§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Southern Sudan. [115419]
§ Hilary BennUrgent humanitarian needs remain in Sudan, including in south Sudan. High rates of malnutrition, epidemic levels of disease, and destitution caused by forced movement of people mean that a continuing humanitarian response will be necessary. DFID has so far in 2003 funded £7.7 million worth of humanitarian support.
§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what recent discussions he has had with non-governmental organisations working in Sudan. [115418]
§ Hilary BennDFID staff regularly meet NGOs working in north and south Sudan, both here and in Sudan, on a bilateral and group basis. International and Sudanese NGOs took part in a recent conference in the Netherlands on priority setting for development when peace comes; NGOs will have a key role to play when it does. It will be important for NGOs to focus on poverty-reduction to deliver real benefits to the Sudanese people.
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§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of the fighting and humanitarian situation in Dafur. [115420]
§ Hilary BennWe are concerned about the escalation of fighting in Darfur. The situation is unpredictable in EI-Fashir and Geneina, and tense in Nyala. Movement of people and goods will remain difficult while the fighting persists. There is a need to expand humanitarian access to drought affected people in west and north Darfur and vulnerable people in south Darfur. The Government of Sudan is concerned for the safety of humanitarian aid workers but hopes to improve humanitarian access in the near future.
§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what assessment he has made of human rights violations in(a) Sudan and (b) Dafur, Sudan. [115421]
§ Hilary BennThe protection of human rights for all in Sudan, including in Darfur, is a high priority in our contacts with the Sudanese authorities, both bilaterally (through the embassy) and through the continuing EU dialogue with both the Government of Sudan and the SPLM. The embassy in Khartoum will arrange to visit Darfur as soon as the security situation permits, and we will continue to press for improvements in human rights.
EU Heads of Mission raised Darfur in their meeting with Dr. Mutrif, Permanent Under Secretary equivalent, at the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 22 May.
§ Mrs. SpelmanTo ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will take steps to send an independent international commission of inquiry to Dafur. [115422]
§ Hilary BennWe are, of course, concerned about the situation in Darfur, including human rights and raise it regularly with the Sudanese authorities. My right hon. Friend, the Member for Birmingham Ladywood raised it with the First Vice-President of Sudan last month.
There are still problems of access to Darfur, but the Embassy in Khartoum will arrange a visit as soon as the security situation permits.
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what progress is being made in southern Sudan on the control of Guinea worm. [116402]
§ Hilary BennThe number of cases of Guinea worm (Dracunculiasis) worldwide has dropped 98 per cent. from 3.5 million to 50,000, in only a little more than 10 years. Results have been so promising that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has targeted Guinea worm as only the second disease, after smallpox, to be eradicated. Sudan is home to nearly 80 per cent. of the worlds remaining cases (and of these as many as 99 per cent. are in the south), and therefore, clearly a target for continuing eradication efforts.
The WHO considers Guinea worm is a promising candidate for successful eradication for a number of reasons: diagnosis is easy; the vector (Cyclops) is not very mobile; the Guinea worm has a short incubation 283W period in the vector and in humans; interventions are effective, cheap and simple; the disease has a limited geographic distribution and is seasonal; success has been demonstrated in several countries in Asia and the Middle East; and there is no known animal reservoir.
Although there has been progress in Sudan, notably through the efforts of the Carter Center (a US-based NGO), a genuine and sustained peace will make eradication a real possibility. We will continue to offer the Government of Sudan and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement and mediators our full support and to remain actively involved in helping them reach a comprehensive peace agreement in 2003.