Thank you, Mr President.

I would like to thank SRSG La Lime for your briefing this morning, and for all the work you and your team are doing.

Mr President, I would like to make three brief points today:

Firstly, the complex security, health and economic challenges currently faced by Haiti can only be resolved by unified support for Haitian-led solutions. In this regard, the United Kingdom remains firm in its belief that support to the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti remains critical, especially the Mission’s on-going efforts to facilitate a unified approach to these multifaceted challenges.

We look forward to the independent assessment of BINUH’s mandate as we approach the renewal in July.

Secondly, the persistent political gridlock is deeply troubling, as is the continued impact this is having on the Haitian people.

We encourage efforts underway to secure political consensus, for a pathway to free, fair and credible elections, and for all sides to work constructively in support of a peaceful, democratic solution for the Haitian people. It is incumbent upon all of us, as Haiti’s international partners, to do likewise in supporting a Haitian-led solution.

Thirdly, we are concerned by the deteriorating security and human rights situation – particularly the increase in kidnappings, indiscriminate criminal violence, and instances of human trafficking.

The UK will continue to support work with both the Government of Haiti and the international community to address these challenges. Criminal armed groups and perpetrators of human rights abuses not only jeopardise the lives of Haitians, but risk undermining the prospect of real political progress.

The assassination of President Moïse was an abhorrent act, and we maintain our call for the perpetrators of this crime to be brought to justice.

Mr. President, we remain deeply worried by the humanitarian situation in the country. Covid-19 has compounded economic and health threats, which have been exacerbated further by the devastating earthquake last year. This has particularly impacted women and children, increasing their vulnerabilities and the threats to their economic and health welfare, so we welcome the outcome of the donor’s conference this week.

Finally, the UK encourages all actors to work constructively and cooperatively with the Haitian authorities to find solutions to the root causes of these crises, and to support the development and advancement of the Haitian people.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr President.

I would like to thank SRSG La Lime for your briefing this morning, and for all the work you and your team are doing.

Mr President, I would like to make three brief points today:

Firstly, the complex security, health and economic challenges currently faced by Haiti can only be resolved by unified support for Haitian-led solutions. In this regard, the United Kingdom remains firm in its belief that support to the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti remains critical, especially the Mission’s on-going efforts to facilitate a unified approach to these multifaceted challenges.

We look forward to the independent assessment of BINUH’s mandate as we approach the renewal in July.

Secondly, the persistent political gridlock is deeply troubling, as is the continued impact this is having on the Haitian people.

We encourage efforts underway to secure political consensus, for a pathway to free, fair and credible elections, and for all sides to work constructively in support of a peaceful, democratic solution for the Haitian people. It is incumbent upon all of us, as Haiti’s international partners, to do likewise in supporting a Haitian-led solution.

Thirdly, we are concerned by the deteriorating security and human rights situation – particularly the increase in kidnappings, indiscriminate criminal violence, and instances of human trafficking.

The UK will continue to support work with both the Government of Haiti and the international community to address these challenges. Criminal armed groups and perpetrators of human rights abuses not only jeopardise the lives of Haitians, but risk undermining the prospect of real political progress.

The assassination of President Moïse was an abhorrent act, and we maintain our call for the perpetrators of this crime to be brought to justice.

Mr. President, we remain deeply worried by the humanitarian situation in the country. Covid-19 has compounded economic and health threats, which have been exacerbated further by the devastating earthquake last year. This has particularly impacted women and children, increasing their vulnerabilities and the threats to their economic and health welfare, so we welcome the outcome of the donor’s conference this week.

Finally, the UK encourages all actors to work constructively and cooperatively with the Haitian authorities to find solutions to the root causes of these crises, and to support the development and advancement of the Haitian people.

Thank you.

The papers, Honey authenticity: the opacity of analytical reports – part 1 defining the problem; and part 2, forensic evaluative reporting as a potential solution are based on a story that appeared in the UK media in November 2020, Supermarket brands of honey are ‘bulked out with cheap sugar syrups made from rice and corn’ after which the Food Standards Agency asked the Government Chemist to investigate the methods that underpinned the story.

The papers, co-authored by Professor Duncan Burns, Emeritus Professor at the Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS), Queen’s University Belfast, and Prof. Michael Walker who also led the investigation at the time, as Head of the Government Chemist programme at LGC – address the complex composition of honey, and how an interpretive system used in forensic science could help to improve evaluation of analytical findings and assessment of their strength, which, in turn, can help to make authentication of honey more robust.

Summing up the papers, Professor Walker said, “The composition of honey, a complex natural product, continues to challenge analytical methods attempting to determine its authenticity particularly in the face of sophisticated adulteration, despite ongoing research.

“The analytical work behind the original news story threw up some interesting questions. Our assessment was informed by consensus views in the scientific literature confirming that multiple approaches are needed to assess honey authenticity. This inevitably leads to complex data. The summary opinion of the reporting laboratory in each of the Certificates of Analysis that were examined was unequivocally that the samples were non-compliant. However, our critical examination of the data revealed a much more nuanced picture from which it is currently difficult to draw such a definitive opinion. Our proposed solution of ‘evaluative reporting’, would see the acceptance of a formalised ‘likelihood ratio’ (LR) thought process used in forensic science for evaluation of findings and assessment of their strength. In the absence of consensus on techniques for honey authenticity, adoption of evaluative reporting will allow objective assessment, with equity to all, and a better basis to identify and address fraud.”.

Following the Government Chemist research on honey authenticity testing, Defra will continue to work with the FSA and key interested parties to ensure that honey on sale in the UK meets our high standards. Honey is a complex natural product but consumers should rightly expect it to be authentic; collaboration with recognised experts and key partners will ensure effective tools are in place to detect fraudulent practices.

For more information about the work of the Government Chemist please contact:

The papers, Honey authenticity: the opacity of analytical reports – part 1 defining the problem; and part 2, forensic evaluative reporting as a potential solution are based on a story that appeared in the UK media in November 2020, Supermarket brands of honey are ‘bulked out with cheap sugar syrups made from rice and corn’ after which the Food Standards Agency asked the Government Chemist to investigate the methods that underpinned the story.

The papers, co-authored by Professor Duncan Burns, Emeritus Professor at the Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS), Queen’s University Belfast, and Prof. Michael Walker who also led the investigation at the time, as Head of the Government Chemist programme at LGC – address the complex composition of honey, and how an interpretive system used in forensic science could help to improve evaluation of analytical findings and assessment of their strength, which, in turn, can help to make authentication of honey more robust.

Summing up the papers, Professor Walker said, “The composition of honey, a complex natural product, continues to challenge analytical methods attempting to determine its authenticity particularly in the face of sophisticated adulteration, despite ongoing research.

“The analytical work behind the original news story threw up some interesting questions. Our assessment was informed by consensus views in the scientific literature confirming that multiple approaches are needed to assess honey authenticity. This inevitably leads to complex data. The summary opinion of the reporting laboratory in each of the Certificates of Analysis that were examined was unequivocally that the samples were non-compliant. However, our critical examination of the data revealed a much more nuanced picture from which it is currently difficult to draw such a definitive opinion. Our proposed solution of ‘evaluative reporting’, would see the acceptance of a formalised ‘likelihood ratio’ (LR) thought process used in forensic science for evaluation of findings and assessment of their strength. In the absence of consensus on techniques for honey authenticity, adoption of evaluative reporting will allow objective assessment, with equity to all, and a better basis to identify and address fraud.”.

Following the Government Chemist research on honey authenticity testing, Defra will continue to work with the FSA and key interested parties to ensure that honey on sale in the UK meets our high standards. Honey is a complex natural product but consumers should rightly expect it to be authentic; collaboration with recognised experts and key partners will ensure effective tools are in place to detect fraudulent practices.

For more information about the work of the Government Chemist please contact: