Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to work with the African Union and African regional groupings to counter terrorism and promote sustainable economic development as a basis for ending armed conflict.

The UK works with the African Union and other African partners to counter the threat posed by terrorism, foster long-term stability, and to address the root causes of conflict. For example, we have provided £47.5 million of funding over the last two years to the reconfigured African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), working with ATMIS as it supports Somalia's efforts to fight al-Shabaab. The UK is also assessing what support it can offer to the Accra Initiative, a regional security initiative, to help prevent the spread of violence and instability from the Sahel to coastal West Africa. Sustainable development is an important factor in reducing the drivers of conflict and consideration of that factor is an important element in our work with African partners across the continent. One example is our support to the development of the African Continental Free Trade Area.