Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to reports that retired Petroleum Industry Workers Union (USO) trade unionist Nicodemus Luna Mosquera was murdered along with his nephew Edinson Noviteño Luna in Colombia on 26 November 2022, whether his Department plans to provide support to the USO trade union in that country.

Colombia is an FCDO Human Rights Priority Country, and supporting efforts to improve stability and security in Colombia, including for trade unionists, remains an important priority. At the UN Security Council on 11 January, I [Minister Rutley] raised attacks on human rights defenders and social activists and our commitment to supporting efforts to address the root causes of violence in Colombia. Through our Conflict, Stability, and Security Fund (CSSF) programme, which has provided £74 million in support of Peace Agreement implementation, security, and stability in Colombia since 2015, we will continue to support programmes that help Human Rights Defenders and other groups affected by violence.