Written question asked by Chris Mullin (Labour) on Wednesday, 3 February 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 5 February 2010. It was answered by Ivan Lewis (Labour) on Monday, 8 February 2010 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Ivory Coast: Hazardous Substances

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Cote d'Ivoire on the disbursement of the compensation paid by Trafigura in respect of the toxic waste dumped by that company; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: We have made clear to Ivorian Government officials the importance we attach to the claimants receiving the compensation due to them. We welcome both the decision, on 28 January 2010, by the President of the Supreme Court in Abidjan to grant a stay on the transfer of the compensation monies and President Gbagbo's personal interest in this case.Although we cannot interfere in the Ivorian Court process, Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials in Accra and Abidjan continue to monitor the case and stress the importance that the victims/claimants receive the monies that are due to them at every available opportunity.

Secondary information