(2) which non-governmental organisations the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Conflict Resolution Mechanisms has met since February 2009; and what issues were raised in each meeting;
(3) on which dates since February 2009 the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Conflict Resolution Mechanisms has visited (a) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (b) 10 Downing Street; and what the purpose of each visit was;
(4) what representations of each type the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Conflict Resolution Mechanisms has received as part of his dialogue with (a) the United Nations, (b) the EU, (c) the African Union and (d) others; and on which dates each such representation was received;
(5) when the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Conflict Resolution Mechanisms last reported to the Prime Minister; and what issues were discussed.
The right hon. Jack McConnell MSP, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Conflict Resolution Mechanisms, was appointed in October 2008 and reports to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs, Defence and International Development. He has made a valuable contribution to advancing the UK’s peacebuilding objectives. He has in particular engaged with the UN Secretariat and key stakeholders around the world to press for an ambitious UN Secretary-General report on peacebuilding in the immediate aftermath of conflict.
Mr. McConnell’s expenses are funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Department for International Development (DfID) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Travel and approximate costs of visits since February 2009 are as follows:
In Bosnia (February 2009) he met representatives of the EC Delegation and the International Commission for Missing Persons—£1,500.
In Ethiopia (February 2009) Mr. McConnell met with representatives of the African Union; Africa Commission; UN Economic Commission for Africa, Institute for Security Studies; Centre for Policy Research and Dialogue; Ethiopian Institute for Peace and Development—£3,000.
In Uganda (March 2009) he met representatives of various UN agencies—£2,100.
In the USA (April 2009) he met representatives of the International Monetary Fund; World Bank and the UN—£5,900.
In Egypt (May 2009) he met representatives of the UN; Africa Society and International Crisis Group—£4,000.
In Japan (May 2009) he met representatives of the Japan International Co-operation Agency; Peace Winds; Nature Japan; The Japan Foundation; the Association for Aid and Relief; the Japan Centre for Conflict Prevention; the Graduate Institute for Policy Studies—£4,600.
In the USA (June 2009) he visited the Stanley Foundation Retreat—£1,700.
In Brazil (July 2009) he met representatives of Mendes University; Viva Rio; GAPCon; Brazilian Youth Council; University of Brasilia—£8,650.
Mr. McConnell travelled to West Africa in August 2009. In Liberia he met representatives of the UN Development Programme; Committee on Peace and Reconciliation. In Sierra Leone he met representatives of the Gola Forest Programme and G&G Manager Exploration. In Ghana he visited the Kofi Annan Centre for Peacekeeping and met representatives of the Legon Centre for International Affairs—whole visit £5,000.
In Chile (September 2009) he attended a meeting of the UN Peacebuilding Commission—£3,540.
Mr. McConnell travelled to Belgium (October 2009) and met with a range of EU interlocutors from the Presidency, Commission and Council Secretariat on EU/UN relations, civilian capability development, and EU civilian/military cooperation—£1,130.
Mr. McConnell visited East Africa (Rwanda, Burundi and Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo) (October 2009). In Burundi he met representatives of International Alert, Kamenge Youth Project, EU members and the UN Integrated Office (BINUB). In Rwanda he visited the Motobo Camp, met with members of the UN and representatives of the Clinton Hunter Development Initiative, Search for Common Ground and the Mines Advisory Group. In the DRC he met representatives of the UN, the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, International Committee of the Red Cross and Oxfam. This visit has only just been completed and the final cost is not yet available.
Whilst in London Mr. McConnell has met with representatives from the World Child Cancer Foundation and Pumpaid.
Some of Mr. McConnell’s time is spent in London to meet or receive briefings from senior FCO, DfID and MOD officials and to see London-based experts on conflict.
Mr. McConnell has recently met the Prime Minister, and visited the Foreign and Commonwealth office on 1 February 2009, 15 February 2009, 3 March 2009, 5 March 2009, 9 March 2009, 23 March 2009, 9 April 2009, 19 April 2009, 11 May 2009, 9 June 2009, 28 June 2009, 7 July 2009, 18 August 2009, 10 September 2009, 12 October 2009, and 26 October 2009.