§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with(a) the Government of Sudan, (b) the UN and (c) non-governmental organisation on barriers preventing aid being delivered to Darfur. [179300]
§ Hilary BennDFID is facing a humanitarian emergency in Darfur, where the provision of assistance is absolutely vital. In this context, hindrances to the delivery of humanitarian supplies are unacceptable. The UK has been working to facilitate humanitarian access to Darfur and we are making progress, although there is still more that needs to be done.
I raised the question of issuing visas to Sudan with the Sudanese Foreign Minister in London on 11 May. He gave me a firm commitment that visas for humanitarian personnel working in Darfur would be issued within 48 hours. There has been a marked improvement as a result of this commitment. On 20 May, the British Ambassador met with the Sudanese Foreign Minister, following which he announced the change to a 48 hour notification system for travel to Darfur, replacing the previous requirement for a travel permit. This improvement has also allowed progress on the ground, although there have been some outstanding issues regarding local level implementation and the rules pertaining to notification of passengers on World Food Programme (WFP) flights.
I raised the question of humanitarian access with the First Vice President, in Khartoum, the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, and the State Minister for Finance on 8 June, where I was given firm commitments that the Sudanese Government would fast-track customs clearance for humanitarian goods within seven days, and that new international NGOs applying for registration to work in Darfur would be fast-tracked in 10 days. This has resulted in new international NGO registrations. They also agreed that medical supplies that were on an approved list did not need testing before being brought into Sudan. I raised with them the specific complaint from Medecin Sans Frontieres—Holland that 200MT of food and 30MT of medical supplies had been held in Port Sudan for three months. Both Ministers assured me that this would be released within days. This has now taken place.
Following my visit, the British Ambassador wrote to the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and the State Minister in the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs highlighting specific instances of on-going bureaucratic difficulties about access to Darfur faced by NGOs. These included outstanding applications for registration from new International NGOs, the need to give 72 hours notice for passengers on UN flights, the need for clarity about the requirements for testing medical and food supplies, the urgency of releasing radio and communications equipment from customs and the need to issue promptly visas for international health staff. An inter-agency technical committee on Darfur meets regularly to discuss questions of humanitarian access and is attended by the British Ambassador. The next meeting will take place on 23rd June, where all these outstanding questions will be raised. Following the outcome of that meeting, I intend to speak to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs.
1492WOn my return from Sudan, I spoke to the UN Secretary General about the need for humanitarian access in Darfur. I have also been in correspondence with the Heads of UN agencies and have spoken to Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF and James Morris, Executive Director of WFP about the experience of their agencies in delivering assistance in Darfur.
The UK Government has been in constant dialogue with UK NGOs working in Darfur since September 2003. We have held regular meetings with the Disasters and Emergency Committee in London on Darfur, and have been in frequent contact with the Sudanese Embassy. In Khartoum, the Ambassador has taken the lead in establishing regular meetings with the Government of Sudan, NGOs and donors to discuss the question of access to Darfur.
§ Ms KeebleTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the recent statements by the UN that the Sudan Government is stopping aid reaching western Darfur. [179535]
§ Hilary BennI am gravely concerned about the constraints on humanitarian assistance to Darfur. Despite some improvements to visa and travel notification procedures for Darfur announced on 20 May, NGOs and the UN are still facing bureaucratic problems with customs clearance and notification for travel on UN flights to Darfur. DFID has have been in constant dialogue with the Government of Sudan on this issue. The UK has been working to facilitate humanitarian access to Darfur and we are making progress, although there is still more that needs to be done.
I raised the question of issuing visas to Sudan with the Sudanese Foreign Minister in London on 11 May. He gave me a firm commitment that visas for humanitarian personnel working in Darfur would be issued within 48 hours. There has been a marked improvement as a result of this commitment. On 20 May, the British Ambassador met with the Sudanese Foreign Minister, following which he announced the change to a 48 hour notification system for travel to Darfur, replacing the previous requirement for a travel permit. This improvement has also allowed progress on the ground, although there have been some outstanding issues regarding local level implementation and the rules pertaining to notification of passengers on World Food Programme (WFP) flights.
I raised the question of humanitarian access with the First Vice President, In Khartoum the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, and the State Minister for Finance on 8 June, where I was given firm commitments that the Sudanese Government would fast-track customs clearance for humanitarian goods within seven days, and that new international NGOs applying for registration to work in Darfur would be fast-tracked in ten days. This has resulted in new international NGO registrations. They also agreed that medical supplies that were on an approved list did not need testing before being brought into Sudan. I raised with them the specific complaint from Medecin Sans Frontieres-Holland that 200MT of food and 30MT of medical supplies had been 1493W held in Port Sudan for 3 months. Both Ministers assured me that this would be released within days. This has now taken place.
Following my visit, the British Ambassador wrote to the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and the State Minister for Humanitarian Affairs highlighting specific instances of on-going bureaucratic difficulties about access to Darfur faced by NGOs. These included outstanding applications for registration from new international NGOs, the need to give 72 hours notice for passengers on UN flights, the need for clarity about the requirements for testing medical and food supplies, the urgency of releasing radio and communications equipment from customs and the need to issue promptly visas for international health staff. An inter-agency technical committee on Darfur meets regularly to discuss questions of humanitarian access and is attended by the British Ambassador. The next meeting will take place on 23 June, where all these outstanding questions will be raised. Following the outcome of that meeting, I intend to speak to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs.
On my return from Sudan, I spoke to the UN Secretary General about the need for humanitarian access in Darfur. I have also been in correspondence with the Heads of UN agencies and have spoken to Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF and James Morris, Executive Director of WFP about the experience of their agencies in delivering assistance in Darfur.
The UK Government have been in constant dialogue with UK NGOs working in Darfur since September 2003. We have held regular meetings with the Disasters and Emergency Committee in London on Darfur, and have been in frequent contact with the Sudanese Embassy. In Khartoum, the Ambassador has taken the lead in establishing regular meetings with the Government of Sudan, NGOs and donors to discuss the question of access to Darfur.