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Minister for International Development talks UK challenges in the Middle East

3 March 2017

The International Relations Committee takes evidence from the Secretary of State for International Development and the Department's Deputy Director for Middle East and North Africa.

Witnesses

Wednesday 8 March, Committee Room 4, Palace of Westminster

At 10.30am

  • Rory Stewart MP, Minister of State for International Development, Department for International Development
  • Matthew Wyatt, Deputy Director for Middle East and North Africa, Department for International Development

Possible questions

  • At a time of limited resource and in 'a region of bad options' what, in your view, should be the UK's key strategic aims in the Middle East and North Africa?
  • What is the UK's added value in the region?
  • How should the UK balance the pressing need for more security versus a more sustainable but politically challenging path that could lead to greater uncertainty in the region?
  • What can the UK do to protect moderate political reform, such as that seen in Tunisia?
  • A major theme of the evidence has been the rise of non-state actors – particularly those with negative behaviours and aspirations; how do you think this can be managed?
  • Beyond negative groups there are a myriad of non-state and regional actors throughout the region. How does DfID engage with these beyond the State?
  • What challenges and opportunities do these new actors and structures of (in)formal and local governance pose for DfID programmes and engagement in the region?

Further information

Image: DfID