As chairman of the all-party parliamentary group for the Philippines, may I ask my right hon. Friend to join me in congratulating President Rodrigo Duterte on his victory, wishing him well, and finding a mutually convenient time to meet him?

Our Ambassador to Haiti and her Embassy team regularly consult the UN, US, Canada and other EU member states with the aim of helping the Haitian authorities to conclude the Presidential election process. The issue is also being discussed by the UN Security Council.

The postponement of the second round of the Presidential elections in Haiti is regrettable and given the uncertainty about what happens once President Martelly's mandate comes to an end on 7th February. The international community is pressing the Haitian authorities to set a date for the postponed second round of the Presidential elections as soon as possible. Our Embassy in Port-au-Prince continues to monitor the situation closely.

We reiterate our support for the EU Election Observer Mission's view that the first round of the Presidential elections was credible and that a second round with the top two candidates should have taken place. It is therefore important that all sides work together to agree a date for the second round as soon as possible.

It is no secret that we have long hoped for a more mature bilateral relationship with whomever succeeded the Kirchner administration.

There are undoubted economic benefits for both of our countries, if President Macri can help Argentina to overcome years of mismanagement.

But let me assure this House that our position on the Falklands will not change.

Officials at the UK Mission to the UN regularly discuss Haiti with international partners and the Secretary General’s Special Representative on Haiti. In addition, our (non-resident) Ambassador to Haiti and our (resident) Chargé d'affaires have met the European Observer Mission (EOM) to the Haitian presidential elections, as well as observer teams from the OAS and ParlAmerica, on several occasions to discuss their findings. While some irregularities did take place and are being investigated, none of the official observer groups has substantiated specific claims of fraud, or called the results of the election into question. The EOM's analysis has been shared with the Haitian Prime Minister, Evans Paul and relevant Ministries in Haiti. It was also shared with the Commission d’Evaluation Electorale (Electoral Review Commission, ERC). While the Commission’s report also pointed to some irregularities they concluded that the Presidential runoff should take place.

Our (non-resident) Ambassador to Haiti and (resident) Chargé d'affaires regularly meet the European Observer Mission (EOM) to the recent Haitian elections, as well as observer teams from the Organization of American States (OAS) and ParlAmerica. While irregularities did take place, and are being investigated, none of the official observer groups has substantiated specific claims of fraud, or called the results of the election into question. The UK shares this assessment.

I refer the hon. Member to my Written Ministerial Statement titled, Update on Elections in Burma, of 20 November.

It is for the people of Burma, and their political representatives, to decide whether they are satisfied with the outcome of the elections. Preliminary reports from international observers, including the EU, note that while there were shortcomings, the elections in Burma on 8 November were largely peaceful, orderly and well-run. Although the final results have not yet been officially announced, the National League for Democracy has already achieved enough votes to have won a mandate to form the next government, and the government has said it will accept the result. The UK stands ready to support the people of Burma, including those who were unable to vote, as the country moves to the next stage of its transition.

The United Kingdom lobbied the EU to deploy an Election Observation Mission to Burma and we welcomed their deployment of a 136-person mission. The presence of international observers, including from the EU, was a key part of the United Kingdom’s strategy for deterring fraud in Burma’s elections on 8 November.

As my honourable Friend will know, Argentina held an inconclusive first round of Presidential elections last month. A second round is due to take place on 22 November.

I have consistently raised both human rights and elections in bilateral meetings I have held with the Burmese government in 2015. I raised both issues with the Burmese authorities during my most recent visit to the country in July, and reiterated these points when I met the Burmese Foreign Minister, Wunna Maung Lwin, in September in New York. I also regularly raise these issues in public, as I did during the adjournment debate on Burma on 22 October, and in multilateral fora, such as at the UN Secretary General’s Burma Partnership Group on 29 September.

We are following developments in the appointment of new judges to the Mexican Supreme Court closely, and note the commentary on the need for well qualified, independent candidates to be put forward to the Senate.

None. Burma’s Union Election Commission consulted the main political parties on 13 October over the possibility of a postponement to the 8 November general election because of flooding, but decided against such a postponement shortly thereafter.

The 2015 parliamentary elections will be a watershed for Burma’s transition to democracy. They have the prospect to be the first legitimate elections since 1960. We have made clear to the Burmese government that we want to see inclusive and credible elections, underpinned by freedom of expression and a respect for human rights. The UK is taking steps to support the integrity of the electoral process. The Department for International Development has allocated around £25m over five years to strengthen democratic governance, including support to the elections. UK funding will support the provision of technical advice to the Burmese election commission, voter education and monitoring and observation of the electoral process.

Dialogue between the key political actors will be critical to ensuring a successful outcome to the election. We encourage all of the main parties to maintain regular discussions in advance of the vote, to ensure a smooth process and a smooth succession to whatever government emerges in the next Parliament.

The Sri Lankan Presidential Election was generally peaceful and well-managed with a high voter turnout. We commend Sri Lanka’s Election Commission for its conduct of the election, and all Sri Lanka’s political parties and people for accepting the final result and committing to the peaceful transfer of power. The result on the day reflected the will of the Sri Lankan people.

However, we also note the view of Commonwealth Observers that an inadequate electoral and legal framework coupled with an unequal pre-electoral environment, meant the election contest fell short of key benchmarks for democratic elections. We hope that this is something Sri Lanka will now address, with the support of the international community.

We are encouraging the new government to engage with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, including over the UN Human Rights Council resolution agreed in March 2014. This is consistent with the Prime Minister's, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), statement after the elections that the UK “encourages President Sirisena to support the ongoing UN Office of the High Commission for Human rights investigation into human rights abuses so that the issues of the past can be addressed and the country can move forward to a brighter, peaceful future where all Sri Lankan’s can play a role.”

Presidential and gubernatorial Elections are due to take place in Nigeria on 14 and 28 February. We continue to call on all leaders and political parties to use their influence to ensure that elections are credible, transparent and free from violence. Approximately 50 personnel from the UK Missions in Abuja and Lagos also plan to observe in 14 States, including the Abuja Federal Capital Territory, for election polls on both 14 and 28 February. We are also planning to contribute 6 Local Short Term Observers to the European Union Election Observation Mission.

We have welcomed the election of President Sirisena and his early commitments to good governance, to restoring the independence of the police and judiciary, to respecting the freedom of the media, and to protecting the rights and freedoms of all religions in Sri Lanka. We hope that the new Government will honour those commitments.