Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

The UK has some of the most robust export licencing criteria in the world, which states that the Government will not issue export licences if there is a clear risk that the items might be used in violations of International Humanitarian Law. We have deemed that there is such a risk and have taken the necessary decision under our domestic legislation. The Foreign Secretary made an Oral Statement to update the House on this decision on 2 September. Other countries have their own processes. We will continue to work closely with our allies, including the USA and European countries, on Middle East issues, including the crucial priority of a ceasefire.

The UK Government is absolutely committed to pushing the Government of India for faster progress in resolving Jagtar Singh Johal's case. The Foreign Secretary raised concerns on multiple occasions with the Government of India, including regarding Mr Johal's allegations of torture. Most recently, he raised Mr Johal's case with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on 24 July during his first official visit to India in this role. Consular staff regularly visit Mr Johal to check on his welfare, most recently on 21 August.

We are clear that International Humanitarian Law and the rules-based order must be upheld, and civilians protected. From the Prime Minister down, we have repeatedly urged Israel to improve aid access, minimise civilian casualties and engage seriously with negotiations for a ceasefire deal.

Given the grave concerns about the conduct and consequences of the war in Gaza for civilians, on day one in office, the Foreign Secretary commissioned a thorough review into Israel's compliance with International Humanitarian Law. The review concluded that there is a clear risk that some items might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) as part of Israel's military operations in Gaza, and - in line with domestic legislation - suspended these exports. The Foreign Secretary set out this decision to the House on 2 September. The Foreign Secretary spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Katz on 2 September, and on 3 September spoke with Israeli Ambassador Tzipi Hotovely, to discuss the UK's review of export licenses.

The Government will continue to use every diplomatic lever to bring about a ceasefire. It is clear that a ceasefire would not only protect civilians in Gaza, but also pave the way for wider de-escalation and bring much needed stability for the Middle East.

The UK's position is clear. Settlements are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. We recognise settlements have reached record levels in the past year and have been accompanied by an increase in settler violence. We urge Israel to take greater action to hold violent settlers to account. During his visit in July, the Foreign Secretary met Palestinians displaced in the West Bank. He was horrified to hear of acts of violence carried out by settlers. The UK has sanctioned eight people and two entities responsible for perpetrating, inciting, and promoting human rights abuses against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. While we do not comment on specific cases, we keep all these issues under review, and we discuss them with our closest allies. The Foreign Secretary was clear with PM Netanyahu on his visit to Israel and the OPTs (July 2024) that the Israeli government must clamp down on settler violence and end settlement expansion.

The UK's position is clear. Settlements are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. We recognise settlements have reached record levels in the past year and there has been an increase in settler violence. We urge Israel to take greater action to hold violent settlers to account. The UK strongly condemns settler violence and provocative remarks such as those made by Israel's National Security Minister Ben-Gvir which threaten the status quo of the Holy Sites in Jerusalem. The UK has sanctioned eight people and two entities responsible for perpetrating, inciting, and promoting human rights abuses against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. We keep all these issues under review and we discuss them with our closest allies.

The UK's position is clear. Settlements are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. We recognise settlements have reached record levels in the past year and there has been an increase in settler violence. We urge Israel to take greater action to hold violent settlers to account. During his visit in July, the Foreign Secretary met Palestinians displaced in the West Bank. He was horrified to hear of acts of violence carried out by settlers. The Israeli Government has seized more of the West Bank in 2024 than in the past 20 years. This is completely unacceptable. The UK strongly condemns settler violence and provocative remarks such as those made by Israel's National Security Minister Ben-Gvir, which threaten the status quo of the Holy Sites in Jerusalem. The UK has sanctioned eight people and two entities responsible for perpetrating, inciting, and promoting human rights abuses against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. We keep all these issues under review, and we discuss them with our closest allies.

The Foreign Secretary has raised the UK's concerns about settlement expansion and settlers with Israeli Ministers. The UK's position is clear. Settlements are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. During his visit in July, the Foreign Secretary met Palestinians displaced in the West Bank. He was horrified to hear of acts of violence carried out by settlers. The UK strongly condemns settler violence and provocative remarks such as those made by Israel's National Security Minister Ben-Gvir, which threaten the status quo of the Holy Sites in Jerusalem.

The UK is concerned by the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) ongoing military operation in the occupied West Bank and attacks by Palestinian militants. We recognise Israel's need to defend itself against security threats, but we are worried by the methods Israel has employed and by reports of civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. The risk of instability is serious and the need for de-escalation urgent. As our statement on 30 August made clear, we continue to call on the Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions.

HMG Ministers and officials at the British Embassy in Cairo continue to raise Mr Alaa Abd El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian government at the highest levels. They have been consistently clear in calling for his release and continue to press for urgent consular access. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on 7 August and the Prime Minister raised Mr El-Fattah's case with President Sisi on 8 August.

It is vital that the Government of Iraq keep Iraqi militia groups in line and ensure democracy is adhered to. We are closely monitoring the impact of developments in Nineveh on the safety of Nineveh's Christian community.

The UK is firmly committed to protecting the Christian community and other ethnic and religious minorities and are strong advocates of greater Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Iraq. We regularly engage with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on this issue, in particular the importance that minorities are included in national and local government as well as reconciliation efforts.

HMA Baghdad regularly engages with diplomatic colleagues in Iraq on a variety of topics, including the destabilising effects of militias in Iraq. It is vital that these groups are kept in line. We are closely monitoring the impact of developments in Nineveh on the safety of the region's Christian community, as well as other vulnerable communities.

The UK is firmly committed to protecting the Christian community and other ethnic and religious minorities and are strong advocates of greater Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Iraq. We regularly engage with the Government on this issue, in particular the importance that minorities are included in national and local government as well as reconciliation efforts.

HMA Baghdad has regular engagement with diplomatic colleagues as well as the Prime Minister of Iraq. We are closely monitoring the impact of these developments on the safety of Nineveh's Christian community.

The UK is firmly committed to protecting the Christian community and other ethnic and religious minorities and are strong advocates of greater Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Iraq. We regularly engage with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on this issue, in particular the importance that minorities are included in national and local government as well as reconciliation efforts.

The UK works with the Government of Uganda on a range of shared interests including trade, development, humanitarian support and regional security. We engage as a critical friend, and regularly raise concerns about governance and human rights issues with the Ugandan authorities.

The UK recognises the fundamental value of journalism in creating free and open societies, enabling people to learn about and understand their rights and holding governments to account. The British High Commission in Bangladesh regularly meet with journalists through the UK Government's engagement with the Media Freedom Coalition. The UK works with partners in the Media Freedom Coalition to advocate for media freedom and the safety of journalists. The UK raised protection of journalists and media freedom during the 44th Universal Periodic Review of Bangladesh in November 2023.

Building economic security is fully compatible with a push for growth. In an age of insecurity, a more resilient economy is essential to avoid geopolitical or climatic shocks leading to economic damage on the living standards of working people. Enhancing economic security helps safeguard longer-term growth, and strengthening and securing global supply chains is essential to the UK's future economic resilience.

This Government will bring a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing the UK's relations with China, driven by the national interest. We will co-operate where we can, including on global net zero, health and trade; compete where we have different interests; and challenge where we must, to protect our national security and values. We will improve the UK's capability to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities China poses through an audit of the UK's relationship with China as a bilateral and global actor.

The UK does not accept the legitimacy of the administration put in place by Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela in 2018. The UN was clear the outcome of the Venezuelan elections in July this year cannot be deemed credible without the National Electoral Council publishing full results. The Foreign Secretary has publicly called for the swift and transparent publication of full, detailed results to ensure that the outcome reflects the votes and the will of the Venezuelan people; this was echoed in a G7 statement on 31 July. The UK also joined a coalition of countries in signing a Dominican Republic-led regional statement on 16 August demanding an end to repression and respect for human rights.

The UK continues to pay testament to the millions of Venezuelans who turned out to vote in the presidential election on 28 July. Along with the UN and international allies, we remain deeply concerned about allegations of serious irregularities in the declared results. Despite repeated calls, Venezuela's National Electoral Council has still not produced full results or credible evidence of a victory for Nicolas Maduro. Publicly available records appear to show Edmundo Gonzalez secured the most votes by a significant margin.

The UK continues to work with international partners to achieve a peaceful solution in Venezuela. Dialogue remains the only solution to ensure that the will of all Venezuelans is respected.

As set out in the Foreign Secretary's statement to the House on 2 September, it is the assessment of this Government that Israel could reasonably do more to ensure that life-saving food and medical supplies reach civilians in Gaza. I raised this concern with Israeli Ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely during our meeting on 24 July, making clear that significantly more aid needed to be delivered for Israel to fulfil its commitment to 'flood' Gaza with aid.

We continue to press Israel for safe distribution of aid and an improved deconfliction mechanism to keep humanitarian operations safe from military operations. We have been clear that if Israel's personnel are responsible for incidents, they should be held accountable. All parties must abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law. This was raised by the Foreign Secretary in his visit to Israel on 16 August.

The Government is concerned by credible claims of mistreatment of detainees, which the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) cannot investigate, having been denied access to places of detention.  The treatment of detainees was a factor taken into account in our decision on arms export licences, as set out in the summary of the international humanitarian law (IHL) process, decision and the factors taken into account [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/summary-of-the-international-humanitarian-law-ihl-process-decision-and-the-factors-taken-into-account#:~:text=The%20government%20has%20conducted%20a%20thorough%20review%20of%20Israel%E2%80%99s%20compliance].

The Foreign Secretary made an Oral Statement to update the House on this decision on 2 September. The Foreign Secretary has repeatedly called for Israel to allow the ICRC access to detainees in accordance with International Humanitarian Law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention.

The UK unequivocally condemns all violations and abuses, including sexual violence and violence against children, and calls for all reports to be fully investigated to ensure justice for victims and survivors. The arrest and detention of children should follow due process, in line with international juvenile justice standards.

We have used our position as penholder at the UN Security Council to call meetings to call for a ceasefire, and for all warring parties to protect civilians in Sudan. On 13 June, the UNSC adopted a UK-led resolution 2736 demanding a halt to the Rapid Support Forces' siege of El Fasher and requesting the Secretary-General to provide recommendations on the protection of civilians. The UK is engaging closely with the UN on the development of those recommendations which will be released in October ahead of the next 120-day meeting on Sudan. I met with the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa to discuss pathways to ceasefire negotiations and we will continue to work alongside our international partners, including those in the region such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the AU, to urge the warring parties to engage constructively to secure a ceasefire.

The UK acknowledges acts of genocide were committed by Da'esh against Yazidis. The UK played a leading role in establishing the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da'esh/ISIL (UNITAD). UNITAD has collated and processed considerable evidence of Da'esh atrocities since 2017. It has contributed to addressing the legacy of Da'esh in Iraq, by generating high-quality evidence which has supported trials in third countries, and building capacity within the Iraqi judicial system. The UK will continue working with Iraq and international partners to ensure that Da'esh are held accountable for the crimes they have committed following UNITAD's closure.

The Foreign Secretary regularly speaks to his US counterpart about a wide range of issues. Our licencing decisions are based on our own processes and are not led by the decisions of others.

The UK's robust export licensing criteria states that the government will not issue export licences if the items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of International Humanitarian Law. On this basis, we have suspended certain export licences for items that could be used in the current conflict in Gaza. The UK is the only producer and supplier of certain critical components of the F-35, including a global pool of spare parts used to sustain and repair aircraft in service. Any suspension to Israel alone is not possible without undermining the programme overall, which would have serious implications for international peace and security.

Our licencing decisions are based on our own processes. At the present time exports to the F-35 Programme will be excluded from this suspension, except where the exports would go direct to Israel, for the reasons set out in the Foreign Secretary's statement on 2 September.

Successive UK Governments have regarded the status of Western Sahara as undetermined. The UK supports UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise. The UK continues to support UN-led efforts and, in particular, the work of Staffan de Mistura as Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara. Officials regularly discuss Western Sahara with international partners, including the UN, Morocco, and Algeria; we continue to encourage constructive engagement with the political process.

Successive UK Governments have regarded the status of Western Sahara as undetermined. The UK supports UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise. The UK continues to support UN-led efforts and, in particular, the work of Staffan de Mistura as Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Western Sahara. Officials regularly discuss Western Sahara with international partners, including the UN, Morocco, and Algeria; we continue to encourage constructive engagement with the political process.

We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions. The Government is deeply concerned by the ongoing IDF military operation in the occupied West Bank and the attacks from Palestinian militants. It is in no one's interest for further conflict and instability to spread in the West Bank.

The UK strongly condemns settler violence and provocative remarks such as those made by Israel's National Security Minister Ben-Gvir, which threaten the status quo of the Holy Sites in Jerusalem. The Foreign Secretary was clear with PM Netanyahu on his visit to Israel and the OPTs in July that the Israeli government must clamp down on settler violence and end settlement expansion. The UK has sanctioned eight people responsible for perpetrating and inciting human rights abuses against Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and two entities. We keep all these issues under review and continue to discuss them with our closest allies.

The UK assesses export licences against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria (SELC), which state that a licence will not be granted for an item if the Government determines there is a clear risk that it might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law. The export licences that were suspended by the government on 2 September effectively cover all arms exports for use in the current conflict in Gaza, except for those components for F-35 aircraft which, for reasons outlined in the Foreign Secretary's Statement and the Business and Trade Secretary's Written Ministerial Statement, have been excluded from the suspension.

The UK has highlighted and condemned human rights abuses at the UN Human Rights Council and Security Council, and directly with the warring parties. We continue to call for an end to the violence, and for those responsible for human rights abuses to be held to account. We are funding the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR), a research body which is gathering open-source evidence about abuses in Sudan, to amplify the voices of those being targeted and to inform future accountability processes. The UK strongly supports the ICC Prosecutor's continuing investigation into the allegations of atrocity crimes committed in Darfur since 1 July 2002, and which encompasses the current conflict, where there are credible reports of further atrocities being committed. We are seeking the renewal at the October session of the UN Human Rights Council of the mandate of the Fact Finding Mission into alleged abuses in Sudan.

The British High Commission in Uganda regularly advocates for the protection of democratic freedoms and respect for human rights enshrined in Uganda's constitution and has raised the issue of opposition parties being able to campaign safely with the Government of Uganda. Allowing political parties to operate freely is vital to a healthy democracy.

El Niño-related weather events in the past year significantly exceeded the UN's projections, with an estimated 2.4 million people displaced and over 120 people killed in Somalia due to flooding. Women and children suffer disproportionately from these displacements. HMG has continued to monitor the impacts of this on the Somali population and support recovery. We have disbursed £17.7 million to support rapid responses and build community resilience to El Niño-related events, including repairing access to healthcare and education facilities.

Violent conflict, particularly in the Amhara and Oromia regions of Ethiopia, has led to widespread human rights violations and abuses, including arbitrary arrests, killings, torture, sexual violence and enforced disappearances. Whilst the situation in the Tigray region has significantly improved, two years after the end of conflict, we have yet to see whether a new transitional justice policy will correct the lack of accountability for human rights violations and abuses committed in Tigray and elsewhere. More broadly, whilst there is progress in social and economic areas, including access to health and education, civil society operates in a restrictive, shrinking environment.

The UN was clear that the outcome of Venezuela's elections cannot be deemed credible without the regime publishing full results. The Foreign Secretary has publicly called for the swift and transparent publication of full, detailed results to ensure that the outcome reflects the votes and the will of the Venezuelan people; this was echoed in a G7 statement on 31 July. The UK also joined a coalition of countries in signing a Dominican Republic-led regional statement on 16 August demanding an end to repression and respect for human rights. The UK approach is to work with international partners to achieve a peaceful solution that respects the will of all Venezuelans.

The UK has not made a specific assessment of the role of the SSC-Khatumo area in supporting stability, development and growth in Somalia. We engage closely with all parties in Somalia and are a core security and development partner to the country.

The Government develops wide-ranging national and international campaigns which are delivered through tailored communication strategies aimed at reaching target audiences. The total FCDO Communication Directorate's communication campaign activity for FY23-24 was £6,435,000. We remain committed to scrutiny, transparency, and best value for taxpayer money. Please note that the majority of campaign expenditure is covered by other relevant Departments.

The FCDO is targeting the end of September for publication of the historic £500 (period November-2022 to July-2024) and historic £25,000 (period June-2022 to July-2024) spend files.

This government will drive a powerful agenda to tackle corruption and kleptocracy both at home and internationally. Working in partnership with international financial centres to tackle illicit finance is a priority. The FCDO is working across HMG to explore a range of options to deliver on this agenda and is actively considering different ways to increase the leadership of the UK in this area.

The UK has made progress toward its 2021 Nutrition for Growth commitment to integrate nutrition objectives and interventions into multiple sectors across its Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme portfolio. 12 per cent of FCDO programmes integrated nutrition in 2022, up from 10.7 per cent in 2021. This meant that in 2022 the FCDO spent £336.4 million of bilateral ODA on nutrition, an increase of 8.9 per cent from 2021.  The UK is committed to tackling malnutrition; prevention and treatment of malnutrition is vital for the UK's work on global health, humanitarian response and in empowering women and girls.  At the G20 Development Ministers Meeting in July, I announced the UK would join the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty to work in partnership to lift ambition and finance for long-term solutions.

64 migrants remain under the care of the BIOT Administration. The BIOT Administration is considering their claims for protection i.e. non-refoulement back to Sri Lanka.

Tracking and reporting financing for food security and nutrition consistently is important, and we welcome the proposals in the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report. The UK reports on food security and nutrition finance using the G7 Elmau methodology. We are an active member of the G7 subgroup that seeks to update and improve this methodology.

UK sanctions against Russia aim to deny Putin the means to continue his illegal war. We have sanctioned 15 shadow oil tankers to date - action which has materially disrupted the shadow fleet's ability to operate. The UK cannot comment on future sanctions. Nevertheless, as this Government made clear when we spearheaded a "call to action" against the shadow fleet in July, we are determined to go further to address the risks the shadow fleet poses to the environment, maritime safety and security in Europe, including through further sanctions. Anyone who assists UK-sanctioned vessels, including shadow tankers, exposes themselves to significant sanctions risk.

The UK, the UN and other states use the findings of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report extensively. The persisting high levels of food insecurity and malnutrition are concerning. We are committed to addressing these, working alongside partners to provide immediate humanitarian support, tackle the causes of food insecurity and malnutrition, and leverage UK-funded science and technology expertise for more climate-resilient food systems. At the G20 Development Ministers Meeting in July, I announced the UK would join the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty to lift ambition, ensure better international coordination, and unlock much-needed finance.

We are committed to addressing the causes of global food insecurity and malnutrition, leveraging UK expertise and investment to build greater resilience to shocks, help transform agrifood systems for greener, inclusive growth and nutritious and sustainable foods, support smallholder farmer livelihoods and tackle malnutrition, through initiatives like the Child Nutrition Fund and our support to the CGIAR, the world's leading agricultural science and innovation organisation. At the G20 Development Ministers Meeting in July, I announced the UK would join the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty to work in partnership to lift ambition and finance for long-term solutions.

There is a longstanding UK arms embargo in place for the whole of Sudan, as well as a UN arms embargo on Darfur. The Sudan Sanctions Regulations 2020 put in place sanctions measures to ensure the UK continues to meet its obligations under the UN sanctions regime relating to Sudan, to encourage the resolution of the armed conflicts in, and the stabilisation of, Sudan. As well as this, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the parties involved in the conflict. These sanctions were designed to press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. In our engagement with international partners, the UK continues to emphasise the importance of refraining from actions that prolong the conflict. Those who have influence with the parties must use it to bring them to the negotiating table, to seek a political resolution to the conflict in Sudan.