Mediation, Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Excerpts

Thursday 29th October 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con)]

My Lords, I begin my remarks with a simple reflection: the true test of diplomacy now is not how eloquently we respond to conflict but how effectively we prevent it. I draw Members’ attention to my registered interests with the World Humanitarian Forum and the International Communities Organisation, and as a member of the International Relations and Defence Committee. The issue of conflict prevention is very close to my heart. I thank the noble Lord, Lord McConnell, for tabling this debate. Over many years as a Minister, I saw his passionate advocacy for both conflict resolution and humanitarian affairs.

Today, as we confront a world marked by more than 65 conflicts, depending on how you define a conflict or a war, deepening geopolitical divisions and immense humanitarian suffering, the responsibility on all of us, and the United Kingdom in particular, has never been greater. Behind every statistic of a life lost—and we heard harrowing statistics from the noble Lord, Lord McConnell—there is a human story: a family displaced, a child deprived of education, a woman subjected to violence, or a community whose hopes for a peaceful future have been shattered.

Having served in government, represented the UK internationally, and worked extensively through the United Nations, I have seen both the potential and success of diplomacy but also, tragically, the consequences that come when you act too late. The UK was part of the conflict resolution between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Perhaps we do not get the credit we deserve. I remember shuttling between Foreign Ministers. But that was the true sense of British diplomacy: discreet and understated. I have learned that peace is not achieved through declarations alone. It requires, as the noble Baroness, Lady Chapman, said, sustained political engagement, conversations, crucial and trusted partnerships, and, above all, the courage to keep working when progress seems elusive. Prevention, mediation and peacebuilding are not separate stages of our international responsibility; they are interconnected parts of the same endeavour.

The United Nations, a clear focus of our debate, was founded on the determination that future generations should be spared the devastation of war. In my view, millions have been failed in this regard. The founding vision remains as relevant today as it was in 1945. The UN, as I saw myself, brings together the international community, provides a framework for collective security, supports peacekeeping, facilitates mediation, and gives a voice to nations that might otherwise be unheard. Yet we must be candid: the UN’s effectiveness in recent years has been diminishing or indeed absent from the negotiating table. As the noble Lord, Lord McConnell, and others have said, we have seen other countries stepping forward—Qatar in the Middle East and beyond—and regional players playing their part to ensure that conflicts can come to an end.

When divisions within the Security Council prevent meaningful action, as I saw myself, the credibility of the international system suffers. Yet my own experience of multilateral diplomacy also reinforced a fundamental lesson. International institutions, whether we talk of the UN, the ICJ or the ICC, are as effective only as the political will that sustains them. We need a more responsible, dynamic and agile United Nations but, importantly, with the right people who can act as advocates. Reform matters, but so does the willingness of member states to use the instruments that already exist.

One of the most important lessons of diplomacy is that conflicts rarely emerge without warning. Political exclusion, discrimination and the erosion of human rights, economic insecurity and the deliberate targeting of communities are often the basis. Yet too often, as a collective, we wait too long. We wait until violence has erupted before mobilising the full weight of international diplomacy. This must fundamentally change. Prevention requires investment in early-warning systems, strong institutions, inclusive governance, and the protection of fundamental freedoms. It also requires listening to communities and faith leaders, as the right reverend Prelate reminded us. I saw directly the importance of sustained relationships and direct engagement with international partners. In diplomacy, trust built before a crisis is essential.

I have a plea that applies to my party as well as the current Government. We must stop the revolving door when it comes to ministerial change on the global stage. Relationships matter and we must invest in those relationships. Without that, the UK loses credibility. We have excellent diplomatic networks and international relationships. We have the experience in this House as well. I say to the Minister: leverage those experiences. We have names who have built security and trust. We need to ensure that we get the optimum benefit for the world as a whole. The most successful act of conflict prevention may be one that the world never notices, precisely because that conflict never happens. Those who have been involved with this have seen it.

My noble friend Lord Redwood also mentioned the importance of diplomacy, but it needs the strength of all our assets, including defence. So I ask the Minister: as the United Kingdom previously has operated, and continues to operate, on issues such as Operation Prosperity Guardian, what is the current support we are extending to ensure that places such as the Bab al-Mandab and the Red Sea continue to be secure, despite the Houthis’ attacks? Mediation also means that we keep the door open. It requires patience and political judgment. When we believe in peace, we must be prepared to do the hard work of pursuing it.

Let me emphasise an important distinction. Engagement does not mean endorsement, and dialogue does not mean abandoning principle, especially when it comes to dealing with conflicts such as Ukraine and Russia. This is where the UK and its regional partners can make a real difference, co-ordinating diplomatic pressure and ensuring that negotiations are accompanied by a realistic pathway to peace. We must also resist the temptation to measure success solely by whether the parties all sat around a table. It is far more than that. The real measure is whether the process produced meaningful progress, peace, and security. A ceasefire can stop the immediate violence. Only sustained political engagement can help prevent its return. Peacebuilding begins long before a peace agreement is signed, and we must emphasise the importance of women peacekeepers. The UK led on the issue of conflict mediators, creating the very networks of women mediators. Yet, with the one exception that the noble Lord, Lord McConnell, pointed out, we have not seen women mediators involved in the current live conflicts that we witness.

I turn to a subject which was very close to my heart. I pay tribute to my noble friends Lord Hague and Lady Helic on the issue of preventing sexual violence in conflict. I spent seven years on that. In terms of listening to voices, of effecting global change, we listened to survivors, not after the event, but we put them at the heart of our strategy planning. I hope the Minister can assure me that we will continue to stand by UK leadership, and I would welcome an update on the international alliance that was created in this respect.

To conclude, the UK’s responsibility is immense. First, I do not subscribe to the view that we are a middle power. We are slightly more enhanced than that. We are not China or the United States, but we are the United Kingdom. We have incredible diplomatic networks, as has been mentioned, and we need to invest in those to sustain our principled diplomats.

Secondly, we need to practise principled, consistent engagement and maintain channels of communication. We must be the champions. It is not woke to stand up for women in mediation; it is simply the right thing to do. We must support peace beyond the negotiating table and build effective coalitions. But, above all, we must maintain consistency between our words and our actions.

Let me conclude with a reflection drawn from my own experience on the international stage. Diplomacy can be frustrating: I served five Prime Ministers and six Foreign Secretaries, so I know that it starts at home. Yet history reminds us that conflicts once considered intractable have found pathways towards resolution when political leadership, international engagement and public determination have come together. We must never confuse the difficulty of achieving peace with the impossibility of achieving it. The UN has a vital role, but it must be revitalised. Let us therefore move from reacting to crises towards preventing them and from managing temporary pauses to political settlements. Let our legacy be measured not simply by the conflicts we helped to resolve but those we helped to prevent, the lives we helped to protect and the generations who were able to grow up in peace.

Israel and Palestine

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Excerpts

Wednesday 9th September 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con)]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his answers to the two Front Benches, and note the proud tradition of the Conservative Party —not just Lord Carrington, who called out the E1 settlement which was the trigger here, but successive Conservative Prime Ministers also. I declare my interests in working for organisations that have been resolving conflict in the Middle East. I have two practical questions to ask the Minister.

In response to British sanctions—and I agree with him that the Conservative Government initiated the sanctions regime to which he refers—what are the practical consequences of the closure of the consulate in Jerusalem in terms of Palestinian representation? Also importantly, what engagement do we directly have with the Israelis—because many in Israel wish to see a final agreement and settlement so there is security and peace for Palestinians and Israelis—to ensure that this vision, which has gone on for far too long, turns into a working, practical reality?

[Lord Wood of Anfield (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for that question. He is right that we were disappointed that the Israeli response was to close the UK consulate in East Jerusalem, with a 30-day notice period. We will continue to endeavour to provide in other ways the kind of activities that the consulate provided. There are other measures that Israel responded with, though none affecting security. It is, of course, its right to respond in the way it sees fit. The noble Lord is also right that there has to be dialogue with those forces in Israeli society who want peace and see cross-community co-operation as the future. That is something that this Government are going to support, and the Foreign Secretary is very keen to support it as well.

Falkland Islands

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Excerpts

Monday 7th September 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for that question. Let me be clear that we do not agree with that position. As I have said, the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands is non-negotiable as far as the UK Government are concerned. I welcome the political unity that has been shown today, because it is important that this House and the other House send that message, so that it is very clear that all political parties are united on this issue.

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con)]

My Lords, as a former Overseas Territories Minister, I too welcome the noble Baroness to the Dispatch Box, and her strong statement. I also recognise the services of the noble Baroness, Lady Chapman. What representations have been made to Argentina directly? As someone who served in the Foreign Office for a long time, I know that diplomacy matters, but that diplomacy comes with the hard metal glove of our military strength. I commend the fact that the Minister of Defence is sitting to the noble Baroness’s right. Would she reiterate, once again, as my noble friend said, that military action is on the table if required. That message may be sent privately to the Argentinians. What bilateral representations have been made directly?

[Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord for that question and I should say that I am always very reassured when the noble Lord from the Ministry of Defence is sitting next to me. I am very confident that Argentina understands the message that the UK Government and this House are sending. The Foreign Secretary posted on X:

“The UK’s position on the Falkland Islands is unwavering. The Islands are British and will remain so because that is the overwhelming position of the Islanders. Their right of self-determination is paramount, grounded in international law and we will resolutely uphold it”.


I touched previously on the defensive forces that we have in the area, but I hope the noble Lord will understand that I do not want to enter into hypothetical discussions.

Saudi Arabia: Nuclear Power Programme

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Excerpts

Tuesday 1st September 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Wood of Anfield (Lab)]

We have regular discussions with all our Gulf partners. I will leave it at that.

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con)]

My Lords, with the Chief Whip’s permission, and drawing attention to my interests on the register, I welcome the noble Lord to his position and look forward to working with him. In the context of the responses he has given, what assessment have His Majesty’s Government made of the Mecca agreement—a further agreement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye that was signed recently—in relation to the overall issue of stabilisation and security in the region?

[Lord Wood of Anfield (Lab)]

I thank the noble Lord. I am afraid that I am unsighted on that, for which I apologise. I am still getting my feet under the desk. I will get back to the noble Lord with feedback on that.

Myanmar Earthquake

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Excerpts

Thursday 3rd April 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

The noble Lord is completely right; we do not regard the military regime in Myanmar as a legitimate Government. We will take any steps that we are able to with our friends and allies, including sanctions and other measures, in order to bring about the peace, stability and change that the people of Myanmar deserve.

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con)]

My Lords, building on the question from the noble Lord, Lord Purvis, about minorities in Myanmar, the Rohingya community has suffered more than most, and we have also seen the prevailing sexual violence in Myanmar. Can the Minister assure us that, while we are dealing with this immediate crisis, the focus will also remain on the plight of the Rohingya, that the United Kingdom retains a pen on the issue and that the issue is brought forth at the UN Security Council?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

Yes, that is right. I commend the noble Lord’s work, particularly on sexual violence in conflict, which he has led over many years. Fortunately, the epicentre of the earthquake did not hit Rakhine province as harshly as it did other areas, but the Rohingya people are still suffering enormously. The noble Lord is right to make sure that we do not lose focus on that, and I hope that he will continue to do so.

Chagos Islands

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd April 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

As my noble friend says, the Chagossian people have been badly treated since the very beginning of all of this. This is an agreement that has been reached between the United Kingdom and Mauritius as states, but he is right to highlight that it is important that the Chagossians are included in our thinking on this. They will be able to return to Diego Garcia on visits again, and the Mauritians will enable a programme of returning to some of the outer islands. It is a better position for the Chagossians than they have at the moment, but I accept—and we are completely open about the fact—that it will not give the Chagossian communities everything that they have wished to see since they were forced to leave.

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con)]

My Lords, I will inform the House that there were 11 negotiations under the previous Government, and continuity counts— I can vouch for that. The main reason why there was no agreement was the issue of security. I seek the Minister’s assurance on that point. Also, under the new Prime Minister of Mauritius, there has been some disagreement over the possibility of the extension of the 99-year lease by another 40 years. I would welcome the Minister’s insights as to where the negotiations have got to on that point.

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

The thing with the new Governments is that they like to look at things afresh, and it is absolutely right that they are able to do that. The noble Lord will be reassured to know that we have managed to iron out the differences that there were, and the Government of Mauritius, the UK Government and now the US Government, it would seem, are content to proceed.

G7

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Excerpts

Thursday 20th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

I would like the noble Baroness to consider herself invited. I would be very keen to hear what she has to say, to consider the evidence she has and to discuss ways in which she may be able to assist in efforts to have those children returned.

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con)]

My Lords, I draw attention to my entry in the register of interests on organisations working for conflict resolution, particularly chairing the ICO advisory panel in this regard. I associate myself closely with the comments of the noble Lord, Lord Katz. We are all as one on this, and we must look at alternative sources.

My question is on the one glimmer of hope in the Statement. I commend the Government on continuing to draw attention to the resolution of the dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as the previous Government did. That is a positive within the Statement. In the same way, were there any discussions about the territorial gains that Russia has made in Crimea, South Ossetia, Abkhazia and, of course, the Donbass? What would be the resolution there? At the moment, the way discussions are going, it seems that Russia gets to keep lands that it has occupied.

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

I do not have anything specific to say on the content of those negotiations. It would be strange to disclose things such as that—were I aware of them, which I am not—while those negotiations are ongoing. What matters is that the agreement that is finally reached is one that the people of Ukraine are satisfied with. What matters is that we get peace, but it needs to be a just peace and it needs to be agreed with Ukraine at the very centre of it.

United Kingdom: Global Position

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Excerpts

Thursday 13th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con)]

My Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Howell for tabling this important and timely debate, and for his wide-ranging and insightful introduction. I also welcome the noble Lord, Lord Pitkeathley, to his place and look forward to his future contributions.

With events moving at the pace they are and the related dynamics of established alliances and partnerships being severely tested, the United Kingdom’s position in the world remains both crucial and pivotal. Therefore, I found myself really willing on the Prime Minister when he met President Trump. That was difficult for me—I am sure my noble friend Lord Howard will relate to this. Imagine a Liverpool fan cheering on an Arsenal one, particularly with current events, but it shows the importance of leadership.

To me, we see our place in the world through key pillars: in our positioning and the strength that it brings to the global stage; and in foreign, defence and development policy. It remains my absolute firm belief that, with vision, leadership, investment in relationships, the leveraging of experience and the conviction to exercise strength and independence when it matters, we have an extremely important role to play. We play it as an economic power within the G7 and the G20, and as a strategic dialogue partner. I agree with my noble friend Lord Vaizey on this. We have been a dialogue partner with ASEAN since 2021. Our trade stands at £46 billion and the CPTPP was agreed in 2023. These successful new partnerships provide opportunities in this changing world, and I look forward to the Minister’s update in this respect.

The second pillar is our role as a defence power within key multilateral organisations, our status as a P5 member of the UN Security Council and a central role in the Commonwealth of Nations. Yet, sadly, the role of the UN has become marginalised and diminished, at times watching from the sidelines. The recent General Assembly vote on Ukraine showed, for the first time, countries such as the US and Israel voting with Russia, not with the UK. It showed that post-Second World War norms no longer hold. I would welcome again the Government’s perspective on this.

Regarding our development power, may I welcome officially the noble Baroness to her new position as Development Minister? I feel this also strengthens the voice of the Lords around the Cabinet table. Over many years, the UK has led on a broad spectrum of relief and development initiatives. The current change in budgets, which I fully understand, poses the question: what does it mean for our initiatives? I would welcome the Minister’s perspectives, particularly in areas that I led on such as PSVI, where survivors benefited in areas such as DRC, Ukraine and Sudan.

Finally, on soft power, as others have said, we brought a focus in challenging misinformation, providing important news and empowerment through the English language. In the area of human rights, I was proud to serve as the first Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief. I say to other noble Lords that, yes, I worked with the first Trump Administration; it was then that we established the international alliance on freedom of religion, and I pay tribute to my dear friend Ambassador Sam Brownback in that respect.

We also established the human rights sanctions regime. I say to the Minister quite directly that there are individuals and groups responsible for egregious abuse of human rights. While I know that the Minister cannot speculate, can she reassure your Lordships’ House that those levers will continue to be used against such groups? They include, to give one example, the Tehreek-e-Taliban in Pakistan, which targets minority faith communities in vile, hatred-fuelled attacks.

To conclude, we must play our part in finding solutions and leading on convening parties, whether on Ukraine or the Middle East. It is a real strength of our country, and we are recognised and respected for this. The world is changing, and I pay tribute to our partners, such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on recent initiatives. Such examples also show a shifting of power and a realignment of alliances. The UK must embrace new partnerships and continue to play our part as a leader among nations.

Syria

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Excerpts

Thursday 13th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

We know now, from many contexts in recent history, how vital it is that women are included and central to these processes. My noble friend has made a very strong case. It is important that women have a say and are able to lead in the future rebuilding of their country.

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con)]

My Lords, we of course want to see peace in Syria, but I will sound a note of caution. Recent events have demonstrably shown, as the noble Lord, Lord Alton, articulated, the threat to minority faiths within Syria. Indeed, ironically, the previous dictator was secular, in that he protected and afforded protection for Christians and Alawites. The ideological base of the current leadership and organisation, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, is Daesh. The Minister talked about Daesh and its dangers; we have seen it before. We have seen it in Libya and Iraq, and we may, regrettably and tragically, see it again in Syria, so I caution that, as we move forward on engagement, let us not forget the ideological base that drives the current Administration.

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

I do not think anybody is getting carried away with optimism at the moment. The noble Lord is absolutely right to remind us just how precarious this situation is. We proceed with some hope, given where we have been, but it is always worth being reminded just how fragile this is and of the dangers that remain as we go forward.

Ukraine

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Excerpts

Tuesday 25th February 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con)]

My Lords, I will focus on the issues of justice and accountability. It is good that both the Defence Minister and the Attorney-General are present on the Government Front Bench. Can I get the Minister’s reassurance that we will continue to focus on the missing children of Ukraine and on the support we have given for the prevention of sexual violence in conflict? Will the prosecutor general’s office continue to ensure that the perpetrators of crime can be held accountable for their heinous crimes?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

I am very happy to provide that assurance to the noble Lord. I thank him for the work that he did while in government, of which he should be very proud. The situation with the children is one that I think wakes many of us at night. We must do whatever we can, and whatever is possible, to get those children home where they belong.