Asked by: Lord Bishop of Salisbury (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of efforts to reduce maternal and under-five mortality rates in South Sudan; and what plans they have, if any, to reduce the level of funding provision to the South Sudan Health Pooled Fund.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK-led Health Pooled Fund is supporting activities in South Sudan that are recognised globally as important contributors to reducing maternal and under five mortality rates. As announced last year, the impact of the global pandemic on the UK economy has forced us to take the tough but necessary decision to temporarily reduce how much we spend on Official Development Assistance. The FCDO is reviewing all individual country allocations as part of the Country Business Planning process, including specific implications for all spend in South Sudan and therefore the Health Pooled Fund. These will be communicated to Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Salisbury (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the progress of the peace process in South Sudan, and (2) the contribution made by the South Sudan Council of Churches’ Action Plan for Peace to that process.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The full and inclusive implementation of the 2018 Peace Agreement is a priority for the UK as the best chance for a more stable and prosperous future for the people of South Sudan. We welcome recent progress, including commitment to proceed with transitional justice mechanisms and the formation of regional governance structures. Overall implementation is however slow, with continued delays to tasks such as the unification of armed forces and the appointment of a transitional national legislature contributing to increased levels of violence and a worsening humanitarian situation. Civil Society and faith organisations have an important role in supporting progress on the peace process. This includes work by the South Sudan Council of Churches' under their Action Plan for Peace, which has promoted advocacy, peace and reconciliation, and provided a neutral forum to support dialogue between communities at a national and local level.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Salisbury (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the reduction in overseas aid, in particular the funding provided through the Conflict Security and Stability Fund, on (1) the peace process in South Sudan, and (2) the contribution made by the South Sudan Council of Churches’ Action Plan for Peace to that process.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As announced to Parliament last year, the impact of the global pandemic on the UK economy has forced us to take the tough, but necessary decision to temporarily reduce the Official Development Assistance budget. This includes the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, which will continue to support the delivery of the Government's top national security priorities. The FCDO is reviewing all individual country allocations as part of the Country Business Planning process, including specific implications for all spend in South Sudan. These will be communicated to Parliament in due course. The UK is steadfast in our commitment to supporting victims of conflict worldwide. We will continue our engagement with organisations such as the South Sudan Council of Churches to deliver shared goals on promoting reconciliation, healing and bringing a lasting end to the conflict. In particular, we will continue to press for full, inclusive implementation of the 2018 Peace Agreement, which remains South Sudan's best chance for long-term peace and stability.