Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to monitor the effect of Government funding for Colombia on human rights and the peace process in that country.

The United Kingdom is committed to the implementation of the Peace Accords of 2016, and we remain steadfast in our support of the Colombian authorities as they seek to ensure sustainable peace in Colombia. We are proud to be the penholder on the issue at the United Nations Security Council, and have committed almost £45 million over 5 years through the United Kingdom Conflict Stability and Security Fund for Colombia to support development across conflict-affected regions. As a Human Rights Priority Country, our Embassy in Colombia also provides significant programming to help at-risk human rights defenders and to tackle the legacy of sexual violence from Colombia's decades-long conflict.

The British Government undertakes extensive risk assessments when designing projects in Colombia and deciding which to fund, including any potential negative impact on human rights or the peace process. This includes the OSJA process, which ensures any United Kingdom overseas security and justice assistance (OSJA) work meets our human rights obligations and our values. We continually monitor the effects of our programme work in consultation with colleagues working in Colombia, making a thorough assessment of the impact of all of our projects.