Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps the Government has taken to help promote peace in Burundi.

The British Government is deeply concerned by the situation in Burundi. Our non-resident Ambassador and officials hold regular consultations with the Burundi Government; most recently on 8 May with the Burundi Foreign Minister. These discussions cover human rights, the rule of law, and the importance of maintaining the principles of the 2000 Arusha Agreement, including the protection of minority groups. We are also working with UN, EU and African Union partners to support an inclusive, negotiated solution to the political crisis. The UK Special Envoy to the Great Lakes, presently Chair of the International Contact Group on the Great Lakes, visited the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa on 26 and 27 February and discussed Burundi with regional and international partners, in the context of the Peace Security and Cooperation Framework for the Great Lakes region. In addition, the UK supports projects in Burundi focused on human rights, sexual and gender based violence and security