Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Sudan Government Support 2025-11-04

04 November 2025 · 9 other contributors

Opened by Brian Mathew LD Melksham and Devizes

UkraineForeign Affairs

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Brian Mathew raised concerns about sudan government support 2025-11-04 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • Concerns raised about the ongoing conflict in Sudan during Remembrance Week, highlighting the humanitarian crisis and recent fall of El Fasher.
  • Reports indicate executions, forced expulsions, and organized massacres in Sudan, with conditions described as apocalyptic.
  • The UK government is committed to supporting Sudan and aims to explore every possible avenue to push for peace and change.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Brian Mathew LD Melksham and Devizes

We are in Remembrance Week, when we remember the dead of past wars. Right now in Sudan, a war as murderous and horrible as anything the world has faced is shattering the lives of civilians, of children, of women and of men, in ways we can scarcely countenance. I have secured this debate because what is going on in Sudan cannot continue. The fall of the city of El Fasher, after a brutal 18-month siege, is the latest disaster in what the Foreign Secretary accurately described at the weekend as 'the largest humanitarian crisis in the 21st century.' Over the past week, reports have been coming in of executions, forced expulsions and organised massacres—the evidence of which is literally visible from space. Conditions in El Fasher have been described as apocalyptic. However, this was not unexpected. Tragically, it was very much predicted, with warnings from numerous sources. Descriptions of El Fasher as another Srebrenica are not misplaced, although they are in many ways worse. Humanitarian workers are under threat, and I commend the work being done by groups like Doctors without Borders—MSF—and the International Committee of the Red Cross... The Government need to be bolder, more direct and proactive in their work to support Sudan and the Sudanese people. As UN Security Council penholder on Sudan and lead in the core group on Sudan at the UN Human Rights Council for the protection of civilians, it is our duty to try every possible avenue to push for peace and change.

Other contributors (9)
  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    I commend the hon. Gentleman for securing the debate and for all his work across Africa before coming to this place. I have spoken and asked questions about Sudan some 14 times in the past year because I am acutely aware of the precarious situation for Christians in the region.

  • Warinder Juss Lab Wolverhampton West

    Over 30 million people now need humanitarian aid in Sudan, and millions more have been displaced, with countless others living in fear, hunger and deprivation. Does the hon. Member agree that this crisis has been overlooked for far too long?

  • Ian Roome LD North Devon

    I thank my hon. Friend for securing this debate. Does he agree that part of the great tragedy of Sudan has been the way it is unfairly overshadowed by conflicts happening elsewhere in the world, and we should be less squeamish about pointing that out to the public here in the United Kingdom and the rest of the world?

  • Rachael Maskell Ind York Central

    I am grateful to the hon. Member for securing this debate. When I pay tribute to my right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford East, she mentioned impediments to aid and the most recent IPC assessment showed that famine is taking place in El Fasher and Kadugli.

  • Richard Foord LD Honiton and Sidmouth

    My hon. Friend urges an arms embargo, and for the UK to use its role as penholder at the UN Security Council, but Martin Griffiths has said that peace is likely to come out of the region through powers such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

  • John Slinger Lab Rugby

    I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this very important debate. He has mentioned Srebrenica and the Bosnian conflict twice. Does he agree that in years gone by, conflicts causing immense humanitarian suffering, death and carnage resulted in international, UN-mandated military forces protecting civilians and humanitarian corridors?

  • Monica Harding LD Esher and Walton

    Even if British-made weaponry is not being diverted and ending up on the battlefield in Sudan, the UK is still breaching sections 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 of its own arms export licensing criteria. Those rules prohibit the export of weapons that are proven to be misused.

  • Martin Wrigley LD Newton Abbot

    I thank my hon. Friend for bringing this really important topic. I suggest one additional thing he might feel that he needs to add: a sense of urgency to get this solution in place.

  • Carla Lockhart DUP Upper Bann

    The United Kingdom has always stood as a defender of human rights. How many burned churches and murdered worshippers will it take before we call this what it is: a campaign to exterminate Christians? British aid must never bankroll corruption or indifference.

Government Response

Government Minister

I am very grateful to the hon. Member for Melksham and Devizes for securing this debate at such a critical moment for Sudan, which I know will be a matter of concern not only to this House and to his constituents, but to all our constituents across the country. The conflict has left more than 30 million people in need of urgent help in what is the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Supporting Sudan remains a vital and top priority for this Government. We have recently seen advances by the Rapid Support Forces into El Fasher, accompanied by shocking reports of mass murder and rape. Last week, we mobilised £23 million in emergency aid for El Fasher, and on 1 November announced a further £5 million to help get food, clean water and medical supplies to over 100,000 people in north Darfur. Our special representative to Sudan, Richard Crowder, remains in contact with the RSF and its political alliance, Tasis, pressing for restraint and reminding it of its obligations under international law. We are also talking to international partners, calling on those who have influence over the parties to use it to urge restraint and bring them to the table. Our approach to Sudan is based on three pillars: pushing for a permanent ceasefire and supporting a civilian-led transition; securing unimpeded humanitarian access in order to deliver lifesaving aid; protecting civilians and ensuring accountability. We continue to emphasise that external support for warring parties only fuels the conflict, and we urge all actors to press for that vital political solution. The UK remains one of the largest donors to Sudan, with funding to protect funding for the next three years. In April, at the London Sudan conference, we announced £120 million in new funding to reach more than 650,000 people with food, cash, water, sanitation and nutritional support this year.

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