Tag: international support

UK participates in largest international airdrop into Gaza

BUT CONTINUES TO SUPPLY ARMS TO ISRAEL

The Royal Air Force participated in a large-scale international aid airdrop into Gaza yesterday to coincide with Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan.

Collectively delivering hundreds of tonnes of aid, this was the largest airdrop of aid into Gaza on a single day and the culmination of careful planning alongside international partners to ensure the complex mission could be conducted safely and effectively. 

Led by the Jordanian Armed Forces, the international operation saw 9 nations* and 14 aircraft drop essential aid.

An RAF A400M flew this morning from Amman, Jordan to airdrop over 10 tonnes of aid, including ready-to-eat meals, water and rice, along the northern coastline of Gaza. The flight took around an hour with other nations’ aircraft dropping aid throughout the course of the day.

The A400M Atlas and crew are based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire with both RAF and British Army personnel supporting the operation in Jordan. Over the last two weeks they have dropped over 53 tonnes of aid on six flights.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: The prospect of famine in Gaza is real and today’s international airdrop will provide life-saving food supplies for civilians.

“This is the sixth RAF airdrop in recent weeks, delivering over 53 tonnes of aid, including water, flour and baby formula.

“After six months of war in Gaza, the toll on civilians continues to grow. We continue to stand by Israel’s right to defeat the threat from Hamas terrorists, who have failed the people of Gaza and hide behind civilians. This terrible conflict must end. The hostages must be released and the aid must flood in.”

Yesterday’s international airdrop is part of UK efforts to provide vital humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza and follows the announcement of a package of military and civilian support to set up a maritime aid corridor to Gaza. This includes the deployment of a Royal Navy ship to the Eastern Mediterranean as well as up to £9.7 million for aid deliveries.

The maritime corridor initiative will see tens of thousands of tonnes of aid pre-screened in Cyprus and delivered directly to Gaza, via a new US temporary pier being constructed off the coast or via Ashdod Port, which Israel has now agreed to open.

The UK is also focused on ensuring more aid can enter Gaza by land, and deliveries will be scaled up with the opening of the Erez crossing. In partnership with the World Food Programme, the UK’s largest delivery of aid – more than 2,000 tonnes of food aid – crossed the border on 13 March.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said: “Led by our Jordanian partners, we have joined nations around the world to mark the end of Ramadan by getting life-saving aid into Gaza. Thousands of people in desperate need will benefit from this united effort.

“The UK remains ready to play its part in getting supplies in by land, air and sea, but the people of Gaza need more.

“We continue to push Israel as hard as we can to get more aid across the border and delivered throughout the region. Words must turn into action – this is essential to avoid an even more severe humanitarian crisis.”

Sunday marked 6 months since the devastating October 7 terrorist attacks, and almost a week since British aid workers were killed trying to get life-saving food to those in need.

The UK continues to call for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire, as the fastest way to get hostages safely home and more aid in.

One year on from the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine: support from Beirut

A statement by The Ambassadors of the United Kingdom, Australia, Denmark, and Japan

Today marks a year since the brutal, unjustified and unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine. In that year, thousands of innocent Ukrainian people have been killed, and millions forced from their homes.

We, the Embassies of Australia, Denmark, Japan and the United Kingdom will tonight light up our shared Embassies’ Complex here in Beirut in the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

We do so because our countries share not only a common building, but common values: respect for the principles of the UN charter, for territorial integrity and for human rights.

As such we stand, in unwavering solidarity with Ukraine.

The Ukrainians are defending their right, our right, and the right of everyone to live in freedom. We commend and support their bravery in the face of such aggression. Russia cannot and will not succeed.

Russia has consistently underestimated Ukraine. Russia planned to seize Ukraine in three days. 365 days later, Ukraine continues to liberate territory and push back Russian forces. This gives hope for Ukraine’s long-term ability to withstand Russia’s aggression.

It is imperative for a lasting peace that Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and the UN Charter must be respected.

Russia’s invasion has led to global suffering, with impacts felt here in Lebanon and across the world. Food insecurity has hit the poor the hardest. The Lebanese people should not have to bear further hardship because of Russian expansionist ambitions.

One year ago, Lebanon was the first country in the Middle East to speak unequivocally against Russia’s actions and in support of the UN Charter. In doing so Lebanon stood amongst friends, and with the majority of the international community.

We raise the Ukrainian flag today in support of the Ukrainian people and their brave fight against Russian aggression. We, good neighbours in Beirut from four countries and three continents, stand together in support of Ukraine and the values it is defending so bravely and which we, like Lebanon, share.

*The Ambassadors of the United Kingdom, Australia, Denmark, and Japan.

UK donates 1 million more doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to Bangladesh

Bilateral vaccine donation will expand Bangladesh’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign and further strengthen Brit Bangla Bondhon between the UK and Bangladesh.

The UK bilaterally donated 1 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to Bangladesh. The vaccine consignment arrived in Bangladesh on 23 February 2022. This bilateral donation from the UK will reinforce Bangladesh’s fight against the coronavirus pandemic and the country’s economic recovery.

Prior to this, the UK donated over 4 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Bangladesh in December 2021 through COVAX facilities.

While welcoming the second consignment of vaccines donation from the UK, the British High Commissioner HE Robert Chatterton Dickson said: “We welcome the arrival of 1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the UK to Bangladesh. This bilateral donation adds to the 4 million doses that the UK donated through COVAX last year.

“This support from the UK takes us one step ahead to defeat the pandemic and further strengthens our commitment to stand with the people of Bangladesh to recover faster and build a healthier and prosperous future.”

Complementing the vaccine donations, the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), through its delivery partners, created an enabling environment for the Government of Bangladesh to accelerate and expand the vaccination program as well as reduce the transmission of the infection especially among the low-income people.

This includes support for on-line vaccine registration for the disadvantaged, raising awareness, additional healthcare provider and technician support, training of health workers including vaccinators, and transporting vaccines to the districts as well as to the schools across the country.

Since the pandemic started, the UK government has reprioritised more than £55.9 million to fund Bangladesh’s National Preparedness and Response Plan to tackle COVID-19 including support for Rohingya refugees and the host communities.

The UK has been at the forefront of the global response to COVID-19. Last year at the G7, the UK committed to donate 100 million doses by June 2022. 80% of those UK doses will be distributed through the COVAX facility. Earlier, the UK kick-started efforts to establish COVAX facility in 2020, providing a total of £548 million to fund vaccines for lower income countries.

Scotmid among UK’s retail co-ops providing over £100,000 of support to the India Covid crisis

Scottish convenience retailer, Scotmid, has joined nine other retail co-ops across the UK to provide much needed emergency supplies to co-ops and communities in India during the Covid crisis.

The announcement comes on International Day of Co-ops (Saturday 3 July 2021).

Over £100,000 was donated via the Self Employed Woman’s Association (SEWA), the Co-operative Federation in India which works with 106 women’s co-ops, enabling them to provide a sustainable livelihood for female workers.

The support from the retail societies allowed SEWA to provide essential basic supplies through their female networks, including masks and paracetamol, critical supplies including oxygen, and supporting Indian co-ops to restart their businesses after lockdown.

Established in 1972 SEWA currently has 1.8 million members, across 18 states in the country.

Mirai Chatterjee, Chairperson, SEWA Cooperative Federation said: “We would like to thank you for the solidarity of the co-operative spirit in action. We are very happy to be your partners in the rebuild.

“The situation in India is thankfully slowly improving and we are seeing a reduction in cases in the urban areas, although we are less sure about the rural areas as the data is sparse.

“Our country is now slowly coming out of the health emergency, but we are now staring in the face of a huge livelihood and humanitarian crisis. Workers and families have been busy with the health emergency but now they are extremely anxious about how they can restore their livelihoods and that’s where your contribution and your support to us has been critical.”

During the crisis period, 4,000 household health kits were prepared by the Indian co-operatives that form part of SEWA. These included masks made by an artisan co-operative and soap and immune boosters produced by a health co-operative distributed across eight states across India.

Crucially they also provided lifesaving information about the symptoms and spread of Covid to families in rural and low income urban areas – to dispel myths and provide accurate health information.

The support from the UK retail societies will support seven Indian co-operatives to restart their businesses, buying raw materials and re-establish market links. SEWA also used this substantial donation as a bargaining tool to leverage support from corporate donors, securing additional funds for women farmers and a catering co-operative in this way.

The emergency response was co-ordinated by Co-operatives UK and the Co-operative College, who worked together as part of the International Working Group to collect and co-ordinate the donations from The Co-op Group, Midcounties Co-op, Central England Co-op, Scotmid, Lincolnshire Co-op, Southern Co-op, East of England Co-op, Channel Islands Co-op, Chelmsford Star Co-op, Heart of England Co-op and Co-op News.

Rose Marley, CEO of Co-operatives UK said: “This is true co-operation in action, with some of the largest co-ops in the UK collaborating to provide financial support and solidarity to co-ops on the other side of the world.

“Our global co-operative movement is based on values and principles that are as strong today as they ever were. It’s fitting that we are sharing news of the impact of this donation on International Day of Co-operatives, which has a theme of Rebuild Better Together, which is exactly what this support will help to do.

“The response from the co-operative community was really quite phenomenal and it meant that we were able to get funds directly through this female network of co-operators to provide support on the ground, where it was needed, at speed with minimal red tape or admin fees,” she added.

John Brodie, CEO of Scotmid, said: “This worthwhile initiative, which came through the co-operative national buying group, demonstrates the strength of co-operation.

“We’re pleased to see this donation is having an impact on the ground in India, helping co-ops to restart their businesses after the lockdowns.

“Working with SEWA as our overseas partner, we can ensure we are truly collaborating with co-ops in India. It’s not just handouts, its sustainable support through solidarity and self responsibility.”

Sarah Alldred from the Co-operative College said: “One of the aims of the International Working Group is to be able to respond quickly to international crises. It is made up of representatives from co-ops across the UK who want to keep links to the global movement alive and well.

“And it’s not just emergency response, we’re proactively working towards the UN sustainable development goals too, to help create a better world through co-operation.”

On advising the ICA President of the UK’s response to the India crisis Ariel Guarco, President, International Co-operative Alliance said: “The whole world is suffering the scourge of the pandemic. However, your effort to cooperate with those who are most affected at this time is extremely valuable and necessary.

“This expresses the co-operative values and principles in action and shows us that the only way to get out together from the health, social and economic crisis that we are going through on a global scale is through solidarity, mutual aid and co-operation.” 

Watch a video from SEWA explaining the impact of the support in India https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-0DYEydtjw