§ Angus RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what response his Department has made to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees appeal for Sudanese refugees in Chad; and if he will make a statement. [133656]
§ Hilary BennThe UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has requested $16.6 million (approximately £11 million) for 65,000 Sudanese refugees in Chad, including $6.2 million for emergency operations. The refugees have fled the fighting in Darfur, in western Sudan.
We have been following this situation closely and have been in contact with the UNHCR assessment mission, which led to the appeal. We have also been in touch with non-governmental organisations active in this area. We have agreed to provide £1 million towards the appeal and remain concerned about the plight of Sudanese refugees in Chad.