Latest News and Information from the British Embassy
2023 continued with major moments for our shared international priorities with the US across economic and national security. Prime Minister Sunak’s government remains intently focused on the UK’ steadfast support of Ukraine as the UK and US are the nation’s two biggest international supporters. The Prime Minister has continued strong working relations with President Biden, with the President’s July 10th visit to Downing Street marking the sixth meeting between the two leaders in nine months.
In March, the Prime Minister welcomed the announcement alongside President Biden and Prime Minister Albanese of Australia in San Diego of the next phase in the AUKUS defence programme, which will see Australia build submarines supported by the UK and US. On this visit, the Prime Minister discussed with President Biden the UK’s updated national security and foreign policy strategy.
The Prime Minister returned to the US in June on his first official state visit as Prime Minister to welcome the agreement of the Atlantic Declaration with President Biden, a new 21st Century approach to the economic relationship between our countries. The Atlantic Declaration will see the UK and US embark on the deepest level of economic cooperation either of our two countries have ever had with another country. On this visit, Prime Minister stressed that both economic and defence cooperation must be the two pillars of the UK-US alliance.
On this visit it was announced that US companies have committed to £14 billion ($17.3 billion) in major new investments, creating thousands of UK jobs and enhancing our joint investment relationship now worth more than £1 trillion ($1.5 trillion).
The Prime Minister also attended the second annual UK-US Friendship Day at Nationals Park.
The leaders’ July 10th meeting ahead of the NATO Vilnius Summit discussed the first agreements under the Atlantic Declaration, which included new commitments on supporting one another’s critical supply chains, developing new, clean technologies and removing barriers to the uninterrupted exchange of goods and services between our economies.
The Prime Minister and President agreed that accelerating international cooperation on safe and responsible AI development is one of the leading issues of our time. The UK will be a crucial global leader in these efforts alongside international partners. The UK will host the first ever global safety summit on Artificial Intelligence, convening international governments, leading AI companies and industry experts on November 1st and 2nd at the iconic Bletchley Park, one of the birthplaces of computer science.
Minister of State for International Trade Nigel Huddleston further deepened UK-US trade relations in 2023, signing the UK’s fourth state-level Memorandum of Understanding with a US state--Oklahoma. This MoU, signed with Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, is focused on boosting green trade, specifically carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) as well as the £174.4m worth of goods UK companies exported to Oklahoma in 2022.
On this same visit, Minister Huddleston welcomed a pioneering Mutual Reciprocity Agreement (MRA), unlocking a major trade barrier alongside architecture regulation bodies, making it easier for UK and US architects to operate in markets on both sides of the Atlantic. Since then, the UK’s Engineering Council and the US National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying have entered discussions to allow UK and US engineers to operate in each other’s jurisdictions for another ground-breaking MRA.
The Embassy celebrated His Majesty’s The King’s Coronation in June with a sidewalk celebration for the public, complete with British refreshments and British brands.
In July, the Foreign Secretary James Cleverly chaired first ever United Nations Security Council (UNSC) session on AI, calling for multilateral engagement and global governance of AI. The Foreign Secretary then joined Fox News’ Martha MaCallum for a Fireside chat at the Aspen Security Forum on the UK’s unwavering support alongside allies for Ukraine.
The UK looks ahead to a busy Autumn in anticipation of the UN General Assembly in New York, with the UK Delegation being led by the Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden and the Foreign Secretary.