Mentions:
1: Daniel Kawczynski (Con - Shrewsbury and Atcham) Sahara as Moroccan, and some of our other allies, Spain—the former colonial power in Western Sahara—France - Speech Link
2: Jeremy Corbyn (Ind - Islington North) Sahara—for example, the people in the refugee camps in Tindouf and the Western Sahara diaspora, as well - Speech Link
3: Rehman Chishti (Con - Gillingham and Rainham) on Western Sahara last reviewed? - Speech Link
4: David Rutley (Con - Macclesfield) Sahara, whose mandate derives from the Security Council’s commitment to Western Sahara. - Speech Link
Found: Western Sahara
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what the Government's policy is on the territorial status of Western Sahara.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK regards the status of Western Sahara as undetermined and continues to support UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will call for a census of (a) the indigenous people and (b) Moroccan settlers in Western Sahara.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to support UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. We strongly support the work of Staffan de Mistura as Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to Western Sahara, and will continue to encourage constructive engagement with the political process and monitor progress.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool, Riverside)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has provided funding to Saharawi human rights defenders in Western Sahara in the last five years.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government has not provided funding to the specific cause mentioned. However, the UK remains committed to the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide, including in Morocco and Western Sahara, and we raise human rights issues with the Moroccan Government accordingly. Additionally, the UK supported United Nations Security Council Resolution 2703 on 30 October, which renewed the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) mandate for 12 months. We have also consistently supported language in the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions which encourages the parties to continue their efforts to enhance the promotion and protection of human rights in Western Sahara.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool, Riverside)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2024 to Question 12870 on Morocco: Western Sahara, whether the Government has made representations to the UN Security Council on the imprisonment of Saharawi civilian prisoners in Moroccan prisons.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK mission to the United Nations has not made specific representation to the UN Security Council on this matter. However, the UK has consistently supported language in relevant UN Security Council Resolutions that encourages all parties to continue their efforts to enhance the promotion and protection of human rights in Western Sahara. The UK is committed to the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide, including in Morocco and Western Sahara. Human rights forms part of our bilateral dialogue with Morocco and we raise concerns with the Moroccan authorities as appropriate.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2024 to Question 12714 on Western Sahara: Natural Resources, whether it is his policy that commercial activity in Western Sahara requires the agreement of recognised representatives of the Saharawi people to be compliant with international law.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We do not consider commercial activity to be illegal in Western Sahara, providing it respects the interests of the Sahrawi people. The UK continues to support the UN-led efforts and the work of Staffan de Mistura as Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to Western Sahara and we continue to encourage constructive engagement with the political process and monitor progress.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on development in the Maghreb of the breakdown of the ceasefire in Western Sahara.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Officials regularly discuss and consult on Western Sahara and the impact on the region with international partners, MINURSO (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara), the UN, NGOs, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), up to and including at Ambassadorial level. We strongly support the work of Staffan de Mistura, Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, and will continue to encourage constructive engagement with the political process and monitor progress.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool, Riverside)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2024 to Question 11223 on Morocco: Western Sahara, whether he has had discussions with his Moroccan counterpart on the imprisonment of Saharawi civilian prisoners in Moroccan prisons.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide, including in Morocco and Western Sahara, as we regularly make clear to the parties. Human rights forms part of our bilateral dialogue with Morocco and we raise concerns with the Moroccan authorities as appropriate. We also engage on these issues at the UN and have consistently supported language in the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions which encourages the parties to continue their efforts to enhance the promotion and protection of human rights in Western Sahara. The UK Government consistently urges all states to uphold international law and international human rights standards.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to Western Sahara Campaign UK v Secretary of State for International Trade & Anor. [2022] EWHC 3108 (Admin), when UK Export Finance will provide credit for British businesses operating in Western Sahara.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK government regards the status of Western Sahara as undetermined and supports United Nations-led efforts to achieve a lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. UK Export Finance does not currently provide support for exports to, or investment in, Western Sahara.