Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposed federation between Mali and Burkina Faso, and its potential impact on the stability of the Sahel region.

The UK is aware that Burkina Faso's Prime Minister visited Mali in early February and referred to a 'federation' to boost their economic prospects. We are monitoring developments closely - Ministers have been clear that the approach that the Malian government is taking (including its partnership with Wagner Group) is counterproductive to regional security. The UK is a committed donor to the Sahel - in Mali and Burkina Faso, most of our funding is spent on humanitarian aid. The UK supports regional institutions including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union and are considering what support we could provide to regionally led initiatives such as the Accra Initiative to help prevent the spread of violence and foster long-term stability.