Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they have on the security situation in the Central African Republic following recent violence in the east of the country; and how they are supporting the peace deal signed in February 2019 in order to create a stable security environment ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for December 2020.

We are concerned by reports of violence and human rights abuses in Central African Republic (CAR) including in the east of the country. The UK supports efforts to bring lasting peace and stability to the country, including as a major contributor (£42 million per year) to UN peacekeeping mission MINUSCA. MINUSCA is mandated to support elections in December in addition to its vital protection of civilians. The UK also finances the EU Training Mission to build the capacity of CAR security forces, helping to improve security in the country. This includes support to the formation of mixed units from military and armed groups, as part of the 2019 peace agreement. More broadly, in 2019 the UK provided around £20 million in humanitarian and development assistance to support vulnerable people in CAR.