Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on development in the Maghreb of the breakdown of the ceasefire in Western Sahara.

Officials regularly discuss and consult on Western Sahara and the impact on the region with international partners, MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara), the UN, NGOs, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), up to and including at Ambassadorial level. We strongly support the work of Staffan de Mistura, Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, and will continue to encourage constructive engagement with the political process and monitor progress.