Asked by: Lord Bishop of Winchester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have had discussions with the European Union about the Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Raw Materials Value Chains that the EU signed with the government of Rwanda on 19 February 2024.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has discussed the Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Raw Materials Value Chains with the EU at official level. Illicit mining remains a problem and supports the business models of armed groups. As well as being a barrier to economic growth, this has appalling humanitarian consequences. The UK supports the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which aims to improve transparency and governance in the mining sector. This is an issue that the UK regularly raises in multilateral fora.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Winchester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they have issued to UK companies that operate in industries at risk of exposure to illicit minerals originating from territory occupied by M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK has sanctioned M23 and other armed groups through the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act. We support the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which aims to improve transparency and governance in the mining sector. The UK works through international mechanisms that enable businesses to operate responsibly in conflict affected and high-risk areas. The UK is also a member of the Voluntary Principles for Security and Human Rights, which promote a set of principles to guide companies in the extractives sector to maintain the safety and security of their operations to reduce the risk of human rights abuses. We expect all UK businesses to respect human rights throughout their operations, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. Implementation of these frameworks supports access to justice and remedy for victims of business-related human rights abuses.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Winchester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support regional and sub-regional peace processes to end the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK has been active in supporting regionally led peace efforts. My first visits to Africa as Minister for Africa were to Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, to meet with heads of state and encourage engagement in good faith African-led peace processes. I also spoke to the Ugandan Foreign Minister to discuss the importance of an African led solution to the conflict. The Foreign Secretary met with President Tshisekedi in Kinshasa and President Kagame in Kigali on 21 and 22 February to urge them to meaningfully engage in African-led peace processes and honour their commitments from the Southern African Development Community-East African Community Summit. The Foreign Secretary has also spoken to South African and Kenyan Foreign Ministers. The UK remain in close contact with key partners across Africa, North America and Europe in support of regional peace processes to end the conflict in DRC.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Winchester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to facilitate safe humanitarian access and protection of civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK is deeply concerned by the limited ability of humanitarian actors to get help to civilians. On 25 February, the UK issued a statement following the Foreign Secretary's visits to Kinshasa and Kigali to announce measures against Rwanda and call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access, respect for international humanitarian law, meaningful engagement with African-led peace processes, and the withdrawal of all Rwanda Defence Forces from Congolese territory. The UK has committed £20 million to International Committee of the Red Cross for their 2025 appeal, a proportion of which will support a programme that includes mediating safe passage. The UK condemns human rights abuses by all armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We call on all parties to uphold International Humanitarian Law, protect women and girls and combat impunity.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Winchester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to engage private finance and the private sector in efforts to support a lasting peace within eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the surrounding region.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK is committed to supporting a thriving private sector in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) - recognising the enormous potential for climate-smart growth and that a more resilient economy will mean a more resilient DRC. UK officials regularly engage with the private sector on the conflict in eastern DRC, including on how we can best support sustainable peace. British Embassy Kinshasa has also offered support to British companies affected by the conflict. The UK also supports improved transparency and governance in the mining sector, in support of sustainable peace in the region. Exploitation of natural resources fuels the business models of armed groups and we are clear that this must stop. The UK therefore supports the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Winchester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the flow of minerals and other natural resources to Rwanda from territory occupied by M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The exploitation of natural resources fuels the business models of armed groups. We are clear that this must stop. Everyone in the region stands to benefit from peace. That is why we announced in February a set of actions, alongside action from other international partners, to encourage all parties to return to the negotiating table. We will not let this conflict be forgotten. The UK also supports the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which aims to improve transparency and governance in the mining sector.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Winchester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan regarding the ongoing detention and reported mistreatment of 23 Armenian hostages who were taken from Nagorno–Karabakh in September 2023; and what steps they are taking, in coordination with international partners, to ensure Azerbaijan upholds its commitments under international law.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK urges the Azerbaijani authorities to ensure that those detained during September 2023's military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, are afforded a fair trial and provided safe conditions, in accordance with Azerbaijan's international obligations and commitments. Our Embassy in Baku pays close attention to the cases and have sought regular updates to stay informed about progress. We have also been consistent in calling for the release of all remaining prisoners of war. The Minister of State Stephen Doughty raised these issues with Azerbaijan's Presidential Advisor, Elchin Amirbayov, during his visit to the UK in October. In a meeting with Azerbaijan's Principal Presidential Advisor, Hikmet Hajiyev, on 10 March, the Minister of State also urged Azerbaijan to seize the opportunity to sign an historic peace deal with Armenia. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have also conveyed these messages.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Winchester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to ensure that aid distributed to displaced people in Nigeria reaches those displaced by violence in central states committed by armed non-state actors.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK funds civil society organisations to provide assistance to people displaced by conflict and violence across Nigeria, so they have access to food, healthcare and nutrition, and protection and water. The UK is a donor to the Start Fund which provides rapid financing in response to small to medium scale crises including helping people affected by conflict, flooding and cholera outbreaks in Nigeria. Additionally, the UK's Strengthening Peace and Resilience programme ('SPRiNG') is working to reduce rural violence in northwest and north-central Nigeria, including supporting collaboration and productive livelihoods for both farmers and pastoralists.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Winchester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to provide aid to Christian communities in Nigeria facing persecution and violence.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK is committed to supporting Nigeria to address ongoing security challenges, including intercommunal violence and violent extremism. It is important to remember that the perpetrators of this violence do not come from any one ethnic or religious group, and the devastating effects are felt by communities of different faiths and ethnicities. The UK is providing £38 million in programming to Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria supporting locally led solutions in Northern Nigeria to tackle the root causes of intercommunal violence.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Winchester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement the 22 recommendations set out in the Bishop of Truro’s independent review of Foreign and Commonwealth Office support for persecuted Christians, published in July 2019; and what is their timescale for doing so.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government is committed to championing human rights, including the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. An independent review of the FCDO's implementation of the Truro recommendations in 2022 was largely positive. This has concluded, and we are focused on the present while also looking to the future. We stand up for FoRB bilaterally through our diplomatic network, and multilaterally including through the UN and the Article 18 Alliance. For example, in October we engaged with the Special Rapporteur for FoRB during the UN General Assembly's Third Committee and raised FoRB during November's Universal Periodic Reviews on Nicaragua and Qatar.