§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on what assistance the Government are giving to support a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Sudan. [90050]
§ Clare ShortWe are pressing throughout the international system for more effort towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Sudan. We are working in particular with the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and with the IGAD Partners Forum.
At the latest meeting of the IGAD Partners Forum on 10 March in Oslo, proposals for a special envoy and dedicated secretariat to maintain a sustained and accelerated peace negotiation were accepted in principle. We are pursuing the implementation of these proposals before the next IGAD peace talks take place between the Government of Sudan and the SPLA; these are scheduled for 18–23 July.