Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government by how much they have expanded the Arab Partnership Participation Fund in order to support political and economic reform in the Middle East and North Africa since 2011; to which countries the funds were allocated; and how much was allocated in each case.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Arab Partnership was created in 2010 as a part of the Government’s response to the Arab Spring. This initiative comprised two parts; the Foreign and Commonwealth Office-led Arab Partnership Participation Fund (APPF) and the Department for International Development-led Arab Partnership Economic Facility (APEF). Since 2011 APPF and APEF programmes have channelled £166m to projects across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to support the development of legitimate and inclusive institutions (including civil society, parliaments, media and judiciaries) to improve governance and enable inclusive economic growth and reform.
The APPF was launched in the Financial Year (FY) 2011-2 and provided funding worth £5,195,304. In FY 2014-5 it provided £10,512,791. The total funding from FY 2011-12 up to and including FY 2014-15 was £42,803,007. It was distributed as follows:
Algeria | £3,798,631 |
Bahrain | £227,021 |
Egypt | £5,644,406 |
Iraq | £1,417,916 |
Jordan | £3,286,270 |
Kuwait | £130,155 |
Lebanon | £917,622 |
Libya | £4,458,601 |
Mauritania | £215,552 |
Morocco | £3,386,058 |
Oman | £255,144 |
OPT | £625,551 |
Regional | £9,595,633 |
Syria | £584,961 |
Tunisia | £8,180,151 |
UAE | £7355 |
Admin | £71,980 |
Total | £42,803,007 |
For FY 2015-6, the APPF will allocate £6m of funding to countries not currently receiving Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) funding, including Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia and a small proportion of non-Official Development Assistance funding available for projects in Gulf States (£150k). The CSSF allocation to the MENA region for FY 2105-16 currently stands at £136.5m.
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what changes they have made to their list of prioritised countries where (1) risks were perceived to be high, (2) United Kingdom interests were most at stake, and (3) it was known the United Kingdom could have most impact, since the Building Stability Overseas Strategy was published in July 2011.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
There have been many changes since the establishment of the Building Stability Overseas Strategy in 2010 as the process of determining priorities is dynamic to reflect global realities.
The National Security Council has agreed a range of country and regional strategies, and annually agrees funding allocations under the Conflict Stability and Security Fund.
This prioritisation process takes into account risks of instability, UK interests and the potential impact of activities. Beyond the annual exercise, allocations and priority countries are continually under review to enable the Government to respond more effectively to new cases of conflict and instability.
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of recent events in Tunisia, what re-appraisal they have made of their strategy to take on board the lessons of the Arab spring, set out in the Building Stability Overseas Strategy, with regard to (1) early warning, (2) rapid crisis prevention and response, and (3) investing in upstream prevention.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Early warning systems and policies aimed at building stability overseas are continually under review to enable the British Government to respond more rapidly and more effectively to new cases of conflict and instability.
Upstream prevention remains at the heart of the Government’s approach to fragile and unstable countries and regions. UK conflict funding for 2015/16 for the Middle East / North Africa region was increased substantially to respond to conflict drivers in the region.
Government work in the Middle East and North Africa includes programmes on countering violent extremism, strengthening border management, and improving the effectiveness of our partner’s domestic counter-terrorism work.
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government by how much they increased the resources of the Conflict Pool over the most recent spending review period.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Conflict Pool, which was succeeded by the Conflict Stability and Security Fund from Financial Year 15/16, was funded from a Treasury settlement which was separate from and additional to departmental budgets and was administered jointly by the Ministry of Defence, Department for International Development and Foreign and Commonwealth Office for conflict prevention and mitigation work. At the last spending review in June 2014 , the overall allocation increased from £664 million for 2013/14 to £683 million for 2014/15. Details of Conflict Pool allocations were made in the House of Lords on 24 June 2014 by the former Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi), (WS107).
A Written Ministerial Statement about the Conflict Stability and Security was published on 12 March 2015 by the then Minister for Government Policy in the Cabinet Office, my right hon. Friend the member for West Dorset (Mr Letwin), which was repeated in the House of Lords by Lord Wallace of Saltaire, (HLWS379).
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in relation to the arrest and reported incommunicado detention of Christopher Ngoyi and other activists in the wake of protests in January against the amendment of electoral law in that country.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
During the recent period of unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) officials at our Embassy in Kinshasa were in regular contact with the DRC authorities, and urged all parties to exercise calm and restraint. Officials also highlighted the importance of allowing those who wished to protest peacefully against the proposed electoral reform bill to be allowed to do so. This was echoed in a Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) press statement issued on 19 January. On 25 January a revised electoral law was passed, and on 26 January a FCO press statement welcomed the revised electoral law, which sought to address some of the protestors' concerns. We are pleased that calls for an end to violence were heeded but are concerned that - according to UN reports – as many as 300 people remain in detention following the demonstrations, including some who have not had access to a lawyer. Of those currently being held, the UN estimates that at least 11 are believed to be in ‘incommunicado’ detention, including Christopher Ngoyi. Officials continue to raise the ongoing detention of protestors at the highest level. On 11 February, EU Heads of Mission in Kinshasa issued a joint statement expressing concern at arrests and arbitrary detention of political activists by the security services. Those imprisoned for peacefully exercising their right to free speech must be released without delay.Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the current state of border control and management in the Western Sahel-Sahara region of Africa.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The long distances, challenging geography and harsh climatic conditions mean that policing cross-border activity in the Western Sahel-Sahara is a significant challenge for the states of the region. Whilst taking into account the historic patterns of trade across this region, we are working with our partners, including the EU through Common Security and Defence Policy Missions, with local communities and with regional organisations, to develop plans to build states’ capacity to manage their borders effectively.
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their intention not to open any new Missions in the Western Sahel region of Africa, what assessment they have made of the United Kingdom’s influence on political institutions and stability in the region.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Government’s North and West Africa Strategy enables the UK to engage effectively with states and political institutions in the Western Sahel region. The Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for the Sahel plays an important role in coordinating that effort and has built good relations with governments across the region. We also work through our partners, such as the EU, in those countries where the UK does not have a resident Ambassador. In addition, we work closely with regional organisations, as demonstrated in the recent case of instability in Burkina Faso, where we support the African Union and the Economic Community Of West African States' efforts to return that country to stable and democratic civilian government.
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to use the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund to provide increased counter-terrorism support to North and West African regional governments; and whether they plan to use that Fund to increase their information-gathering and early warning capabilities in those countries in the region which they have assessed present less of a threat to the United Kingdom.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund is one part of a broader approach to UK prioritisation in fragile states, governed by the National Security Council. With the National Security Council at the core, the Government has been making strategic decisions for the most effective use of limited departmental resources. The resource allocation process is still ongoing. Once this is concluded, Parliament will be informed of the allocations outcomes, and I will ensure that the Noble Lord is provided with this information.
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their response to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee report on the United Kingdom’s response to extremism and instability in North and West Africa (7th Report, Session 2013–14, HC 86–I), how they intend to use the new Conflict, Stability and Security Fund to improve their information-gathering resources in that area.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund is one part of a broader approach to UK prioritisation in fragile states, governed by the National Security Council. With the National Security Council at the core, the Government has been making strategic decisions for the most effective use of limited departmental resources. The resource allocation process is still ongoing. Once this is concluded, Parliament will be informed of the allocations outcomes, and I will ensure that the Noble Lord is provided with this information.
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the proliferation of small arms in Libya, and of the effectiveness of any resources and funding made available by the United Kingdom to deal with that issue.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The proliferation of small arms in Libya is of major concern. It contributes to ongoing instability in that country, and potentially to the wider region. We have been working closely with our international partners to address the issue of unsecured weapons stockpiles in Libya.
We have funded about £5m of work on arms and ammunition work in Libya to date. Unfortunately, our programme of work has been reduced due to events in Libya over the summer, which forced the withdrawal of our diplomatic staff.
So far, in this financial year, the UK has committed an estimated £1.2m towards tackling the issues of unsecured weapons stockpiled in Libya. These resources have enabled the UK to fund small but important work programmes with the UN Mine Action Service and Danish Demining Group, on surveying weapons sites and tidying up unexploded ordinance devices.
Until such time as we can return to Libya, we are exploring other options to work with Libyan groups. For example, we are working with local military and municipal councils who are already conducting their own activity to secure small arms and light weapons. The UK Ministry of Defence is also undertaking preparatory work for the UK’s eventual return to Libya, for instance, committing £4.2m this financial year towards the procurement of equipment and course materials for the Explosive Ordnance Device/Improvised Explosive Device Destruction Schools which the UK has been supporting.