Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on UK diplomatic engagement in the Horn of Africa region of the announcement by the People’s Republic of China that it will soon appoint a special envoy for that region.

The UK is very concerned by the increase in conflict in the Horn of Africa and the unprecedented range and severity of humanitarian crises in the region - where drought and flooding, alongside ongoing conflict and issues of access, are putting tens of millions of people at risk. We hope that greater international interest will result in increased support for international efforts to deescalate and resolve conflicts, and address the substantial humanitarian needs. The UK Special Envoy for the Red Sea and Horn of Africa has been working with international partners to help coordinate international efforts. We welcome China's recent calls for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ethiopia at the United Nations Security Council. We look forward to China naming its new Envoy and discussing with them how we can work together to address these most pressing concerns.