Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department has offered to the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo following the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo.

We are working closely with the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the UN peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO), the UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and our humanitarian partners to monitor the situation, assess the impact and coordinate the response. UK-funded partners are already on the ground providing emergency support. The International Federation of the Red Cross Disaster Relief Emergency Fund is providing first aid, water, sanitation, hygiene, shelter and psychological support and working to restore family units. ICRC, one of our major humanitarian partners, is providing support for unaccompanied children and the UN Humanitarian Air Service is providing vital reconnaissance flights in the area.