Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what losses have been sustained due to attacks on United Nations protection forces and international agencies during their withdrawal from Mali; and what effect the withdrawal has had on UK personnel and projects, including those of non-government organisations.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK condemns attacks against UN and international personnel in Mali and calls on all parties to help facilitate MINUSMA's (United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali) safe withdrawal. The final UN convoy departing Kidal suffered six IED (Improvised explosive device) incidents, injuring 37 peacekeepers. Due to deteriorating security and logistical constraints, the UN was forced to undertake accelerated withdrawals from some bases, resulting in the loss of equipment. Security in Mali has deteriorated over the past months and it is clear that the presence of Wagner Group is not in the interests of stability. The UK is working closely with partners in Mali to monitor security and adapt operations.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government which non-governmental organisations receiving aid from the UK remain in (1) Mali, (2) Niger, and (3) Burkina Faso, in spite of the withdrawal of protection forces.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to provide aid through reputable non-governmental organisations in Niger, Burkina Faso, and in Mali, despite the withdrawal of the UN peacekeeping forces there. These organisations include the Danish Refugee Council, which is working with an NGO consortia to provide humanitarian aid in all three countries; Marie Stopes International, which provides women's sexual health services in Mali and Niger, and Mercy Corps which supports local land conflict prevention in Mali and Niger. The UK also funds the International Committee of the Red Cross who deliver humanitarian and protection work across the region.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage international donors to mobilise further humanitarian funds for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Sudan.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is working with the UN, other donors and humanitarian agencies to coordinate the effective delivery of aid to Sudan, including to support the many people who have been displaced by the conflict. At the Sudan Pledging Event on 19 June, a total of $1.52 billion was pledged to fund life-saving relief efforts in Sudan and the region. In November, the UK announced £14.3 million in humanitarian aid for Sudan, bringing our total support to £36 million for 2023-2024. We continue to work with international partners, such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to press the parties to allow unfettered humanitarian access, and for the provision of continued support for the Sudanese people.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of (1) internally displaced people in, and (2) the number of refugees from, Sudan and South Sudan.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since 15 April, over 1.4 million people are estimated to have fled Sudan to neighbouring countries since fighting broke out, 338,374 people have fled to Egypt; 550,407 to Chad; 413,516 to South Sudan; 93,310 to Ethiopia; 25,428 to The Central African Republic (CAR). According to the International Organisation for Migration, there are 2.2 million internally displaced persons in South Sudan, and more than 2.3 million South Sudanese are refugees in neighbouring countries in the East African region. The UK is monitoring the situation in Sudan and South Sudan closely, including the humanitarian and security impacts of the conflict on Sudan's neighbouring countries.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the UK's response to acute humanitarian needs in Sudan and South Sudan.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK's top humanitarian priority in Sudan is to secure humanitarian access and operational security guarantees for humanitarian agencies. In November, we announced £14.3 million in humanitarian aid for Sudan, bringing our total support to £36 million for 2023-2024. This year, the UK has also committed £28.1 million of humanitarian aid to South Sudan, including £2.25 million to help meet the urgent needs of refugees and returnees there, who have fled the violence in Sudan. UK support is being delivered through the UN and other trusted partners and includes crucial food security and nutrition assistance, safe drinking water, medical care, shelter, and protection services including for those affected by Gender Based Violence (GBV).
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of steps to be taken with international partners to stabilise the conflict in Abyei, Sudan, through (1) civil society, and (2) the United Nations.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 20 November, the UK released a statement with our Troika (US and Norway) partners to urge all those in a position to influence the communities involved to take all appropriate steps to prevent further escalation and push for an end to the violence. The UK have also echoed the UN Secretary-General's encouragement for the African Union to intensify its mediation efforts to help reach a political solution for Abyei. We continue to urge both the Governments of South Sudan and the de facto authorities in Sudan to regularise meetings of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee and agree joint security mechanisms to improve stability in Abyei until its final status can be agreed. We are in regular contact with partners operating in Abyei, and are engaging with the UN system, including supporting the mandate renewal of the United Nations Interim Security Forces in Abyei (UNSIFA) in early November. We have expressed alarm in the UN Security Council about the ongoing positioning of the South Sudanese People's Defence Forces in southern Abyei and have called upon the Government of South Sudan to immediately withdraw its troops in line with its commitments under the 2011 Status of Forces Agreement.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have calculated, or estimated on a daily or weekly basis, the numbers of United Nations and non-government aid workers, both local and expatriate, who have been killed in Gaza during the past month during their routine humanitarian work.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We recognise the difficulty for organisations like the UN to accurately verify numbers. We are aware that there have been significant casualties, including humanitarian workers. The UK position is clear: all sides must abide by their international obligations; all sides must respect International Humanitarian Law and all side must respect civilians. Both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have, in their discussions with their Israeli counterparts, emphasised the importance of taking all possible measures to protect civilians.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the consequences of the civil war in Sudan for South Sudan, specifically the effect of tens of thousands of refugees arriving in Abyei; and what has been the humanitarian response of the UK to date, and through which channels.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The conflict in Sudan has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation in South Sudan, including in the Abeyi Administrative Area. On 24 May 2023, FCDO's Minister for Development and Africa announced £19 million in humanitarian aid for South Sudan this financial year. This is supporting those already in need in South Sudan, and refugees and returnees fleeing from the violence in Sudan. On 20 September, FCDO's Minister for Development and Africa met South Sudanese President Salva Kiir to discuss progress on implementation of South Sudan's Peace Agreement. They also discussed efforts to secure peace in Sudan and our response to the growing humanitarian crisis.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to support or promote the church's peace and reconciliation efforts in South Sudan following the ecumenical visit with Pope Francis in February.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK endorses the messages of the Pope, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Moderator of the Church of Scotland during their historic visit to Juba in February 2023. The Government of South Sudan (GoSS) must stop violence, end corruption, and deliver justice and services for their people. The Minister of State for Development and Africa [Andrew Mitchell] met with the Archbishop of Canterbury in April 2023 to discuss the Church's role in promoting peace and tackling poverty in South Sudan. On Friday 22 September, I met with the Archbishop of Canterbury, alongside the Troika and guarantors of South Sudan's Peace Agreement. Despite a lack of political will from the GoSS, international and regional efforts for peace must be sustained - corruption needs to be tackled and civil society must be empowered.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support civic education programmes delivered through non-governmental organisations and churches in South Sudan in the lead up to the 2024 elections in South Sudan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK supports free and fair elections as a critical component of South Sudan's 2018 Peace Agreement. We regularly engage with the Government of South Sudan on the importance of political and civic space, as well as media freedom, to ensure that the voices of the South Sudanese people are consistently heard, including those who hold opposing views. Previously, the UK has supported local civil society organisation Community Empowerment for Progress Organisation (CEPO) to monitor ceasefire violations at the local level, as well as the Association for Media and Development in South Sudan (AMDISS) and Female Journalists Network (FJN) to strengthen media freedom, counter misinformation and promote the inclusion of women in the provision of accurate and reliable journalism.