Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-02-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what diplomatic, programme and financial support they plan to offer to the EU Horn of Africa Migration Route Initiative.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
At the Valletta Summit on Migration (11-12 November 2015), the UK helped secure an ambitious action plan to address the root causes of migration from Africa. The plan covers five key areas: addressing the root causes of migration; cooperation on legal migration; reinforced protection of displaced persons; migrant smuggling and people trafficking; and returns and readmission.
In late November 2015, the UK assumed the chair of the EU-AU Horn of Africa Migration Route Initiative (the “Khartoum Process”) and hosted its second Steering Committee in London. The meeting focused on delivering the Valletta Summit Action Plan and building on previous work under the Process. The European Commission agreed to set up a 40million Euro facility under the Valletta Trust Fund – the Better Managed Migration project – which will be spent on priority projects in the region. The UK is a member of the Better Managed Migration steering committee which will guide the implementation, monitor progress and ensure that the required technical expertise is mobilised in a timely manner. Bilaterally the UK is planning to offer support in a wide range of areas including vocational training, addressing human smuggling and trafficking and skills training for unaccompanied youths.
Across the region, the UK is the second largest bilateral donor providing humanitarian support for displaced populations. Our work includes programmes on livelihoods and sustainable incomes for those in camps and better integration with host communities. Nearly 60 per cent of humanitarian support in Africa (£302 million) and nearly 20 per cent of economic development support in Africa (£102 million) is being spent in the region.
