File photo of UK Prime Minister Theresa May [Photo:Xinhua]

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has used her first speech to the United Nations to stress the UK remains a global player, despite the country's planned withdrawal from the European Union.

"When the British people voted to leave the EU, they did not vote to turn inwards or walk away from any of our partners in the world. The U.K. will be a confident, strong and dependable partner internationally; true to the universal values that we share together."

Theresa May has also addressed the UN summit on refugees, announcing a new British troop deployment to Somalia to help root-out the al-Shabaab militant group.

"The biggest threats to our prosperity and our security do not recognize or respect international borders and if we only focus on what we do at home, the job is barely half done. This is not the time to turn away from our United Nations, it is the time to turn towards it."

The UK military is going to send over 200 UK soldiers into Somalia as 'military advisors.'

Theresa May says a new UK military outpost is also going to be established in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

She also says Britain will host an international conference next year to address issues in Somalia and in other countries in the Horn of Africa.