Central African Republic

House of Lords written question – answered at on 30 January 2014.

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Photo of Lord Boateng Lord Boateng Labour

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the contribution made by disaffection and unemployment amongst young people in the Central African Republic in the outbreak of religious and sectarian violence in that country.

Photo of Baroness Warsi Baroness Warsi Senior Minister of State (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) (Jointly with the Department for Communities and Local Government), Senior Minister of State (Department for Communities and Local Government) (Faith and Communities) (also in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office)

In my meeting on 27 January 2014 with Archbishop Dieudonne Nzapalainga and Imam Omar Kabine Layama from the Central African Republic (CAR) I was told that, until recently, CAR had a long history of religious tolerance and that the violence in the country should not be seen as a fight between faiths but rather borne out of years of neglect, marginalisation and fear. I reassured them that the UK will maintain its commitment to support the people of CAR to live side-by-side once more. UK efforts so far have included the provision of £15 million bilateral humanitarian aid to CAR, and £2 million to the African Union to cover some of Africa-led International Support Mission to CAR’s (MISCA) basic costs, including food, fuel and water.

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