Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the (a) Federal Government of Somalia and (b) United Nations Mission in Somalia on preparations for elections in (i) South West State; (ii) Puntland and (iii) Jubaland; and what assessment he has made of the prospects for holding such elections in a safe, free and fair manner in line with current timescales.

​I discussed one-person-one-vote elections with Somalia's Prime Minister and the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Somalia during a visit to Mogadishu on 6 October 2018. Our Ambassador to Somalia regularly discusses all issues related to the elections with the Federal Government of Somalia, Federal Member State leaders and the United Nations Mission in Somalia. British Government officials also attend UN-convened electoral information-sharing meetings. The UK is calling on all parties to ensure credible and peaceful elections.