Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to sanction (a) General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and (b) Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo; and whether she plans to request that the International Criminal Court issue an international arrest warrant for them.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the parties involved in the conflict: five entities linked with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and four entities linked with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). These sanctions were designed to press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the UK also supported the imposition of UN sanctions on two RSF generals for their crimes against civilians in Darfur in November 2024.
We do not speculate on future designations as it would undermine their effectiveness. The UK strongly supports the International Criminal Court's (ICC) active investigation into the situation in Darfur, including allegations of crimes committed since April 2023. The Prosecutor of the ICC is independent, but we welcome the conviction on 6 October of former Janjaweed commander Ali Kushayb for war crimes and crimes against humanity, carried out in Darfur between 2003-2004. This is a victory for accountability and shows that justice can be served no matter how many years ago the crimes took place.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent progress she has made in helping to tackle (a) TB (b) HIV/Aids and (c) Malaria.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government remains committed to work to meet Sustainable Development target 3.3, including to end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria, and supports several of the organisations at the forefront of the response including the Global Fund, Gavi, the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, the Stop TB Partnership, UNAIDS and WHO.
For example, in 2024, through our support to the Global Fund - whose Eighth Replenishment we are proud to be co-hosting with South Africa - 25.6 million people are on antiretroviral therapy for HIV, 7.4 million people were treated for TB, and 162 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets were distributed.
We are also encouraged by the recent steps towards expanding access to lenacapavir as a key HIV prevention tool, thanks to effective coordination across UK-supported partners including the Global Fund, Unitaid and CHAI.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the full implementation of the British Indian Ocean Territory Partnership Agreement, signed in October 2024.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Further to the October 2024 Political Agreement, the UK/Mauritius Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia was signed on 22 May. The UK is working closely with the US and Mauritius on the arrangements to implement this treaty.
An implementation Bill - 'The Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill', has been introduced and is progressing through Parliament in the usual way.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Chief Minister of Saint Helena on the unfreezing of pension benefits for entitled residents.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office officials are engaging closely with the new Government of St Helena on the issue of pensions, alongside other issues. I look forward to welcoming the new Chief Minister to the UK-Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council in London in November 2025, and discussing our priorities for the partnership between the United Kingdom and St Helena.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department will release funds that the UK committed this year to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization's project entitled The Financing For Shock-Driven Food Crisis Facility; and how much funding will be provided to the project.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to tackling extreme hunger and preventing famine globally. Whilst the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has not made a financial commitment to the Food and Agriculture Organization's new Facility, we have been supportive of its development, since its inception under the Italian 2024 G7 Presidency.
We are supportive of the aims of the Facility to make more finance available for tackling hunger crises and to ensure it reaches the most vulnerable and hardest hit ahead of, or quickly after, a disaster strikes. We finance anticipatory action through the UN, NGOs and others, and are spearheading international efforts to scale up Pre Arranged Finance.
Last year, we provided grants through the African Development Bank which supported 10 African countries to address drought and tropical cyclone insurance costs, protecting 7.5 million people against drought.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support the decision of the Government of Zimbabwe to secure a service level agreement with the IMF.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A Staff-Monitored Programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an important step for Zimbabwe to take in order to make progress towards a Staff-Level Agreement and clearing its foreign debt arrears. The UK is an active participant in the Structured Dialogue on Arrears Clearance, a multilateral platform for Zimbabwe to discuss arrears with its creditors and other development partners. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials participated in a roundtable side event on Zimbabwe's arrears at both the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in April and the African Development Bank Annual Meetings in May. The FCDO is also regularly in contact with the IMF to discuss Zimbabwe's economic reforms, both at headquarters and in-country.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department supports the return of Zimbabwe to full membership of the Commonwealth.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has always been clear that we want to see Zimbabwe return to the Commonwealth when the time is right. We recognise there has been progress, but further steps are needed on democracy, governance and human rights. Decisions on Commonwealth membership are for all member states. The UK has expressed support for a further Commonwealth assessment mission.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help support (a) free and (b) fair presidential elections in the Ivory Coast in October 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to promoting good governance and democracy in Côte d'Ivoire, including transparent and inclusive elections.
On 25-28 May, the Minister for Africa visited Côte d'Ivoire, and discussed with the President and his government the importance of open civic space, democratic debate, and strong electoral institutions.
Our Embassy in Abidjan is engaging with relevant state institutions and all political parties, emphasising the importance of peaceful and fair elections, whilst coordinating their efforts with international partners.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the recent decision by the Zimbabwean government to pay compensation to farmers whose land was confiscated.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome Zimbabwe's recent payments to farmers whose land was confiscated. We understand that 379 farmers covered by the 2020 Global Compensation Deed, which includes some British nationals, have been compensated. There have also been initial payments to farmers covered by Bilateral Investment Protection & Promotion Agreements, such as Germany, Dutch and Swiss nationals. This is in line with commitments made by the Government of Zimbabwe in the Structured Dialogue on Arrears Clearance.
Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help support a wide selection of candidates being available to eligible voters in the Ivory Coast for elections in October 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Matters of electoral practices are a matter for the Government of Côte d'Ivoire. Candidates for the presidential election are selected by political parties and must comply with provisions set out in Côte d'Ivoire's constitution and related laws.
The UK, along with likeminded partners, is monitoring the electoral developments in Côte d'Ivoire closely, through regular engagement with government officials, civil society actors and opposition figures. Beyond this, the UK has, through diplomatic engagements, consistently emphasised the importance of elections being free and fair as well as the need for voters to be presented with meaningful choice.
These issues were raised by the Minister for Africa, during his recent visit to Côte d'Ivoire on 25-28 May, where he discussed with the President and his government the importance of open civic space, democratic debate, and strong electoral institutions.