Amanda Milling: The Global Fund is a high performing organisation that, with partners, has saved 44 million lives to date. The UK is proud to be the organisation's third largest donor historically, investing £4.1 billion since 2002. We are currently reviewing the Global Fund's 7th replenishment investment case in line with delivering the International Development Strategy.
Amanda Milling: Officials and ministers have regular discussions with senior Bahraini counterparts on human rights, including most recently during my visit to Bahrain from 2-3 July. We continue to follow and discuss the cases of Dr Abduljalil al-Singace and others with the Bahraini Government as well as with the independent oversight bodies. We continue to encourage those with concerns to raise them directly...
Amanda Milling: The Gulf Strategy Fund Programme Summary will be published on the August cross-Whitehall publication day, which is scheduled to take place on 25 August.
Amanda Milling: We have long supported resolutions consistent with our policy, including United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334. The UK's position on settlements is clear: they are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. We urge Israel to halt settlement expansion immediately.
Amanda Milling: The UK continues to urge the parties to prioritise progress towards reaching a durable solution for Gaza and to take the necessary practical steps to ensure Gaza's reconstruction and economic recovery. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue on legal issues relating to the occupation, including the treatment of Palestinian...
Amanda Milling: The UK is committed to defending and promoting universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights and supports a wide range of investments to achieve this. We know that these are fundamental to unlocking the potential, agency and freedom of women and girls around the world - underpinning progress on gender equality, health, education, economic opportunities, climate resilience...
Amanda Milling: As set out in the International Development Strategy, the UK Government intends to restore bilateral funding for women and girls, which includes programmes focused on universal, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is working to complete its business and country planning process as soon as possible, which will allow us to...
Amanda Milling: We are aware of Save the Children's report into the wellbeing of Gazan children. The UK continues to urge the parties to prioritise progress towards reaching a durable solution for Gaza and to take the necessary practical steps to ensure Gaza's reconstruction and economic recovery. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue on...
Amanda Milling: The alleged involvement of Sheikh Nasser in the torture of political dissidents in Bahrain was previously brought to the attention of the Metropolitan Police Service, which concluded there was insufficient evidence to proceed with a realistic prospect of prosecution. We take allegations or concerns of torture and mistreatment very seriously and will follow up with action, as appropriate. The...
Amanda Milling: The evidence which forms the basis for this decision is a matter for the Government of Israel. The UK maintains its own criteria for designation. We continue engagement with a number of these organisations on human rights issues and respect the role that NGOs and civil society organisations play in upholding human rights and democracy.
Amanda Milling: As set out in the International Development Strategy, strengthening health systems is at the core of our long-term approach and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is working to deliver the objectives set out in our published Health Systems Strengthening policy paper. This includes the mainstreaming of a health systems strengthening approach across the UK's health influencing and...
Amanda Milling: The UK is shaping discussions on global learning from COVID-19 to improve future pandemic preparedness and response. Strengthening health systems is core, guided by FCDO's Health Systems Strengthening approach paper. The Prime Minister recently announced a £25 million UK contribution to a new "Financial Intermediary Fund" for pandemic preparedness. The UK will champion the importance of...
Amanda Milling: The UK is interested in working with multiple international partners to break the business model of people smuggling gangs and fix the broken asylum system. We continue to explore Third Country Asylum Partnerships with those countries that are interested.
Amanda Milling: We engage candidly and regularly with the Saudi authorities on a range of issues, including the efforts to end the war in Yemen and the status of migrants and refugees in Saudi Arabia. The UK is playing a leading role in supporting UN led efforts to sustain, extend and expand the UN brokered truce in Yemen which came into effect on 2 April. Peace is the only sustainable solution to the...
Amanda Milling: The pandemic has placed substantial strain on immunisation programmes, with increasing numbers of children not receiving even the most basic vaccinations. The UK is the top donor to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance's core mission. £1.65 billion of UK funding in 2021-25 will support countries to restore immunisation coverage and vaccinate children missed during the pandemic. UNGA 77 and the G20...
Amanda Milling: The UK is at the forefront of the international response to COVID-19. Our funding has enabled COVAX to deliver over 1.3 billion COVID vaccines to 87 developing countries. The UK has donated over 85 million doses, benefitting 42 countries, and offered a further 15 million doses. The UK used its G7 Presidency in 2021 to mobilise G7 countries to donate vaccines that were surplus to domestic...
Amanda Milling: We condemn the persecution of current and former BBC Persian employees and their family members and the many individuals who have had their assets frozen or are banned from leaving Iran. These actions by the Iranian authorities contravene multiple international obligations and we will continue to call them out for as long as they commit them. We regularly raise this issue of harassment...
Amanda Milling: The UK welcomes the World Health Organisation's recommendation for use of the new Mosquirix (RTS,S) malaria vaccine, alongside existing malaria tools such as bed nets, indoor sprays and chemoprevention, and recognises the need for sufficient global funding to ensure the benefits from this range of tools are maximised. The UK provides substantial core funding to Gavi, the Global Fund to Fight...
Amanda Milling: The United Kingdom and Australia are close partners with a unique and enduring bond built on friendship and shared values. The Foreign Secretary was pleased to speak to the new Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on 25 May, shortly after her appointment. More recently, they met in the margins of the G20 Foreign Minister's meeting in Bali, on 7 July. Both welcomed the strong bilateral...
Amanda Milling: The UK has contributed a total of £6 million, including an additional £2 million I announced on 18 July 2022, toward the UN plan to mitigate the environmental and humanitarian risk posed by the FSO Safer. In addition, the UK is coordinating with other donors to support the UN fundraising campaign and has provided technical assistance to the UN throughout the development of their response plan.