Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department will take to assist Bougainville towards independence in line with that region’s agreement with the Government of Papua New Guinea.

The UK has consistently supported implementation of the 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement. This includes sharing our experience of conflict resolution and devolution, and providing almost £200,000 to UN programmes supporting the non-binding 2019 independence referendum and subsequent consultations on Bougainville’s final political status. We will continue to support international efforts to help the Governments of Papua New Guinea and Bougainville reach an agreed settlement.