§ Mr. Alan DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Nuba Mountains ceasefire agreement; and if he will make a statement. [64807]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe Nuba Mountains ceasefire agreement is working well. Both the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/A have participated fully in the Joint Military Commission. This has resulted in redeployment of Government troops out of the relevant sectors and of the SPLM/A forces into agreed positions. Humanitarian assistance is being delivered to a region to which access had been denied for a considerable period. The population of the area now enjoys freedom of movement and the ability to cultivate on a wider scale than has proved possible in recent years. The agreement runs out next month. We hope that the ceasefire will be extended and have called on the parties to agree to this outcome.