Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the UK Government is taking to help ensure the safety of Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi after being placed under house arrest by Ugandan forces.
Answered by James Duddridge
GROUPED WITH PQS 145811 & 145812.
I [Minister Duddridge] spoke to the Ugandan Foreign Minister, Sam Kutesa, on 26 November 2020 to express concern about the arrest of Robert Kyagulanyi and the violence that followed. I [Minister Duddridge] sought reassurances that Ugandan security forces would show restraint and raised the importance of the rights of Ugandans to freely express their views. Ahead of the elections of 14 January, I [Minister Duddridge] raised the importance of British officials observing the vote in further calls with Foreign Minister Kutesa and with the Ugandan High Commissioner. The UK deployed 51 Election Observers across 120 polling stations in Uganda on election day.
I [Minister Duddridge] also publicly expressed my disappointment about the internet shutdown on 14 January and my concerns at reduced transparency of the elections. I have since set out our concerns, in a statement of 17 January, about the overall political climate surrounding the elections and have urged the Government of Uganda to meet its international human rights commitments. I [Minister Duddridge] welcome the High Court of Uganda's decision of 25 January 2021 lifting restrictions on Robert Kyagulanyi, and that the British High Commissioner was able to meet with him on 27 January 2021. As a long-standing partner to Uganda, the UK will continue to follow post-election developments closely, and engage with the Ugandan Government and Ugandans to advocate for democracy.
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government has taken to investigate the use of child labour in cobalt mines in Congo.
Answered by James Duddridge
The UK Government is deeply concerned by continued reports of children working in the artisanal mining sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The UK is fully committed to seeing an end to such practices by 2030 as laid out in the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development.
UK officials monitor trends in child labour in mining in DRC, including by working closely with partners such as the UN Joint Human Rights Organisation who report human rights abuses in DRC and raise concerns regularly with the DRC Government. As an active member of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights Initiative, which promotes responsible practice, the UK has met the DRC Government and local actors in the mining sector to press for adherence to the Voluntary Principles, with a view to eventual membership of DRC.
Asked by: Carol Monaghan (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the provision of emergency medical to Syrian civilians in Idlib.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
British aid continues to support the provision of emergency medical aid in Idlib, where DFID partners are working to support health facilities and establish mobile emergency protection teams. In addition, the UK has announced an additional £32 million aid package to meet emergency humanitarian needs in Idlib and the surrounding areas.
We have also made clear, including at four emergency sessions of the UN Security Council, that attacks on hospitals and other civilian infrastructure are inexcusable. We call on all parties to distinguish between civilians and civilian infrastructure, and military targets.