Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has to work with international partners to tackle (a) political instability in northern Africa, (b) criminal gangs which profit from human trafficking and (c) other underlying causes of the migrant situation in the Mediterranean.

DFID works across government to contribute to the overall HMG response to these issues and works closely with international partners, including the World Bank and UN agencies. For example, DFID is helping shape the EU’s development spending to effectively address the root causes of migration across Africa and the Middle East. We are also providing technical expertise through the World Bank in Libya to contribute to the political settlement process and are leading the £125 million DFID funded Arab Partnership Economic Programme Facility (APEF). This programme - led by multilateral partners including the World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank and Islamic Development Bank – is helping build more inclusive economies and generate more jobs and opportunities across the region.