Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of events involving the Wagner Group in Russia between 23-25 June 2023 on (a) security in African countries affected by Wagner Group operations, (b) human rights and governance in African countries affected by Wagner Group operations and (c) enforcement of UK sanctions against the Wagner Group in Africa.

The UK continues to highlight the Wagner Group's reprehensible actions around the world, including in Africa. We sanctioned the Wagner Group in its entirety in 2022 and we will continue to impose and enforce sanctions to undermine the organisation's destabilising activity. We will also continue to assess the impact of Wagner Group activities and what we can do, in co-ordination with our international partners, to ensure African countries are safe without the need for mercenary forces. The UK remains committed to supporting regional security through our humanitarian, development and stabilisation programmes.