The three British aid workers killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza have been named.John Chapman, 57, James Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, were among seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) workers killed in Monday’s strike.
The other victims were Australian, Polish, Palestinian and a US-Canadian citizen. The charity has paused its operations in Gaza, where there are growing concerns of mass starvation.
In a statement , World Central Kitchen CEO Erin Gore said: “These are the heroes of WCK. These 7 beautiful souls were killed by the IDF in a strike as they were returning from a full day’s mission. Their smiles, laughter, and voices are forever embedded in our memories.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last night.
He said he was appalled by the killing of aid workers, including three British nationals, in an airstrike in Gaza yesterday and demanded a thorough and transparent independent investigation into what happened.
The Prime Minister said far too many aid workers and ordinary civilians have lost their lives in Gaza and the situation is increasingly intolerable. The UK expects to see immediate action by Israel to end restrictions on humanitarian aid, deconflict with the UN and aid agencies, protect civilians and repair vital infrastructure like hospitals and water networks.
The Prime Minister reiterated that Israel’s rightful aim of defeating Hamas would not be achieved by allowing a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
Mr Natanyahu’s response is not recorded, but he is yet to make a public apology for the killings.Meanwhile, the slaughter continues unabated and 1.7 million Palestinians face starvation.
“This is unconscionable – but it is an inevitable result of the way the war is being conducted.” – @antonioguterres on airstrike that killed aid workers in Gaza.
196 humanitarians, including 175 UN staff, have been killed since October.
Households across all continents wasted over 1 billion meals a day in 2022, while 783 million people were affected by hunger and a third of humanity faced food insecurity.
Food waste continues to hurt the global economy and fuel climate change, nature loss, and pollution. These are the key findings of a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report published today, ahead of the International Day of Zero Waste.
The UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, co-authored with WRAP,provides the most accurate global estimate on food waste at retail and consumer levels. It provides guidance for countries on improving data collection and suggests best practices in moving from measuring to reducing food waste.
In 2022 there were 1.05 billion tonnes of food waste generated (including inedible parts), amounting to 132 kilograms per capita and almost one-fifth of all food available to consumers. Out of the total food wasted in 2022, 60 per cent happened at the household level, with food services responsible for 28 per cent and retail 12 per cent.
“Food waste is a global tragedy. Millions will go hungry today as food is wasted across the world,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “Not only is this a major development issue, but the impacts of such unnecessary waste are causing substantial costs to the climate and nature.
“The good news is we know if countries prioritise this issue, they can significantly reverse food loss and waste, reduce climate impacts and economic losses, and accelerate progress on global goals.”
Since 2021, there’s been a strengthening of the data infrastructure with more studies tracking food waste. Globally, the number of data points at the household level almost doubled. Nevertheless, many low- and middle-income countries continue to lack adequate systems for tracking progress to meet Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 of halving food waste by 2030, particularly in retail and food services.
Only four G20 countries (Australia, Japan, UK, the USA) and the European Union have food waste estimates suitable for tracking progress to 2030. Canada and Saudi Arabia have suitable household estimates, with Brazil’s estimate expected late 2024. In this context, the report serves as a practical guide for countries to consistently measure and report food waste.
The data confirms that food waste is not just a ‘rich country’ problem, with levels of household food waste differing in observed average levels for high-income, upper-middle, and lower-middle-income countries by just 7 kg per capita.
At the same time, hotter countries appear to generate more food waste per capita in households, potentially due to higher consumption of fresh foods with substantial inedible parts and a lack of robust cold chains.
According to recent data, food loss and waste generates 8-10 per cent of annual global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – almost 5 times that of the aviation sector – and significant biodiversity loss by taking up the equivalent of almost a third of the world’s agricultural land. The toll of both food loss and waste on the global economy is estimated at roughly USD 1 trillion.
Urban areas are expected to particularly benefit from efforts to strengthen food waste reduction and circularity. Rural areas generally waste less food, with greater diversion of food scraps to pets, livestock, and home composting as likely explanations.
As of 2022, only 21 countries have included food loss and/or waste reduction in their national climate plans (NDCs). The 2025 NDCs revision process provides a key opportunity to raise climate ambition by integrating food loss and waste. The Food Waste Index Report underscores the urgency of addressing food waste at both individual and systemic levels.
Robust baselines and regular measurement are needed for countries to show changes over time. Thanks to implementation of policies and partnerships, countries such as Japan and the UK show that change at scale is possible, with reductions of 31 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.
“With the huge cost to the environment, society, and global economies caused by food waste, we need greater coordinated action across continents and supply chains. We support UNEP in calling for more G20 countries to measure food waste and work towards SDG12.3,” said Harriet Lamb, CEO of WRAP.
“This is critical to ensuring food feeds people, not landfills. Public-Private Partnerships are one key tool delivering results today, but they require support: whether philanthropic, business, or governmental, actors must rally behind programmes addressing the enormous impact wasting food has on food security, our climate, and our wallets.”
UNEP maintains tracking country-level progress to halve food waste by 2030, with a growing focus on solutions beyond measurement towards reduction.
One such solution is systemic action through public-private partnerships (PPPs): Bringing the public sector, private sector and non-government to work together, identify bottlenecks, co-develop solutions, and drive progress.
Appropriate financing can enable PPPs to deliver farm-to-fork reductions in food waste, drive down GHGs emissions and water stress, while sharing best practices and encouraging innovation for long-term, holistic change.
PPPs on food loss and waste are growing worldwide, including in Australia, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, and in the UK where they have helped cut over a quarter of household food waste per capita from 2007-18.
UK funding to World Food Programme supports major aid delivery in Gaza via Jordanian land corridor
The UK’s largest delivery of aid to Gaza has crossed the border and is being distributed by the United Nations to families in need, the Foreign Secretary has confirmed.
More than 2,000 tonnes of food aid, funded by the government, is being distributed by the World Food Programme (WFP) on the ground.
This adds to the 150 tonnes of UK funded relief items including blankets and tents, which arrived last Wednesday 13 March, and will be distributed by UNICEF. A full UK field hospital run by UK-Med has also arrived in Gaza and is now operational and providing life-saving care.
The delivery includes fortified wheat flour for use in bakeries, hot meals and well as Ready To Eat (RTE) food parcels. The food parcels will be used to feed more than 275,000 people in Gaza. Each food parcel is designed for family of five and consists of canned vegetables, meat and fish, and date bars. The parcel can meet half of the daily calorie needs of the family for 15 days.
This comes in the week that a report from Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned that famine is imminent in the northern Gaza Strip and the south faces a risk of famine if conditions continue to worsen.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron said: “It’s crucial that we keep the flow of aid moving into Gaza to end the suffering, and that’s why this latest delivery of aid by WFP is so vitally important.
“The IPC’s report warns of imminent famine. We need sustained humanitarian access by road to get more aid in. We continue to push Israel to allow more crossings to open and for longer, and for healthcare, water and sanitation to be restored.”
Since the opening of the corridor in December 2023, the Government of Jordan, with the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization, has worked to ensure the passage of almost 600 trucks of humanitarian assistance into Gaza carrying 8,000 tons of relief and food items.
Humanitarian assistance from 10 different international aid agencies – including from UK partners WFP and UNICEF – has reached Gaza.
The latest delivery was again facilitated by Jordan, who have been instrumental in supporting the UK’s humanitarian response.
The UK is committed to ensuring aid reaches those who need it most, as Palestinians continue to face a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Foreign Secretary has been clear that Israel must increase capacity to safely distribute aid within Gaza.
This includes opening a land crossing in the north and issuing more visas to UN staff who are capable of delivering aid when it arrives in Gaza.
Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon returns to the region to meet with key partners to seek long-term solutions to the situation in Israel and Gaza
Minister to discuss joint efforts to counter illegal Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea
He will also celebrate strengthened bilateral ties with Gulf allies, following announcement Gulf Nationals are now eligible to apply for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme
The UK Minister for the Middle East will embark on a tour of the Middle East as the UK seeks to build momentum towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire in Gaza and lasting stability and security in the region.
Lord Ahmad will arrive in Oman today (Monday) for the first leg of the visit before travelling to Kuwait and then concluding the visit in Saudi Arabia.
The Minister is expected to meet with key figures, including Saudi Arabia’s Vice Foreign Minister, the Secretary General of the Muslim World League as well as Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Ambassador Abdullah Al-Yahya and Oman’s Undersecretary for Political Affairs Sheikh Khalifa Al Harthy.
The Minister will discuss how to ease the desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza, including through an immediate humanitarian pause in fighting leading to a sustainable, permanent ceasefire.
He will also outline the UK’s efforts to counter Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and make clear that illegal attacks by the Houthis are completely unacceptable.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for Middle East, said: “We want to see an end to the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible, and it is clear that wider escalation and instability in the region is in nobody’s interests.
“Our engagement with partners in the Middle East, including Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, is absolutely central to efforts towards achieving a sustainable, permanent ceasefire in Gaza and building wider regional security.”
The 16th session of the UK-Oman Joint Working Group will be co-chaired by Lord Ahmad alongside Oman’s Undersecretary for Political Affairs Sheikh Khalifa Al Harthy.
Meanwhile, in Kuwait, Lord Ahmad will co-chair the twentieth UK-Kuwait Joint Steering Group alongside His Excellency Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Lord Ahmad is also due to meet with the Palestinian Ambassador.
In Saudi Arabia, Lord Ahmad will meet with the Vice Foreign Minister and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
This visit is the latest in a series of visits to the region by the Minister, including Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the UAE over the last fortnight.
The Foreign Secretary has recently visited the region multiple times, including Oman and Saudi Arabia to build on the UK’s call for an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life.
The Minister will also welcome the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme which has opened for Gulf Cooperation Council and Jordanian nationals, making travel to the UK smoother and cheaper.
The scheme will allow unlimited visits to the UK over two years.
CAN Ahmed’s latest visit succeed where all other attempts by world leaders have failed? Er … let’s say it’s unlikely.And the body count will continue to rise.
The House of Commons adjourned for February recess on Thursday 8 February and will next sit on Monday 19 February at 2.30pm.
On global Human Rights Day, 75+ groups from across the UK issue an open letter to the Prime Minister and political leaders, urging them to protect universal human rights in the UK.
On the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) have coordinated an open letter to the Prime Minister and political leaders signed by 75+ organisations from across the UK.
Published today on 10th December 2023, global Human Rights Day, the letter highlights the United Nations’ call for a “movement of shared humanity” – a sentiment reflected by the breadth of organisations that have signed it.
Grassroots groups, local charities, international organisations, professional bodies, advocates and lawyers all working in different fields and for different causes have come together to call on the UK Government to reaffirm the commitment to universal human rights, honouring the fundamental principle that human rights are for everyone.
As well as celebrating the incredible mobilisation of civil society to speak up against the UK Government’s unprincipled and unworkable Rights Removal Bill, which was ultimately scrapped this year, the letter highlights the impact that human rights have in the “small places close to home” – a phrase coined by UDHR architect Eleanor Roosevelt. It reflects on the role of the UDHR in inspiring the European Convention on Human Rights and ultimately the UK’s own Human Rights Act.
Together, the organisations tell politicians: “Anchored by common fundamental values that reach beyond divides, the UDHR makes it clear that universal human rights are part of what it means to be human, and not gifts granted by the state.”
Speaking on the release of the open letter, BIHR’s CEO, Sanchita Hosali, said: “Global Human Rights Day should be a time for us all in the UK to reflect on the promise of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, agreed across nations in the aftermath of World War II 75 years ago to protect the equal dignity of each of us.
“Whether in our schools or workplaces, in community centres or housing offices, at police stations and courts, in hospitals and care homes, social work departments and Government offices, our universal human rights, shared by each and every one of us should be respected and protected by those in power.
“Sadly, here at home political debate is characterised by hostility to people’s human rights and a government intent on removing its accountability to us all. Having seen off the very real risk from the Government to scrap our Human Rights Act in favour of a Rights Removal Bill, groups from across the UK have joined together to call on our Prime Minister and political leaders to do better.
“Yet just days ago we see the Government seeking to set down in law the removal of human rights protections for a whole group of people seeking safety in it’s latest Rwanda Bill. As we mark the 75th anniversary of the UDHR, the Government must move beyond the popularist, often dog whistle politicking around human rights, and commit to realising the vision of universal human rights as a global blueprint for international, national, and local laws and policies.”
People of Gaza ‘Being Told to Move like Human Pinballs’, but Nowhere Is Safe, Secretary-General Tells Security Council, pleading for humanitarian ceasefire
UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, in New York yesterday:
Thank you for convening this Security Council meeting in response to my letter of 6 December on the situation in Gaza and Israel.
I wrote to the Security Council invoking Article 99 because we are at a breaking point.
There is a high risk of the total collapse of the humanitarian support system in Gaza, which would have devastating consequences. We anticipate that it would result in a complete breakdown of public order and increased pressure for mass displacement into Egypt.
I fear the consequences could be devastating for the security of the entire region. We have already seen the spillover in the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
There is clearly, in my view, a serious risk of aggravating existing threats to the maintenance of international peace and security.
The risk of collapse of the humanitarian system is fundamentally linked with a complete lack of safety and security for our staff in Gaza, and with the nature and intensity of military operations, which are severely limiting access to people in desperate need.
The threat to the safety and security of United Nations staff in Gaza is unprecedented. More than 130 of my colleagues have already been killed, many with their families. This is the largest single loss of life in the history of our Organization.
Some of our staff take their children to work so they know they will live or die together. Colleagues have shared heartbreaking messages from staff members pleading for help.
The Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Safety and Security has advised me that all possible means of mitigating the risk to staff within Gaza, short of evacuation, are closed off, because of the way this conflict has evolved.
I cannot emphasize strongly enough that the UN is totally committed to stay and deliver for the people of Gaza.
I pay tribute to the heroic humanitarian aid workers who remain committed to their work, despite the enormous dangers to their health and their lives.
But the situation is simply becoming untenable.
This Council called in resolution 2712 (2023) for “the scaling up of the provision of such supplies to meet the humanitarian needs of the civilian population, especially children”. I deeply regret to inform the Council that under current conditions on the ground, the fulfilment of this mandate has become impossible.
The conditions for the effective delivery of humanitarian aid no longer exist.
The crossing point at Rafah was not designed for hundreds of trucks and is a major bottleneck.
But even if sufficient supplies were permitted into Gaza, intense bombardment and hostilities, Israeli restrictions on movement, fuel shortages, and interrupted communications, make it impossible for UN agencies and their partners to reach most of the people in need.
Between 3 and 5 December — the two days preceding my letter — the UN could only distribute aid in one of Gaza’s five governorates — Rafah. Elsewhere, access was impossible.
People are desperate, fearful and angry. In some cases, they have expressed that anger towards our staff.
All this takes place amid a spiralling humanitarian nightmare.
First, there is no effective protection of civilians.
More than 17,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed since the start of Israel’s military operations. This includes more than 4,000 women and 7,000 children. Tens of thousands are reported to have been injured, and many are missing, presumably under the rubble. All these numbers are increasing by the day.
Attacks from air, land and sea are intense, continuous and widespread. So far, they have reportedly hit 339 education facilities, 26 hospitals, 56 health-care facilities, 88 mosques and three churches.
Over 60 per cent of Gaza’s housing has reportedly been destroyed or damaged — some 300,000 houses and apartments.
Some 85 per cent of the population have been forced from their homes.
The people of Gaza are being told to move like human pinballs — ricocheting between ever-smaller slivers of the south, without any of the basics for survival.But nowhere in Gaza is safe.
At least 88 United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) shelters have been hit, killing over 270 people and injuring over 900.
Conditions in shelters are overcrowded and unsanitary. People nurse open wounds. Hundreds of people stand in line for hours to use one shower or toilet. Families who have lost everything sleep on bare concrete floors, wearing clothes they have not changed for two months.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians arrived in Rafah in recent days, overwhelming shelters there. Many displaced families — including children, older people, pregnant women and people with disabilities — are sleeping in streets and public spaces across the city.
Second, Gazans are running out of food.
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), there is a serious risk of starvation and famine.
In northern Gaza, 97 per cent of households are not eating enough. In the south, the figure among displaced people is 83 per cent. Half the people of the north and more than one third of displaced people in the south are simply starving.
WFP’s own food stocks are running out.
In the north, 9 out of 10 people have spent at least one full day and night without food.
The last functioning flour mill in Gaza was destroyed on 15 November.
WFP has provided food and cash assistance to hundreds of thousands of people across Gaza since the crisis began, and is ready to scale up its operations. However, that would require effective access to all people in need, and at least 40 trucks of food supplies every day — many times the current level.
Third, Gaza’s health system is collapsing while needs are escalating.
At least 286 health workers have been killed.
Hospitals have suffered heavy bombardment. Just 14 out of 36 are still functioning. Of these, three are providing basic first aid, while the others are delivering partial services.
The European Gaza Hospital, one of the two main hospitals in southern Gaza, has 370 beds. It is currently housing 1,000 patients and an estimated 70,000 people seeking shelter.
There are critical shortages of drugs, blood products and medical supplies. Fuel to run the hospitals is severely rationed. Many patients are being treated on the floor and without anaesthetics.
As patients with life-threatening injuries continue to arrive, wards are overflowing and staff are overwhelmed.
At the same time, the unsanitary conditions in shelters and severe shortages of food and water are leading to increases in respiratory infections, scabies, jaundice and diarrhoea.
Everything I have just described represents an unprecedented situation that led to my unprecedented decision to invoke Article 99, urging the members of the Security Council to press to avert a humanitarian catastrophe, and appealing for a humanitarian ceasefire to be declared.
We are all aware that Israel began its military operation in response to the brutal terror attacks unleashed by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups on 7 October.
I unreservedly condemn those attacks. I am appalled by the reports of sexual violence. There is no possible justification for deliberately killing some 1,200 people, including 33 children, injuring thousands more, and taking hundreds of hostages.
Some 130 hostages are still held captive. I call for their immediate and unconditional release, as well as their humane treatment and visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) until they are freed.
At the same time, the brutality perpetrated by Hamas can never justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
And while indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas into Israel and the use of civilians as human shields are in contravention of the laws of war, such conduct does not absolve Israel of its own violations.
International humanitarian law includes the duty to protect civilians and to comply with the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution.
The laws of war also demand that civilians’ essential needs must be met, including by facilitating the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian relief.
International humanitarian law cannot be applied selectively. It is binding on all parties equally at all times, and the obligation to observe it does not depend on reciprocity.
The people of Gaza are looking into the abyss. The international community must do everything possible to end their ordeal.
I urge the Council to spare no effort to push for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, for the protection of civilians, and for the urgent delivery of life-saving aid.
While we deal with the current crisis, we cannot lose sight of the only viable possibility for a peaceful future: a two-State solution, on the basis of United Nations resolutions and international law, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security. This is vital for Israelis, Palestinians, and for international peace and security.
The eyes of the world — and the eyes of history — are watching. It’s time to act.
While all other members of the Security Council supported the call for a humanitarian ceasefire, the United States used it’s veto and the UK abstained.SO THE SLAUGHTER GOES ON …
UNRWA is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
The United Nations General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949 with a mandate to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees in the Agency’s area of operations pending a just and lasting solution to their plight.
UNRWA’s Phillipe Lazzarini writes: “In my 35 years of work in complex emergencies, I never have expected to write such a letter, predicting the killing of my staff & the collapse of the mandate I am expected to fulfill #Gaza
The letter reads:
“Yesterday, I wrote to the President of the UN General Assembly to inform him that UNRWA’s ability to continue delivering its mandate in Gaza has now become very limited. With constant bombardment, low and irregular flow of food and other humanitarian supplies into the Gaza Strip compared to the immense needs of displaced people in our overcrowded shelters and outside, UNRWA’s ability to assist and protect people is reducing fast.
“As I sent my letter to the President of the General Assembly, I took note of the UN Secretary-General’s decision to invoke Article 99 of the UN Charter, as the threats of the current conflict on international peace, security and on the lives of nearly the entire population in Gaza are very real.
“UNRWA is the primary provider for humanitarian assistance to over 2.2 million people in Gaza. Half of them have sought shelter in UNRWA facilities which, despite the fact they are meant to be protected under international humanitarian law, have not been spared in the relentless bombardment of Gaza. 270 displaced people were killed inside them, and nearly 1,000 were injured.
“More than 130 UNRWA colleagues have been killed, most with their families. At least 70 per cent of UNRWA staff have been displaced. Many multiple times. Those who are still working strive to still provide food assistance and health care. They take their children to work so they know they are safe or that if they die, they will die together.
“In my 35 years of work in complex emergencies, I would never have expected to write such a letter, predicting the killing of my staff and the collapse of the mandate I am expected to fulfill.
“I urge all member states to take immediate actions to implement an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, enforce international law including the protection of civilians, UN staff, UN premises including shelters, medical facilities and all civilian infrastructure and protect the prospects for a political solution vital to peace and stability and the rights for Palestinians, Israelis, the region and beyond.
“Calling for an end to the decimation of the lives of Palestinians in Gaza is not a denial of the abhorrent attacks of 7 October in Israel. It is the opposite. It is a recognition of the equal rights of all people. Our response to the situation in Gaza today will mark the history of the General Assembly – the gathering of all nations of the world – and the entire UN.”
Statement by UK’s Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN General Assembly meeting on humanitarian aid
Thank you, Mr President. Colleagues, every year we meet here to reflect on global humanitarian needs. Yet again, we are faced with a sobering picture. 258 million people do not know where their next meal is coming from.
One in five children are living in or fleeing from conflict. One in 73 people are displaced, a number which has doubled in the last ten years. We are simultaneously witnessing dire humanitarian situations in Israel and Gaza, Sudan, Syria, and in Ukraine. Alongside many more across the world. The levels of need are overwhelming the humanitarian systems. Colleagues, we all have a role, and a stake, in reversing these worrying trends.
President, on 20 November our Prime Minister launched the UK’s International Development White Paper. This sets out our commitment to getting the Sustainable Development Goals back on track. And it includes a strong commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in the face of ever-growing needs driven by conflict and climate. We will focus on three key areas.
First, we will invest in an effective humanitarian system. We will contribute $1.2 billion to humanitarian assistance from 2024 to 2025. And we will also establish a UK Humanitarian Crisis Response Fund for specialist technical expertise, search and rescue, and emergency medical teams. We call on all Member States, including new and emerging donors and partners, to step up their support.
Second, we are shaping a system that is accountable to the people it serves. The UK is proud to have supported the START network from its inception to deliver rapid, early and locally-led humanitarian action around the world. We will invest more in local leadership on humanitarian action and will explore how our engagement, terminology, delivery, and approach can change to support local partnerships.
Third, we will build a system which can anticipate shocks and act early. This is proven to mitigate the impacts of disasters, save more lives and deliver value for money. We will continue to champion the CERF’s scale up of a system-wide approach to ‘Early Action’, including through our contribution of a further $65 million to the fund this year. Finally, colleagues, we must prevent today’s problems from turning into tomorrow’s crises.
This will need a whole of system response, in partnership with the UN, civil society, the International Financial Institutions, and, increasingly, the private sector. This is why, alongside our humanitarian efforts, we are supporting initiatives that will reduce need and prevent humanitarian caseloads.
We will scope a separate fund alongside our humanitarian funding, to build in climate resilience and adaptation alongside delivery of humanitarian relief. This will reduce the impact of future disasters and help communities to prepare and adapt for crises that we can anticipate.
And we will continue to advocate for compliance with international humanitarian law and for sustainable and inclusive ends to conflicts which remain the greatest blocker to development and prosperity. We look forward to working with you all to deliver this.
‘Managing smart city governance’ draws on Scottish examples of harnessing digital technology
A new United Nations resource to help cities around the world harness the benefits of digital technology has been completed and launched by researchers at Edinburgh Napier University.
‘Managing smart city governance’ is described as a playbook of practical recommendations to improve urban life with the use of cutting-edge tech.
Professor Luca Mora and Dr Paolo Gerli from ENU’s Business School led the research team behind it, offering practical guidance to local and regional governments leading ‘smart city’ projects. Existing examples include real-time monitoring of traffic data, and online platforms to enhance civic participation.
The recommendations are intended to help develop more effective, inclusive, and sustainable urban areas, by showing how cities worldwide have been successfully dealing with the ethical, societal and environmental implications of digital technologies.
The final publication draws on examples from Scotland for cities in other parts of the world to follow, including the collaborative Scottish Cities Alliance, the launch of the Scottish Digital Academy, and Glasgow’s Participatory Budgeting Evaluation Toolkit.
Reacting to the launch, he said: “This playbook draws together evidence-based advice, offering what we hope will be guidance that makes a positive difference around the world.
“Digital technology offers many opportunities for leaders of local and municipal governments – and it could revolutionise the quality of life for people who live in urban areas.
“The potential of these technologies is almost limitless, so it is important that they are put in place strategically and collaboratively to make the most of them.”
The playbook itself is based on a review of existing evidence, a survey of local government leaders from 250 municipalities across five continents, and interviews with 131 experts from 37 different countries. The findings are then split into three pillars: strategy, collaborative ecosystem and technology.
As well as ENU, the playbook was jointly produced by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, and Tallinn University of Technology.
Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Gaza yesterday:
Thank you, President.
I’d like to thank Commissioner-General Lazzarini, Executive Director Russell and Director Doughten for your stark and clear briefings.
Let me start by recognising the courage, commitment and sacrifice of UN employees and humanitarian workers in Gaza, and in particular the 103 aid workers – including the 64 UNRWA staff – who have been killed in Gaza in the last 22 days.
We also offer our sincere condolences to all Palestinians and Israelis who have suffered or lost loved ones.
Since Hamas’ terrorist attack against Israel on 7 October, the United Kingdom has underscored Israel’s right to self-defence against terrorism. We continue to be clear that this must be done in accordance with international humanitarian law.
Our efforts, with our international partners, have focussed on the protection of civilians, securing and scaling up humanitarian access, and the release of hostages. Sadly, despite these efforts the situation in Gaza deteriorates daily. Hamas bears sole responsibility for starting this conflict.
President, I would like to highlight three priorities.
First, we call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law, including the principles of proportionality, distinction and necessity. This requires all parties to take every possible step to avoid the harming of civilians and the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.
Second, we must urgently co-operate to scale up aid into Gaza, and to ensure sufficient access points are open.
For this to happen successfully there needs to be a safer environment, which necessitates humanitarian pauses. We support UN-led efforts in this regard.
Since the latest escalation in Gaza, the UK has committed over $36 million in additional aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories. An RAF flight arrived in Egypt on 25 October carrying 21 tonnes of UK aid for Gaza. But the access environment needs to improve immediately so that these and other lifesaving resources can reach the people who desperately need them.
Third, we cannot allow this conflict to spread. We call on all countries in the region to help avoid escalation and warn non-state actors not to exploit the current situation.
President, the Palestinian Authority has a key role as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. We call on Israel and other states to support the PA. We call on Israeli authorities to tackle the rising number of settler attacks and killings in the occupied West Bank, recalling that it is their responsibility to protect Palestinian civilians there.
The UK retains the long-term goal of a Two State Solution with Israel and Palestine coexisting peacefully.
To reach that goal, we have a responsibility to ensure a plan for Gaza that offers the population hope, security, stability, prosperity, and effective governance so that their political wishes can be fulfilled. In this regard, some fundamental principles apply.
There should be no mass displacement of Gazans to neighbouring countries. The Palestinian Authority should play a central role. And nothing should be done that cuts across progress towards a Two State Solution, with Gaza as an integral part of a Palestinian state.
Letter to UK political leaders to support a humanitarian corridor
First Minister Humza Yousaf has written to UK political leaders urging them to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, to allow a humanitarian corridor to open. The First Minister says the UK should stand together to stop the humanitarian disaster that is unfolding in Gaza.
The letter reads:
To: UK political leaders From: First Minister Humza Yousaf
The abhorrent terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas on 7 October must be unequivocally condemned, and I will continue to join you in doing so. Hamas must release immediately and unconditionally all hostages and cease its missile attacks on Israel.
The killing of innocent civilians can never be justified, wherever it occurs. Israel, like every other country, has a right to protect itself from attack, but in doing so it must comply with international law.
Since the tragic events of that day, the loss of life has escalated. More than 1,400 Israelis and 5,700 Palestinians are reported to have been killed. More than 1.4 million Palestinians have been displaced and in excess of 600,000 people are sheltering in UN-run facilities. Many British citizens are trapped in a warzone with nowhere to go, under intense daily bombardment of the Gaza strip.
Food, water, fuel, and medicine are being restricted, with limited humanitarian supplies – nowhere near enough – being allowed in. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) – the largest humanitarian agency working in Gaza – has warned that unless fuel is allowed into Gaza immediately, the agency will be forced to halt all operations as of today.
I am, therefore, writing to ask for your support in helping to stop the staggering humanitarian disaster we are witnessing, which is set to get even worse.
We should stand together and united in unequivocally calling on all parties to commit to an immediate ceasefire to allow a humanitarian corridor to be opened, so that lifesaving supplies can get into Gaza and innocent civilians who want to leave be given safe passage out.
The situation in Gaza is at the point of being cataclysmic. All of us must do everything we can to prevent that. There must be no more dithering, or delay, together we must call for an immediate ceasefire.
The First Minister’s letter has been sent to:
Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales
Michelle O’Neill First Minister (Designate) of Northern Ireland
Sir Keir Stamer, Leader of the Labour Party
Sir Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democrats
Rhun ap Lorwerth, Leader of Plaid Cymru
Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsey, Co-Leaders the Green Party of England and Wales
Douglas Ross, Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Anas Sarwar, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party
Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater, Co-Leaders of the Scottish Green Party
Alex Cole Hamilton, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats
Clare Adamson, Convenor of the Scottish Parliament Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
Alicia Kearns, Chair of the UK Parliament Foreign Affairs Select Committee
MEANWHILE, THE UK GOVERNMENT HAS ABSTAINED IN A VOTE CALLING FOR A HUMANITARIAN TRUCE IN GAZA …
UK statement following the UN General Assembly vote on the Jordanian draft resolution on the situation in Gaza, Friday 27 October 2023:
The UK abstained on the Jordanian-drafted resolution.
We welcome the draft’s call for all parties to respect International Humanitarian Law, including the protection of civilians, for the immediate release of hostages and for full and sustained humanitarian access.
These are UK priorities and we have been working tirelessly with partners to achieve these on the ground, including the UK Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary’s engagements with Egypt to open the Rafah crossing to get aid to the Palestinian people.
We are proud to have pledged an additional $37 million in UK aid to help civilians in Gaza since the beginning of the crisis. The UK Prime Minister has been clear that we recognise the need for humanitarian pauses to deliver this aid safely and in a sustained way.
We also welcome the draft’s emphasis on preventing regional escalation of the conflict. It is in no-one’s interest for this conflict to spread.
However, we are deeply disappointed with the draft’s omission of an unequivocal condemnation of Hamas’ terrorist attacks that killed over 1,400 people and took over 200 hostages last week. This should not be controversial.
That is why we voted in favour of the Canadian amendment which would have corrected this.
But we cannot vote for a resolution that is silent on the largest terror attack in Israel’s history.
Hamas has embedded itself in civilian populations, is still holding civilians hostage, and firing rockets at Israel while using Palestinians as human shields. It is clear that Israel is under attack by terrorists and is entitled under international law to defend itself. Any resolution on the situation in Gaza and Israel should be unequivocal on that too.
This is why we abstained on this resolution.
We will continue to work closely with Israel, Palestine, the UN and our partners in the region to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. To ensure that civilians are protected and have access to food, water, medicine, and shelter. And to work towards the peace and stability which can only be achieved by working towards a sustainable Two State Solution.
Senior Jewish and Muslim faith leaders issue joint statement with FM
First Minister Humza Yousaf has joined faith leaders in Scotland to express a steadfast commitment against all forms of hate crime, bigotry and xenophobia.
In a joint statement, the First Minister and senior religious representatives of Scotland’s Jewish and Muslim communities have pledged to continue working together to foster community cohesion and goodwill across Scotland.
A copy of the joint statement from the First Minister and faith leaders is below:
We express today our mutual respect and understanding, recognising our common humanity, and with love and compassion, knowing that our hearts are full of pain. We also acknowledge the suffering caused to innocent life as a result of recent events and wholeheartedly pray for the full recovery of the many injured and for those who have lost loved ones.
In times of crisis, it is important for our faith communities, and all communities in Scotland, to reaffirm our relationships and maintain our continuing dialogue. We are steadfast in our commitment against all forms of hate crime, bigotry and xenophobia and we are proud of the strong inter-faith tradition in Scotland.
We stand together in solidarity to reassure our communities of that continuing commitment. We will continue to work together to foster community cohesion and goodwill across Scotland, so that everyone can live in safety. We are proud of our close and strong working relationships, built up over many years, and which allows us the ability to work with confidence and trust.
Humza Yousaf, First Minister of Scotland
Rabbi Moshe Rubin, Senior Rabbi of Scotland
Chief Imam Dr. Sayed Razawi
Shaykh Hassan Rabbani, Chair of the Scottish Muslim Forum
Rabbi Eliran Shabo, Jewish Chaplain of Scotland Universities
