HC Deb 01 November 2001 vol 373 cc813-4W
Mr. Sarwar

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Sierra Leone. [10750]

Mr. Bradshaw

The Government's strategy towards Sierra Leone was set out in the Foreign Secretary's statement to the House on 6 June 2000. That strategy remains valid. Our objective is to ensure that the people of Sierra Leone are offered a realistic prospect of peace and stability.

Since the intervention of UK forces in May 2000 we have made good progress in helping the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations restore peace. There has been an effective ceasefire in place since May 2001. Some 20,000 combatants have now entered the disarmament process. The Revolutionary United Front has committed itself to a political agenda. Training by UK forces has transformed the Sierra Leone Army into a more effective and accountable force, but a significant challenge remains. We are now working hard with the United Nations and international partners to consolidate the peace, prepare the ground for free and fair elections in May 2002, and mobilise resources to rehabilitate Sierra Leone's shattered communities, institutions and economy.