Queen's Speech 2022 - Foreign Affairs

Foreign Affairs

● These are anxious times. We have seen a breakdown in the international order and a sovereign state being brutally invaded, causing humanitarian disaster and carnage across the global economy. We are taking a leading role defending freedom and democracy so that our values prevail.

Ukraine and the response to Russian aggression

• ●  Russia’s assault on Ukraine is an unprovoked, premeditated and barbaric attack against a sovereign democratic state.

• ●  The UK and our international partners stand united in condemning the Russian government’s reprehensible actions, which are an egregious violation of international law and the UN Charter.

• ●  It is clear the Russian government was never serious about engaging in diplomacy and was focussed only on deceit and furthering its territorial ambitions.

• ●  As a free and democratic country Ukraine has the right to determine its own future. To ensure the security and defence of all our Allies, we will continue to work together to ensure that Russia cannot further undermine European stability.

• ●  We hold the people of Ukraine in our hearts and minds at this terrible moment in their nation’s history. The UK has done everything possible to help Ukraine.

• ●  Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the UK has committed over £450 million in lethal aid to Ukraine, with the Prime Minister recently announcing plans to provide an additional package of £300 million. This has been designed in consultation with the Armed Forces of Ukraine to support their most pressing military needs. We were the first European country to provide weapons and we continue to work closely with President Zelenskyy to provide the ongoing military support that he requires.

• ●  The UK’s total offer of humanitarian and economic support to Ukraine now totals around £400 million, including £220 million of humanitarian aid, making the UK a leading bilateral humanitarian donor to Ukraine. Over five million items of medical supplies have been given to Ukraine by the UK.

• ●  The Government has launched two uncapped visa schemes for Ukrainians who wish to come to the UK and is providing support to help those displaced within Ukraine and in the region. More than 200,000 individuals and organisations have registered their interest under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, which is a testament to the generosity of the British public.

• ●  We are moving as quickly as possible to ensure that those fleeing horrific persecution in Ukraine can find safety in the UK through the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine – with more than 95,500 visas now issued.

• ●  Together with our allies we are making Russia pay the price, and are demonstrating the strength of opposition against Russian aggression.

• ●  We have introduced the largest and most severe package of sanctions ever imposed on Russia or indeed any major economy. From banks to oil companies, football leagues to singing competitions, it has been clear that the Putin regime will bear the cost of its actions. We have now sanctioned over 1,000 individuals and over 100 entities since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

• ●  We will continue to support the Ukrainian government in the face of this assault on their sovereignty and territorial integrity. The UK and the international community stand against this naked aggression and for freedom, democracy and the sovereignty of nations around the world.

• ●  The Government has also made it a criminal offence for Russian aircraft to operate in UK airspace and have barred Russian ships from the UK.

• ●  As set out in the recent British Energy Security Strategy, by the end of 2022 the UK will end all dependency on Russian coal and oil and will end imports of gas as soon as possible thereafter.

• ●  Disinformation is part of Russia’s playbook, aimed at solidifying domestic support for the war and undermining international support for Ukraine. We have created a new Government Information Cell, made up of experts from across Government, to identify, assess and counter Kremlin disinformation.

• ●  The UK has played a leading role in coordinating global action in support of Ukraine, and the international community has demonstrated unprecedented unity against Russia’s illegal invasion.

  Defending democracies and freedoms

• ●  As the world’s fifth largest economy, we are standing up for freedom and democracy, and building a network of liberty. This is even more important in a time of global instability.

• ●  The Government is developing strong security links with like-minded allies around the world, so that we can be hard-headed in defending our interests.

• ●  The UK is committed to being a force for good in the world, promoting human rights, open societies and democracy.

• ●  We have used, and will continue to use 2022 as a year of action to protect and promote human rights, including through leading on UN Human Rights Council resolutions on the situations in Syria and South Sudan, and a joint statement on Xinjiang. We are also hosting international conferences on Freedom of Religion and Belief and Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict.

• ●  Protecting British nationals around the world is a number one priority. We worked tirelessly to secure the release of dual nationals Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori from Iran, after years in detention. The Government has a presence in 168 countries, in 280 overseas embassies and high commissions to provide 24/7 support to British nationals abroad.

• ●  We continue to push the Taliban in Afghanistan to improve human rights, including in relation to the rights of women and girls, reprisals against former members of the Afghan security forces, and the persecution of minorities and to support the work of aid agencies and civil society in Afghanistan.

• ●  The Government will continue to stand up for the rights of the people in Hong Kong. The UK has made clear to Chinese authorities our strong opposition to the national security law, which is being used to curtail freedoms and punish dissent. That is why we can no longer endorse UK serving judges sitting on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.

• ●  We will continue to do all we can to prevent sexual violence in conflict. In November, we will host an international conference to mark ten years since the launch of the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, where further action to tackle these issues will be agreed.

• ●  Since the launch of this Initiative in 2012, the UK has committed over £50 million and funded more than 85 projects across 29 countries to prevent and respond to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence. We have trained over 17,000 police and military personnel and have deployed the UK Team of Experts over 90 times to build the capacity of governments, the UN, and Non-Governmental Organisations. Deployments have included Ethiopia, Mali, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Uganda.

• ●  This summer, the Government will come together with partners from around the world for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda. This will mark the culmination of four years as chair-in-office, during which the UK has worked hard to build a fairer, more sustainable, more secure and more prosperous future for the 2.5 billion people of the Commonwealth.

Building security and defence partnerships

• ●  In line with the objectives of the Integrated Review, the Government is building a network of security and defence partnerships to protect our people, our partners and our freedoms, including on the high seas.

• ●  We are also forging cyber security partnerships with allies around the world, from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to India, Canada and more.

• ●  The Government is also building our traditional security capabilities, including through the decisions taken at the 2020 Spending Review to provide the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War. We have devoted over two per cent of our GDP to defence, making us Europe’s largest NATO contributor.

• ●  The Government is steadfast in support of NATO, the Five Eyes intelligence partnership with the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and the Five Power Defence Arrangements, with Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore.

• ●  By joining forces with the US and Australia on our AUKUS partnership, we are deepening our engagement in the Indo-Pacific and securing a world free from aggression where nations respect the sovereignty of others. Together we will champion fair play, security and the rule of law.

• ●  As the Integrated Review sets out, Europe remains a critical area of focus for the UK’s security. Russia is the most acute threat in the region, and its war with Ukraine underlines the importance of the UK maintaining strong ties with its allies, particularly those in the European neighbourhood.

  International development and aid

• ●  The Government is a world leading donor of aid and funding for development and will spend more than £10 billion this year to fight poverty, tackle climate change and improve global health.

• ●  As one of the largest donors in the G7, we will ensure aid is spent even more effectively in 2022 to address global challenges while working in the UK’s national interest.

• ●  A revamped British International Investment will provide honest, responsible investment to create new markets and develop sustainable infrastructure in Africa, the Caribbean and the Indo-Pacific. This will support our aim to mobilise up to £8 billion of UK-backed financing a year by 2025, partnering with capital markets and sovereign wealth funds to co-invest in projects and increase the offer further. British International Investment will also deliver for people here in the UK – investments abroad will generate export opportunities in the UK, creating jobs across the country.

• ●  The Government will launch a new development strategy in the coming months. It will commit to stepping up the UK’s response to humanitarian crises around the world and ensure our development policies support our belief in freedom and democracy.

• ●  The UK is a world leader in championing girls’ education. Between 2015-20 we supported over eight million girls to gain a decent education. As G7 President and hosts of the Global Education Summit and COP in 2021, we led the world in prioritising girls’ education as part of the global COVID-19 recovery.

• ●  With the G7, we agreed new targets to get 40 million more girls in school and 20 million more girls reading by 2026.

• ●  Last year, the UK co-hosted the Global Education Summit which raised vital funds for the Global Partnership for Education and to give 175 million children the opportunity to learn.

• ●  We condemn the attacks on schools in Ukraine and are working with partners to ensure that children continue to have safe access to education in affected countries.

• ●  In Afghanistan, we continue to press the Taliban to reverse their decision and allow all girls to attend school.

• ●  We are committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan and continue to do all we can to respond to the growing humanitarian crisis faced across the region.

• ●  We will match our aid to Afghanistan from 2021-22 with a further £286 million in 2022-23. On 31 March, we co-hosted a UN pledging Conference to raise funds for the $4.4 billion UN humanitarian appeal for Afghanistan. The summit raised $2.4 billion by more than 40 donors to strengthen our global humanitarian response to Afghanistan and neighbouring countries.

  Climate and Nature

• ●  On climate, the UK continues to lead international climate action through our COP26 Presidency, and is working with Egypt as the incoming Presidency ahead of COP27 in November.

• ●  At COP26 almost 200 countries agreed to the historic Glasgow Climate Pact which has put in place the mechanisms to reshape how the world responds to and tackles climate change.

• ●  Glasgow’s legacy is focused on delivery. The UK COP Presidency will continue to ensure that commitments by countries are turned into action to keep the aim of limiting average global temperature rise to 1.5°C alive.

• ●  We will continue to build momentum on mobilising the $100 billion per year to support developing countries, including enhanced finance to help vulnerable countries cope with climate impacts.

• ●  Through the Clean Green Initiative, launched at COP26, the UK will work to support the development of country partnership platforms to make it easier for vulnerable countries to get access to climate finance.

  Key facts

● We are at the forefront of diplomatic, economic, humanitarian and defensive support to Ukraine. To date the Government has:

o sanctioned over 1,000 individuals, including 82 oligarchs and their family members, whose global net worth is estimated at £170 billion;

o issued more than 95,550 visas under the Ukrainian Visa Scheme (36,300 Ukraine Family Scheme and 59,100 Ukrainian Sponsorship Scheme);

o donated more than 500 mobile generators, providing vital energy support to essential services;

o provided £450 million in materiel, including over 5,000 anti-tank weapons, five air defence systems with 50 missiles, 1,360 anti-structure munitions and 4.5 tonnes of explosive. We were the first European country to provide weapons;

o provided training for Ukraine’s armed forces;
o held two international donor conferences (directly resulting in 2.5 million items

of equipment, amounting to over £1.5 billion, being donated to date); and o established logistics hubs to lead the coordination of delivery.

● As one of the largest aid donors to Ukraine, the Government has:

o pledged £394 million, of this £220 million is humanitarian aid and £174 million is economic and energy support;

o donated around 20 NHS ambulances to help bring lifesaving care to Ukrainians;

o launched a £10 million civil society fund to support organisations including those helping survivors of conflict-related sexual violence;

o committed $500 million economic support in loan guarantees to support Multilateral Development Banks, such as the World Bank;

o matched pound for pound the public’s first £25 million for the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal - now surpassing £200 million; and

o provided more than five million items of medical supplies. ● Since October 2021, UK aid to Afghanistan has:

o supported more than 60 hospitals;

o provided health services for more than 300,000 people;

o ensured 4.47 million people get emergency food assistance through the World Food Programme; and

o provided 6.1 million people with emergency health, water, protection, shelter, food and education support through the UN Afghanistan Humanitarian
Fund.

● We are helping those British people and eligible at risk Afghans still in Afghanistan to leave:

o under Operation PITTING, we evacuated around 15,000 people to the UK, including 8,300 British Nationals and their families, and 5,000 Afghans under the Afghan Relocations & Assistance Policy (ARAP); and

o since the end of Operation PITTING in August 2021, we have supported over 3,700 more people to leave Afghanistan, or to move from third countries to the UK.

• ●  Under the immigration path for British Nationals (Overseas), over 103,900 people from Hong Kong have applied and there have been over 97,000 applications granted (as of 31 December 2021).

• ●  With an aid budget over more than £10 billion, the UK is, proportionally, the third largest donor in the G7, spending 0.5 per cent of Gross National Income, despite the seismic impact of the pandemic on the UK and global economy.

• ●  We are the biggest NATO defence spender in Europe and are further strengthening this by investing an extra £24 billion in defence over four years – the biggest investment in the UK’s armed forces since the end of the Cold War.

• ●  At the Global Education Summit the UK pledged £430 million to the Global Partnership for Education to get the world’s most vulnerable children into school. This is the largest pledge the UK has ever made to the Partnership and the largest bilateral pledge so far.