength. To have
a lasting peace, lasting security, we have got to stand strong.
That's what Ukraine is doing. That's what my Government has been
doing since coming into office. And we will keep standing with
Ukraine, until reality dawns in Moscow.” The Foreign Secretary
will join Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha at a UN
stakeout to give remarks to the press.
Ahead of arriving in New York, the Foreign Secretary
said:
“The world is facing more conflict now than at any point
since the second world war, with millions of people needlessly
suffering. Whether in the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine,
famine driven by civil war in Sudan or ongoing conflict in the
Middle East.
“As a founding member of the United Nations, it's imperative
that the UK uses its presidency of the UNSC to drive
diplomatic efforts to bring these conflicts to an end and work
with our partners to deliver peace and security.”
Notes to editors:
- At 0930ET/1430UK the Security
Council will begin with the adoption of the
UK/Sierra Leone-penned draft resolution
on Sudan. The session will be
livestreamed here.
- Immediately after this, starting
around ~1015ET/1515UK the Council will
have the Ministerial-level briefing on the Middle
East, one of the UK's signature Presidency meetings.
Special Coordinator Tor Wennesland will brief. The session will
be livestreamed here.
- At 1515ET/2015UK, the UK Foreign
Secretary will
give remarks to press at the UN
stakeout
alongside Ukrainian Foreign
Minister Andrii Sybiha. Their remarks will be
livestreamed here.
- At 1530ET/2030UK the Council will
have the Ministerial-level briefing on
Ukraine, another of the UK's signature Presidency
meetings. The session will be livestreamed here.
