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 (a) political and (b) economic situation in Burkina Faso.

The UK is closely monitoring the political and economic situation in Burkina Faso following the coup on 30 September 2022. The World Bank forecasts economic growth at 5 per cent in 2023, but political instability, insecurity, climate shocks and social discontent from high food inflation pose significant risks to this outlook. The former Minister for Africa raised the impact of the coup with international partners and highlighted the importance of Burkina Faso transitioning back to civilian rule. The UK will continue to provide humanitarian aid to those most in need and is committed to strengthening economic ties with developing countries to support sustainable growth. For example, through the new Developing Countries Trading Scheme, Burkina Faso will benefit from preferential access to UK markets.