Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has discussed term limits for governing and elected officials in Sudan with (a) military leaders and (b) civilian members of the (i) sovereign council and (ii) legislative council and (c) Ministers of that country.

​The UK welcomes the Constitutional Declaration signed on 17 August which sets out the plan for Sudan's transition to civilian-led government. We are engaging with the Sovereign Council and newly appointed Prime Minister to support reform and change in Sudan. On 11 September, our Ambassador in Khartoum met with Prime Minister Hamdok to discuss how the UK can provide practical support to the Prime Minister's priorities of establishing peace across Sudan and reforming the economy. We look forward to working with the Cabinet, including the new Foreign Minister Asma Mohamed Abdalla. Our Ambassador in Khartoum has also met with a number of civilian members of Sudan's Sovereign Council, including Mohamed Hasan al Ta'yushi on 2 September and Aisha Musa on 22 September, to discuss a range of issues such as the importance of civilian roles in democracy. As part of the agreed process of transition to civilian rule set out in the Constitutional Declaration the Sovereign Council acts in lieu of a head of state during the 39 month transition period. The UK does not take a view on term limits of governing and elected officials in Sudan, but we do support the establishment of proper democratic processes in line with the agreed Constitutional Declaration.