Jul262017

Press release: The challenges and opportunities for Welsh tourism post EU exit

HM Government

From dolphin spotting trips along the Ceredigion coastline to adrenaline fuelled mountain bike experiences, UK Government ministers will hear first-hand the crucial contribution the Mid Wales tourism industry brings to the Welsh economy during a visit to Aberystwyth today (26 July).

Supporting Wales’ thriving tourism sector will top the agenda at a roundtable meeting hosted by Wales Office Minister Guto Bebb MP and UK Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism John Glen MP at Aberystwyth University.

This is the latest in a series of meetings hosted by the UK Government in Wales as Britain prepares to leave the European Union.

The Ministers will gather tourism experts and businesses from across Wales to discuss the opportunities for growing the industry, and to hear their views on ensuring a tourism sector that thrives and develops post Brexit.

Tourism is big business in Wales. In the 12 months ending March 2017, there were 104.6 million day visits to Wales, with an associated spend of £4,346 million.

More than 1 million international visits were made to Wales in 2016 – up 11% on the previous year – which was worth almost £450 million to the economy.

UK Government in Wales Minister Guto Bebb said:

Whilst I already know a lot of the great places to visit in Wales, I always welcome the opportunity to speak to people working in the industry, to hear about the issues they are facing, and opportunities available to them

As we move towards our exit from the European Union, the job of listening and engaging has become even more critical

The UK Government’s overriding goal is to make sure that the voices of all sectors from all corners of the UK are heard. That is why we are bringing experts from Wales’ tourism sector together for this meeting in Aberystwyth today. We want to give them the platform to discuss the challenges posed by Brexit, but also to hear the great opportunities for growth in business and employment

Wales is regularly highlighted as one of the best places to visit in the world. We are determined not just that it remains so but that we make it even more attractive post EU departure.

Minister for Arts, Heritage and Tourism John Glen said:

Promoting Wales as a must-visit destination and ensuring that all parts of the UK benefit from international tourism is a key government priority. We want visitors from across the world to experience all Wales has to offer from its rich culture and history to its thriving city centres and breathtaking scenery.

International tourism was worth almost £450 million to Wales last year and I want to help the industry grow this number further. Leaving the EU presents opportunities for the tourism sector, and it has been great to hear directly from Welsh businesses on how we can make the most of them to ensure all parts of the UK benefit.

During the visit to Aberystwyth, both Ministers will also mark the £10.5million Heritage Lottery Investment in the restoration of Old College and Mr Bebb will also visit Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS)

Jul252017

Amid rising tensions in Jerusalem, UN envoy warns of ‘grave risk’ of escalation in Middle East

United Nations

25 July 2017 – The United Nations envoy on Middle East peace has warned that developments over the past 11 days at holy sites in the Old City in Jerusalem have demonstrated the &#8220grave risk&#8221 that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could become a religious conflict that could ultimately engulf the rest of the region.

While recognizing that Israelis and Palestinians fortunately &#8220have not succumbed to the torrent of violent upheaval that has engulfed the region in recent years,&#8221 Nickolay Mladenov, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, nevertheless told an open debate in the UN Security Council that: &#8220For nearly a century, despite myriad peace efforts, one conflict has evaded solution.&#8221

His briefing highlighted the latest clashes and rising tensions over the past two weeks in the Old City in Jerusalem. Violence has resulted in deaths on both sides.

These developments &#8220demonstrated the grave risk of dangerous escalation that exists, a risk of turning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into a religious one and dragging both sides into the vortex of violence with the rest of the region,&#8221 Mr. Mladenov said, stressing the need for all parties to show restraint and promptly end this crisis.

Noting that the final status issue concerning Jerusalem needs to be negotiated and decided by the two sides, he urged Israel to fulfill the responsibility to uphold its obligations under international human rights law and humanitarian law. He also urged Palestinian leaders to avoid provocative statements that further aggravate an already tense environment.

The latest incidents have taken place against a backdrop of other developments, the envoy stressed.

Throughout the month, Israel continued to advance its plans to construct settlements in East Jerusalem. &#8220I must once again emphasize that settlement activity in occupied territory is illegal under international law, and undermines the chances for the establishment of a viable, contiguous, sovereign Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution,&#8221 he warned.

On a positive note, an interim power purchasing agreement between the two sides was signed on 10 July, which set the stage to negotiate a more comprehensive power purchasing agreement towards Palestinian energy independence. In addition, an agreement was reached to increase water supply for Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Turning to the situation in Gaza, he reiterated that the political standoff between two Palestinian factions &#8211 Fatah and Hamas &#8211 has taken the two million people living in the tiny enclave &#8220hostage.&#8221

Since violently seizing control of Gaza, Hamas has tightened its grip on power and suppressed dissent, he explained.

The &#8220punishing measures&#8221 taken against Hamas, including electricity cuts, have worsened the humanitarian situation in Gaza. &#8220Whatever the political differences between the Palestinian factions, it is not the people of Gaza who should pay the price,&#8221 Mr. Mladenov underscored, calling on Palestinian leaders to address the destructive consequences of the split.

Finally, he said recent events are a reminder of how easy it could be to reach a dangerous escalation, and he, expressed hope that Israel’s agreement with Jordan and positive engagement with religious authorities would result in actions that would circumvent violence in the future.

&#8220We must not lose focus on the need to restore a political perspective, on the need to bring Palestinians and Israelis back into an environment that is conductive to negotiations on a final status arrangement and avoids turning the national Israeli-Palestinian conflict into a religious one,&#8221 he emphasized.

Jul252017

EU helps France fight forest fires

EU

Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides said: “The EU stands in full solidarity with France. In an immediate response, the European Commission has helped mobilise a Canadair aircraft from Italy through our Civil Protection Mechanism. Earlier this month, France helped Italy fighting forest fires and now Italy is showing its support to France. This is EU solidarity at its best. Our thoughts are with all those affected and the brave first responders working in difficult conditions”.

In addition, the EU’s emergency Copernicus satellite is helping to provide damage assessment maps of the affected areas.

The European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre, which monitors natural disasters 24/7, is in contact with the French civil protection authorities and is closely monitoring developments and any other assistance that could be requested.

Background

The Commission’s Emergency Response Centre is actively monitoring the fires throughout Europe. It uses national monitoring services and tools such as the European Forest Fire Information System and satellite imagery to provide an overview of the situation in Europe. Over the summer period, the centre also organises weekly coordination meetings with the countries that are at high risk of forest fires.

Civil Protection Mechanism

The European Commission coordinates the voluntary offers made by participating states though the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, and can co-finance the transport of relief items and experts to the country in question. The mobilisation of assistance is coordinated through the Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre, which closely monitors developments and offers the possibility of transport co-financing for the offered assistance.

The assistance can consist of items for immediate relief as well as experts and supporting intervention teams. In the case of fires, this can include fire-extinguishing aircraft. The Commission cannot send planes or equipment itself via the Mechanism.

Overall, the Mechanism facilitates the cooperation in disaster response among 34 European states (28 EU Member States, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Norway, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey).

For more information:

Photos – European Commission’s Emergency response centre

Video stockshots – European Commission Emergency response centre

MEMO – Fighting forest fires in Europe – how it works

Factsheet – EU Civil Protection Mechanism

Factsheet – European Emergency Response Capacity

Jul252017

Speech: After generations of hostility, blood & tears & in the wake of years of pain & wars, we are determined to bring an end to the bloodshed & sorrow

HM Government

Thank you Mr President and let me join others in thanking you Nikolay for your briefing and for your tireless efforts on this issue.

As you have set out so clearly this morning, the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories continues to be of utmost concern for the Security Council. After generations of hostility, blood and tears and in the wake of years of pain and wars, we are determined to bring an end to the bloodshed and sorrow.

But such determination is not new, Mr President. In fact, those words I just uttered come from the Washington Declaration, signed on this very day twenty three years ago.

That historic document started a process that created a historic peace between Israel and Jordan; a peace that would have been unthinkable decades before. The symbolism of this particular anniversary should not be lost on anyone in this Council today. It should remind us all that the peace we seek is not impossible; no matter how far off it may appear; no matter the challenges ahead.

It is a reminder of hope that the region desperately needs. One need only look to the recent abhorrent surge in violence to see that peace remains far from the minds of far too many.

I condemn the horrific terrorist attack that claimed the lives of three Israelis during a Shabbat dinner last Friday. I deplore the tragic murder of two Israeli policemen at the Temple Mount/Haram Sharif the Friday before.

A spiral of tension and violence has swept across the West Bank and Jerusalem in recent days. I am deeply concerned about the loss of life, including the deaths of at least four Palestinians, and deplore the violence that has left hundreds injured in clashes over the weekend. The relevant authorities must swiftly investigate all these incidents.

We call on all parties to show restraint and restore calm. We call on all parties to avoid provocation and, through engagement, to reach a solution that ensures the safety and security of the Temple Mount/Haram Sharif; one that upholds the status quo. We welcome the engagement between all parties to find a solution, and we welcome positive steps taken overnight. This is the path to de-escalation. This is the path all parties must take.

In parallel, Mr President, we must not lose sight of other challenges to peace, such as the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, where the recent cut in electricity supplies is exacerbating already perilous conditions; over 33,000 people displaced, insufficient clean water to meet the population’s needs, with most only getting water for a few hours every 3 to 5 days.

Over 70% of Gazans are now reliant on UNRWA and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the UN for their efforts to alleviate the suffering of those in Gaza.

Ultimately, it is Hamas’ decision to choose violence and reject the Quartet Principles that lies at the heart of the tragedy in Gaza. There is a way out; Hamas must renounce violence, recognise Israel and accept previously signed agreements. This means an end to the rockets, an end to the violence. Those countries in the region with influence over Hamas must encourage them to take these steps.

We also need to see steps towards the restoration of the Palestinian Authority control of Gaza and with it, the restoration of effective and accountable governance. If we are to achieve a solution, Israel must lift restrictions on Gaza to ease the suffering of ordinary Palestinians. The UK stands ready to do all we can to support these efforts.

Beyond Gaza, we’re also concerned to see settlement activity in East Jerusalem increasing, especially at a time of heightened tension. All settlements are illegal under international law and I strongly condemn plans to build new settlement housing units. Many of these units are within Palestinian neighbourhoods and some involve the demolition of Palestinian homes. This is unacceptable. I’m also gravely concerned by proposals for the construction of a further 1,100 units between the West Bank settlements of Adam and Neve Ya’akov. Settlements undermine the territorial contiguity of the West Bank and make a two-state solution harder to achieve.

So there is a great deal for us to do, Mr President, if we are to make peace a reality. But before I give up the floor, let me return to the Washington Declaration. While the process begun on this day in 1994 would lead to peace between Israel and Jordan, we should never forget the leadership shown by the United States that was so instrumental in making that peace possible.

And it is that same leadership that President Trump and his administration are now demonstrating in reinvigorating the Middle East Peace Process. This is to be applauded and supported. We call on the region, on Israelis, and on Palestinians to seize the opportunity that such leadership offers, just as it was seized 23 years ago.

Thank you.

Jul252017

Majority of children fleeing to Europe just want to get away, UNICEF reports

United Nations

25 July 2017 – Facing violence and trauma in Libya and other countries, thousands of children decided to flee by themselves, seeking to get away but not necessarily aiming for Europe, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today reported.

A new study of push-pull factors on child marriage showed that 75 per cent of children on the move decided to leave unaccompanied and that initially, they had no intention to come to Europe, UNICEF spokesperson Sarah Crowe told journalists in Geneva.

&#8220What was striking in the new findings was that there were far more push factors, pushing children away from home &#8211 conflicts or violence at home &#8211 than there were pull factors [that lure them to Europe], and this went against the current narrative,&#8221 Ms. Crowe said.

She noted that of the children who arrived in Libya, 63 per cent of young people left the country because of the generalized violence and trauma they suffered or witnessed, making them more willing to take terrifying sea journeys.

&#8220As one young Gambian boy said, ‘if you have a lion behind your back and a sea in front of you, you take the sea,’&#8221 said Ms. Crowe.

Among girls interviewed, one in five left because of forced child marriage at home.

For the first six months of the year, a total of 12,239 children had arrived to Italy, and 93 per cent were travelling alone &#8211 the majority of them teenage boys, according to UNICEF figures.

In Greece, however, the majority of children were actually being sent on the voyage by their parents, or were accompanied by their parents.

UNICEF said the study is important for policymakers to understand why the children are making the voyage and how best to help them once they arrive in Europe.

Deadly voyages increasingly expensive

Voyages through the so-called Eastern Mediterranean route and into the European Union now cost $5,000 or more, according to the UN Migration Agency (IOM).

&#8220With increased border controls, it has become harder to reach Europe,&#8221 noted Livia Styp-Rekowska, IOM’s Border Management Specialist in Vienna. &#8220One constant, however, is the increase in sums demanded.&#8221

She noted new data released today that shows &#8220the cost of getting into Europe has increased significantly when compared to 2016, the routes have changed, and different countries of destination are being prioritized.&#8221

People arriving from Afghanistan, Syria and Pakistan are charged the most, according to IOM.

The most popular destination up to June 2016 was overwhelmingly Germany, but migrants now seek to get to France, Sweden, Italy, Norway, Austria and Denmark as well, with Greece used as a popular transit country.