Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their intention not to open any new Missions in the Western Sahel region of Africa, what assessment they have made of the United Kingdom’s influence on political institutions and stability in the region.

The Government’s North and West Africa Strategy enables the UK to engage effectively with states and political institutions in the Western Sahel region. The Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for the Sahel plays an important role in coordinating that effort and has built good relations with governments across the region. We also work through our partners, such as the EU, in those countries where the UK does not have a resident Ambassador. In addition, we work closely with regional organisations, as demonstrated in the recent case of instability in Burkina Faso, where we support the African Union and the Economic Community Of West African States' efforts to return that country to stable and democratic civilian government.