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 relationship between the government of Rwanda and the M23 militia.

The UK government is alarmed by the further escalation of violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and we continue to raise our concerns with the governments of DRC and Rwanda at every appropriate moment. I [Minister Mitchell] met with President Kagame and Foreign Minister Biruta during my visit to Rwanda in late August, where I encouraged de-escalation and emphasised the need for a peaceful political solution. I anticipate engaging with the Government of Rwanda on this issue in my upcoming visit this April. The UK Special Envoy has recently returned from a UN-led trip to the region, where she encouraged de-escalation and a return to regional peace processes. We continue to work with members of the international community to bring an end to the violence, human rights abuses and the violations of international humanitarian law documented by armed groups including M23.