Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of press freedom and freedom of expression in Zimbabwe following the detention of the journalist Blessed Mhlanga.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK is monitoring the arrest and detention of Zimbabwean journalist Blessed Mhlanga.
An official from our Embassy in Harare attended Mhlanga's bail application hearing on 28 February. We continue to call for freedom of expression, as well as the rule of law and due process, to be respected in line with Zimbabwe's constitution.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to increase multi-year funding to support food insecure people in Sudan, and food insecure Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers will consider Official Development Assistance allocations for 2025/26 over the coming months, and we will publish them in the Annual Report & Accounts in summer 2025. The next phase of the Spending Review will set departmental budgets from 2026/27 to 2029/30.
In November 2024, the UK announced a further £113 million of aid. With this announcement, the UK has doubled our aid to £226.5 million.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to encourage a ceasefire and an end to the conflict in Sudan.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK is actively working towards ending the conflict in Sudan. The Foreign Secretary has spoken with regional partners to explore how the UK can assist international mediation efforts. Richard Crowder, UK Special Representative to Sudan, visited Port Sudan in December 2024 - the UK's first official visit to the county since outbreak of conflict in April 2023. He pressed for a resolution to the conflict, and for all parties to engage constructively in mediation talks, including by complying with the Jeddah Declaration of Commitments to Protect Civilians. We also continue to lead efforts in the UN Security Council to support peace and to keep international spotlight on this crisis.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to secure guarantees from warring parties in Sudan for the safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected populations.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK continues to raise the critical issue of humanitarian access. We did this recently at the UN Security Council on 19 December 2024 and 6 January 2025, where we called for the warring parties to lift bureaucratic impediments and let aid get to those who need it. The Minister for Development has also engaged directly with the new Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, on the UN response. The UK Special Representative, Richard Crowder, met the head of the Sudanese Armed Forces, General Burhan, during his first visit to Sudan and lobbied against current impediments such as visas. On 25 November 2024, the Foreign Secretary chaired a Sudan meeting with G7 and Arab Quint Foreign Ministers to discuss joint steps to improve humanitarian access and increase aid. In November 2024, the UK co-led a protection of civilians resolution at the UN Security Council with Sierra Leone, which also called for parties to the conflict to agree humanitarian pauses, and ensure the delivery of adequate humanitarian aid. This received unanimous Council support, apart from Russia who chose to veto it.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the whereabouts and safety Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We are concerned by the reports of the IDF operation at Kamal Adwan hospital, and the reported detention of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya and others. In recent weeks, the Minister for the Middle East raised this case, along with the wider need to ensure healthcare facilities in northern Gaza are protected, and to enable WHO and ICRC access, with both Israel's Ambassador to the UK, and Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Haskel. Israel must allow medical staff to carry out their work unimpeded, and to travel around Gaza as needed. On 27 December, the Minister for the Middle East made it clear to Israel's government that the situation in northern Gaza cannot continue and raised our serious concern about repeated strikes on Kamal Adwan hospital, and the safety of civilians and medical workers there.
Furthermore as the Minister for the Middle East reiterated on 8 January, Israel must urgently clarify the reasons for detaining health workers in Gaza, including Hassam Abu Safiya and Mohammed Hamouda, to ensure Gazans have access to effective healthcare and that civilians are protected at all costs.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will press for the publication in full of the report of the Commonwealth Observer Group to the 2023 Zimbabwe Harmonised elections prior to any further consideration of the readmission of Zimbabwe to the Commonwealth.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK greatly values the Commonwealth Secretariat's work on observation missions. The full report of the Commonwealth Observer Group to the 2023 Zimbabwe Harmonised elections has now been circulated to all members. It is for the Commonwealth Secretariat to decide when to publish the report publicly.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to appoint a UK Special Envoy for the Sudan crisis who would work to facilitate humanitarian access to Sudan and bring the conflict to an end.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
The Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea spends a significant amount of time on efforts to secure peace in Sudan, working closely with other envoys covering Sudan. Our HMA to Khartoum - now based in Addis Ababa - continues to engage with key international partners on achieving the UK's strategic objectives to support peace in Sudan, as do other British Ambassadors in the region.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the effectiveness of UK Official Development Assistance spending in Zimbabwe.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) in Zimbabwe works primarily through multilateral organisations, non-governmental organisations and private contractors, to ensure maximum impact and targeted support for the poorest Zimbabweans. A portfolio evaluation of the UK's work in Zimbabwe under the 2016-2020 business plan is publicly available as are annual reviews for each programme.
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
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.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are giving to the World Food Programme and other humanitarian agencies operating in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Recent violent conflict in DRC and a protracted humanitarian crisis have led to record levels of displacement, food insecurity and suffering. In addition, climate shocks are impacting agriculture, livelihoods, and fishing, increasing food prices (which on average have increased by 11.6 per cent), poverty levels and resulting in a deterioration of basic infrastructure. In response to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, the UN's System Wide Scale Up has been extended for another 3 months. The UK welcomes the scale up and urges for more resources and action from the DRC Government and other international partners. A 3-year £98 million UK funded humanitarian and resilience programme for crisis affected communities in eastern DRC where the food security needs are the highest has recently been improved. This will be implemented by a range of partners including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and SAFER (an INGO consortium), to address the immediate needs and build the resilience of conflict affected communities.