Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of steps to be taken with international partners to stabilise the conflict in Abyei, Sudan, through (1) civil society, and (2) the United Nations.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 20 November, the UK released a statement with our Troika (US and Norway) partners to urge all those in a position to influence the communities involved to take all appropriate steps to prevent further escalation and push for an end to the violence. The UK have also echoed the UN Secretary-General's encouragement for the African Union to intensify its mediation efforts to help reach a political solution for Abyei. We continue to urge both the Governments of South Sudan and the de facto authorities in Sudan to regularise meetings of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee and agree joint security mechanisms to improve stability in Abyei until its final status can be agreed. We are in regular contact with partners operating in Abyei, and are engaging with the UN system, including supporting the mandate renewal of the United Nations Interim Security Forces in Abyei (UNSIFA) in early November. We have expressed alarm in the UN Security Council about the ongoing positioning of the South Sudanese People's Defence Forces in southern Abyei and have called upon the Government of South Sudan to immediately withdraw its troops in line with its commitments under the 2011 Status of Forces Agreement.
Asked by: Robert Buckland (Conservative - South Swindon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to respond to the security situation in West Darfur.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We condemn in the strongest terms the growing body of evidence of serious atrocities being committed against civilians in Darfur. The UK is working with a range of partners, including Quad (Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates (UAE), US, UK), African and European countries, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the African Union and the UN to end hostilities, allow unfettered humanitarian access and ensure the protection of civilians. On 17 November, the UK alongside its Troika partners (Norway and US) published a joint statement, condemning the reported mass killings in West, Central and South Darfur and urging both warring parties to deescalate and engage in meaningful discussions that could lead to a ceasefire and humanitarian access. The UK, alongside Germany, US and Norway, also initiated the new resolution to establish an independent Fact-Finding mission for Sudan, which the UN Human Rights Council adopted in October.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce poverty in South Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
In the 2023/24 financial year, the UK committed £28.1 million of humanitarian aid to displaced people in South Sudan. In 2022/23, our UK Government funding provided emergency food aid for an estimated 193,106 people and daily water and sanitation provision for 83,311 people. We also fund crucial education and health programmes that deliver services to the most vulnerable.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how many officials from his Department are stationed in South Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
There are currently 24 FCDO UK based staff stationed in South Sudan.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department plans to take steps with the US and Norway to undertake election monitoring in South Sudan before the South Sudanese elections in December 2024.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK, and Troika (US, UK and Norway) have been engaged in South Sudan's peace process since the signing of the revitalised peace agreement in 2018. We collectively urge the Government of South Sudan to implement the terms of the Agreement, including free and fair elections. Our Joint Troika Statement on Sudan and South Sudan on 27 June emphasised the urgent need for the Government of South Sudan to make enough progress to allow elections to happen. The UK also funds the placement of technical experts in both the ceasefire and peace agreement implementation monitoring mechanisms, which play an important part in South Sudan's Peace Agreement and help hold the parties to their commitments.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the consequences of the civil war in Sudan for South Sudan, specifically the effect of tens of thousands of refugees arriving in Abyei; and what has been the humanitarian response of the UK to date, and through which channels.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The conflict in Sudan has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation in South Sudan, including in the Abeyi Administrative Area. On 24 May 2023, FCDO's Minister for Development and Africa announced £19 million in humanitarian aid for South Sudan this financial year. This is supporting those already in need in South Sudan, and refugees and returnees fleeing from the violence in Sudan. On 20 September, FCDO's Minister for Development and Africa met South Sudanese President Salva Kiir to discuss progress on implementation of South Sudan's Peace Agreement. They also discussed efforts to secure peace in Sudan and our response to the growing humanitarian crisis.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to address the continuing health crises in Sudan and South Sudan, particularly given the worsening malaria outbreaks in those countries.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In Sudan, the UK continues to provide support to the health sector through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF). The UK is one of the largest donors to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, pledging £1 billion to the Global Fund over the next three years. This Fund treated 4.2 million cases of malaria in Sudan and South Sudan in 2022.To effectively tackle disease outbreaks in South Sudan, the FCDO works closely with the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team who aid investigations and coordinate information flow between the South Sudanese ministries of Health, World Health Organization and in-country partners. The UK's Health Pooled Fund, co-funded with other partners, has treated 1.6 million children in South Sudan for common childhood diseases and vaccinated over 288,000 children.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend (1) to help to restore essential health services in the conflict zones of Sudan, and (2) to support South Sudan in providing health services for refugees.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In Sudan, the UK continues to provide support to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF). In this calendar year, we have provided £3.5 million to ICRC, to support their 2023 appeal, which includes support to health facilities. In South Sudan, the UK has been a leading donor to the health sector for more than ten years, spending over £280 million. Our Health Pooled Fund programme, co-funded by partners, seeks to deliver improved health and wellbeing for the population of South Sudan. This programme supports 512 public health facilities across seven of South Sudan's ten states and around 4,000 community health workers to deliver essential health services.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent discussions has he had with his (a) regional and (b) other international counterparts on the humanitarian situation in Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is working with international partners, in support of continued African efforts - in particular African Union and Intergovernmental Authority on Development - through the UN and through the Quad (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States, UK) to bring an end to the hostilities in Sudan, ensure the protection of civilians, and secure safe and unfettered humanitarian access to and for the most at-need communities. In May, I announced that the UK would provide £21.7 million in humanitarian aid for people in need in Sudan, as well as £5 million to help meet the urgent needs of refugees and returnees fleeing the violence into South Sudan and Chad.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent steps his Department has taken to provide humanitarian support to Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is working with international partners, in support of continued African efforts - in particular African Union and Intergovernmental Authority on Development - through the UN and through the Quad (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States, UK) to bring an end to the hostilities in Sudan, ensure the protection of civilians, and secure safe and unfettered humanitarian access to and for the most at-need communities. In May, I announced that the UK would provide £21.7 million in humanitarian aid for people in need in Sudan, as well as £5 million to help meet the urgent needs of refugees and returnees fleeing the violence into South Sudan and Chad.