Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps to support the establishment of an independent UN Human Rights Council mechanism to investigate human rights vio­lations and abuses com­mitted by all parties in Sudan.

The UK is leading efforts in the UN Human Rights Council to establish an independent and international Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) for Sudan. As Chair of the Core Group for Sudan, we introduced the draft resolution this session which would, if adopted, established the FFM with a mandate to establish the facts, so that those responsible can be held to account. We are making the case strongly for this resolution to be adopted at this session of the HRC, if necessary, by a vote, and we will continue to do so. In addition, the UK led strong national and joint Statements at the 12 September Interactive Dialogue on Sudan and in response to the worsening situation in Sudan. We will continue to work through the Human Rights Council to pressure the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces to end the violence.