§ Lord McNairasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the destruction of the al-Shifa medicine factory in Khartoum in August 1998 has harmed humanitarian efforts in Sudan through interrupting the Sudanese production of anti-malarial and other drugs. [HL506]
§ Baroness AmosWe have no information to suggest that the provision of essential drugs for the poorest and most vulnerable groups in Sudan has been affected by the destruction of the al-Shifa factory. By their own admission, the Government of Sudan are spending 80 per cent. of their national budget on the war, including their entire development budget. It would only take a small proportion of this to cover the costs of anti-malarial and other drugs. The long-running civil war is the prime cause of suffering. We therefore continue to press both sides of the conflict to undertake serious negotiation towards a lasting and just peace.