Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the governments of (1) Cameroon, and (2) France, about inter-communal violence between the Anglophone and Francophone communities in Cameroon; and what is their assessment of the role of the churches in peace-making in that country.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government has been tracking the conflict in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon, and continue to urge for all perpetrators to be held to account for violence against civilian communities. The Deputy Foreign Secretary raised our human rights concerns with senior government officials during his visit to the country in April 2023. He also set out the UK's commitment to supporting the country to find a peaceful resolution through inclusive dialogue. Our High Commission in Cameroon supports this, including through regular engagement with international partners. We welcome the work of the recent fifth session of the Follow Up Committee to implement the recommendations of the Major National Dialogue in August 2023, including engaging religious leaders.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the operations of foreign mercenaries and other non-state armed groupings in the Sahel region of Africa and what support they have given to regional governments and institutions to counter their activities.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has repeatedly raised concerns about non-state armed groups in the Sahel with partners in the region. Russia and its proxies capitalise on instability and poverty to exploit resources and gain influence. This has resulted in a destabilising focus on hard security, human rights abuses and disinformation, leading to the UK announcing 13 sanctions against Wagner in Africa in July 2023. The UK takes approaches conflict and stability holistically, working closely with international partners. In 2024, the UK will provide around £245m to the Sahel, primarily to meet humanitarian needs and support local level conflict prevention programmes in Mali and Niger.
Asked by: Lord Boateng (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the threats to democratic governance in the Sahel region of Africa, and whether they intend to take measures to strengthen civil society in the region.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK condemns recent restrictions to democratic space in the Sahel and, in coordination with our international partners, we regularly raise our concerns with governments in the region. The UK remains committed to providing humanitarian assistance and supporting access to basic services for the people of the Sahel region. In doing so we seek to build resilience and address the root causes of insecurity and poverty, including by supporting inclusive political dialogue and engaging civil society actors.