Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what steps he is taking to (a) support an extension of the mandate for the Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan at the UN Human Rights Council, (b) support the (i) resourcing and (ii) access of that Mission’s mandate and (c) engage with African members of the Human Rights Council on that Mission.

The UK is proud to have led efforts in the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) last year to establish the independent and international Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan (FFM). We fully support the FFM's mandate to ensure credible allegations of human rights violations and abuses in Sudan will be investigated impartially. We are concerned about the impact of the ongoing UN liquidity crisis on its work, and accordingly will support an extension to its mandate to ensure it is given the necessary time, resources and access. We will continue to engage States, including African States who are members of the HRC, on the continued need for and importance of the FFM.