Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to tackle risks of (a) violence, (b) unsymmetrical restrictions on opposition events and (c) other risks to the freedom, fairness, and peacefulness of upcoming legislative elections in Senegal.

Peaceful, free and credible elections are important to Senegal's stability. Our Ambassador and Embassy in Dakar regularly engages with the Senegalese Government and civil society groups to reinforce these messages, and will closely monitor the upcoming legislative elections in July. Our Embassy in Dakar also engages with civil society groups and international partners in Senegal to support media freedom, which is essential for contributing to a democratic and open society. During my visit to Senegal last November, I [Minister Ford] underlined the importance of Senegal as a stable democracy which supports regional security and stability in West Africa.