South Sudan

Earl of Courtown Excerpts

Monday 1st December 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

This is essential. We work through the United Nations and other large organisations, but it is important, especially for communities that are difficult to reach or contexts that are difficult for large organisations to gain access to, that smaller civil society and mutual aid groups are empowered and supported by us in the international community. This way, we are able not only to reach more people but to build a capability, a network, a strength and a set of skills that can do enormous good for years into the future, perhaps after the international activity has reduced.

[The Earl of Courtown (Con)]

My Lords, as the Minister said earlier, political stability and inclusive politics are important for the future of Sudan to improve the dreadful situation there. The previous Foreign Secretary advised, or encouraged, all Britons to leave Sudan if it was safe for them to do so. Has the department assessed how many Britons remain in South Sudan and has it begun planning any necessary support should the situation deteriorate?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

Thankfully, we live in a free country and our citizens, sometimes in their wisdom, despite the best efforts of the Foreign Office and the advice given by it, decide to go anyway, so we do not hold numbers on how many British citizens are in any particular place. But we will of course make sure that the expected, necessary consular support is available to any British citizen, wherever they happen to be in the world.