Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to mitigate disruption to UK–Africa supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Department for International Trade is actively monitoring trade restrictions and their impact on supply chains and is working with partner governments in Africa to reduce disruption to them. At the G20, the United Kingdom supported commitment to keeping supply chains open and ensuring that restrictions are proportionate, temporary, and transparent. We have worked with Egypt on the supply of PPE and other medical equipment, and with Tunisia and Morocco so that electronic certificates of origin for goods they import are accepted for the duration of the Covid-19 period, mitigating disruption to UK-Africa supply chains by streamlining the customs process.

HMG is supporting African countries during the Covid-19 crisis through development assistance. This includes a vulnerable supply chains facility and programmes working in partnership with countries to respond to disruptions in global trade and supply chains in several countries, including South Africa, Nigeria, Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, Mozambique and Lesotho.