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Written Question
Myanmar: Humanitarian Aid
Wednesday 17th June 2020

Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much, in total, the UK has provided in aid funding for humanitarian assistance to Burmese Chin refugees in Malaysia and Delhi.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK provides humanitarian assistance to Chin refugees in Malaysia and India via the UNHCR - the UN Refugee Agency. The UK has provided UNHCR with predictable, core, unearmarked funding of £35 million per year since 2012, currently as part of a four-year (2017-2020) programme of support alongside other UN humanitarian agencies. In India and Malaysia UNHCR provides support to refugees, including ethnic Chins, comprising advocacy, legal representation, community outreach and assistance programmes.


Written Question
World Health Organisation: Coronavirus
Tuesday 16th June 2020

Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they have contributed to the World Health Organisation's COVID-19 Response Fund.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

The UK has contributed £75 million to help the WHO lead international efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 and end the pandemic.


Written Question
Nigeria: Overseas Aid
Monday 15th June 2020

Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Amnesty International ‘We dried our tears’: Addressing the toll on children of Northeast Nigeria’s conflict, published on 27 May; and what plans they have to ensure that any UK aid programmes in Nigeria encompass (1) psychosocial support for children, and (2) gender equality initiatives.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

The High Commission has advocated for and supported the handing over of all children in any form of detention to UNICEF or appropriate agencies and this has led to the release of many hundreds in recent months. We will continue to urge all parties to prioritise mitigating the effect of conflict on civilians, particularly the most vulnerable including women and children. In respect to criticisms of the rehabilitation and reintegration components of Operation Safe Corridor, including evidence of boys accessing the programme, the High Commission in Abuja is currently reassessing its support to Operation Safe Corridor in light of this report. We will need to be fully satisfied with our partners’ plans for addressing these issues in order to continue our support.

UKAid already provides a range of humanitarian and development assistance in Nigeria that supports children affected by the conflict in the northeast, including those previously detained by the Nigerian authorities, and advocacy to the Nigerian authorities to manage these facilities in accordance with domestic and international law. This includes funding partners to provide dedicated case management support to particularly vulnerable children, including unaccompanied and separated minors, where physical and psychosocial health services plus essential material needs, are supported by UKAid.

DFID is actively delivering it Strategic Vision for Women and Girls in Nigeria to promote women’s rights and gender equality. This includes increasing women’s economic empowerment, supporting women’s participation and representation in politics and civil society through governance programmes, and keeping girls in school.


Written Question
Syria: Coronavirus
Monday 1st June 2020

Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the relative burden falling on (1) NGOs, and (2) the Syrian government and its agencies, in managing the COVID-19 crisis in Syria, including in respect of the size of the (a) populations, and (b) geographic areas, they are supporting.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

In May 2020, the UN launched an appeal of $384 million to provide a multi sector response to the COVID-19 pandemic (health and non-health sectors) across the whole of Syria. There are currently 58 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Syrian Government-controlled areas, with three deaths. There have also been unconfirmed reports of infections in North West Syria, whilst the Self Administration governing North East Syria have confirmed six cases.

The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said on 19 May that despite these numbers, a risk of a wider spread is ever present and called for essential, sustained and impeded humanitarian access. The WHO has warned of an impending ‘explosion’ of cases and a possibly significant outbreak that will be difficult for the already weakened health system to manage after years of conflict.

We are particularly concerned for the welfare of Syrians in IDP camps, who due to poor, crowded living conditions, would be unable to maintain social distance. In areas not currently under Syrian Government control, it is essential that humanitarian access to life-saving services and humanitarian support is unhindered. This must be done in a way that does not increase the spread of the virus, including through support for renewal of the UN Security Council resolution on cross-border humanitarian assistance.

In Syria the UK is one of the leading donors supporting international efforts to deliver vital healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene activities; all of which help to mitigate the threat posed by COVID-19. The UK is monitoring the situation closely and working with humanitarian partners inside Syria to respond to the outbreak and to sustain life-saving services.


Written Question
Nigeria: Humanitarian Aid
Wednesday 20th May 2020

Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 4 May (HL 3012), when the review into humanitarian assistance for additional areas of Nigeria beyond the North East region will be completed.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

The UK is pleased to be a leading donor in responding to the humanitarian crisis in North East Nigeria and will provide at least £60 million in humanitarian aid between April 2020 and March 2021. We review the need for humanitarian assistance on an ongoing basis to ensure that lifesaving assistance is directed towards the most vulnerable people with the acute needs. Following the confirmation of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria we have been monitoring whether there is need for UK-funded humanitarian assistance in other areas of the country. We do not currently assess that there is a need for UK-funded humanitarian assistance beyond the North East region. In the future the UK may decide to provide humanitarian assistance to other areas of Nigeria, based on lifesaving needs.


Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 06 May 2020
Africa: Support

Speech Link

View all Baroness Cox (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Africa: Support

Written Question
Nigeria: Internally Displaced People
Monday 4th May 2020

Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 9 March (HL1991), why they do not provide humanitarian assistance in the middle belt states; and what plans they have, if any, to provide such assistance in future.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

UK humanitarian assistance in Nigeria supports vulnerable people with the most acute lifesaving needs and is aligned with the United Nations Humanitarian Response Plan which is focused on North East Nigeria. The UK is a leading donor to the humanitarian crisis in North East Nigeria where 7.9 million people are in need of lifesaving assistance this year. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic the international community is reviewing whether humanitarian assistance is needed in additional areas of Nigeria beyond the North East region. In the future the UK may decide to provide humanitarian assistance to other areas of Nigeria, based on lifesaving needs.


Written Question
Nigeria: Humanitarian Aid
Wednesday 25th March 2020

Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the statement in the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 9 March (HL1991) that "the UK does not currently provide humanitarian assistance in the middle belt states" and further to violence in Plateau, Benue, Taraba, southern Kaduna and Bauchi since 2015, what plans they have to provide humanitarian assistance in Nigeria’s Middle Belt states.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

UK humanitarian assistance is provided based on lifesaving need and supports the United Nations-led Humanitarian Response Plan which focuses on the North East states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe which have been impacted by a non-international armed conflict. However, wider DFID work operates across Nigeria to improve healthcare, education and economic development outcomes, such as the PropCom Mai-Kalfi programme which, among its other objectives, seeks to provide sustainable livelihoods for women and families through poultry vaccinations and the introduction of climate conscious improved cookstoves, which reduces the production of harmful toxic smoke.


Written Question
Nigeria: Internally Displaced People
Wednesday 25th March 2020

Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to protect civilians displaced by conflict in Nigeria’s Middle Belt states.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

The Middle Belt of Nigeria, as with many other parts of the country, sees competition over land and water, which frequently leads to conflict. The UK monitors this situation closely and has strong reporting mechanisms. DFID responds as and when intervention is required. We have a broad range of programmes across the country, aimed at supporting the most vulnerable people in Nigerian society – this includes economic development and livelihoods support, and work to improve health and education service outcomes. We regularly publish updates on our programmes on DevTracker. These updates can be found here – https://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/countries/NG/.


Written Question
Sudan: South Sudan
Wednesday 11th March 2020

Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to guarantee humanitarian access to the civilian population in Abyei.

Answered by Baroness Sugg

The UK is concerned by the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Sudan and, as one of the largest humanitarian donors in the country, we are committed to assisting those in need. We welcome the Government of Sudan’s commitment to unfettered humanitarian access across the country, however we note that full humanitarian access has yet to be delivered. The UK has continued to call on PM Hamdok and the Government of Sudan to ensure this commitment is achieved. HMA and DFID officials in Khartoum have continued to engage with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs on how we can coordinate and respond effectively to the humanitarian needs across all of Sudan, including in the Abyei region. Furthermore, senior UK officials in Juba continue to urge all parties to abide by the commitments they have made to ensure full, safe, unhindered humanitarian access throughout South Sudan.