Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to help end the conflict in South Sudan.

The UK is strongly encouraging all sides to engage constructively with the High Level Revitalisation Forum, and we call on all parties to reconvene as soon as possible, without preconditions, to address the security and governance issues that are essential for peace. The UK Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan was in the region to participate in both the first and second rounds of the High Level Revitalisation Forum.

The UK played a leading role in securing EU sanctions against three South Sudanese leaders in February, and we stand ready to support the efforts of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development to ensure the consequences for those who spoil the peace process are clearly set out and effectively implemented.