Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, following the massacre of 50 civilians on 30 August and the subsequent request by Foreign Minister Christophe Lutundula for the UN Security Council to accelerate the plan for the withdrawal of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The UK continues to monitor the high levels of violence in east Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), including the incident in Goma on 30 August. We continue to engage at the highest levels with DRC and remain committed to supporting efforts to reduce violence in DRC, including through the UN Peacekeeping Mission MONUSCO. I [Lord Ahmad] met with Foreign Minister Lutundula during the UN General Assembly to discuss the DRC's request for early MONUSCO withdrawal and we will continue to monitor this ahead of this year's MONUSCO mandate renewal in December.