Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the impact of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea on (a) humanitarian supply deliveries and (b) sea-borne trade through Port Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The Houthis' unacceptable and illegal actions, which threaten freedom of navigation, are disrupting sea-borne trade through Port Sudan. Existing blockages to the delivery of humanitarian assistance including bureaucratic barriers, looting of supplies and attacks on aid convoys must stop. We continue to call on both sides of the conflict in Sudan to abide by their responsibilities under International Law, protect civilians and to grant immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access, so that aid can reach those who need it.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Ethiopia on (a) peace and security and (b) food security in the Tigray region.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
Conflict, drought, and economic challenges are exacerbating humanitarian crises across Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. His Majesty's Ambassador to Ethiopia frequently discusses these issues with interlocutors in the Government of Ethiopia, including how best the UK can support peace and security. The UK is scaling up our response to escalating humanitarian needs across Ethiopia, with an expansion of our nutrition, health, water and sanitation, and protection support across the country, including in Tigray, through UN, NGO and Red Cross partners.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he is taking steps to assess the adequacy of UK sanctions in relation to the evidence of proxy companies detailed in the final report of the Panel of Experts, as considered by the Committee established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1591 on 15 January 2024.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The sanctions which I announced in my Written Ministerial Statement of 12 July 2023 were designed to stop financing of the brutal conflict in Sudan. We are looking carefully at the contents of the Panel of Experts' report, subject to its final publication. Although we do not speculate on future designations, our sanctions policy is continually under review.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to work with partners to address violations of the UN sanctions regime on Darfur detailed in the final report of the Panel of Experts as considered by the Committee established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1591 on 15 January 2024.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The UK welcomes and agrees with the Panel of Experts' recommendations. We look forward to the publication of its final report. The UK expects all countries to comply with existing UN sanctions and continues to work closely with partners in the UN Security Council to enforce these.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Burundi on (a) internal and regional security and (b) human rights for (i) the LGBT+ community and (ii) other minority groups.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
We welcome the Government of Burundi's stated commitment to improving the human rights situation and the recent steps taken which demonstrate progress in this regard. However, President Ndayishimiye's recent comments on the LGBT+ community risk undermining this positive trajectory. In 2022 and 2023 the UK co-sponsored the UN Human Rights Council's Resolutions on Burundi, which urged the full implementation of the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur and the Commission of Inquiry on Burundi in their reports. The UK Government welcomes greater engagement with Burundi on political and social inclusion as Burundi's political trajectory continues to improve.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what discussions he has had with (a) his counterpart in Ethiopia, (b) his counterpart in Somalia, (c) authorities in Somaliland, (d) the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, (e) the African Union, (f) other states and (g) other international organisations on the Memorandum of Understanding between Ethiopia and Somaliland of 1 January 2024; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that agreement on (i) regional security and (ii) the status of Somaliland.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The FCDO notes the announcement of a Memorandum of Understanding between Ethiopia and Somaliland, which suggests that Ethiopia will recognise Somaliland's independence in return for the lease of territory. We are concerned by escalating tensions in the Horn of Africa and are engaging with all relevant parties through our posts in the region to call for calm and encourage dialogue. The UK has reaffirmed its respect for Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and we are aware of statements from the countries and regional bodies referenced in the question. The UK's position remains that the settlement of Somaliland's status is for Somalia and Somaliland to resolve through a consultative process.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to support (a) peaceful and (b) inclusive dialogue in Democratic Republic of the Congo following the presidential election; and what steps he is taking to engage with his Congolese counterpart on (i) insecurity, (ii) climate objectives and (iii) other issues.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The United Kingdom commends Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) voters for their participation in the Presidential elections and their determination to exercise their democratic rights. We note the preliminary reports of electoral observation missions which flagged several irregularities in the electoral process. We, along with our partners, urge the government of DRC to investigate any issues transparently. We are also encouraging all parties to raise any complaints through peaceful and constitutional means. The UK remains a committed partner to DRC - including on climate, where we co-chair the development partner working group that coordinates with Government, and chair the Central African Forest Initiative. We will continue working with GoDRC and the region to address insecurity. We are concerned about the appalling humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, and are addressing this through the recently announced 3-year £98 million UK funded humanitarian and resilience programme for crisis affected communities where food insecurity is highest.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will take steps to build consensus among international partners on halting arms supplies to all parties to the conflict in Sudan in advance of the publication of any report of the Panel of Experts to the UN Sudan Sanctions Committee.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The UK condemns any actions that fuels the brutal conflict in Sudan. In March, the UN Security Council renewed the mandate of the UN Panel of Experts, and extended the Darfur arms embargo until 12 September 2024. There is also a longstanding bilateral UK arms embargo in place for the whole of Sudan. These regimes have been used to constrain the flow of weapons into the country and support efforts to stop those who pose a threat to stability in Darfur. We continue to place emphasis on the importance of neutrality and of supporting a ceasefire and civilian political transition. In addition, UK officials have engaged extensively with the UN Panel of Experts on their findings. The UK will engage closely with the US (as penholder) on the renewal of the Panel of Experts mandate which is due to expire in March.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what consular assistance has been provided to British nationals who are (a) former and (b) current members of the Synagogue Church of all Nations in Nigeria since March 2010; and if he has made representations to his counterparts in Nigeria on consular cases involving that Church.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The FCDO is deeply concerned about the reports of violence and abuse surrounding the Synagogue Church of All Nations. We have raised these allegations with Nigerian State Government representatives and will also raise with the Federal authorities. We take all reports of crime, including sexual assault and violence against British nationals overseas very seriously and encourage British nationals who want to raise such allegations, whether current or historic, to contact our consular teams who can support them to report these to the authorities. British nationals in Nigeria in need of urgent help can call us on +234 (9) 462 3100 or if in the UK +44 20 7008 5000.
Asked by: Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies in support of security in Nigeria of the killings of civilians in Tudun Biri in Kaduna state of Nigeria on 3 December 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The UK acknowledges the tragic deaths of civilians in Tudun Biri in Kaduna State on 3 December 2023. We welcome President Tinubu's commitment to launch an investigation into the incident. Through the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership, we are committed to supporting efforts to tackle insecurity and secure a safe and prosperous Nigeria. The UK's engagement with Nigeria's security forces emphasises the importance of human security and civil-military coordination on operations. UK support for building Nigeria's defence capacity routinely includes training on international humanitarian law and protection of civilians.