Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions her Department has had with the Ivory Coast on a bilateral trade deal.
Answered by Conor Burns
We are continuing our programme to replicate the effects of existing EU trade agreements with trading partners to ensure continuity for UK businesses following the transition period. This includes the existing EU-Côte d’Ivoire Stepping Stone Economic Partnership Agreement and engagement is ongoing to replicate this agreement.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will publish the (a) invitees and (b) attendees of the January 2020 UK-Africa investment summit.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Summit brought together African leaders and delegations from 21 countries: Algeria, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia and Uganda.
Six multilateral organisations and international financial institutions also participated: the African Development Bank, the African Union, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations and the World Bank.
In addition, hundreds of UK and African business representatives and representatives from Civil Society Organisations attended the Summit.
Asked by: Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which (1) governments, (2) international organisations, and (3) businesses, have been invited to attend the UK–Africa Investment Summit being hosted by the UK in January 2020.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Summit will bring together African leaders and delegations from 21 countries who have been invited: Algeria, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda.
6 multilateral organisations and international financial institutions have also been invited: African Development Bank, African Union, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Monetary Fund, United Nations, World Bank.
We have invited hundreds of UK and African business representatives and representatives from Civil Society Organisations.
Asked by: Faisal Rashid (Labour - Warrington South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will guarantee continued market access to the UK on current terms for exports from (a) Ghana, (b) Cameroon, (c) Côte d’Ivoire, (d) Kenya and (e) South Africa in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Conor Burns
The Government is seeking continuity in our trading arrangements on leaving the EU.
Most recently, on 10 September 2019, the UK initialled an Economic Partnership Agreement with the Southern African Customs Union and Mozambique (including South Africa). We will work at pace with our Southern African partners to sign the agreement and subsequently bring it into effect as quickly as possible.
We are continuing to work with other partner countries, including Ghana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya, to maintain their market access and replicate the effects of EU arrangements for when we need them, whether that is in the event of a no deal, or after an implementation period.
Asked by: Faisal Rashid (Labour - Warrington South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will guarantee continued market access to the UK on current terms to (a) Ghana, (b) Cameroon, (c) Côte d’Ivoire, (d) Kenya and (e) South Africa in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Conor Burns
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what progress he has made on the roll-over of agreements with (a) Ghana, (b) Côte D’Ivoire and (c) Kenya.
Answered by George Hollingbery
As the UK leaves the EU, we seek to replicate the effects of seven EU Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, including agreements with Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. We are working with partners to conclude and implement agreements from 29 March 2019 or as soon as possible thereafter in the event of a “no deal” exit.
The UK continues to support the implementation of the EU’s EPA with the East Africa Community (EAC). As and when EAC partners find a way to agree to sign the EPA, the UK will seek to replicate this agreement.
The Taxation (Cross-Border Trade) Act enables the UK to put in place a UK trade preferences scheme for developing countries. Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Kenya will be eligible for tariff reductions on two-thirds of products under this scheme.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with the Economic Community of West African States on trade with the UK after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Graham Stuart
On leaving the EU, the Taxation (Cross-Border Trade) Act will enable the Government to put in place a UK trade preferences scheme for developing countries. This will provide the same level of access as the current EU trade preference scheme meaning continued duty-free, quota-free access for Least Developed Countries which are part of the Economic Community of West African states (ECOWAS) and generous tariff reductions for other ECOWAS countries.
In the absence of this regional agreement, EU ‘stepping stone’ Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana have been provisionally applied since 2016. As the UK exits the EU, we aim to replicate the effects of these EPAs to avoid trade disruption with these countries. We have been in dialogue with both Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana to achieve this continuity.
Currently there is no agreement in force between the EU and the 16 West Africa States, the Economic Community of West African states (ECOWAS). Should this change, the UK would look to transition the agreement.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to address the accelerating deforestation of the Ivory Coast due to the illegal growth of cocoa crops.
Answered by Rory Stewart
We are very much engaged in supporting efforts to end deforestation, including through the Department for International Development (DFID) funded Cocoa and Forests Initiative, which was launched in London in March. Under this initiative, the cocoa and chocolate industries have committed publicly to end deforestation associated with cocoa production in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. DFID has provided support for consultations on Joint Frameworks for Action on Cocoa and Deforestation with government, farmers and civil society in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, to ensure the industry commitment is implemented.
Asked by: Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the human rights situation in Côte d’Ivoire.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Government of Cote d’Ivoire is committed to making progress in the field of human rights with the support of UN technical assistance. We are aware of the positive work of the National Commission for Human Rights in Côte d’Ivoire (CNDHCI), especially on national reconciliation, an area which remains important for community and social cohesion. The United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) mission is coming to an end later this year with work being handed over to the Government of Cote d’Ivoire. We expect the Government to maintain a strong focus on the promotion and protection of human rights, and on the process of reforming the security sector.
Asked by: Lord Hylton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Ivory Coast about the number of prisoners being held for political reasons following the elections of 2010; what responses, if any, they have had; and whether they are in touch with local Roman Catholic bishops about that issue.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK has worked closely with the UN Special Representative for Côte D’Ivoire, and international partners to ensure that, as part of the national reconciliation process, those held in detention since the 2010/11 post-electoral crisis without formal criminal charges, or no charges to answer, were released. We welcome President Ouattara’s release of the final 3,100 such prisoners in January 2016. A further 265 prisoners remain on remand: all have been charged with criminal offences committed during the crisis. Following the visit of the UN Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Abidjan Prison on 10 June and subsequent meeting with President Ouattara, the Justice Minister has given an assurance that the trials will be completed by the end of December 2016. The UK continues to urge for the trials to be held in a timely manner.
To promote national reconciliation, the UK and other international partners continue to press for the Government of Cote d’Ivoire to ensure that all parties responsible for human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law are brought to justice, no matter what their political affiliation. Whilst local Roman Catholic bishops have not directly contacted us, officials from our Embassy in Abidjan will engage with them on this issue.