Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in The Gambia in relation to (a) freedom of expression and (b) freedom of association.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The British Government has a strong relationship with The Gambia and is encouraged by positive progress on the human rights situation since President Barrow took office in 2017. We welcome the commitment of the President and the Government of The Gambia to embrace change by drafting a new Gambian Constitution that has a human rights based approach to development with freedom of expression, freedom of association and media freedom at the heart of it. As the former Foreign Secretary acknowledged at the UNESCO World Press Freedom Day event on 2 May 2019, The Gambia has made huge strides in improving media freedoms having climbed 30 places in the World Press Freedom Index over the last year.
When our Ambassador for Human Rights visited The Gambia in October, she held constructive meetings across the Government of The Gambia and with civil society on human rights issues. We now look forward to The Gambia’s upcoming Human Rights Universal Periodic Review on 5 November and urge the Government of the Gambia to implement recommendations appropriately in fulfilment of their human rights obligations.
The UK will continue to support The Gambia taking specific action to resolve the challenges still to be addressed so that the human rights of all its citizens are respected and protected.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help promote media freedom in The Gambia.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The British Government has a strong relationship with The Gambia and is encouraged by positive progress on the human rights situation since President Barrow took office in 2017. We welcome the commitment of the President and the Government of The Gambia to embrace change by drafting a new Gambian Constitution that has a human rights based approach to development with freedom of expression, freedom of association and media freedom at the heart of it. As the former Foreign Secretary acknowledged at the UNESCO World Press Freedom Day event on 2 May 2019, The Gambia has made huge strides in improving media freedoms having climbed 30 places in the World Press Freedom Index over the last year.
When our Ambassador for Human Rights visited The Gambia in October, she held constructive meetings across the Government of The Gambia and with civil society on human rights issues. We now look forward to The Gambia’s upcoming Human Rights Universal Periodic Review on 5 November and urge the Government of the Gambia to implement recommendations appropriately in fulfilment of their human rights obligations.
The UK will continue to support The Gambia taking specific action to resolve the challenges still to be addressed so that the human rights of all its citizens are respected and protected.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the humanitarian crisis in the anglophone region of Cameroon is a priority for his Department.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The British Government remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian and human rights situation in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon. We continue to raise these concerns at the highest levels, including with the Government of Cameroon, at the UN and with international partners. The British Government is providing lifesaving assistance to thousands of people in the Anglophone regions through a £2.5m contribution to the UN's humanitarian response plan. We urge all sides to engage in credible dialogue to tackle root causes of the crisis. Supporting security, stability and good governance in Africa is a foreign policy priority.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the presence of al-Shabaab in Somalia; and what support his Department is providing to the Somali Government to counter the threat of al-Shabaab.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Al-Shabaab represents a serious threat to security and stability in Somalia. The UK provides support to countering that threat through the provision of stipends and training to the African Union Mission in Somalia, which has been successful in driving al-Shabaab out of key urban centres. The UK also has an extensive programme of support to Somalia's security sector reform, which is helping Somalia take responsibility for its own national security, and ensuring it is threatened less by al-Shabaab. The UK also plays a leading role in upholding and strengthening the UN's Somalia sanctions regime that takes measures against those who seek to prevent a peaceful political process and threaten regional stability.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of media freedom in Tanzania since the arrest of investigative journalist Erick Kabendera.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 5 August, I said publically that we were concerned at Mr Kabendera's continued detention and that the charges kept changing – a tactic commonly used to stop journalists from doing their job. On 9 August, our High Commission and the Embassy of the United States in Dar Es Salaam issued a joint statement expressing concern about Mr Kabendera's detention and the steady erosion of due process in Tanzania. The British Government believes that media freedom is vital to functioning societies and that journalists must be able to investigate and report as they see fit. The Government of Tanzania is well aware of our stance given that the Foreign Minister Kabudi attended the Media Freedom Conference in London last month.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the prospects for a peace deal in Afghanistan.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
Despite continuing challenges, there is the real prospect of a credible peace process for Afghanistan. Concerted Afghan and international efforts continue, with positive signs including US-Taliban talks; the recent intra-Afghan dialogue co-convened by Germany and Qatar; and the consultative Loya Jirga in Kabul. Intra-Afghan negotiations are now needed to find a sustainable settlement which will assure the country's future peace and stability. It is crucial that the democratically elected National Unity Government plays a central role, and that peace efforts are inclusive, including women and minorities. The people of Afghanistan deserve peace after decades of conflict and insecurity. We strongly believe that a political settlement is the only way to achieve lasting peace and stability.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the (a) involvement of civil society in the talks between the US and the Taliban in Afghanistan and (b) rights of women in any agreement that might be reached in those talks.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
Talks between the US Government and the Taliban are a positive step towards an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process. Resolution of the conflict will require negotiations between Afghans, including the National Unity Government and the Taliban. We continue to make clear the importance of the involvement of civil society and of women and minorities in the process to shape Afghanistan's future.
Afghanistan is a focus country in the UK's National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and a priority country in our efforts to promote women's meaningful inclusion in peace processes. We encourage the Afghanistan Government to bring women into discussions on peace and to ensure the participation of Afghan women in all levels of decision-making, from the local level to the negotiation table. The UK funds programmes in support of this, including a pilot on local approaches to peace, with an emphasis on women, across four districts and two provinces. We also support the "Open Jirga" television programme which provides a platform for women's representation in politics, including on the critical issue of peace.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Sudanese counterpart on the reports of the killing of peaceful protesters in Sudan in June.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
We are aware of the BBC Africa Eye investigation which alleges that senior Sudanese military rulers ordered the killing of protestors on 3 June. In his statement of 3 June, the Foreign Secretary condemned the attack on protestors by Sudanese security forces and said that the Transitional Military Council (TMC) bore full responsibility for these events. The UK has been clear, at both ministerial and official levels, that there must be justice and accountability for atrocities committed both by the former regime and more recently. On 23 June, the UK Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan delivered this message directly to the Sudanese authorities. The UK has also made public statements in multilateral fora such as the EU Foreign Affairs Council (17 June) and the UN Human Rights Council (9 July). We note the agreement between the TMC and Forces of Freedom and Change to conduct a transparent and independent investigation into the violence committed against peaceful protestors on 3 June.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the accuracy of the findings of the BBC Africa Eye investigation that the killing of protesters in Sudan on 3 June was ordered by that country’s senior military rulers.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
We are aware of the BBC Africa Eye investigation which alleges that senior Sudanese military rulers ordered the killing of protestors on 3 June. In his statement of 3 June, the Foreign Secretary condemned the attack on protestors by Sudanese security forces and said that the Transitional Military Council (TMC) bore full responsibility for these events. The UK has been clear, at both ministerial and official levels, that there must be justice and accountability for atrocities committed both by the former regime and more recently. On 23 June, the UK Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan delivered this message directly to the Sudanese authorities. The UK has also made public statements in multilateral fora such as the EU Foreign Affairs Council (17 June) and the UN Human Rights Council (9 July). We note the agreement between the TMC and Forces of Freedom and Change to conduct a transparent and independent investigation into the violence committed against peaceful protestors on 3 June.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Mali.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
I am deeply concerned by the security situation in Mali, particularly central Mali, which has experienced a recent increase in violence. As I have previously stated, it is essential that the perpetrators are brought to justice, that the cycle of violence is ended, and that impunity is tackled.
As part of the Government's new strategic approach to Africa, we are increasing our engagement with and support to the Sahel region. Along with increasing our presence in Mali and Mauritania, we will be opening new embassies in Niger and Chad, and have created a new cross-Government Joint Sahel Department that combines our defence, development, and diplomatic expertise so that we embody a truly comprehensive approach to supporting the region to tackle its complex challenges.
The Defence Secretary visited Mali this month and announced that UK Armed Forces will deploy to Mali in 2020 in support of the UN Peacekeeping Operation; United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), to which the UK is the sixth largest funder. The existing commitment of three UK Chinooks and accompanying personnel has been extended for six months.