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10 January 2014
On Tuesday, 7th January, Baroness Cox raised a question in the House of Lords, asking Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking in response to recent developments in South Sudan. She highlighted the severity of the current situation and the scale of suffering, with over 1000 people killed and more than 200,000 displaced, now living in life-threatening conditions. She also noted her particular concern that former Vice-President Machar was delaying the negotiations and in doing so, prolonging the conflict. She urged Her Majesty’s Government to “provide all possible support for the African Union and IGAD to promote a political solution as a matter of urgency”.
Baroness Warsi responded that the UK has supported political talks between representatives of President Kiir and former Vice-President Machar, as well as providing additional humanitarian assistance, and consular support to British Nationals.
Supplementary questions came from Lord Chidgey, Lord Triesman and Lord Alton.
Lord Alton raised concerns that the continuing situation in South Sudan will exacerbate the plight of communities in the Republic of Sudan, highlighting the “real danger that these events in South Sudan will distract the world from looking at what is happing just over the border in Blue Nile, South Kordofan and Darfur, where the campaign of aerial bombardment by Khartoum goes on as we meet”.
You can read the full text of the debate here, or you can download a copy just below.
You can watch a video of the debate here (play from 15:00).