Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) freedom, (b) fairness and (c) effectiveness of other elements of the conduct of the recent presidential election in Burundi.

The UK notes irregularities reported by observers during the elections in Burundi on 20 May and remains concerned by reports of violence against political party members during the electoral period. Election day itself was broadly peaceful, which we have welcomed. We have taken note of the provisional presidential and parliamentary results and await the outcome of legal challenge by the opposition. We continue to call on all parties to resolve electoral disputes through legal mechanisms and to ensure a peaceful post-electoral environment.