Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on (a) improving the security situation in South Sudan and (b) preventing violent actions by armed groups in that country.

South Sudan's best chance of a more stable and prosperous future remains in the full implementation of the 2018 Peace Agreement. However, we are concerned at the current slow pace of implementation, which is contributing to recent increases in violence and a worsening humanitarian crisis. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and member of Troika (with Norway and the US), the UK is at the forefront of international efforts to pressure South Sudan's leaders to deliver their commitment to end conflict though implementing the 2018 Agreement. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary and I discussed regional stability issues, including South Sudan, with President Kenyatta on 20 January.

The UK Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan discusses these issues regularly with international and regional partners, including President Kenyatta in January and President Museveni in December. The UK Special Representative is also engaged with ongoing talks under the 'Rome Process' aimed at encouraging the participation of non-signatories to the 2018 Agreement and reduce conflict involving these groups. In addition, we work closely with the UN peacekeeping mission and other partners in-county to bring about much needed improvements to the security situation.