Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has received recent representations from his counterpart in Zimbabwe on the potential impact of his Department's legislative proposals on trophy hunting on that country.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Secretary of State has not received any representations from his international counterparts on the potential impact of the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Private Members’ Bill introduced by the Rt. Hon. Member for Warley.
Mentions:
1: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (CON - Life peer) My Lords, the United Kingdom is concerned by the ongoing detention of government critics in Zimbabwe, - Speech Link
2: Lord Oates (LDEM - Life peer) Does the Minister agree that today freedom and justice are under vicious assault in Zimbabwe? - Speech Link
3: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (CON - Life peer) As he is aware, Zimbabwe is very keen to progress its membership of the Commonwealth, and human rights - Speech Link
4: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (CON - Life peer) My Lords, I also welcome the noble Baroness’s deep insights and expertise on Zimbabwe. - Speech Link
Asked by: Tony Lloyd (Labour - Rochdale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to encourage Organ on Politics, Defence and Security of the South African Development Community to support a political settlement in Zimbabwe.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is committed to maintaining a constructive dialogue with the Government of Zimbabwe to support governance and economic reforms. The Minister for Development and Africa released a statement on 31 August echoing the concerns expressed by various International Election Observation Mission Reports that Zimbabwe's elections fell short of regional and international standards. The Minister met with President Mnangagwa both before and after the elections, most recently at COP28. As part of these engagements, the Minister has expressed the UK's desire to see reforms implemented and greater space for civil society organisations to operate. We are in regular ministerial level discussions with our Southern African Development Community (SADC) counterparts on Zimbabwe and engage with partners across a wide range of multilateral fora.
Asked by: Tony Lloyd (Labour - Rochdale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking in the UN Security Council to (a) encourage international support for a political settlement in Zimbabwe and (b) help ensure civil society organisations can participate effectively in steps towards a settlement.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is committed to maintaining a constructive dialogue with the Government of Zimbabwe to support governance and economic reforms. The Minister for Development and Africa released a statement on 31 August echoing the concerns expressed by various International Election Observation Mission Reports that Zimbabwe's elections fell short of regional and international standards. The Minister met with President Mnangagwa both before and after the elections, most recently at COP28. As part of these engagements, the Minister has expressed the UK's desire to see reforms implemented and greater space for civil society organisations to operate. We are in regular ministerial level discussions with our Southern African Development Community (SADC) counterparts on Zimbabwe and engage with partners across a wide range of multilateral fora.
Asked by: Tony Lloyd (Labour - Rochdale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to (a) engage with the Zimbabwean authorities on a political settlement, (b) share lessons learnt from other peace processes and (c) support civil society engagement.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is committed to maintaining a constructive dialogue with the Government of Zimbabwe to support governance and economic reforms. The Minister for Development and Africa released a statement on 31 August echoing the concerns expressed by various International Election Observation Mission Reports that Zimbabwe's elections fell short of regional and international standards. The Minister met with President Mnangagwa both before and after the elections, most recently at COP28. As part of these engagements, the Minister has expressed the UK's desire to see reforms implemented and greater space for civil society organisations to operate. We are in regular ministerial level discussions with our Southern African Development Community (SADC) counterparts on Zimbabwe and engage with partners across a wide range of multilateral fora.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had at ministerial level with Southern African Development Community (SADC) counterparts regarding the recall of a number of opposition members of the Zimbabwe parliament and senators, following the August Harmonised Elections, which were judged by the SADC Election Observer Mission to have fallen "short of the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021)".
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are in regular ministerial level discussions with our Southern African Development Community (SADC) counterparts on a range of issues, in Harare and across the region. We have not discussed the issue the Noble Lord raises with SADC counterparts.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Zimbabwe about the continued detention of Jacob Ngarivhume and Job Sikhala MP in Chikurubi maximum security prison and what assessment it has made of reports that Job Sikhala is now seriously ill.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to monitor the ongoing detention of former MP Job Sikhala, and notes the conviction of Jacob Ngarivhume on 27 April for inciting the public to commit violence. The Minister of State for Africa and Development raised the trend of lengthy pre-trial detention of government critics in Zimbabwe- and the case of Job Sikhala specifically - with Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa when they met in the margins of His Majesty the King's Coronation in May. Mr Sikhala received medical attention for his recent illness on 9 October.
Aug. 31 2023
Source Page: Zimbabwe election 2023: UK Minister for Africa's statementFound: Zimbabwe election 2023: UK Minister for Africa's statement
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of UK relations with Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is committed to maintaining a constructive dialogue with the Government of Zimbabwe which will enable us to pursue shared interests, support Zimbabwe's most vulnerable people, and deepen our strong people-to-people links and raise issues relating to human rights and corruption. We would like to see the Government of Zimbabwe meet its international and domestic obligations by respecting the rule of law, safeguarding human rights, and delivering political and economic reform for the benefit of all Zimbabweans. I [Andrew Mitchell] recently made a statement on 31 August highlighting the UK's issues surrounding Zimbabwe's Elections.
Jul. 17 2023
Source Page: UK–Zimbabwe development partnership summaryFound: UK–Zimbabwe development partnership summary