Thank you President and I also thank ASG Khiari for his informative briefing.

President, as we’ve heard, at around half-past seven on Tuesday morning, as commuters in Northern Japan were making their way to work, evacuation alerts sent people rushing to shelters. Public transport came to a halt as a ballistic missile, launched without warning by North Korea, flew overhead.

The threat to international peace and security presented by North Korea’s reckless and illegal ballistic missile tests could not be clearer. North Korea’s latest launch of an Intermediate-range ballistic missile violates multiple UNSCRs. We stand in solidarity with the people of Japan, and of states in the region threatened by this unacceptable behaviour.

This latest test is a serious escalation, but the broader trend is just as concerning. This year alone North Korea has launched 39 ballistic missiles; seven of which were launched in the last ten days.

We urge Council members to meet these violations with a firm and united response.  North Korea has been emboldened by the Council’s inaction, and the use of the veto by two Council members. Diplomacy is the only route to sustained peace on the peninsula, but it is right that this Council continues to take appropriate, targeted measures to slow the pace of proliferation.

We again call on all member states to implement in full existing Security Council resolutions on North Korea. They are an essential part of efforts to counter the continued development of North Korea’s prohibited programmes.

Let me be clear too that Council sanctions are not targeted at the North Korean people. We fully support the delivery of humanitarian support to the most vulnerable and therefore call on North Korea to allow an independent assessment of the humanitarian situation, and to allow aid to flow freely into the country.

Joint statement to the press delivered by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Permanent Representative at the United States Mission to the United Nations on behalf of Albania, Brazil, France, India, Ireland, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom

The United States, Albania, Brazil, France, India, Ireland, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, strongly condemn the DPRK’s long-range ballistic missile launch which overflew Japan on October 4 and its seven other ballistic missile launches conducted since September 25. The DPRK has now launched over 35 ballistic missiles this year alone.

These launches violate multiple Security Council resolutions and pose a threat to not only the region, but to the entire international community.  

The United States, and those who have joined me at the podium today remain committed to diplomacy and continue to call on the DPRK to return to dialogue.  But we will not stay silent as the DPRK works to undermine the global nonproliferation regime and threaten the international community. 

The DPRK made its intentions clear in April and September when its leader signaled an effort to accelerate the DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs and even alluded to pre-emptive use of nuclear forces. We are witnessing the DPRK’s pursuit of this objective.

We call on all UN Member States, especially Council members, to join us in condemning this reckless behavior and in urging the DPRK to abandon in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner its unlawful weapons programs and engage in diplomacy toward denuclearization.  We also recall the Council’s decision in resolution 2397 referring to further significant measures.

We call on Member States to fully implement the relevant Security Council resolutions. Let us reaffirm that full implementation of the 1718 Committee mandate is necessary to effectively slow down and restrict the DPRK’s weapons advancements. 

Following the DPRK’s provocations and escalatory behavior in 2017, the Council came together and unanimously took action to hold the DPRK accountable for its unlawful actions. 

Now again the DPRK is testing the Council’s resolve and we must act accordingly.

• Mr Sharma will meet newly-elected President Ruto and cabinet ministers to discuss Kenya’s continued climate leadership ahead of COP27

• The COP President will visit wind and geothermal sites contributing to Kenya’s clean energy transition

• Mr Sharma will also meet with youth, civil society and private finance representatives to discuss local implementation of policies that honour the Glasgow Climate Pact

COP26 President Alok Sharma will travel to Kenya from 5-7 October, following his attendance at Pre-COP in the DRC. The visit is an opportunity to engage with the new Kenyan administration on its commitment to maintain global climate leadership, and make a final call ahead of COP27 for countries to honour the Glasgow Climate Pact by accelerating their own clean energy transitions.

On his third visit to the country, Mr Sharma will spotlight key progress being made in this sector towards limiting global temperature rises to below 1.5 degrees. He will encourage President Ruto and his senior ministers to help build momentum for further change ahead of COP27 in the face of challenging global circumstances.

The COP President will travel to several renewable energy generation sites around Nairobi including Ngong Hills Wind Farm and Olkaria Geothermal Power Station, which has grown to the largest geothermal facility in Africa since being seed funded

by the UK Government in 1981. He will highlight this infrastructure as a model of how other countries can deploy renewables.

While in Nairobi, Mr Sharma will attend a roundtable with youth climate leaders and members of civil society to hear about how climate policy can be transformed into impactful local action.

The COP President will also engage with key figures in Kenyan finance at a climate finance event to understand how private capital is being mobilised in the country to combat climate change through green bonds, carbon credits, and climate-related financial disclosures.

Alok Sharma, COP26 President, said:

“Kenya continues to set an example to the rest of the African continent and the world, demonstrating an appetite to pursue green economic growth and achieve a just, renewable energy transition.

“I am pleased to see President Ruto reaffirm Kenya’s commitment to transition to 100% clean energy by 2030, and look forward to the positive impact this will have on growth, jobs and access to energy.

“But the drought currently afflicting this country is a stark reminder that, in order to save and safeguard lives from the devastating impacts of climate change, we must all redouble our efforts to go further and faster in delivering on the promises of the Glasgow Climate Pact.”

After his visit to Kenya, the COP26 President will travel to Washington DC to attend the 2022 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) from 14-16 October.

-ENDS-

Colonel Stewart initiated his new role as the UK’s Defence Attaché to Guatemala. He takes on the role with over 20 years of operational experience in the USA, the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

During this initial visit, Colonel Stewart and the British Ambassador, Nick Whittingham, met with the Guatemalan Minister of Defence, Major General Henry Yovani Reyes Chigua. Colonel Stewart reiterated the UK’s eagerness to work alongside Guatemalan counterparts while enhancing cooperation between armed forces.

Colonel Stewart also met with the Commander of the Guatemalan Air Force, Colonel Juan Carlos Ponce and visited the Air Force Defence Unit along with Colonel Roderico Stoardo Guzmán Barrera, head of the Unit. Colonel Stewart discussed new opportunities for cooperation, training and exchange programmes between the UK and Guatemala.

Colonel Stewart also paid a visit to Ms Claudia Herrera, Director of the Coordination Centre for Disaster Prevention in Central America and the Dominican Republic (CEPREDENAC), an organisation that promotes and coordinates international cooperation and the exchange of information, experiences and technical and scientific advice on disaster prevention, mitigation, care and response.

The British Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) mission is to protect the security, independence and interests of the UK at home and abroad, working closely with allies and partners. Colonel Stewart is also the UK’s observer for the Conference of the Central American Armed Forces (CFAC), he will be residing in Mexico and he will visit Guatemala on a regular basis.

During his visit to Guatemala Colonel Stewart said:

Guatemala is a strategically important country for the entire region and I look forward to working closely with the Armed Forces of Guatemala in partnership and friendship. I was very impressed by the military professionalism and innovation I witnessed and I have also taken inspiration from the drive, determination and skill displayed with regard to humanitarian assistance at CEPREDENAC. Guatemala is a stunningly beautiful country with a great culture and I am excited to explore it more.