Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead (Labour): “To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any pressure is being put by the United Kingdom on the negotiating teams from Sudan and South Sudan to agree a transparent and independently verified new oil export arrangement.”
Lord Howell of Guildford (Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Conservative): “We continue to urge both Sudan and South Sudan to come to an agreement on oil, and regularly stress the need for accountability, inclusivity and transparency in our contacts with both Governments.
“We welcome the meeting between President Bashir and President Kiir in Khartoum on 8 and 9 October, and urge them to continue to work together on this and other issues, drawing where needed on the mediation work of President Mbeki and the African Union High Level Implementation Panel on Sudan in negotiating a settlement.”
Lord Sheikh (Conservative): “To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department for International Development’s work in South Sudan includes measures to promote tribal tolerance in that country; and if so, what are those measures.”
Baroness Northover (Whip, House of Lords; Liberal Democrat): “The UK’s development programme in South Sudan includes specific measures to promote tribal tolerance. These include a programme to support grassroots peacebuilding, which is helping to build up community-based organisations, strengthen intercommunity dialogue and community mechanisms for dispute resolution, and to establish an early warning system in four key states. In addition, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) managed South Sudan Recovery Fund, to which the UK is a core contributor, is supporting local level investments to promote peace and stability in all 10 states of South Sudan.”
Lord Sheikh (Conservative): “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the humanitarian situation in Sudan.”
Baroness Northover (Whip, House of Lords; Liberal Democrat): “We are greatly concerned at the humanitarian situation in Sudan. This is particularly acute in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile State where conflict continues and where humanitarian access is limited. Refugees displaced from Southern Kordofan into South Sudan are reported as malnourished, underlining the urgency of the need for humanitarian access after four months of no international response being permitted.
“There is also a significant ongoing humanitarian need for those displaced from Abyei and in Darfur. We are working closely with the UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations to press for greater access to those that need help the most and for the protection of civilians. In Sudan since May, we estimate that 110,000 people have been displaced from Abyei; 200,000 from Southern Kordofan; 25,000 from Blue Nile State, plus a further 25,000 out of the state to Ethiopia and a further 6,000 into South Sudan; and since January 2011 at least 70,000 in Darfur, with 1.9 million long-term displaced.
“In 2011, the UK has provided £40 million to the UN managed Common Humanitarian Fund which channels funds through UN agencies and non-governmental organisations, of which around 60 per cent will be spent in Sudan to alleviate the needs on the ground.
“We expect this to help deliver the following results: emergency shelter and non-food items to 2.4 million people;life-saving health and nutritional support to 6 million people;safe water and sanitation to 3 million people; andfood security and livelihoods support to 5.4 million people.”
Lord Sheikh (Conservative): “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they plan to give to the new Government of South Sudan in creating stability in the country.”
Lord Howell of Guildford (Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Conservative): “The UK is providing over £90 million a year for the next four years to help the people of South Sudan. This funding will support international efforts to promote peace and stability in South Sudan. Specifically, our assistance will help: build more accountable, inclusive and transparent government; deliver basic services (such as education, clean water and healthcare); support economic growth; provide humanitarian relief; and improve security and access to justice.
“An important part of stability in South Sudan will be good relations with the wider region and in particular with Sudan. The UK remains committed to supporting the development of two economically viable and peaceful states, underpinned by good governance and respect for human rights with humanitarian access. We continue to urge both Sudan and South Sudan to find a way to resolve their remaining areas of difference, particularly on oil, citizenship and border demarcation and the status of the disputed region of Abyei. We also urge Sudan and South Sudan not to support proxy forces in each others’ territory.”
Lord Sheikh (Conservative): “To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the new South Sudanese Cabinet.”
Lord Howell of Guildford (Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Conservative): “My right honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Henry Bellingham, met Foreign Minister Nhial Deng Nhial on 24 September at the UN General Assembly.
“Our ambassador in South Sudan and the head of the Department for International Development (DflD) Juba office also regularly meet members of the newly formed cabinet of South Sudan.
“In the last month our ambassador has met President Salva Kiir; Vice-President Riek Machar; Foreign Minister Nhial Deng Nhial; and a number of other Cabinet Ministers.
“The Head of the Department for International Development Juba Office has met with Health Minister Hussein, General Education and Instruction Abango, and Agriculture Minister Ogwaro.
“As my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (William Hague) noted in his Written Ministerial Statement on 11 July 2011 (Hansard, cols. WS 44-45), we look forward to strengthening our relationship with the Republic of South Sudan and to helping it on the path towards stability, good governance and prosperity.”
Kwasi Kwarteng (Spelthorne, Conservative): “To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of (a) the political development of South Sudan and (b) the state of relations between South Sudan and Sudan.”
Henry Bellingham (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Africa and the United Nations), Foreign and Commonwealth Office; North West Norfolk, Conservative): “President Kiir appointed a new Cabinet in September. The British ambassador and Head of the Department for International Development (DFID), South Sudan hold regular meetings with South Sudanese Ministers and will continue to engage with them. The UK is also offering support through DFID to support capacity building in political institutions.
“Long-term peace between Sudan and South Sudan can only be found through negotiation. South Sudanese President Kiir and Sudanese President Bashir met in Khartoum on 9 October, where they committed to peaceful dialogue. We urge them to now deliver on this commitment and resolve their remaining areas of difference, particularly on oil, citizenship and border demarcation and the status of the disputed region of Abyei.”
Andrew Smith (Oxford East, Labour): “To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the dismissal of the elected governor of Blue Nile state in Sudan; and if he will make a statement.”
Henry Bellingham (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Africa and the United Nations), Foreign and Commonwealth Office; North West Norfolk, Conservative): “We are greatly concerned at the ongoing violence in Blue Nile state following the outbreak of fighting on 2 September, and the dismissal of its elected governor, Malik Agar, and his replacement by a Government nominee. We urge all parties to work towards a ceasefire, and to address the root causes of conflict in the area.”
Andrew Smith (Oxford East, Labour): “To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the nomination of the (a) Deputy Chief Administrator for the Abyei Area and (b) Speaker of Abyei Area Council; and if he will make a statement.”
Henry Bellingham (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Africa and the United Nations), Foreign and Commonwealth Office; North West Norfolk, Conservative): “We continue to encourage the Government of Sudan and the Government of South Sudan to reach an agreement quickly on arrangements for the administration of Abyei, in line with the Abyei Interim Agreement of 20 June.”
Andrew Smith (Oxford East, Labour): “To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on parties that missed the deadline for withdrawal of forces from the Abyei Area.”
Henry Bellingham (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Africa and the United Nations), Foreign and Commonwealth Office; North West Norfolk, Conservative): “We are deeply concerned that the Sudanese armed forces and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army have not yet withdrawn from the Abyei area despite the presence of the UN Interim Security Force in Abyei. This contravenes the arrangements set out in the Abyei Interim Agreement of 20 June and of UN Security Council Resolution 1990. We call on both sides to withdraw fully their troops immediately, and for full humanitarian access to be granted.”
Andrew Smith (Oxford East, Labour): “To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received reports from the Force Commander of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei on the withdrawal of Sudanese People’s Liberation Army forces from the Abyei area.”
Henry Bellingham (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Africa and the United Nations), Foreign and Commonwealth Office; North West Norfolk, Conservative): “UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous said in his briefing on the deployment of the UN Interim Security Force in Abyei to the UN Security Council on 6 October that neither the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army nor the Sudanese armed forces had withdrawn from Abyei.
“We continue to make clear to both parties, including through the UN Security Council, that both sides should fully withdraw immediately and allow full humanitarian access to the area.”
