Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with (a) Economic Community of West African States and (b) African Union partners in relation to the approach to be taken following the passing of deadlines for the coup authorities in (i) Guinea and (ii) Burkina Faso to set out timetables to return power to civilian governments.

We are concerned by the deteriorating situation across West Africa and the Sahel, and the impact on regional security. Alongside the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union, and international partners we condemned the coups in Burkina Faso (January 2022) and Guinea (September 2021). We support the urgent call made by the UN Secretary-General on 2 May for a swift return to democratic, civilian and constitutional rule without delay. In meetings with ECOWAS' President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou in February, and with Vice President Finda Koroma in March, I [Minister Ford] set out the UK's continued support for ECOWAS' mediation efforts.