§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What measures they consider should have been taken, or should now be taken, to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur. [HL2222]
§ Baroness AmosDfID is very concerned about the humanitarian situation in Darfur and is working to bring about improvements. The UN and other international agencies are now present in some areas of Darfur, though limited access means limited ability to protect the most vulnerable and respond to needs. A key concern is protection of civilians. DfID has contributed over £8 million in response to the crisis and seconded four humanitarian officers to the UN to reinforce its response. Ceasefire talks in N'Djamena are a welcome first step to resolving the crisis.