Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to support communities reduce the level of (a) social tension and (b) in countries in the Global South during the the covid-19 pandemic.

In many countries with weak governance or ongoing conflict, COVID-19 risks raising social tensions and posing a challenge to peace processes and respect for human rights. Higher levels of instability pose risks to UK national security and poses obstacles to an effective response, e.g. by limiting humanitarian access.

DFID is taking steps to ensure that both our immediate responses to COVID-19 and long-term recovery efforts do not exacerbate conflict and instead help to build peace and improve governance. As pledged in our manifesto, this government will continue to support international initiatives to achieve reconciliation, stability and justice across the world.

As such, there has never been a more important time to deliver our UK aid commitment and we have so far pledged £744 million of UK aid to help end this pandemic as quickly as possible.

The UK is also ensuring that those people who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 can continue to receive humanitarian assistance during the pandemic. We are a key contributor to the UN’s Global Humanitarian Response Plan, which is supporting the most vulnerable, including refugees, Internally Displaced Persons, migrants and host communities.