Latest news with #PoliticalDeclaration
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
It will take Churchillian clarity to guarantee Europe's defence
Last week, we marked the anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Eighty years ago, Britain emerged bloodied but unbowed from six long years of war. My grandfather, Winston Churchill, addressed the nation with gravity and pride, conscious that while peace had been won, the work of rebuilding and securing the future had only just started. He knew, as we must now remember, that peace is never a given; it must be earned, defended and maintained. Today Europe again finds itself at a moment of great consequence. The war in Ukraine has shattered the illusion that our continent's peace and security are settled. As threats mount at our borders and beyond, we are once again reminded that freedom must be safeguarded through shared effort and collective resolve. Next week, the UK and EU will meet at a summit that could – if the political will is there – mark the beginning of a new chapter in our strategic relationship. Independence from the European Union need not equate to isolation. Our security is inextricably linked to that of our neighbours, and it is imperative that we stand united in the face of shared threats. We have a duty – indeed, a pressing national interest – to work more closely with our continental partners in the defence of our continent. Now is the moment for both sides to agree a new Security and Defence Partnership. This was envisioned in the 2019 Political Declaration, signed by a Conservative government, which promised a broad, comprehensive and balanced defence relationship. The Government must deliver on that commitment. Such a framework would establish regular consultation and cooperation across the full spectrum of security and defence issues, anchored by an annual high-level UK-EU Security and Defence Dialogue. This is not a theoretical exercise. A structured partnership would allow Britain to engage meaningfully in areas where we have both capacity and interest. It would ensure that we have a seat at the table when EU Council-level discussions take place on issues that affect us – or where our voice could help shape Europe's collective response. Britain once played a leading role in European defence missions across the globe. The UK hosted the operational headquarters for Operation ATALANTA, which tackled piracy off the coast of Somalia. We were a major contributor to Operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which continues to underpin stability in the Western Balkans. In today's geopolitical climate, a renewed British role in such missions would serve both our strategic interests and the broader cause of European security. A new partnership must also enable the UK to participate in major European initiatives that are rapidly reshaping the continent's defence architecture. Earlier this year, the EU launched a €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) fund. The aim is clear: to strengthen European defence capabilities through coordinated investment and common procurement. Participation would deliver strategic and economic benefits to both the UK and the EU. It would enhance interoperability between our armed forces, reduce duplication, and provide long-term certainty for defence manufacturers on both sides of the Channel. As Europe seeks to build scale and resilience in its defence industrial base, it would be short-sighted and counterproductive for the EU to exclude one of the continent's most capable military powers. This is not about rejoining the European Union. It is about doing what is right for Britain and what is necessary for Europe. We are living through a moment of extraordinary global uncertainty. Our adversaries do not distinguish between EU and non-EU countries. They target our values, our institutions, our infrastructure. To stand apart risks division and decline; to stand together is to lead with strength and purpose. In Churchill's time, Britain helped liberate Europe through courage, sacrifice and leadership. Today, we must help defend it with the same clarity of purpose. A new Security and Defence Partnership with the EU is not a retreat from sovereignty – it is the strategic exercise of it. It is a bold and necessary step to ensure that Britain remains a central pillar in the defence of the democratic world. If VE Day taught us anything, it is that peace can never be taken for granted. Alliances, when forged with mutual respect and shared purpose, amplify our strength rather than diminish it. That principle shaped the post-war order – and it must guide us now. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Ya Biladi
19-04-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Slovenia reaffirms support for Morocco's Sahara autonomy plan
As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council until the end of 2025, Slovenia has reaffirmed its support for Morocco's autonomy initiative for the Sahara. «It is a solid foundation for a definitive solution» to this regional dispute, declared Slovenia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Tanja Fajon, on Friday, April 18, in Ljubljana, during a joint press conference with her Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita. She also commended Morocco's serious and credible efforts to resolve the Sahara issue. Slovenia had previously expressed this position in the Political Declaration of June 11, 2024, adopted during Fajon's official visit to Rabat. On Friday, both ministers reiterated their support for the UN-led political process and the exclusivity of the United Nations in resolving the conflict. They also voiced support for all Security Council resolutions, including the latest, Resolution 2756 of October 31, 2024. Fajon further reaffirmed Slovenia's longstanding backing of efforts to reach a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution based on compromise. Both officials also expressed continued support for MINURSO. Earlier this week, Estonia, Moldova, Croatia, Hungary, and Spain also expressed their backing for Morocco's autonomy plan for the Sahara.
Associated Press
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
IOC Welcomes Recognition of Sport as a Tool for Gender Equality and Empowerment in Declaration Adopted by the Commission on the Status of Women
International Olympic Committee news The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has welcomed the Political Declaration adopted unanimously by the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) in New York, reaffirming the importance of sport as a vehicle for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. As stated in paragraph 11 of the declaration, UN Member States 'also recognize the contributions of all women and girls, including adolescent girls, to their societies, and the opportunities to strengthen these contributions in decision making processes, and as agents of change as well as ensuring their equal access to safe, accessible and affordable digital technology and to inclusive and equitable quality education, including physical education and sports, and promote life-long learning as well as access to health-care services and to empower them and fulfill all their human rights and fundamental freedoms, and end all forms of violence and discrimination against them.' This acknowledgment builds upon a strong history of the CSW consistently recognising the contribution of sport to gender equality. The transformative power of sport in accelerating gender equality Speaking at a high-level ministerial roundtable organised by the Mission of Qatar, IOC Member Laura Chinchilla underlined the transformative power of sport in accelerating gender equality and social development. She urged Member States to engage more strongly with the sports sector for the advancement of social development of women and girls. Participating in sports helps women and girls complete education, gain skills, and boost their economic contribution. Since 1995, sport has been repeatedly recognised by UN Member States as a powerful enabler of gender equality. This was reaffirmed yesterday, in the CSW69 Political Declaration. Laura ChinchillaIOC Member Highlighting the efforts of the IOC and the Olympic Movement to close gender gaps on and off the field of play, her address also reaffirmed ongoing collaboration with public authorities, the UN, development banks, the private sector and civil society to promote the social development of women by enhancing safe and inclusive access to sport. Chinchilla also highlighted the economic potential of sport, noting that the sector has grown by over 5 per cent annually for the past two decades and is projected to continue expanding. Chinchilla noted that despite these proven benefits, sport remains an underutilised tool in many government policies. She called upon policymakers to collaborate with the sports movement to invest in safe, equal and inclusive sporting opportunities for women and girls, and emphasised that governments have a unique opportunity to leverage sport as a cost-effective tool for the development of women and girls, supported by development financing institutions. Recognising the role of sport in advancing sustainable development Since 1995, sport has been referenced in multiple policy documents pertaining to the rights of women and girls, notably the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Beijing+5, and past Agreed Conclusions of the CSW. These documents have repeatedly emphasised the role of sport in fostering leadership, economic empowerment and social inclusion for women and girls. The inclusion of sport in the CSW69 Political Declaration marks another milestone in the ongoing recognition of its role in sustainable development. As governments, international organisations and stakeholders continue to advance gender equality, sport remains a powerful catalyst for positive change worldwide. Gathered at the UN Headquarters from 10 to 21 March, participants in this year's CSW will take part in a series of meetings and discussions looking back on the developments since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration in 1995, and looking forward to the Second World Summit on Social Development – due to be held in Doha from 4 to 6 November 2025. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from International Olympic Committee
