Written questions by Jogee.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent engagement his Department has had with the Sudanese diaspora in the United Kingdom.

Sudan is a personal priority for the Foreign Secretary. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Ministers and officials most recently engaged with members of the Sudanese diaspora during the run up to the 15 April London Sudan Conference. This included a roundtable with representatives of the Sudanese diaspora that the Minister for Africa, hosted at the FCDO on 31 March. The FCDO will continue to engage with members of the Sudanese diaspora as part of our ongoing work.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to improve relations with the African Union.

The UK is committed to a close relationship with the African Union (AU). The UK Office to the AU, based in Addis Abba, works closely with the AU across a range of country specific and thematic themes. The Deputy Prime Minister became the first non-African leader to meet the newly elected AU Commission Chairperson, Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, on 17 February, just two days after his election success. The Foreign Secretary was delighted that the AU co-hosted the London-Sudan Conference with us on 15 April. We look forward to the next ministerial level UK-AU High-Level Dialogue in the autumn.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts who participated in the London Sudan Conference on 15 April 2025 to help ensure that the principles agreed at that Conference to (a) seek an immediate and permanent ceasefire, (b) protect civilians and (c) allow humanitarian supplies and personnel are implemented.

Alongside those states that attended the London Sudan Conference, the UK is taking coordinated action to strengthen the protection of civilians and to improve aid delivery. We continue to advocate for the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, including UNSCR 2736 (2024) on El Fasher, Darfur. Additionally, the UK and its partners are advocating for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to increase the level of funding for supporting food-insecure people in Sudan.

At the recent London Sudan Conference, the Foreign Secretary announced a package of support budgeted at £120 million which will deliver life-saving services to more than 650,000 people. In total, more than £800 million was pledged at the conference. Since the start of the conflict millions of people have benefitted from UK funded humanitarian programmes. Supporting humanitarian aid delivery in Sudan remains a top priority for this government.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to meet the new Chair of the African Union.

The Foreign Secretary sent congratulations to Mahmoud Ali Youssouf following his election as Chairman of the African Union Commission on 15 February. The Deputy Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, was visiting Addis Ababa on 17 February and congratulated Youssouf in person. Chairperson-elect Youssouf will take-up office on 15 March, and we hope there will be an opportunity for the Foreign Secretary to meet with him soon after.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Middle East on (a) the territorial integrity of the West Bank and (b) the steps that will be taken to ensure the establishment of a free, safe, independent and secure Palestine alongside a safe and secure Israel.

The Foreign Secretary raised this issue when he spoke with Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 22 January. Stability in the West Bank is crucial to ensure the fragile ceasefire in Gaza can last. All sides should work to ensure a lowering of tension in the West Bank at this time. We are of the clear view that Israel should bring an end to its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) as rapidly as possible - but this must be done in a way that creates the conditions for negotiations towards the two-state solution. The UK will continue to work with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, the US, and regional partners to build consensus for a post-conflict Gaza governance and security framework that supports conditions for a permanent and sustainable peace. We must give the people of the West Bank and Gaza the political perspective of a credible route to a Palestinian state and a new future, and it needs to be irreversible.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Namibian counterpart on relations between the UK and that country.

The UK enjoys a warm partnership with the Republic of Namibia, built upon our shared interests of driving economic growth, building climate resilience, and promoting Commonwealth values. Namibia recently held elections in November 2024. We are exploring ministerial attendance at the Presidential inauguration in March, to meet the new administration and discuss opportunities that promote economic growth, as well as listening to Namibian views on the new Africa Approach.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness, (b) potential and (c) adequacy of relations between the UK and West Africa.

The UK and West Africa have shared interests from security to investment and development to climate resilience. But West Africa is also a diverse region, with the UK valuing its partnership with each West African nation. For example, the Foreign Secretary visited Nigeria in November and agreed a new Strategic Partnership enabling greater UK-Nigerian cooperation on shared priorities. On 7 January, Lord Collins attended Ghanaian President John Mahama's inauguration, strengthening ties with Ghana and other regional leaders. Lord Collins also visited Ghana and Senegal in September focusing on UK support to boost growth, clean energy, food security and women's empowerment. In his speech at the UK/Francophone West and Central Africa Trade Forum on 4 December, Lord Collins highlighted the Government's desire to strengthen UK trade partnerships across the region.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many times Ministers in his Department have engaged with the leadership of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) since 5 July 2024.

The Foreign Secretary spoke with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General, Dr Carla Barnett, on 15 August. The Foreign Secretary expressed solidarity with the Caribbean following Hurricane Beryl. They also discussed the situation in Haiti and reaffirm the deep UK-CARICOM relationship, including the need to advance the UK-CARICOM Memorandum of Understanding. During visits to Grenada and Barbados, the Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean had a bilateral meeting with the then Chair of CARICOM, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell of Grenada. They discussed a number of issues, including disaster preparedness, climate finance and the ongoing challenges in Haiti.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness, (b) potential and (c) adequacy of relations between the UK and sub-Saharan Southern Africa.

The Foreign Secretary launched a five-month consultation to inform the UK's new approach to the African continent during a visit to Nigeria and South Africa in November 2024. Our goal is a fundamentally transformed partnership that delivers mutual long-term benefits, driving our domestic economic growth and addressing migration priorities. The UK enjoys warm relations with the different countries in sub-Saharan Southern Africa, illustrated by the numerous visits to the region by me, the Foreign Secretary and the Minister for Africa in 2024. The Minister for Africa has upcoming trips to Botswana and Tanzania in January 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many times Ministers in his Department have engaged with the leadership of the Southern African Development Community since 5 July 2024.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers, including the Foreign Secretary and I, have enjoyed broad engagement with the leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) during visits to South Africa, Malawi and Zambia. The Minister for Africa, Lord Collins, has had three ministerial engagements with the Tanzanian government and the current Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Affairs. Lord Collins is due to meet with Southern African Development Community leadership during his upcoming visit to Botswana (14-16 January 2025), discussing areas of mutual interest, including energy reform and regional security.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness, (b) potential and (c) adequacy of relations between the UK and North Africa.

The relationship between the UK and the countries of North Africa focuses on a range of shared interests, including trade and investment, working together on migration, regional stability, and people-to-people links. There is greater potential, including to increase trade from £11bn, and to meet demand for greater English language capacity. We are working to develop comprehensive partnerships to tackle irregular migration and have regular dialogues on regional stability, such as the importance of tackling Russian efforts to increase its presence in the region and aligning efforts to address the conflicts of the Sahel and wider Middle East.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness, (b) potential and (c) adequacy of relations between the UK and East Africa.

East Africa and the UK have strong people-to-people ties, vital trading relations, critical security partnerships, and British institutions such as the BBC are hugely popular. We have a significant Official Development Assistance (ODA) portfolio - in October 2024, Lord Collins visited Ethiopia, where he announced £16m in funding to support the Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme, and Seychelles, to sign an ambitious economic security partnership on illicit finance. As penholder on Somalia at the UN Security Council, we delivered a mandate for the new African Union Stabilisation and Support Mission. With sufficient stability, East Africa has potential for greater commercial cooperation with UK and the new Africa approach will set out a distinctive UK offer which addresses shared interests and strengthens partnerships.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many times Ministers in his Department have met with the leadership of the African Union since 5 July 2024.

FCDO Ministers regularly engage with the leadership of the African Union (AU). Lord Collins spoke with the AU Commissioners for Political Affairs and Trade and Industry immediately following his appointment in July. Lord Collins and I both met AU Commissioners in Addis Ababa during visits in August, and Lord Collins subsequently met with AU Commission Chairperson Faki at the UN General Assembly in September. I met with the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment during COP29 in November.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government has taken to help stop the loss of life in Gaza since 19 December 2024.

We have raised protection of civilians and the destruction of health infrastructure repeatedly with the Israeli government, most recently on 3 January. The UK has announced £112 million for the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) so far this financial year, including £41million for UNWRA, providing vital services to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, and to Palestinians across the region.  In July, we announced £5.5m in funding to UK-Med for operating their field hospitals. UK-Med have now provided vital care to over 300,000 Gazans since the start of the conflict.Securing an immediate ceasefire, the safe release of all hostages and urgent action to address the humanitarian crisis remains the UK's top priority.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government has taken to help secure the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza since 19 December 2024.

Securing an immediate ceasefire and the safe release of all hostages, including Emily Damari and three other hostages with strong links to the UK, remains the UK's top priority. We have continuously supported hostage talks, and we continue to work alongside our allies and partners in the region, exercising every possible diplomatic lever to see them immediately released. Since 19 December 2024, the Foreign Secretary has talked to several of his counterparts from across the region. On 6 January, the Foreign Secretary spoke to the Prime Minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, offered UK support for negotiations, and stressed the importance of securing a ceasefire to enable the safe return of Emily Damari and the three other UK-linked hostages and see an end to the war in Gaza.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the (a) Southern African Development Community and (b) African Union on the political situation in Mozambique.

The UK has discussed the political situation in Mozambique with key partners, including the Southern African Development Community and the African Union. The UK and partners continue to support the peaceful resolution of current unrest in Mozambique. Promoting political dialogue is central to our approach, as well as urging all parties to show restraint while respecting the rule of law and human rights. Lord Collins also recently emphasised the importance of de-escalation and an inclusive transition with representatives of the Mozambican government, and will discuss the situation with the Executive Secretary of SADC when visiting Botswana from 14-16 January.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government plans to appoint a Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief.

The Government will champion freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. As the Deputy Prime Minister said in Parliament on 20 November, envoy roles are under Ministerial consideration and will be decided upon in due course. We continue to use the strength of our global diplomatic network, including dedicated staff within the FCDO, to promote and protect FoRB around the world.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the humanitarian situation in Tigray.

UK assistance is helping to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Tigray and has supported over 168,000 people in accessing primary healthcare, supplied micronutrient supplements for 450,000 malnourished children and women, and provided cash transfers to over 138,000 individuals. The UK also co-led a pledging conference in April that secured $610 million from international development partners, including a £100 million contribution from the UK. We continue to monitor humanitarian need and response plans in Tigray through the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). We are also investing in improved data and evidence to enable the humanitarian community to make informed decisions on the humanitarian response.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the outcomes of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa.

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa focused on building shared resilience in the face of today's global challenges and aligned closely with the UK's Commonwealth priorities: catalysing economic growth, tackling the climate and nature crisis and creating opportunities for future generations. A package of measures to support these priorities was announced at CHOGM, including a new UK Trade Centre of Expertise and Commonwealth Investment Plan of Action, continued UK support to the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub and an improved scholarship offer to empower Commonwealth youth with skills for the future.