Showing posts with label Sunak. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sunak. Show all posts

Thursday, May 09, 2024

United Kingdom is on a "war footing". New UK Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa and Red Sea appointed

On April 24, 2024 the BBC reported that many of the front pages declare that the UK is on a "war footing" after Rishi Sunak's announcement of an extra £75bn for defence over the next six years. 

The Telegraph says there will be a focus on hypersonic missiles, lasers, anti-tank rockets and artillery shells. Writing in the paper, the chief of the defence staff - Admiral Sir Tony Radakin - said the investment was a sign that Britain had lost none of her famous resolve.

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New UK Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa and Red Sea appointed

Alison Blackburne is the UK’s Special Envoy for the Red Sea and Horn of Africa, starting in this role in May 2024. Alison was the British Ambassador to South Sudan from April 2017 to May 2019, and before that British High Commissioner to Uganda from August 2012 to November 2016.
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HERE is a full copy of Africa Press Release
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Government of UK
Dated Thursday, 9 May 2024 

New United Kingdom Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa and Red Sea appointed: Alison Blackburne

Alison Blackburne has been appointed UK Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa and Red Sea. She takes up the role with experience in a wide range of diplomatic roles in the UK and overseas, including previously serving as the British High Commissioner to Uganda and British Ambassador to South Sudan. 


The UK Envoy’s role is to lead the UK response to international activity in the Horn of Africa region, engaging with key actors.


Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell said: The UK is committed to building our long-term partnerships in the Horn of Africa, wider East Africa and across the Gulf. Our relationship tackles a range of issues, from humanitarian crises to trade, investment, and regional security.  


It’s been a critical year for the region, from a devastating conflict in Sudan, to attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and building our trade links in the Gulf. 


Alison will bring invaluable knowledge and experience to the role, and I am confident she will grow our diplomatic relationships in the coming years.


UK Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa and Red Sea Alison Blackburne said: The Horn of Africa is a dynamic region, and the UK remains focussed on working with partners to bring peace, stability, and prosperity for its people.


We are committed to tackling the key issues which affect communities across the region.  These include conflict and instability, humanitarian crises, climate change and food insecurity, as well as the challenges and opportunities of regional economic cooperation and trade and investment. 


 It is a privilege to accept this position, and I look forward to working with our international partners at such a crucial time.


View original:  https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/africa-press-releases/new-united-kingdom-special-envoy-to-the-horn-of-africa-and-red-sea-appointed-alison-blackburne-s3nghnzc


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Sunday, April 30, 2023

UK: Evacuation flights have ended at Wadi Saeedna but our rescue efforts continue from Port Sudan

The RAF planes used until yesterday took off from Wadi Seidna Air Base, but tomorrow’s flight will leave from Port Sudan International Airport (Picture: Royal Navy)

Report from the METRO 

By Craig Munro

Sunday 30 April 2023 4:07 pm BST UK - full copy:


The UK is to run an additional flight to evacuate British citizens from Sudan after announcing an end to the operation yesterday.


Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: ‘The UK has now airlifted over 2,100 people to safety from Sudan, in what has been the largest and longest evacuation of any western country. I want to thank all of those working to deliver this evacuation and ensure as many people as possible are brought to safety.


‘Evacuation flights have ended from Wadi Saeedna but our rescue efforts continue from Port Sudan.


‘We continue to do everything in our power to secure a long-term ceasefire, a stable transition to civilian rule and an end the violence in Sudan.’


View original: https://metro.co.uk/2023/04/30/uk-to-run-extra-sudan-evacuation-flight-as-rescue-efforts-continue-18698712/


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Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Sudan crisis: UK troops set to take command at Khartoum airfield and can use force if necessary

Report from the i

By Hugo Gye, Political Editor

Tuesday 25 April 2023 6:49 pm (Updated 8:20 pm)


Sudan crisis: UK troops set to take command at Khartoum airfield and can use force if necessary


It remains unclear how many of the British citizens currently stranded in Sudan can be evacuated by the Government

British troops on their way to Sudan (Photo: LPHOT Mark Johnson/MoD)


British troops are poised to take control of the airfield in Sudan where evacuation flights have been taking British citizens out of the war-torn country.


Military and civilian officials will oversee operations at the facility outside Khartoum, including security in the event that the airfield comes under attack from local militias.


Three flights were due to be completed by Wednesday morning with several more expected throughout the day – but the UK Government does not know whether it will be able to evacuate all the British nationals who want to leave.


Officials are based at the Wadi Saeedna airfield but ministers have ruled out expanding operations beyond that area, meaning that only people who can make it there on their own will be eligible for evacuation


There are 120 British troops at the base including members of 40 Commando, who flew in from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.


i understands the UK troops will be ready to use force if required to protect the airfield, should it come under attack during the airlift.


Government officials are hopeful the operation can be carried out without any exchange of fire, with the troops primarily there to assist with logistics.


Defence Secretary Ben Wallace confirmed i‘s reporting on Tuesday evening, telling LBC Radio: “The Germans are leaving tomorrow, and we will take over the facilitation at the airfield.


“And the reason the Germans are leaving is people have stopped coming in large numbers.”


Mr Wallace said only one nation can facilitate the airfield at a time.


He added: “If the Spanish or the Italians or anyone else wants to fly, we’ll be the ones giving permissions effectively.”


The minister also said 99 per cent of the British nationals who have registered with the Foreign Office are in the capital Khartoum.


The Government is still working on other options including an evacuation by boat from the coastal city of Port Sudan.


The start of the mission came after the announcement of a ceasefire between the two warring forces currently tearing Sudan apart. 


It also followed an agreement between the UK Government and the armed forces of Sudan to give British nationals safe passage out of the country.


The Foreign Office has made contact with the Rapid Support Forces, which is fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces of the internationally recognised government.


A processing centre at the airfield is being run by staff from the Foreign Office and Border Force after the entire embassy team was evacuated on Sunday over fears they would be directly targeted by militias. The site, used by several different Western governments, was being operated and guarded by the German military but as of Wednesday evening they were preparing to end their mission and hand over to the UK.


There are no plans to help British nationals to access the evacuation mission because of the dangers of travelling even short distances within Sudan. And if the current ceasefire breaks down, there is no guarantee the evacuation efforts can continue, Government sources have said.


Rishi Sunak rejected the suggestion that the Government was too slow to act to help British citizens, saying: “I’m pleased that we were actually one of the first countries to safely evacuate our diplomats and our families. And it was right that we prioritised them because they were being targeted.


“The security situation on the ground in Sudan is complicated, it is volatile and we wanted to make sure we could put in place processes that are going to work for people, that are going to be safe and effective.”


The UK’s military presence in the region may enable the Government to bring humanitarian aid to Sudan once the evacuation mission is complete, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told MPs. He said: “It could well be that it stops becoming an evacuation and in fact it becomes a humanitarian crisis that we have to deal with, that is the challenge on the ground in Sudan is the food and water access as a result of the conflict.”


Oliver Dowden, the new Deputy Prime Minister, chaired the latest in a near-daily series of Cobra meetings to co-ordinate the response of multiple different Whitehall departments to the crisis.


View original: here.

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Sudan: UK Gov begins large-scale evacuation of Brits

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: It's good to see Sir Nicholas Kay mentioned in this report. He was an excellent UK ambassador to Sudan 2010-2012 a dangerous and difficult time in Sudan and South Sudan. I miss his reports.

In this report he is quoted as saying: the situation in Khartoum was precarious and the security situation could change rapidly because there was no trust between the two sides in the conflict.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that moving around Khartoum could be challenging because the bridges crossing the Blue and White Nile rivers were being controlled by armed groups.

Report from BBC News

By Charley Adams, BBC News


Tuesday 25 April 2023 14:30 hrs BST UK - full copy


Sudan: UK government begins large-scale evacuation of British people

IMAGE SOURCE, PA MEDIA

Image caption, Military forces have been deployed to Cyprus to help evacuate British citizens stuck in Sudan


The UK is beginning a large-scale, complex evacuation of British people from Sudan, PM Rishi Sunak has said.


Families with children, the elderly and people with medical conditions will be prioritised on RAF flights leaving from an airfield near the capital Khartoum.


They are being told to make their own way to the airport, without an escort.


A 72-hour ceasefire, agreed by rival military factions, appears to be holding although there have been reports of new gunfire and shelling.


At least 459 people have been killed since fighting broke out on 15 April.


UK ministers have come under increasing pressure to help its citizens flee the fierce fighting.


Around 4,000 UK citizens are thought to be in Sudan and 2,000 of them have already requested help, Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell said on Monday.


Only British passport holders and their immediate family with existing UK entry clearance are eligible, the government has said.


The Foreign Office is urging them to make their own way to the Wadi Saeedna airfield to the north of Khartoum to board evacuation flights.


Previous advice that people should not travel to the evacuation site until contacted by the government has been removed.


An RAF plane which took off from an airfield north of Khartoum has landed in Cyprus, according to a flight tracking site. It is not yet clear whether UK nationals are onboard.


Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the government was not able to escort people to the airfield and British nationals would need to "make their own way there".


He said he had made contact with the military leaders in Sudan but it was impossible to predict how long the evacuation window would remain open.


They would maintain the airhead for "as long as we can", he added, and the UK was working as quickly as possible to get people out.


Mr Cleverly said the situation there remained "dangerous, volatile and unpredictable".


"This is an active conflict, the ceasefire has been announced but we know there have been pockets of violence even within previous ceasefires," he added.


Downing Street said those evacuated would first be taken to Cyprus before being brought back to the UK.


One man with dual nationality said he feared he might not make it out of Sudan.


Musaab, who is waiting to be evacuated from Khartoum, told the BBC the situation was fraught with challenges.


"The one thing that I didn't like is that they're asking people to come to the airport which is very risky because there is no law and order," he said.

Many British nationals have spent days indoors with food and drink running low and no electricity or wifi.


Several have spoken of their anger and desperation at being left behind, while other foreign nationals and embassy staff were flown out.


On Sunday, the UK airlifted diplomats and their families out of Sudan in a military operation.


The fragile ceasefire, which began at midnight on Monday (22:00 GMT), appears to be holding but there have been reports of gunfire and warplanes flying over Khartoum.


This is the fourth suspension of fighting since violence erupted in Sudan this month, but other attempts did not hold.


Sir Nicholas Kay, a former UK ambassador to Sudan, said the situation in Khartoum was precarious and the security situation could change rapidly because there was no trust between the two sides in the conflict.


He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that moving around Khartoum could be challenging because the bridges crossing the Blue and White Nile rivers were being controlled by armed groups.


Hundreds of people have been airlifted from Sudan by other countries, including more than 1,000 people by European Union nations.


IMAGE SOURCE, PA MEDIA

Image caption, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak paid tribute to the military forces "carrying out this complex operation"


Dr Nala Hamza, whose family is trying to get out of Khartoum, said the evacuation was "good news if it came to reality".


She said her family, who live in the centre of the city, had fled their home at dawn to try to get a bus to the north of the country.


"They were hiding in a room at the back of the house away from windows because of the shooting," she told BBC Breakfast.


Dr Hamza said at least 40 out of 55 hospitals were "not functioning at all" and the system "was already struggling before the war".


There was no safe route to get any help and doctors were exhausted, she added.


Dr Atia Abdalla Atia, the general secretary of the Sudan Doctors Union, agreed the situation was "very bad" and they were doing their best to support people.


He told BBC's Today the hospital he was working in has reached maximum capacity and patients were lying down in reception without beds.


Mo, from Reading, said he was "very scared" for his family, who had arrived in Khartoum the day before the violence broke out.


"They were in that area for the first five days, with no electricity, water running out, they were isolated," he said.


"Even getting to this airport that's being looked at to be evacuating Brits from, that in itself is going to be hard to get to."


View original, with thanks to the BBC: 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65383400


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Monday, April 24, 2023

A British RAF plane and reconnaissance team lands in Port Sudan for future evacuations

Report from The Guardian UK LIVE reporting

By Dan Sabbagh

Monday 24 April 2023 17:10 BST UK


RAF plane lands in Sudan for future evacuations


A British RAF plane has landed at port city in the north-east of Sudan as a British minister said that the UK is evaluating further military options for rescuing non-diplomats from the country by land, sea and air.

A C17 Globemaster is on the ground at Port Sudan with some troops who may form part of a second rescue organised by the UK following Sunday’s controversial evacuation of British diplomats from the capital, Khartoum, but not other UK nationals.

James Heappey, the minister for the armed forces said in a briefing that the UK recognises that “the job isn’t done” when it comes to rescuing the 4,000 or more British and dual nationals trapped in Sudan.

“Work is under way in [the Ministry of Defence] and has been all weekend and the back end of last week to give the prime minister and Cobra options for what else could be done to support the wider community of British nationals in Sudan,” the defence minister said.

A storm gathered on Monday over Britain’s decision to rescue only its diplomats when other countries such as Germany had been evacuating both diplomats and nationals, prompting British ministers to say that evacuation efforts had not been abandoned.

Heappey said that discussions in government were continuing “at pace” and that Rishi Sunak would be given options to help Britons trapped in Sudan “as and when they arise”, but added that there was a concern that the military situation was highly unstable given the fighting between government and RSF rebel forces.

A frigate, HMS Lancaster, is also available nearby and could participate in any maritime rescue, if one were organised. Although the long journey from Khartoum to Port Sudan is not being recommended by British officials and is fraught with danger, convoys have been able to make it to the relatively safety of the city.


View original: here.


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Report from BBC News LIVE

By Jonathan Beale, Defence correspondent

Monday 24 April 2023 16:47 BST UK


British military reconnaissance team lands in Port Sudan


The BBC understands that a small British military reconnaissance team has landed in Port Sudan to asses potential options for the evacuation of UK citizens still stranded in Sudan.


No decisions have been made about extracting UK citizens from the country but defence sources say that work is under way to provide the prime minister with options.


Two Royal Navy ships are also in the region. The Frigate HMS Lancaster is already at sea nearby.


Supply ship RFA Cardigan Bay has been undergoing maintenance in Bahrain.


Commenting on the reports, a defence source said the news "should give you no indication, other than defence is doing what defence does - looking to generate options for the prime minister, so that as soon as those options are ready, he can take them if he thinks they are viable".


View original: here.


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Sunday, April 23, 2023

Irish army to help evacuate citizens from Sudan

Report from BBC News

Sunday 23 April 2023, 8:24 PM GMT+1 - excerpts:


Irish army personnel to help evacuate citizens from Sudan

The conflict unfolding in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, and other regions has led to evacuations


Personnel from the Irish Defence Forces will be deployed to help evacuate citizens from Sudan.


The measure was approved by the government on Sunday amid a worsening security situation in the African country.


Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs said it is in contact with more than 150 Irish citizens in Sudan.


Twelve armed forces personnel will initially be deployed to Djibouti, on the east African coast. [...]


The Emergency Civil Assistance Team (ECAT) will provide consular and other assistance to Irish citizens and their dependents being evacuated.

Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Leo Varadkar [pictured] said the situation in Sudan's capital Khartoum had "got worse in the last few days, and violence is being reported across the city".


"The situation on the ground in Sudan remains extremely volatile and I wish the ECAT and Defence Forces team every success in this mission," he added.


The US and UK announced on Sunday that they had flown diplomats out of the country.


British diplomats and their families were evacuated from Sudan in a "complex and rapid" operation, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed.


Mr Sunak said work was continuing to ensure the safety of British nationals who remain in Sudan.


UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said there were "specific threats and violence directed towards diplomats" which led to the decision to evacuate staff.


He said that by relocating the embassy to a nearby country, diplomats could provide more assistance to those in Sudan.


But he said the government's ability to evacuate other British nationals was "severely limited" until fighting between warring parties stopped.


UK citizens in Sudan are being urged to tell the Foreign Office where they are in case more help becomes available, and a hotline has been set up for those who need urgent help.


Italy, Belgium, Turkey, Japan and the Netherlands said they were also organising evacuations, starting on Sunday.


On Saturday, more than 150 people, mostly citizens of Gulf countries, as well as Egypt, Pakistan and Canada were evacuated by sea to the Saudi Arabian port of Jeddah.


The World Health Organization says the fighting has killed more than 400 people and injured thousands. However, the death toll is believed to be much higher as people are struggling to get healthcare, as most of Khartoum's hospitals have been forced to close by the fighting.


View original: https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/irish-army-personnel-help-evacuate-155748352.html

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British diplomats evacuated from Sudan by 1,200 personnel Air Assault Brigade, Royal Marines, RAF

Breaking news from BBC News UK

By Antoinette Radford

Sunday 23 April 2023 c.13:40 - full copy

British diplomats evacuated from Sudan

British diplomats and their families have been evacuated from Sudan in a "complex and rapid" operation, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has confirmed. 

Mr Sunak said work was continuing to ensure the safety of British nationals who remain in Sudan.

The evacuees were taken to an airfield outside of Khartoum to fly out of the country overnight, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told the BBC.

Fierce violence erupted last week in Khartoum between two opposing forces.

The power struggle between Sudan's regular army and a paramilitary force called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has seen deadly shooting and shelling in the capital city.

Foreign Minister James Cleverly added that the government was working "around the clock to broker international support to end the bloodshed in Sudan." 

Mr Wallace also thanked France and the United States for their assistance in the operation in an interview with the BBC. 

He said the operation involved more than 1,200 British personnel from the Air Assault Brigade, Royal Marines and the Royal Air Force.

The UK's move follows the evacuation of US diplomats in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Fewer than 100 people were evacuated when three Chinook helicopters landed near the US embassy to collect them.

Several other countries including France, the Netherlands and Italy have also begun evacuating citizens from Sudan. 

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on Twitter to get the latest alerts.

Updated versions here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65367019

Saturday, April 22, 2023

Sudan army chief agreed to facilitate evacuation of diplomats and nationals from UK, US, France and China from Sudan by air “in the coming hours”

Report from BBC News

By Sarah Fowler

Saturday 22 April 2023 c.14:00 GMT BST UK - excerpts:


Sudan fighting: Army says foreign nationals to be evacuated


Diplomats and nationals from the UK, US, France and China are to be evacuated from Sudan by air as fighting there continues, a statement from the Sudanese army says.


Army chief Fattah al-Burhan agreed to facilitate and secure their evacuation "in the coming hours", it said


[...] A statement from the [Sudanese] army said British, US, French and Chinese nationals and diplomats would be evacuated by air on board military transport planes from the capital, Khartoum.

The UK government said it was "doing everything possible to support British nationals and diplomatic staff in Khartoum".

It said its defence ministry was working with the foreign office to prepare for a number of provisions, without specifying whether immediate evacuations were among those plans.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak chaired a Cobra meeting - an emergency response committee - on Saturday morning about the situation in Sudan.

Read full story here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65358069

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