Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Sudan

Tuesday 2 September 2025 · 4 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Louise Sandher-Jones asked about the UK's actions to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian aid reaches those in El Fasher.
  • Mark Pritchard inquired if the Government has an Africa strategy beyond north Africa and expressed concern about the US's focus on sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Emily Darlington requested a meeting with the Foreign Secretary to discuss the impact of cuts to development aid and the growing crisis in Africa.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Louise Sandher-Jones Lab North East Derbyshire
Foreign Affairs
Context

Sudan is facing its worst humanitarian crisis on record with over 30 million people needing aid, 12 million displaced, and famine and cholera spreading. El Fasher has been under siege for over 500 days.

Question

El Fasher has been under siege for over 500 days, and famine and cholera—all man-made problems—are rife. It has been described as the ‘epicentre of child suffering’. What is the UK doing to protect civilians and ensure that humanitarian aid can reach those who need it?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr David Lammy)

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the leadership that she has shown on this issue. I spoke to the UN emergency relief co-ordinator just yesterday and raised this issue. Of course, we are supporting the call of the Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs for a pause in fighting so that aid can get in and the suffering can be alleviated.

Answered
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Q2 Mark Pritchard Con The Wrekin
Foreign Affairs
Context

There is an apparent lack of focus on sub-Saharan Africa, impacting security and migration.

Question

Do the Government actually have an Africa strategy—not just for north Africa, but for sub-Saharan Africa—and does the Foreign Secretary share my concern about the apparent lack of focus on the importance of sub-Saharan Africa to the security of the United States, let alone to our security and that of Africa itself? I encourage the Foreign Secretary to reach out to the US Secretary of State, and to join European partners in having a joined-up Africa strategy to deal with climate change, famine and terrorism in the Sahel and all across Africa—issues that are impacting on communities there, and on legal migration to this country. Will he work with his American partners?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr David Lammy)

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for raising Africa. The first thing that we did on coming into office was establish an Africa approach and a widespread consultation across the continent—that is absolutely right. We must be careful that authoritarian powers do not move in where the west exits. I reassure him that I have raised and discussed those issues with Secretary of State Rubio.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The exact details of an Africa strategy were not provided, but there was acknowledgment of consultations and discussions with US partners.

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Q3 Emily Darlington Lab Milton Keynes Central
Foreign Affairs
Context

There are concerns about the impact of US Agency for International Development cuts on Africa, with China and Russia moving in to fill that void.

Question

Given the devastation of the United States Agency for International Development, the temporary cuts in official development assistance and the growing desperate situation in areas of Africa, is the Foreign Secretary willing to meet me and colleagues who have worked in and care about the region, to understand our long-term strategy, particularly against China and Russia, which are moving in to fill that void?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr David Lammy)

I am grateful for the leadership that my hon. Friend showed on these issues before coming to this place; she continues to champion them now. On the Africa approach, and changes to development aid across the continent, whether they are made by us or by partners, either I or my colleague who leads on development will be very happy to meet my hon. Friend.

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Q4 Richard Foord Lib Dem Honiton and Sidmouth
Ukraine Foreign Affairs
Context

The Rapid Support Forces have trapped 260,000 civilians in El Fasher, half of whom are children.

Question

The Rapid Support Forces have trapped 260,000 civilians in El Fasher, half of whom are children, and many of whom are surviving on animal fodder. How are the Government working with allies to alleviate the effects on civilians of the terrible war in Sudan?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr David Lammy)

The hon. Gentleman will have seen that I led the Sudan conference, at which I brought third-party countries together to discuss those issues, co-ordinate across them, and ensure that nothing is done to exacerbate the conflict on that continent. As I indicated earlier, I expect to do more as we head towards UNGA, and to gather those third parties so that we get a pause and can get aid in.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The exact details of how the UK is working with allies were not provided, but there was acknowledgment of ongoing efforts through conferences and coordination.

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