Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of refugees from Burundi on neighbouring countries; what discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) Uganda, (b) Tanzania, (c) Rwanda and (d) the Democratic Republic of Congo on the humanitarian situation related to refugees from Burundi; and if he will make a statement.

James Duddridge

The UK is very concerned about the ongoing political and human rights crisis in Burundi, and the flow of refugees to neighbouring countries. Over 257,000 Burundians have become refugees since April 2015. The UK’s humanitarian response has concentrated on the region, particularly in Tanzania and Rwanda, for which we have provided £21.15 million since April 2015. We are also supporting refugees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda through existing programmes and the provision of technical advice. In December 2015 I visited Uganda and Rwanda where I highlighted the deteriorating situation and urged regional players to take concrete steps to find a solution. My Hon. Friend and the Department for International Development Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Nick Hurd MP visited Nyarugusu refugee camp in western Tanzania in March, and met with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and donor partners. He continues to raise the plight of Burundian refugees with influential regional partners, including during his recent visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and with interested parties, including the Archbishop of Canterbury and David Miliband of the International Rescue Committee. Whilst there are no plans to make a statement at this stage, we will continue monitoring the political and human rights situation in Burundi.