Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation in Burkina Faso, following reports of an increased jihadist presence and worsening violence in that country.

The UK is deeply concerned by the scale of violence in Burkina Faso. In recent months we have seen a number of horrific attacks with tragic consequences for people in the region. More than 700,000 people were registered as displaced in February 2020. The UK condemns these attacks and is committed to working with all partners, including the G5 Sahel countries, to tackle the long-term drivers of instability in the region.

The UK is committed to working with the G5 Sahel countries, including the Burkinabe government, to help address instability in the region. Last week, James Duddridge (Minister for Africa) attended the first meeting of the Sahel Alliance General Assembly and G5 Leaders' Summit, where he reaffirmed the UK's commitment to improved security and increased development in the Sahel. The UK is currently supporting Burkina Faso by providing emergency life-saving assistance to those affected by the conflict crisis. The UK is also providing non-combat assistance to the French-led counter terror mission Operation BARKHANE in the form of three CH47 chinook helicopters; this includes support to operations in Burkina Faso.