Sudan

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What steps are being taken by the UK Government to ensure that all British nationals currently in Sudan can be brought home safely?

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What assessment has the Foreign Office made of the role that Wagner Group mercenaries have played in this conflict?

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What assurances can the Government provide that British nationals will be treated humanely by all parties involved in this conflict?

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I thank the Minister for advance sight of his statement and for keeping me informed over the weekend. The shadow Foreign Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tottenham (Mr Lammy), is returning from Kenya this evening; he continues to discuss developments with African leaders there... (Full Question Provided)

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I echo the thanks that have been expressed to the staff from the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence who evacuated our diplomats and their families. The central tenet of the contract between British nationals and their Government, or indeed the nation state, is trust, and at this point trust is being stretched: trust that we will evacuate those people and convey them to a place of safety when they are in need... (Full Question Provided)

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Questions the Government's slow response to evacuating citizens from Sudan, citing other countries' quicker actions. Asks about the cause of this inertia, whether there is a tension between Foreign Office and MOD, and if risk assessments factored in food, water, sanitation, and violence.

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Welcomes the statement and evacuations but emphasises need for extending care to all UK citizens in Sudan, including Rita Abdel-Raman. Suggests using elite forces to create a land corridor to Port Sudan for evacuation.

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Congratulates the armed forces and diplomats, asks about the number of British citizens in Sudan (2000 vs 4000), and requests clear communication channels for MPs to assist their constituents.

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Compliments FCDO, MOD, and armed forces for their efforts. Discusses RSF's role in starting violence and its links with Wagner. Questions if food is reaching Khartoum.

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Inquires about the status of rumours regarding Royal Navy heading to Port Sudan for evacuation purposes. Asks how Jennifer McLellan's family will be evacuated.

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Questions the decision-making process for evacuating staff vs protecting citizens. Asks for more specific numbers of dual nationals, mono nationals, and those who wish to stay in Sudan.

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May I associate myself with the comments made by the Minister and the shadow Minister about the professionalism and bravery of those members of our armed forces who have been involved with this operation? I know from my own time at PJHQ that non-combatant evacuation operations can be particularly complex, so well done to everybody who has been involved. As we have heard from the Minister, the situation on the ground is that 2,000 British nationals are registered with the FCDO, potentially out of a total of 4,000. Given that Sudanese telecommunications are collapsing, can the Minister set out a bit more about what his Department is doing to explore contact with those British nationals who do not have access to either a reliable phone signal or the internet?

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I, too, congratulate our armed forces on their success thus far. At a more strategic level, given that the removal of Bashir was key to stemming the threat of Islamist extremism in the region, what conversations has my right hon. Friend had with colleagues in like-minded countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to ensure that whatever the political outcome is in Sudan, it does not rekindle the threat of Islamist extremism, which would have an impact on regional security and, potentially, our own?

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When the Minister came to the House last week, I asked him what reassurance he could give to those Sudanese nationals who are already here in the UK. This morning, I got an email from my constituent, Mohamed, who applied for asylum 16 months ago because he was being persecuted in Sudan. He is still waiting for some kind of decision from the Home Office, so can the Minister speak to his colleagues to offer some reassurance to those who have sought sanctuary here that they will not be returned to a country in conflict?

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May I add my thanks to all those involved in this crisis? Last week, I thought that the Minister rather swerved my question when I asked how much the overseas development assistance budget had been reduced in Sudan, so I looked online and saw that, starting at the beginning of the 2021-22 financial year, it had virtually disappeared. Does the Minister, who was in the same Lobby as me when we voted on 0.7%, continue to believe that spending in these fragile and conflict-afflicted countries is a really powerful way of preventing conflict across the region?

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May I, on behalf of the Democratic Unionists, commend our armed forces for their significant efforts in what is a most challenging and complex situation? I invite the Minister to recognise that it may be a stretch to suggest that having no diplomatic or military footprint in Sudan has no effect on our ability to rescue and evacuate British citizens. Having listened to a Northern Ireland resident last Wednesday who was doing an interview ensconced in his basement with his family in Sudan, highlighting that he was having to siphon water from a tap in his neighbour’s home and had little recourse to food at that point, how do we assure him that he has not just been left alone?

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According to the Ministry of Defence, the Sudanese armed forces have been reasonably helpful on evacuation issues, but surely the best possible protection for any future evacuation would be under the auspices of the United Nations where blue berets still count for a lot. Can my right hon. Friend assure the House that the Government are in the closest contact with the UN to see whether that extra degree of protection can be obtained for any future extraction operation?

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With a large Sudanese community in Westminster, it is no surprise that I have a number of constituents currently trapped, terrified, in Khartoum. I must tell the Minister that at least one of them says that he has registered but has yet to hear anything from the Foreign Office. I appreciate the difficulties with the internet and I recognise that the Minister might not want to be too specific about what the future communications might be as the hours and days unfold. However, can he tell us whether he will be able to advise MPs such as me, and my constituents, that they will receive guidance on how any future evacuation plans will be communicated to them, so they are not left in this interim period worried that the minute the internet goes down, they are totally abandoned?

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There was already a significant humanitarian issue in east Africa, which I know the Government have been working to help to address, but this situation will significantly increase the humanitarian pressures on the region as well as being potentially disastrous for the people of Sudan. Can the Minister set out what resources we already have in east Africa dealing with humanitarian issues, and what ability we have to scale them up to meet the inevitable challenge that will follow this dreadful conflict?

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I add my congratulations to those involved in this NEO, or non-combatant evacuation operation, and I would like to pursue the question from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire a little further. The British Government have supported many Governments in developing countries over the years with education in the civil oversight of defence, which includes educating senior military personnel in developing countries as part of our programme of defence diplomacy. Last year, a Liberal Democrat question served to find that no training has been provided by the MOD to counterparts in Sudan since 2020 because it would be regarded as military aid. Does the Minister think that education of the civil oversight of defence is worth categorising separately from military aid in those cases where a partner Government might be considering receiving it?

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The Government advise nationals in difficulties to stay indoors, but what if they run out of food or water, or there is fire in the local area? What advice do they offer then?

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How many FCDO staff are responding to the crisis in Sudan and why is the UK slower in helping citizens compared to other countries?

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What arrangements are in place for those who have their passports locked up at NGO buildings during an eventual evacuation?

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Was the British ambassador in Sudan on leave when the conflict started and if so, who was in charge?

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Is Cobra meeting regularly to consider all evacuation options, including risky operations using UK armed forces?

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Can you provide a step-by-step outline of what plans are being made for international relations to achieve a ceasefire or evacuation?

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Can those fighting in Sudan ensure safe passage for doctors and others wishing to leave?

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What concrete steps are being taken to ensure food and water supplies and get people back home?

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Why was there no senior leadership in Sudan when British nationals needed help and were stranded?

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What specific efforts are being made to provide food and water to those staying indoors?

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The Minister has very kindly set out the arrangements in the crisis centre run by the FCDO. It is clear from listening to colleagues across the House that the FCDO and Members of Parliament are going to be inundated with requests for help, so will the Minister consider stepping up and adding further support to the crisis centre? It clearly seems to be needed.