Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in Burundi on the (a) reinstatement of the BBC Africa Service and (b) protection of freedom of the media in that country.

Freedom of the media is essential in any functioning democracy; people must be allowed to debate issues freely, to challenge their governments, and to be informed by a strong and robust media. We condemn the decision made by the Government of Burundi to revoke the BBC's operating license, particularly in light of the 2020 elections for which a free and independent media is vital. We strongly support the BBC's mission to bring high quality and impartial news to global audiences, including where free speech is limited. The Foreign Secretary has tweeted his disappointment and has urged the Government to reverse this decision. Our Ambassador to Burundi and the UK Special Envoy to the Great Lakes are making representations with counterparts. More broadly, we have supported media freedom in Burundi through financial support to the only remaining independent media house in Burundi, IWACU.