Rushanara Ali MP, Shadow Minister for International Development, joined MPs and Peers of all parties in the Palace of Westminster for the launch of a major new campaign by 100 of Britain’s leading development charities and faith groups.

Following the Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, Ivan Lewis MP’s visit to Burma, Rushanara Ali MP, has urged the UK Government to take further steps towards ending violence in Burma. 

Following news of the horrifying outbreak of violence and conflict in Gaza, Rushanara Ali, MP for Bethnal Green and Bow said “I am gravely concerned about the current situation in Gaza and southern Israel and horrified by the news that over 90 Palestinians and three Israelis have died since Operation Pillar of Defence began. Action is urgently needed to put an end to the violence on all sides and prevent this crisis from escalating further. I strongly condemn both the continuing Israeli air strikes and the rocket attacks into southern Israel. I urge the Israeli authorities to act in accordance with international law and to immediately cease taking action that exacerbates the conflict and puts further civilian lives at risk.

Shadow Minister for International Development, Rushanara Ali MP, chaired an urgent press conference with Labour MPs, Peers and representatives from campaign groups, to discuss how the international community can apply pressure on the Burmese authorities to address the plight of the Rohingya and facilitate immediate humanitarian access to affected areas.

Following news in the last week that violence has once more broken out in Rakhine State in Burma, Shadow Minister for International Development Rushanara Ali MP said “Just last week violence broke out again in Rakhine State in Burma following weeks of violence in June that saw at least 100,000 people displaced. Unlike last time however, the Burmese Government has asked for help and the British Government must step up to answer that need.

On her return from a visit to East Africa to see the projects the organisation have been carrying out in the region since the start of its operations in Kenya in 1993, at the launch of a new report from Islamic Relief on disaster risk reduction in the developing world, Shadow International Development Minister and Bethnal Green and Bow MP, Rushanara Ali said: “I am grateful to Islamic Relief for giving me the unique opportunity to witness firsthand the work that is being done in places like East Africa to tackle the effects of climate change.  The famine last year in East Africa, caused by one of the worst droughts in at least 25 years, saw 13 million people left in need of food, water and emergency healthcare.  Hundreds of thousands fled Somalia due to the drought and conflict.

Rushanara Ali MP, Shadow Minister for International Development, has spoken in a Westminster Hall debate to call for an end to the violence and discrimination against the Rohingya community in Burma.

On 23rd February, the UK Government will host a conference on Somalia to pull together international effort to address the conflict and humanitarian challenges facing Somalia. Senior representatives from over 40 governments and multi-lateral organisations will come together in London with the aim of delivering a new international approach to Somalia. 

Following news today that Al-Shabaab have banned aid organisations from Somalia, Rushanara Ali MP, Shadow International Development Minister and Vice-Chair of Somali Friends of Labour, said “reports today of rebels seizing and looting the offices of some UN and international aid agencies working in Somalia to alleviate the consequences of a severe drought, are incredibly concerning and open up the possibility of the crisis in Somalia turning into a full-blown disaster.  With 4 million people in desperate need of help in Somalia and a quarter of a million people in imminent danger of starvation, too many of them children, Al-Shabaab must allow aid organisations to deliver desperately needed aid and guarantee the safety of their staff and offices.  The people of Somalia have already had to suffer through a civil war, the drought and famine - what they need now is for the international community to provide them with the support they need and to work hard to find a solution to the ongoing conflict.”

Rushanara Ali MP was honoured by Devex as one of the top 40 under 40 International Development leaders in London.