Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
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 Department's policies of the adequacy of the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh planning to vote in that country’s national election.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government wants to see free, fair, participatory and peaceful elections in Bangladesh. We are committed to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all, which is a human right guaranteed under international law. We promote human rights through our political dialogue and programmes in Bangladesh. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad, Minister for South Asia, raised human rights with Prime Minister Hasina when they met in October. We are monitoring the implications of the upcoming elections, and we will continue to stress to the Government of Bangladesh that respect for human rights, including the safety of religious minorities, are essential elements of the democratic process.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent assessment his Department has made of the (a) potential for an escalation of violence in Myanmar, (b) level of threat to Rohingya groups and (c) security situation in that region.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned about the escalation of the conflict, the continued restrictions on humanitarian access, the increasing risk of atrocities including to the Rohingya and other minorities, in Myanmar. There are reports that over 2 million people are now displaced and 18.4 million in need of humanitarian assistance. In Rakhine State, where most of the Rohingya in Myanmar reside, over 50,000 people have been displaced in the past two weeks. The British Embassy in Yangon are closely monitoring the risk of further violence across Myanmar and ensuring our humanitarian assistance reaches those most in need.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
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 security situation in Sierra Leone.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK has condemned the unjustifiable violence which took place on Sunday 26 November. We have welcomed President Bio's call for unity and commitment to hold those responsible to account, and the statements from all political parties calling out the violence. We continue to follow the situation closely and are engaged with Government, political parties and other stakeholders. The UK remains committed to supporting a democratic, peaceful and prosperous Sierra Leone.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Pakistani counterparts on the burning of churches in Jaranwala.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK strongly condemns violence against Christians in Pakistan. Protecting Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), including for minority communities, remains central to the UK Government's human rights engagement in Pakistan. The Foreign Secretary raised the persecution of religious communities, including recent attacks against the Christian community in Jaranwala, with Pakistan's Prime Minister, Anwaral Haq Kakar on 25 September. On 21 August, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia wrote to Pakistan's caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, urging the Government to ensure the safety of the Christian community following the attacks in Jaranwala. Lord Ahmad also raised the issue with Foreign Minister Jilani when they met on 13 September and in his meeting with the Pakistani High Commissioner on 6 September.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to take steps to ask for the renewal of the remit for the Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia at the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK was strongly supportive of the establishment of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE), and the renewal of its mandate at the Human Rights Council's 51st Session. ICHREE's mandate will end at the end of the present session of the Human Rights Council as the European Union, as the penholder, did not to present a resolution to renew the mandate. The UK will continue to support efforts to promote cooperation between the Government of Ethiopia and the international community on human rights, and particularly over the robust implementation of its Transitional Justice Policy, to ensure accountability for atrocities and human rights violations and to ensure the effective and full implementation of the Tigray peace agreement.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has plans to visit the Southern African Development Community.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Ministerial travel is kept under constant review. The Foreign Secretary visited the Republic of Zambia, a member of the Southern African Development Community, on 2-3 August 2023.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the African Union on the humanitarian response to the floods in Libya.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our representatives to the African Union have been briefed on the humanitarian response to the floods in Libya. The Africa Centres for Disease control (CDC) briefed the UK alongside other countries on their planned response , in line with their statement over the weekend.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the African Union being made a permanent member of the G20 on that organisation.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Africa's share of the world's population is forecast to double from 18 percent today to 37 percent by 2100, so African countries need a louder voice on the international stage. Recognising this, the Integrated Review refresh sets out the Government's support of greater African representation in multilateral institutions. The Government supported, and welcomes, the African Union becoming a permanent member of the G20. The pan-African membership of the African Union means it is uniquely placed to represent the interests of the entire African continent.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of the security situation in Burkina Faso on access to education for children.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is closely monitoring events in Burkina Faso including the worsening security and humanitarian situation. Recent analysis by the UN and NGOs indicates that high numbers of school closures are disrupting education for pupils in Burkina Faso. The UK continues to provide support for education through the Education Cannot Wait Fund, a multilateral fund which supports the provision of education interventions targeting children in emergencies, including in Burkina Faso. The UK also supports the Global Partnership for Education which supports education systems transformation globally, including in Burkina Faso.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Government of South Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
I [Minister Mitchell] met South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on 20 September to discuss progress on implementation of South Sudan's Peace Agreement, including provisions for free and fair elections in December 2024. We discussed our efforts to secure peace in Sudan, UK support for education in South Sudan, and our response to the growing humanitarian crisis. I also spoke to the former South Sudanese Foreign Minister on 1 May 2023 and 20 July 2023, and met with the South Sudanese Minister for Presidential Affairs and the Minister for Education on 8 May 2023. The British Ambassador and the UK's Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan also regularly meet with members of the Government of South Sudan and other relevant stakeholders.