Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help resolve conflict in (a) Las Anod and (b) Somaliland.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The fighting in Las Anod has seen credible reports of shelling of civilian areas, including a hospital. The humanitarian impact has been severe with more than 180,000 people displaced from their homes. The UK is providing a range of humanitarian support. We assess that there are risks of further escalation if a ceasefire is not agreed and we are working privately and publicly with a range of partners to press all parties to the conflict to end the fighting. On 15 April, the UK and 14 international partners held a joint call with President Bihi to press for de-escalation and humanitarian access. We have issued several statements independently and with partners, most recently on 15 April following the above call, calling for de-escalation, humanitarian access and dialogue. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and to press for a resolution to the conflict.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
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 violence and alleged human rights abuses in Las Anod.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The fighting in Las Anod has seen credible reports of shelling of civilian areas, including a hospital. The humanitarian impact has been severe with more than 180,000 people displaced from their homes. The UK is providing a range of humanitarian support. We assess that there are risks of further escalation if a ceasefire is not agreed and we are working privately and publicly with a range of partners to press all parties to the conflict to end the fighting. On 15 April, the UK and 14 international partners held a joint call with President Bihi to press for de-escalation and humanitarian access. We have issued several statements independently and with partners, most recently on 15 April following the above call, calling for de-escalation, humanitarian access and dialogue. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and to press for a resolution to the conflict.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the monitoring of the 2023 General Election in Sierra Leone.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The outcome of the June 2023 elections is for the people of Sierra Leone to decide. The UK and Sierra Leone are close friends and we hold regular, frank conversations with senior government interlocutors and other key stakeholders on issues of good governance, the rule of law and the importance of free, fair and peaceful elections in 2023. The Foreign Secretary passed on these messages to Sierra Leone's President and Foreign Minister during his visit in March 2023. The British High Commission in Freetown's 'Promoting Democracy and Electoral Freedom' Programme supports cross community dialogue among voters in Sierra Leone, with a focus on inclusion and violence prevention. The High Commission will also be fielding on-the-ground observers across the country throughout the election period.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the distribution of Official Development Assistance funds within Sierra Leone.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is a champion for international development and one of the most generous global aid donors. In Sierra Leone, as around the world, we work closely with the Government to support its own national development plans. Decisions on how to distribute funds are taken in Sierra Leone against the High Commission's business plan and guided by FCDO priorities, the Integrated Review, International Development Strategy and Africa Strategy. Most recently, UK Aid in Sierra Leone has supported inclusive education, maternal and new-born health, girls' and women's rights and energy access. Our funding goes to a range of implementing partners who are subject to rigorous procurement and due diligence. We adhere closely to best practice outlined in the FCDO's Programme Operating Framework, including results monitoring.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions had with the Pakistani Government on the treatment of Afghan refugees in that country.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK is a member of Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees, a policy group established in 2019 to bring together regional governments, the United Nations and donors to support long-term solutions for Afghan refugees. We encourage Pakistan to include refugees in services provided to the wider population. The Foreign Secretary raised Afghanistan, including the relocation of eligible Afghans, when he spoke to Foreign Minister Bhutto-Zardari on 20 December 2022. The UK has provided £6.5 million to support refugee preparedness in Pakistan and offer vital health services and additional nutritional support to communities hosting refugees.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the (a) UN and (b) EU on (i) support for the Sierra Leone Electoral Commission and (ii) ensuring the 2023 elections in that country are peaceful and democratic.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
As a close friend of Sierra Leone, the UK holds regular frank discussions with senior government interlocutors, international partners and other key stakeholders on governance, the rule of law, stability and the importance of a free fair election in 2023. We condemn acts of political violence and urge all to work collaboratively to reduce tensions. I spoke with the President of Sierra Leone in London on 22 November 2022 about the importance of the upcoming election and Sierra Leone's democratic process. I (Minister Mitchell) reiterated this message in a meeting with the Minister of Basic and Senior Education at the PSVI conference on 28 November.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the President of Sierra Leone on taking steps to provide legal representation to people detained after the riots in August 2022.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
As a close friend of Sierra Leone, the UK holds regular frank discussions with senior government interlocutors, international partners and other key stakeholders on governance, the rule of law, stability, and the importance of a free and fair election in 2023. We condemn acts of political violence and urge all to work collaboratively to reduce tensions. I (Minister Mitchell) spoke with the President of Sierra Leone in London on 22 November 2022 about the importance of the upcoming election and Sierra Leone's democratic process. I reiterated this message in a meeting with the Minister of Basic and Senior Education at the PSVI conference on 28 November.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he discussed voter (a) registration, (b) exhibition and (c) verification during his meeting with the President of Sierra Leone in November 2022.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
As a close friend of Sierra Leone, the UK holds regular, frank discussions with senior government interlocutors and other key stakeholders, on good governance, the rule of law and stability, and the importance of a free, fair election in 2023. We condemn acts of political violence and we work closely with civil society organisations in Sierra Leone to champion universal human rights, including freedom of speech and expression, and to advocate for their protection by the authorities.
The Foreign Secretary spoke with the President of Sierra Leone in London on 22 November 2022 about the importance of the upcoming election and Sierra Leone's democratic process. I reiterated this message in a meeting with the Minister of Basic and Senior Education at the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative conference on 28 November.
The British High Commission Freetown has recently observed the national voter registration process. The UK did not fund or provide assistance for the Mid-Term Census and we have made our views on its limitations known to the Government of Sierra Leone.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the President of Sierra Leone on people shot in a protesting in Freetown.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
As a close friend of Sierra Leone, the UK holds regular, frank discussions with senior government interlocutors and other key stakeholders, on good governance, the rule of law and stability, and the importance of a free, fair election in 2023. We condemn acts of political violence and we work closely with civil society organisations in Sierra Leone to champion universal human rights, including freedom of speech and expression, and to advocate for their protection by the authorities.
The Foreign Secretary spoke with the President of Sierra Leone in London on 22 November 2022 about the importance of the upcoming election and Sierra Leone's democratic process. I reiterated this message in a meeting with the Minister of Basic and Senior Education at the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative conference on 28 November.
The British High Commission Freetown has recently observed the national voter registration process. The UK did not fund or provide assistance for the Mid-Term Census and we have made our views on its limitations known to the Government of Sierra Leone.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the President of Sierra Leone on the steps being taken to help ensure freedom and fairness in the forthcoming Presidential election in that country.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
As a close friend of Sierra Leone, the UK holds regular, frank discussions with senior government interlocutors, international partners, and other key stakeholders, on good governance, the rule of law and stability, and the importance of a free, fair election in 2023. We condemn acts of political violence and urge all to work collaboratively to reduce tensions. I spoke with the President of Sierra Leone in London on 22 November 2022 about the importance of the upcoming election and Sierra Leone's democratic process. I [Minister Mitchell] reiterated this message in a meeting with the Minister of Basic and Senior Education at the PSVI conference on 28 November.