Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations she has made to the Government of Mozambique on the disappearance of journalist Ibraimo Abú Mbaruco in 2020.

The UK is concerned by the disappearance of journalist Ibraimo Abu Mbaruco in Cabo Delgado on 7 April 2020. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon raised this issue with President Nyusi and reiterated calls for an investigation into his disappearance. Journalists play a critical role, and must be free to carry out their work without fear of violence. The UK is working with partners in government and civil society to promote media freedom in Mozambique, including through supporting a December 2021 conference on the topic of investigative journalism to protect human rights in Cabo Delgado.