1/ Recent items have been publish in the newsletter about CAFOD support for the people of Sudan. Despite the UK government having knowledge that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has diverted arms exports received from other countries to the Sudan Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the UAE remains one of the UK’s biggest arms customers. The British government has issued £825m worth of single export licences for arms to the UAE between 2020-2024, the 9th largest recipient in that period, in addition to open licences. This includes £219m worth of aircraft, helicopters, and drones, £293m of military electronic equipment, £112m of target acquisition, weapon control and countermeasure systems, and £89m of grenades, bombs, missiles, and countermeasures.
The UK already has an arms embargo on Sudan. All UK export licence applications are supposed to be assessed for their risk of diversion to arms-embargoed countries. The British Militec small weapons target devices that were exported to the UAE would have gone through this assessment, yet still were found in Sudan.
2/ Live Simply Tip of the Week During this hot dry weather many birds have trouble finding water. Please put a bowl in the garden & keep it topped up
3/ SHOUT There are boxes for food donations as usual at the church entrances of St Mary’s. Holy Family also support a similar charity.
4/ Transport accounts for around one third of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. For the UK to achieve its 2050 target net zero target, we need a transport revolution – changing vehicles to electric, accompanied by a massive investment in walking, cycling, public transport and creation of low traffic neighbourhoods. Car use is increasing, to counteract this we need a better and more efficient rail network and bus service.