Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the compliance of the African Standby Force with international humanitarian law.

The African Union, through its Africa Standby Force Training Directive, sets the standards expected of the Force in respect to international humanitarian law, human rights, preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, and conduct and discipline. The British Government has not made any recent assessment of the Force’s compliance with international humanitarian law, but has provided technical advice to the African Union in support of these issues as it develops its Peace Support Operations doctrine.