House of Commons debates “new frontline of extremism” in Africa
3 July 2014
On Thursday 3 July, at 1.30pm, Westminster Hall will debate the Foreign Affairs Committee’s recent report, The UK’s response to extremism and instability in North and West Africa.
- Parliament TV: Watch the debate
- Report: The UK's response to extremism and instability in North and West Africa
- Report: The UK's response to extremism and instability in North and West Africa (PDF 722 KB)
- Inquiry: The UK's response to extremism and instability in North and West Africa
- Foreign Affairs Committee
In the report, the Committee stated that the Western Sahel-Sahara region of Africa had become a “new frontline of violent extremism” and expressed concerns that the response of the international community so far had been sluggish and uncoordinated. The Committee called on the UK Government to step up its diplomatic and security engagement in the region, in partnership with the US and France, and to ensure that its development aid programme is better targeted at alleviating some of the root causes of instability.
Since the report’s publication in March, the terror campaign of the Nigerian extremist group Boko Haram has intensified, with the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in April causing international revulsion and outrage, and leading to the launch of the viral “Bring back our girls” campaign. But nearly three months on, the girls remain in captivity, and the violence continues; in Nigeria and elsewhere. There will be a chance to discuss this and other issues in the debate, which will be led by committee Chair Sir Richard Ottaway.