Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the UK Government is taking to help support communities in Cameroon affected by the political situation in that country.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The UK is deeply concerned about the situation in Cameroon and the deteriorating security situation in the Anglophone regions of the country. Today we have announced a £2m contribution to the humanitarian response in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon which will support 10,000 people in hard to reach areas with essential assistance including medical care and non-food items. The UK will continue to work alongside the international community to encourage and support efforts to resolve the Anglophone crisis.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the UK Government is taking to tackle the humanitarian situation in Cameroon.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
Today we have announced a £2m contribution to the humanitarian response in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon which will support 10,000 people in hard to reach areas with essential assistance including medical care and non-food items. We are also supporting those displaced because of insecurity both in the far north around Lake Chad and in the neighbouring Central African Republic and are providing £6.55 million in humanitarian support for these needs this year, including for protection, nutrition, health, food security and livelihoods.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she has taken to ensure that the UK's future trading arrangements align with the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
We welcome African efforts to develop an African Continental Free Trade Agreement. As we leave the EU, we are seeking to replicate the effects of the EU’s Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), which are development-focused trade deals with developing countries. We also intend to allow many non-EPA developing countries to continue to benefit from tariff-free or reduced tariff access to the UK market. These arrangements will complement the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, at the same time as they strengthen UK trade opportunities around the world.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she has taken to ensure that the UK's future trading arrangements align with the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
We welcome African efforts to develop an African Continental Free Trade Agreement. As we leave the EU, we are seeking to replicate the effects of the EU’s Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), which are development-focused trade deals with developing countries. We also intend to allow many non-EPA developing countries to continue to benefit from tariff-free or reduced tariff access to the UK market. These arrangements will complement the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, at the same time as they strengthen UK trade opportunities around the world.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to (a) tackle the origins of conflict in Nigeria between Fulani herdsmen and farming communities and (b) help reduce that conflict and protect communities.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
We are deeply concerned by the suffering caused by inter-communal violence in Nigeria, with several serious clashes in recent weeks. The causes of these clashes are deep rooted and complex including rights of access to land and water. The UK has supported a number of initiatives that have brought communities together and provided livelihoods and economic opportunities in the affected areas. We have raised our concerns at federal, state and local government level, as well as with religious leaders and advocacy groups. We continue to urge the Government of Nigeria to work with affected populations to develop a solution that meets the needs of all the communities affected.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what formal consultation she plans for the UN Global Compact’s Africa Strategy; and whether she plans to include the UN Economic Commission for Africa in that process.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
We do not intend to carry out a formal consultation around the UN Global Compact’s Africa strategy, but we expect for them to engage with relevant partners such as the UN Economic Commission for Africa.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department gives to legislators overseas to increase their capacity effectively to regulate the growing technology and digital trade sectors in their countries.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
DFID’s Digital Strategy puts technology at the heart of its future aid offer, including by providing support to developing economies to make the most of digital opportunities.
On digital trade specifically, at the World Trade Organisation’s 11th Ministerial Conference the government supported the statement signed by 71 members to make digital trade easier across the world. These discussions are open to all members and recognise the specific challenges faced by developing countries.
At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April, the UK and other Commonwealth member states adopted a Declaration on the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment, with the goal of expanding investment and boosting intra-Commonwealth trade to US$2 trillion by 2030. Also, the Secretary of State, alongside the President of Kenya, launched a Digital Finance Champions Group to drive innovation to improve financial access for the most vulnerable people in societies.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2017 to Question 117507 on Department for International Development: Science, if she will publish the allocation of science spending by region.
Answered by Rory Stewart
By thematically assigning funding for research (which is classified as science), rather than geographically, we ensure that Research and Innovation investments focus on the most pressing development challenges.
DFID funds over 150 programmes, most of which target multiple countries or regions. All information on countries or regions the programmes target is published online, on DFID’s development tracker.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2017 to Question 117507, what criteria her Department uses to identify where the highest footprint of research takes place.
Answered by Rory Stewart
DFID allocate spend thematically rather than geographically, allowing us to prioritise research into the most pressing issues. DFID funds over 150 separate research programmes amounting to around £390m per Annum, focusing on new innovation and technologies to change lives. Most focus on multiple countries or regions.
Information on these programmes and where they work is all published on DFID’s development tracker.