Report by the Representative on Freedom of the Media to the OSCE Permanent Council: Joint Statement, April 2026

I am delivering this statement on behalf of the following participating states, members of the Informal Group of Friends on the Safety of Journalists: Austria, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and my own country the Netherlands. Dear Ambassador Braathu, We are pleased to see you […]

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Challenges to media freedom in the OSCE region: UK statement to the OSCE, April 2026

Thank you, Chair. Welcome back to the Permanent Council Jan and thank you for your report.    The United Kingdom remains steadfast in its commitment to media freedom around the world, recognising the vital role that journalists play in upholding human rights, supporting accountable governance, and protecting democracy. As the Moldovan President Maia Sandu put it, “Peace cannot survive without information […]

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We reiterate our commitment to an inclusive political process which safeguards Libya’s unity and stability: UK statement at the UN Security Council

I will focus on three elements that are central to the current situation in Libya. Firstly economic governance, then sovereign resources, then migrants and refugees, and then I’ll look at the way forward. First, the United Kingdom welcomes the milestone agreement on a unified budget reached on 11 April.  This provides the opportunity to improve economic […]

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We call for greater efforts to protect women and girls, and Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities in Colombia: UK statement at the UN Security Council

I would like to begin by welcoming Foreign Minister Villavicencio to the Council for today’s session. I thank the Special Representative for his briefing, and I also thank Ms Quintero for sharing her experiences. The UK reaffirms its strong support for the full implementation of Colombia’s 2016 Peace Agreement.   We congratulate Colombia’s election authorities, security […]

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World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund 2026 Spring Meetings, Development Committee plenary: Baroness Chapman’s remarks

Thank you, Chair, Ajay, and everyone at the Bank.  I set out my priorities in my written statement. So I want to focus here on 2 things.  First, we all know that war is development in reverse. So we need to see an end to all conflict, including Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine. And I have heard clearly here, that the war in the Middle East […]

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Russia is the one that must de-escalate and engage in meaningful dialogue: UK statement at the UN Security Council

The Council meets today because Russia continues to violate the Charter it is bound to uphold. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was not forced. It was, and continues to be, a deliberate act of aggression intended to erase another state’s identity. In recent weeks, Russia has continued to subject Ukraine’s cities to drone and missile strikes […]

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Tackling trafficking for forced criminality in cyber‑scam operations: UK statement to the 26th Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons

Thank you, Moderator, and to the panellists for such insightful presentations. The United Kingdom is firmly committed to tackling modern slavery and human trafficking in all its forms. Human trafficking for forced criminality, particularly within cyber scam operations; is one of the fastest‑evolving forms of exploitation globally. Cyber-scam centres pose major security and human rights […]

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