Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support de-escalation of recent violence in Blue Nile State of Sudan.

The recent violence in the Blue Nile State is troubling and my thoughts are with those affected. We urge all parties to avoid escalation and engage in dialogue to prevent further conflict; a message our Ambassador to Sudan delivered publicly on 18 July. The UK is providing humanitarian support to those affected through our partners, including the multi-donor Sudan Humanitarian Fund. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and press Sudanese authorities to deliver their obligation to protect civilians.