Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that environmental defenders are protected under the terms of the UK-Colombia Partnership for Sustainable Growth.

The UK and Colombia signed the "Partnership for Sustainable Growth" in June 2019. The UK-Colombia Partnership for Sustainable Growth commits both countries to working more closely together to advance low carbon investments, and improve resilience against the worst effects of climate change. The Partnership is underpinned by International Climate Finance programmes, and other UK Official Development Assistance representing approximately £278 million of committed funding. The promotion of sustainable economic opportunities will help tackle some of the root causes of ongoing violence.

Through our Conflict, Stability, and Security Fund (CSSF) programme, which has provided £63 million in support of peace agreement implementation, security, and stability in Colombia since 2015, we continue to prioritise funding interventions to protect human rights defenders and social leaders.