The Prime Minister opened the Somalia Conference at Lancaster House in London today, alongside President Farmajo of Somalia, United Nations Secretary-General Guterres and African Union Commission Chairperson Faki.

She also had meetings with President Kenyatta of Kenya, Prime Minister Hailemariam of Ethiopia and President Museveni of Uganda. In her meetings with these leaders, the Prime Minister discussed the importance of the Conference in bringing together the international community to help Somalia build a more secure, stable and prosperous future for its people. They spoke about the fight against Al Shabaab, and the vital ongoing role of AMISOM in these efforts. Discussions also covered the wider region, including the security and humanitarian situation in South Sudan.

The Prime Minister and President Kenyatta discussed Britain and Kenya’s close bilateral relationship in the areas of defence, security, counter-terrorism and trade, and agreed to work together to build on this collaboration. They also discussed the significance of the Commonwealth, and looked ahead to the Commonwealth Summit which the UK will host in April next year.

In her discussion with Prime Minister Hailemariam, the Prime Minister highlighted the compact agreement creating jobs for refugees as an example of our constructive partnership. Prime Minister Hailemariam welcomed the support Britain has provided for Ethiopia’s development, which he said had been instrumental in lifting millions of people out of poverty.

The Prime Minister and President Museveni discussed the strong partnership between the UK and Uganda, following recent visits by Britain’s Foreign and International Development secretaries. They committed to working together to strengthen the ties between our nations in the years ahead.

The new Transformation Fund builds on the success of the Community Learning Libraries Programme for libraries, extending it to museums and archives for the first time. This capital funding will see a number of libraries and museums transform their services to significantly improve the visitor experience, offer new services and develop their sustainability and resilience.

The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, Ken Skates, said:

“I am pleased to announce this funding of over £2.7 million for our museums, archives and libraries. These important cultural services are developing ways to engage more people to participate in culture, improving their creative and learning offers, and enabling people to reach their potential through new opportunities. 

“Transforming the cultural and learning experience to open up opportunities to participate in culture is central to this funding. I want as many people as possible to experience the varied and stimulating cultural collections and learning experiences which are available in museums, libraries and archives across Wales. 

“The Welsh Government is dedicated to supporting these important services and facilities and I’d encourage and recommend everyone to pay them a visit and discover, learn and to enjoy the richness of our culture.”

The Fund will modernise four libraries in Denbigh, Holyhead, Knighton and Townhill, establishing new community hubs where customers can access a range of services such as housing or community facilities, alongside an extensive range of library amenities. 

Funding is also provided for Ammanford library to for the creation of a Creative Store (Stordy Creadigol) in partnership with other service providers, offering a high-tech ‘maker space’ where people can learn a range of creative and cultural skills. 

Six museums will receive transformation funding to increase public access to their facilities and collections, ranging from tactile signage for Tenby Museum, to creating new educational facilities at Oriel Ynys Mon and installing new lighting as part of the redevelopment of Ceredigion Museum to improve the visitor experience. 

Welsh Government funding will also support the digital offer from museums, archives and libraries, including the National Digital Library Service, which allows customers to access free e-books, e-zines, e-audio books, e-comics, and reference sources, wherever and whenever they want. 

Archive services across Wales will benefit from funding to address the challenges of preserving our digital heritage, and to improve online access to information about archival resources.

Thank you Mr President, and thank you Chairs for your briefings this morning.

As you set out clearly today, these committees perform a crucial role in our continuing fight against terrorism. This is intricate and vital work, and I really thank you for your service to this Council.

The threat is one that so many countries around this table know only too well. The United Kingdom witnessed it less than two months ago in the horrific attack in Westminster that claimed the lives of five people and injured over 50 more.

It speaks volumes of the threat we now face that the senseless actions of one man on one day could affect the lives of innocent men and women from 12 countries, including the United States, France, China and Italy, as well as people from my own country.

And this is just one example of many. So we share a single threat; one that demands a shared response. And it’s a threat that is continually evolving. Just as terrorists pursue every means possible to carry out their hateful acts, so too must we pursue every available avenue to stop them.

The three committees are an important part of that effort. So let me take each briefly in turn.

Firstly, I welcome the work that the Counter Terrorism Committee and Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate are doing to galvanise our efforts to tackle terrorists on every front – whether combating illicit trafficking, or the financing of terrorism, or the abuse of the internet and other forms of communication.

Secondly, thanks to the 1267 committee and their monitoring team, we have a clear, up-to-date understanding of the evolving threat posed by Da’esh and Al Qaeda. I welcome the committee’s work keeping the sanctions list up-to-date, ensuring that individuals, groups, and entities joining or affiliating with these groups are listed.

And thirdly, thanks to the work of the 1540 Committee, we are taking tangible steps to prevent weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of terrorists and non-state actors. Sadly, as the Joint Investigative Mechanism has confirmed, this is no longer a hypothetical nightmare scenario.

To adapt to this new reality, it is important that 1540 takes account of new and emerging challenges from the terrorist threat and advances in science and technology. And we must all do more, as others have said, to encourage Member States to submit their reports on national implementation of 1540.

Because, Mr President, to defeat terrorism, we all need to play our part. The committees can’t do it alone. That’s why the United Kingdom has been such a champion in this Council for aviation security, including through resolution 2309.

Protecting civil aviation should be high on everyone’s counter-terrorist agenda. We all need to follow the international standards and recommended practices for aviation security developed by the International Civilian Aviation Organisation. These are designed to keep pace with the evolving nature of the threat.

Member States should recognise, support and draw on the co-operation between the United Nations and ICAO and take steps to strengthen that work. The CTC’s upcoming meeting on Aviation Security in July is an important opportunity for us to focus on this issue, to share best practice, and to explore how the UN and ICAO can best support Member States.

Finally, Mr President, it isn’t enough to simply counter terrorism; we must also ensure that we put the prevention of violent extremism – in all its forms – at the heart of our collective efforts.

We’ve made good progress over the past year; the prevention of violent extremism was recognised in the UN Global Counter Terrorist Strategy and was presented in the UN Action Plan on Preventing Violent Extremism in January 2016. As we go forward, it is really essential that we keep preventing violent extremism at the heart of all of our work.

Thank you.

On Thursday 11 May the UK hosted a major international conference on Somalia. Bringing together leaders from around the world, this conference accelerated progress on security sector reform, built on the international response to the ongoing drought and humanitarian crisis and agreed the new international partnership needed to keep Somalia on course for increased peace and prosperity by 2020.

Prime Minister Theresa May opened the conference. Other speakers included Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, International Development Secretary Priti Patel, Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, President Farmajo of Somalia, UN Secretary General Guterres and Chairperson Faki of the African Union.

The conference focussed on the agreement of a Security Pact, adopted by Somalia and the international community, which will allow for sustainable, long-term security based on mutual accountability. The conference also ensured the adoption of a New Partnership for Somalia by the delegations, to re-commit them to working together and holding each other account to deliver the vital support and reforms that Somalia needs over the next 4 years.

The UK is helping to build stability in Somalia through UK Aid, with a strong focus on statebuilding, stabilisation and supporting more effective and accountable institutions, as well as through the deployment of around 70 UK armed forces personnel, who are supporting the Somali National Army.

Britain is leading the way in responding to the humanitarian crisis in Somalia, providing food, water and medicine to over a million people. The UK reaffirmed its commitment to preventing a famine, and called on the international community to urgently step up their support before it is too late.