Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help reduce violence committed against civilians in the Ivory Coast amid clashes between Government forces and people protesting against President Alassane Ouattara's decision to run for a third term.

The UK Government has a strong partnership with Côte d'Ivoire. Stability and inclusive economic growth are shared priorities, with a view to consolidating peace after a decade of crisis and uncertainty. We take every opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to peaceful, free and credible elections, in line with international law, and encourage all parties to work towards this goal. We have done so directly with government and opposition political parties in Côte d'Ivoire.

The elections are the responsibility of the Government of Côte d'Ivoire, all political parties, and the Ivoirian people. We urge all parties to participate responsibly, engage fully in the process and avoid the use of inflammatory language. UK Defence is working closely with partners across Government and our Embassy in Abidjan in supporting security forces' training which focuses on ensuring public security during the election period is maintained, including respect for human rights.