Sudan (Hansard, 18 June 2002)

§ Mr. Key
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the situation in southern Sudan. [62008]

§ Clare Short
In spite of renewed efforts to establish a lasting peace, fighting continues in many parts of southern Sudan. The humanitarian consequences for those affected by the conflict are devastating. The UK is supporting the latest round of IGAD peace talks in Nairobi this week through the DFID/FCO Sudan Unit and the UK Special Representative and with financial support to the IGAD Sudan secretariat. In addition to supporting the political process, we will continue to support the agencies and organisations in the field best placed to meet the humanitarian needs.

§ Mr. Key
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what(a) protocols and (b) treaties are in place to ensure access to southern Sudan by aid agencies for humanitarian assistance; and if she will make a statement. [62009]

§ Clare Short
Humanitarian access is based on a series of agreements dating from the 1988 Accords between the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) coalition partners and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA). Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS), agreed between the United Nations (UN), the Government of Sudan (GoS) and the SPLA followed this in 1989. OLS was based on unsigned informal agreements between UN officials and the GoS. In 1992, the UN Department for Humanitarian Affairs negotiated a new agreement with GoS and SPLA on access routes for humanitarian assistance. In 1993 the OLS Ground Rules were implemented. The Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD) achieved agreement in May 1994 on the principles for a negotiated end to the conflict (the Declaration of Principles—DoP). In addition to the DoP, an agreement on humanitarian access was also signed and ratified. The latter agreement remains the only signed access agreement between all the parties.

§ Mr. Key
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what flight bans are in place in the Sudan, in(a) Bahr el-Ghazal, (b) Eastern Equatoria and (c) Western Upper Nile; and what the impact is on access to humanitarian assistance. [62010]

§ Clare Short
Flight bans are in place in all three areas.
In (a) Bahr el-Ghazal, the total of denied locations is 38 out of 63 sought (25 granted). 17 locations are denied as the Government of Sudan (GoS) says they are insecure and therefore not safe, plus a further 21 locations as GoS cannot be sure where they are as WFP/UN will not give them the required coordinates.
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In (b) Eastern Equatoria, the total denied is five out of 15 sought (10 granted). Two locations are denied as GoS says they are not secure, plus three more denied as GoS have not been given coordinates.
In (c) Western Upper Nile (WUN), 13 locations are denied as GoS says they are not secure. 19 others are denied becau e no coordinates were provided and GoS says they cannot therefore verify the locations and give clearance. GoS has granted a further 45 clearances for WUN this week after representations were made by the United Nations: of these, 21 are new locations not requested by the UN.
Flight bans limit the access to humanitarian assistance and have a negative impact on the populations affected. We continue to work to improve the situation.