§ 30. Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the recent peace agreement in the Sudan. [30511]
§ Mr. BradshawThere has been no recent peace agreement in Sudan. However, we were delighted to hear last month that as a result of the efforts of the US special envoy, with whom we have been working closely, the parties agreed on 19 January to a limited ceasefire in the Nuba mountains. Under the terms of the agreement civilians will be allowed to move freely within the region currently held by the SPLA. There will be two demilitarised zones to allow the Nuba people to access fertile land, and humanitarian assistance will be allowed802W to enter the region by air. An external military commission will supervise the ceasefire, which is one small but encouraging step towards peace.