Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he is having with (a) civil society and (b) women's organisations in Sudan on advancing a pathway to peace.

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) officials, including our Special Representative to Sudan, regularly meet Sudanese civil society and diaspora groups. We also had extensive engagement with civil society and NGOs prior to the London Sudan Conference on 15 April. This included engagements led by Baroness Chapman who, on 9 April, spoke at a 'Women's Inclusion Roundtable' in London that was attended by Sudanese civil society and academics. The recommendations of the roundtable were used to help shape discussions at the London Sudan Conference.

In addition, the UK supports the neutral, anti-war element of the Somoud civilian coalition (formerly known as Taqaddum) with technical facilitation and logistics to help broaden its base and promote a more inclusive and unified civilian vision for Sudan. The UK will continue to champion the importance of Sudanese civilians, especially women and youth, as well as civil society, in any efforts to resolve the conflict and shape the future of Sudan.