Foreign Secretary begins his first overseas
trip in his new role today (Tuesday) – arriving at the United
Nations in New York for high-level talks as part of the
77th UN General Assembly (UNGA).
During his trip, alongside the Prime Minister, the Foreign
Secretary will meet his global counterparts to take action on a
series of global challenges, including Russia’s malign activity
and building stability in the Middle East.
Ahead of arriving in New York, Foreign Secretary said:
“We live in an increasingly unstable, divided world. As
Foreign Secretary, I will work to bring countries together to
tackle aggression, overcome challenges and promote our
democratic values. We will judge others on actions not
words.
“Every day the devastating consequences of Russia’s barbaric
tactics become clearer. There must be no impunity for Putin’s
hostility.”
His main event of the week will be a special UN Security Council
session on Thursday focusing on the situation in Ukraine and
ensuring that Russia does not get away with its actions
unpunished. The Foreign Secretary will give the UK’s intervention
at the meeting, exposing Russian aggression and tactics as they
seek to justify their illegal war.
Cleverly is due to have his first bilateral meeting in his new
role with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken later today
(Tuesday).
He is also due to meet Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba,
India’s Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Canada’s Melanie Joly
tomorrow (Wednesday) and Australia’s Penny Wong on Thursday.
On arrival in New York, he is due to attend a global food
security event hosted by the United States, European Union and
African Union as 50 million people worldwide face being just
one-step away from famine.
Also this week, the Foreign Secretary will join partners,
including fellow G7 Foreign Ministers, for an event on nuclear
safety, as concerns around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station
in Ukraine continue to grow.
Stability in the Middle East will be a recurring theme on the
agenda in New York, with discussions set to take place on Yemen,
Syria and the Gulf.
