Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation in the Great Lakes, further to the intensification of conflict there since 24 January; and what steps, if any, they are taking with international partners to de-escalate the situation between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

We continue to raise ongoing tensions with the Governments of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the highest levels, with a focus on the need for de-escalation, respect for sovereignty, and dialogue through regional processes. In January, the Minister of State for Africa & Development urged the Rwandan and DRC Foreign Ministers to meet the commitments made under the Nairobi and Luanda political processes. It is vital that all parties work together to secure real de-escalation on the ground and an enduring political solution. The UK has committed funding support to the Nairobi political process to this end and continues to support the humanitarian needs of the populations caught up in conflict.