Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of violence by armed groups and militias such as M23 armed group in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo; and what steps he is taking to help reduce this.

The UK condemns the use of violence by armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including M23, and is committed to encouraging continued engagement and delivery on commitments by all parties under the Luanda peace process. In August and September 2024, the Minister for Africa visited Angola, DRC and Rwanda where he met with their respective presidents and urged de-escalation. He has subsequently spoken on a number of occasions with foreign ministers in the region. The UK is delivering a three-year £208 million humanitarian programme in the east of DRC, providing life-saving emergency assistance and increasing the resilience of crisis-affected communities.