Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) the former Department for International Development worked on overseas development in Africa in each financial year since 2010.
It is not possible to provide a precise figure for the total number of officials working on overseas development in Africa in any given year. A range of FCDO departments in the UK, and our network of posts around the world, contribute to our work on overseas development in Africa. This includes work on policy development, research and analysis, specialist expertise and advice, and programme delivery. Over the past decade, there have been around 300 officials in roles focusing predominantly on overseas development in Africa, supported by a large network of expert country-based staff, in addition to wider efforts across our missions in Africa, our multilateral missions, and our posts in key partner countries. The FCDO's country business planning process ensures joined-up policy and delivery, in support of HMG objectives in Africa, including those set out in the White Paper.