Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps she has taken to support women’s access to contraceptive services in Lesotho.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
The UK is proud to defend and promote universal and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights.
The UK has supported 9.5 million women and girls to use modern methods of contraception since 2018 through the Women's Integrated Sexual Health (WISH) programme (2017-2024), which now works in 17 sub Saharan African countries.
While the UK does not currently provide bilateral support to women's access to contraceptive services in Lesotho or Botswana, the FCDO invests in a broad range of global SRHR programmes, including access to voluntary family planning, through the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Reproductive Health Supplies programme.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Her Majesty’s Global Ambassador for Human Rights and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva will engage with Botswana’s Permanent Mission in Geneva on how the government of Botswana intends to comply with UN Special Rapporteurs’ recommendations regarding the threat to former President of Botswana Ian Khama’s life.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
There have not been, nor are there any planned discussions between former President Khama and representatives of the UK Government on these issues. We are aware of the correspondence between the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings and the Government of Botswana regarding former President Khama. These communications form part of the range of direct interactions between the United Nations and a sovereign State, and other States do not tend to intervene in this process. It would not be appropriate for us to comment on the Government of Botswana's choice of legal representation, or its bilateral relationship with the South African institutions referred to. Former President Khama has not sought the assistance of the UK Government.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported attacks by the government of Botswana on the South African Reserve Bank and the South African banking system, including RBS/NatWest and Ambassador Bridgette Motsepe.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
There have not been, nor are there any planned discussions between former President Khama and representatives of the UK Government on these issues. We are aware of the correspondence between the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings and the Government of Botswana regarding former President Khama. These communications form part of the range of direct interactions between the United Nations and a sovereign State, and other States do not tend to intervene in this process. It would not be appropriate for us to comment on the Government of Botswana's choice of legal representation, or its bilateral relationship with the South African institutions referred to. Former President Khama has not sought the assistance of the UK Government.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Minister for Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, during her visit to Pretoria on 11 and 12 July, discussed with the government of South Africa former President of Botswana Ian Khama taking refuge in South Africa.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
There have not been, nor are there any planned discussions between former President Khama and representatives of the UK Government on these issues. We are aware of the correspondence between the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings and the Government of Botswana regarding former President Khama. These communications form part of the range of direct interactions between the United Nations and a sovereign State, and other States do not tend to intervene in this process. It would not be appropriate for us to comment on the Government of Botswana's choice of legal representation, or its bilateral relationship with the South African institutions referred to. Former President Khama has not sought the assistance of the UK Government.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Government of Botswana’s use of AfriForum.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
There have not been, nor are there any planned discussions between former President Khama and representatives of the UK Government on these issues. We are aware of the correspondence between the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings and the Government of Botswana regarding former President Khama. These communications form part of the range of direct interactions between the United Nations and a sovereign State, and other States do not tend to intervene in this process. It would not be appropriate for us to comment on the Government of Botswana's choice of legal representation, or its bilateral relationship with the South African institutions referred to. Former President Khama has not sought the assistance of the UK Government.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they will offer to the former President of Botswana, Ian Khama, in response to the treatment he has received from his successor.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
There have not been, nor are there any planned discussions between former President Khama and representatives of the UK Government on these issues. We are aware of the correspondence between the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings and the Government of Botswana regarding former President Khama. These communications form part of the range of direct interactions between the United Nations and a sovereign State, and other States do not tend to intervene in this process. It would not be appropriate for us to comment on the Government of Botswana's choice of legal representation, or its bilateral relationship with the South African institutions referred to. Former President Khama has not sought the assistance of the UK Government.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for (1) Her Majesty’s High Commissioner in Pretoria, and (2) the Prime Minister, to meet former President of Botswana Ian Khama to discuss why he was forced to flee to South Africa.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
There have not been, nor are there any planned discussions between former President Khama and representatives of the UK Government on these issues. We are aware of the correspondence between the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings and the Government of Botswana regarding former President Khama. These communications form part of the range of direct interactions between the United Nations and a sovereign State, and other States do not tend to intervene in this process. It would not be appropriate for us to comment on the Government of Botswana's choice of legal representation, or its bilateral relationship with the South African institutions referred to. Former President Khama has not sought the assistance of the UK Government.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the political situation in Botswana.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Botswana is a stable democracy which has a strong record of respect for presidential term limits and peaceful transfers of power. The Botswana Democratic Party has been in government since independence in 1966. The next election will take place in 2024.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the level of freedom of expression in Botswana.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Botswana is a stable multi-party democracy and freedom of expression is guaranteed and protected by its Constitution. In their 2022 'Freedom in the World' report, Freedom House assessed Botswana to be a 'free' country.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Russia’s foreign policy interests in Southern Africa.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK Government has not made a formal assessment of the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Russia's foreign policy interests in Southern Africa. At the recent UNGA vote to condemn actions in Ukraine, eight members of the Southern Africa Development Community voted in favour, seven abstained and one did not vote. Despite several countries in the region abstaining in the UN vote, many of them have expressed their concerns about Russian aggression. The Minister for Africa discussed Ukraine prior to the UNGA vote with many of her Southern African counterparts including the Deputy Foreign Minister of South Africa, the Foreign Minister of Namibia and the Foreign Minister of Botswana, underlining the importance of unity amongst the international community against unprovoked and illegal Russian aggression. UK embassies across the region continue to engage host governments on this issue.