Written question asked by Chi Onwurah (Labour) on Wednesday, 22 November 2017, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 27 November 2017 (named day). It was answered by Mark Field (Conservative) on Monday, 27 November 2017 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Lake Chad Basin: Politics and Government

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the potential risk to the UK of political, ecologic, and economic destabilization in the Lake Chad Basin.

Answer: The UK is concerned about the ongoing political, ecological and economic destabilisation in the Lake Chad Basin caused by the ongoing conflict with Boko Haram. Although there is no direct threat to the UK, the current security situation remains fragile. This has resulted in an increased number of Internally Displaced Persons and refugees, further exacerbating the vulnerability of host communities already facing structural challenges such as food insecurity, under-nutrition and limited access to basic social services. Through our political, military and aid engagement, the UK is playing a leadership role in the region to help deal with these problems.

Secondary information