Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have provided advice or other support to the Security Sector Reform programme in Guinea Bissau in each of the last three years.

The UK did not recognise the Guinea-Bissau transitional government established following the military coup of 2012, and therefore did not provide advice or any other support to its Security Sector Reform programme.

The UK welcomes the return of constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau following the democratic Presidential and Legislative elections earlier this year and agrees with the importance placed on Security Sector Reform by the new government in Bissau.

We welcome the important steps that have already been taken, such as the removal of the former Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr Antonio Indjai, and will continue to work through the UN and the EU to ensure sustained commitment and provision of support for Guinea-Bissau’s peacebuilding efforts and stability.