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Written Question
Developing Countries: Debts
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the oral contribution of the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of 12 March 2024, Lords Official Report, column 1910, If he will publish a summary of Treasury advice received by his Department on legislation concerning private creditors.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The Government recognises the importance of private sector lending to low-income countries. The UK, alongside international partners, expects private creditors to participate in debt restructurings on terms at least as favourable as bilateral (i.e. country) creditors.

At this time, the Government is focused on delivering a market-based (contractual) approach to private sector participation in debt restructuring, which the IMF have found to be largely effective in recent years. As part of this, the UK has led the development of Majority Voting Provisions for private syndicated loans. We engage regularly with the Treasury on this issue.


Written Question
South Sudan and Sudan: Oil
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)

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 the halting of oil exports from South Sudan via Sudan on (a) security and the humanitarian situation in South Sudan and (b) prospects for (i) escalation and (ii) de-escalation of the conflict in Sudan; and whether he is taking steps to engage (A) other countries affected and (B) China in discussion of the potential impact of the halting of such oil exports.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

There has been recent damage to the oil pipeline that carries oil from South Sudan to Sudan, which has significantly reduced the South Sudanese government's oil production capabilities and subsequently their income. This economic deterioration is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation in South Sudan, as food prices and the cost of humanitarian assistance delivery have increased. We are continuing to monitor the impacts of this closely, including on the security and humanitarian situation in both Sudan and South Sudan.


Written Question
South Sudan: Sudan
Friday 22nd March 2024

Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)

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 implications for his policies of (a) recent violence in the Abyei Administrative Area and (b) the capacity of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA ) to protect civilians affected by that violence; and what recent discussions he has had with (i) UNISFA , (ii) the authorities in South Sudan, (iii) the African Union and (iv) the Intergovernmental Authority on Development on the situation in Abyei.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK condemns the recent escalation of violence in Abyei. We released a statement alongside Troika (US, Norway) partners on January 29, to condemn the armed attacks in Abyei and urge the Government of South Sudan to urgently withdraw its troops in line with its commitments under the 2011 Status of Forces Agreement. The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei's (UNISFA) mandate was renewed in November 2023 and amended to better equip the mission to respond quickly to security incidents and to place greater emphasis on community engagement. The UK is using its position as a permanent member of the Security Council to urge both the government of South Sudan and the de facto Sudanese authorities to ensure UNISFA can fully and effectively implement its mandate. We echo the UN Secretary-General's encouragement for the African Union to intensify its mediation efforts to help reach a political solution for Abyei and we encourage The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to engage in this process.


Written Question
Mozambique: Islamic State
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) his counterpart in Mozambique, (b) representatives of the Southern African Development Community and (c) his counterparts in states neighbouring Mozambique on potential support in tackling security threats posed by IS-Mozambique.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

In May 2023, the Minister of State for Development and Africa visited Mozambique and met President Nyusi. They discussed UK support for the Government of Mozambique's response to the ongoing IS-Mozambique insurgency in Cabo Delgado, including through new programmes aimed at building local resilience to violent extremism, security and human rights training that has been delivered to over 200 Armed Forces personnel to date. During the same visit to the region, the Minister of State for Development and Africa met South Africa's Deputy Minister for International Relations & Cooperation to discuss a range of topics including peace and post conflict development in Mozambique. Our UK Special Representative to SADC also regularly engages with SADC missions on peace keeping in the region.


Written Question
Sudan: Humanitarian Aid
Thursday 14th March 2024

Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an estimate of the daily capacity for humanitarian deliveries through the (a) Al-Tina and (b) Renk crossings into Sudan; and if he will take steps with his international counterparts to monitor the number of daily humanitarian deliveries through these crossings.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

We are unable to estimate the daily capacity for humanitarian deliveries through these routes. The UK strongly condemns the decision on 21 February by the Sudanese Armed Forces to withdraw permission for cross-border deliveries of humanitarian aid from Adré in Chad. We note the SAF's commitments on 5 March to facilitate crossline and other cross-border routes, such as these, for the delivery of life-saving assistance to Darfur and the Kordofans. As penholder on Sudan, the UK has proposed a UN Security Council resolution, calling for an immediate ceasefire before the holy month of Ramadan and urging all parties to allow for unhindered cross-border and cross-line humanitarian access. We continue to monitor the situation closely and urge the warring parties to allow safe humanitarian access.


Written Question
Senegal: Elections
Thursday 14th March 2024

Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)

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) international and (b) civil society observation of the Presidential election in Senegal.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

We are coordinating closely with international partners on observing the forthcoming Presidential elections, including by sending our own diplomatic staff as observers to polling stations across the country. We are also engaging with a range of civil society organisations to support their efforts to ensure the Presidential elections run fairly and transparently.


Written Question
Ethiopia: Armed Conflict
Monday 11th March 2024

Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) implications for his policies of the (i) humanitarian and (ii) civilian protection situation in the Amhara region of Ethiopia and (b) adequacy of the accountability for alleged violations against civilians in that region since August 2023.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

We follow the conflict in Amhara and its implications for civilians closely and we have offered assistance to the Government of Ethiopia to find a peaceful solution. The UK has increased support to the Ethiopia Human Rights Commission who monitor the situation and who will be key in implementing the recently announced Transitional Justice Policy for Ethiopia. This aims to provide a mechanism for accountability for crimes committed in Amhara as well as other regions affected by conflict. We continue to speak out on specific incidents such as suspected extra-judicial killings in Merawit and consistently call for the protection of civilians in Amhara and Oromia, most recently at the UN Human Rights Council, and with Government of Ethiopia interlocutors. His Majesty's Ambassador met with the Amhara regional President in January and discussed a number of issues, including the ongoing conflict and prospects for dialogue.


Written Question
Sudan: Human Rights
Monday 11th March 2024

Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)

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 implications for his policies of the report entitled Situation of human rights in the Sudan, published by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on 22 February 2024; and what steps he plans to take to support accountability for the possible violations of international humanitarian law documented in that report.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK welcomes the recent report of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the situation in Sudan. This report adds to the mounting credible evidence of abuses taking place in Sudan, attributed to both warring parties. The UK is strongly committed to respect for human rights and accountability, including through the UN Security Council. In October 2023, the UK led efforts in the UN Human Rights Council to establish an international and independent Fact-Finding Mission (FFM). That mission will ensure that credible allegations of human rights violations are investigated for future accountability efforts. The UK continues to support the essential work of the OHCHR and the International Criminal Court in investigating and documenting the mounting reports of abuses taking place across the country.


Written Question
Chad: Foreign Relations
Thursday 7th March 2024

Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had with discussions with (a) authorities in Chad and (b) international counterparts on events at the party headquarters of the Chadian Socialist Party Without Borders on 28 February 2024.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK was appalled by the events which took place at the headquarters of the Chadian Socialist Party Without Borders in N'Djamena on 28 February. Our thoughts are with those injured and the friends and families of those killed. We are in touch with International Partners and the Chadian Authorities to urge an independent investigation into what happened. We want to see a Chad that is stable, more democratic and on a path towards long-term development. A pluralist, transparent and peaceful transition back to constitutional rule is vital for building a better future for Chad's people.


Written Question
Sudan: Humanitarian Situation
Thursday 7th March 2024

Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he plans (a) to attend the humanitarian conference on Sudan in Paris on 15 April 2024 and (b) for a representative from his Department to attend.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

We are still considering HMG representation at this important event.