Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Commonwealth Secretary-General on deploying independent Commonwealth Observer Groups to Sierra Leone ahead of its presidential election.

As a close friend of Sierra Leone, the UK holds regular, frank discussions with senior government interlocutors, international partners, and other key stakeholders, on good governance, the rule of law and stability, and the importance of a free, fair election in 2023. We condemn acts of political violence and urge all to work collaboratively to reduce tensions. I spoke with the President of Sierra Leone in London on 22 November 2022 about the importance of the upcoming election and Sierra Leone's democratic process. I [Minister Mitchell] reiterated this message in a meeting with the Minister of Basic and Senior Education at the PSVI conference on 28 November.