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 the UN on the potential merits of taking further steps to help protect (a) members of expert panels mandated by the Security Council and (b) other UN (i) investigators and (ii) researchers from reprisals for their work.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK Mission to the UN regularly engages with the UN regarding personnel issues, including the general safety and wellbeing of its staff. This engagement includes frequent contact with Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on safeguarding procedures against reprisals for those who cooperate with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the UN more broadly. Concerning individual cases, the UK Mission to the UN has held recent discussions with the Security Council Affairs Division regarding the safety of Panel of Expert members.
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 further steps he plans to take with international partners to support accountability for alleged violations of international humanitarian law and crimes against humanity 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 - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK continues to take a leading role in supporting processes for justice and accountability in Sudan. On 11 October 2023, the UN Human Rights Council adopted the UK-led 'Sudan Core Group' resolution to establish an independent and international Fact-Finding Mission. This will support future accountability efforts in Sudan. The UK is also funding open-source investigation experts to use satellite and social media to verify and preserve information relating to attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure.
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 Houthi attacks in the Red Sea on (a) humanitarian supply deliveries and (b) sea-borne trade through Port Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
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: 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 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 - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
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: 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 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 - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
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: 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 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 - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
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: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been paid in compensation in relation to allegations against members of the British Army Training Unit Kenya relating to (a) sexual abuse or violence and (b) other matters between 2000 and 2024.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Between 2000 and 2024 no compensation has been paid relating to allegations against members of the British Army Training Unit Kenya in connection with sexual abuse or violence. There is one open claim that is currently under investigation. A total of £5.253 million compensation has been paid in the same period in relation to other matters.
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 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 - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
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: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
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 - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
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: 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) 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 - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
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.