Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reinstate humanitarian aid routes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The humanitarian situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is critical. Close to a million people have been displaced recently in eastern DRC and hundreds of thousands are in desperate need of lifesaving support. There is a responsibility on all parties to protect the people of eastern DRC who have suffered so much in this conflict.

The UK will continue to call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access, and respect for international humanitarian law. The Foreign Secretary delivered these messages to both President Tshisekedi and President Kagame during his visit to Kinshasa and Kigali on 21 and 22 February. During the visit, the Foreign Secretary announced an additional package of £14.6 million of humanitarian support to help those in eastern DRC who are suffering most.