Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which (1) political parties, and (2) civil society members, will be included in the renewed UK–Sudan Strategic dialogue; and whether 50 per cent of those participants will be women.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The Minister for Africa visited Sudan on 19/20 October for the launch of the refreshed UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue as an opportunity to deepen our bilateral relationship and support for Sudan's democratic transition. This was co-hosted with Foreign Minister, Mariam al-Sadiq al-Mahdi and discussions included the vital role of women and girls to Sudan's democratic future and the importance of inclusion. We will now reconsider the future of engagement such as the Strategic Dialogue in light of the actions of the Sudanese military on 25 October.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of violent abuse of political opponents and activists in Evin prison in Iran.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO is shocked and appalled at the conditions that appeared in the leaked footage of Evin prison. We have repeatedly urged Iran to allow health professionals in, to assess the situation of British nationals there. We regularly raise human rights with the Iranians at all levels and take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor record. At the Human Rights Council session in March 2021, we strongly supported the renewal of the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran and made clear to Iran that their repeated violations of human rights are unacceptable. On 8 July 2021, the UK published its Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report, which included our bleak assessment of Iran's human rights record and our efforts to push for improvements. We will look to use all opportunities during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session as well, and call on President Raisi to set Iran on a different course by committing to improving human rights and to release British nationals arbitrarily detained there.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support Tunisia to help ensure it remains a democracy.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, James Cleverly MP, was in Tunisia 7-9 June to co-chair the inaugural UK-Tunisia Association Council. Bolstering trade, furthering good governance, and supporting Tunisia to develop its economy are all key aspects of our engagement that will enhance Tunisia's resilience and stability. UK programmes have supported political and economic reform, strengthening Tunisia's democratic transition. These have included £385,000 to support implementation of public sector economic reform, and £3million through the British Council to support English language and core skills in schools to address youth unemployment.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of journalists and bloggers being (1) assaulted, (2) detained, and (3) tried in military courts, in Tunisia.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned by reports of journalists and bloggers being detained. We regularly raise our concerns about human rights with the Tunisian authorities, and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support parliamentary democracy in Tunisia.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, James Cleverly MP, was in Tunisia 7-9 June to co-chair the inaugural UK-Tunisia Association Council with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Ali Nafti. Bolstering trade, furthering good governance, and supporting Tunisia to develop its economy are all key aspects of our engagement that will enhance Tunisia's resilience and stability.
The UK is also working with the World Bank to support macro-economic reforms and will continue to work with Tunisia and our partners to support sustainable growth and prosperity.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support (1) democracy, (2) the economy, and (3) measures to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, in Tunisia.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, James Cleverly MP, was in Tunisia 7-9 June to co-chair the inaugural UK-Tunisia Association Council with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Ali Nafti. Bolstering trade, furthering good governance, and supporting Tunisia to develop its economy are all key aspects of our engagement that will enhance Tunisia's resilience and stability.
The UK is also working with the World Bank to support macro-economic reforms and will continue to work with Tunisia and our partners to support sustainable growth and prosperity.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to discuss initiatives to support parliamentary democracy in Tunisia at the G7 Summit in June.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, James Cleverly MP, was in Tunisia 7-9 June to co-chair the inaugural UK-Tunisia Association Council with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Ali Nafti. Bolstering trade, furthering good governance, and supporting Tunisia to develop its economy are all key aspects of our engagement that will enhance Tunisia's resilience and stability.
The UK is also working with the World Bank to support macro-economic reforms and will continue to work with Tunisia and our partners to support sustainable growth and prosperity.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Tunisian representatives regarding further initiatives to support and ingrain parliamentary democracy in Tunisia.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, James Cleverly MP, was in Tunisia 7-9 June to co-chair the inaugural UK-Tunisia Association Council with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Ali Nafti. Bolstering trade, furthering good governance, and supporting Tunisia to develop its economy are all key aspects of our engagement that will enhance Tunisia's resilience and stability.
The UK is also working with the World Bank to support macro-economic reforms and will continue to work with Tunisia and our partners to support sustainable growth and prosperity.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 29 April (HL15288), what assessment they have made of the risks faced by journalists reporting on human rights violations in China.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Freedom of expression and of the media is severely curtailed in China. We continue to urge the Chinese authorities to allow journalists to practice their profession without fear or arrest, harassment or reprisal, and to end extensive censorship and control over the media and wider freedom of expression.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 29 April (HL15288), what assessment they have made of the possibility of moving the 2022 Winter Olympic Games from China to another host nation with a better human rights record; and what representations have they made to governments of other nations on moving the 2022 Winter Olympics to another nation.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This is a matter for the International Olympic Committee, which operates independently of governments, and enshrines this political freedom in their rules and regulations.