Sahel: Terrorism

(asked on 12th November 2021) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the cross border operations of extremist groups in the Sahel and West Africa; and what support her Department is providing to tackle the threat those groups pose.


Answered by
Vicky Ford Portrait
Vicky Ford
This question was answered on 17th November 2021

The UK is deeply concerned about the security situation in the Sahel and parts of West Africa. In the Sahel, there were more deaths by violence in 2020 than in any previous year in the past decade. We condemn all attacks and are particularly concerned about reported human rights abuses and violations in the region, which exacerbate grievances and drive the cycle of violence. Through our deployment to the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA), and our programmatic support for stabilisation and conflict resolution, the UK is committed to building long-term peace and stability in the Sahel. We have been pressing in the UN Security Council and in the region for renewed efforts to tackle impunity for human rights abuses and violations.

In the Lake Chad Basin region, the UK Government is also supporting efforts to respond to the regional conflict with extremist groups. We are supporting regional stabilisation efforts, the regionally-led fight against these groups, and the demobilisation, de-radicalisation and reintegration of former members.

Across the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin, we are using our humanitarian assistance to support those worst affected by conflict.

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