Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support the Government is offering to countries in the Southern African Development Community region to expand genomic sequencing and surveillance of covid-19 variants.

The UK New Variant Assessment Platform (NVAP) is providing genomic sequencing assistance to countries in the African region. This support includes supply of reagents and other consumables, technical assistance, training and secondments of experts. In response to the Omicron variant, NVAP have offered to provide rapid support to countries in the Southern African Development Community region at request from countries. Support will include sequencing samples in the UK, training, procurement of reagents, and technical, analytical and public health advice. Countries will receive a package of support tailored to their needs. NVAP has received a request to provide UK sequencing support to Zimbabwe and is mobilising this support as soon as possible.