Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the ACAPS Briefing Note: Algeria: Sahrawi refugees in Tindouf, published on 9 January 2022, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to help ensure (a) independent and (b) continuous human rights monitoring in the Tindouf camps in Algeria.

The UK Government is committed to the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide, including in Western Sahara and the Tindouf refugee camps, as we regularly make clear to the parties. We have consistently supported language in the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions which encourages the parties to continue their efforts to enhance the promotion and protection of human rights in Western Sahara. The UK Government consistently urges all states to uphold international law and international human rights standards and to avoid any action that may endanger human life. We regularly discuss migration and treatment of refugees with partners, including through our embassies, and we remain committed to supporting them to manage this effectively.