Gaza and Sudan

Lord Bates Excerpts

Wednesday 19th November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

There is no doubt that this is the worst humanitarian crisis of our time by a considerable measure. The number of deaths, the atrocities that are being committed, the lack of control and the normalisation of violence, particularly sexual violence, in this conflict are beyond anything that we have witnessed this century. What more can we do? We need to rally the international community to get more focus on this conflict. That, in the end, is how people will be brought to the negotiating table. We need to do everything that we can within the legal structures that we have and our work on the ground to ensure that testimonies are taken and evidence is gathered so there is accountability and an end to impunity. We need to continue to provide the practical support—both directly and through our partners on the ground—to provide the food, medicine and education that are needed by people who are in such desperate need.

Why has this taken so long to reach the attention of the country and internationally? There are many theories around this—I think the noble Lord, my friend, has his own. You can point to the lack of journalists in the area, or to the fact that Africa generally receives far too little attention. The noble Earl opposite says that there is desensitisation, and I have no doubt that that is part of it too. It is our job, however, to put all those things to one side and make sure that this conflict, and the suffering that it has brought about, receives the attention that it needs. If we do not, this will carry on for year after year. The only way that this will be resolved is with the international community—including but not only the African Union—stepping up, shining a light on it, coming together and resolving to conclude it.

[Lord Bates (Con)]

My Lords, I join those welcoming the commitment made in the Statement of £125 million of British taxpayer funding to Sudan and welcome the “life-saving support”, as it says, to over 650,000 people. Is the Minister aware of the comments made today by Jean-Martin Bauer of the World Food Programme, when he said:

“We have two confirmed famines in 2025—the first time this century—things have never been this bad”?


Yet the World Food Programme, which is providing life-saving food aid to 110 million people, is facing a 40% cut in its funding. Does the Minister agree that it would be unconscionable for the UK to cut its contribution to the World Food Programme while it is dealing with this unprecedented humanitarian emergency? If so, will she give that assurance to the House this evening?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

We will continue to fund the World Food Programme, because it is often the agency that can best get supplies mobilised at speed and at scale in these situations. The situation in Sudan is very difficult, even for the UN, because of the restrictions that are put in place and the inability to move supplies around in the way that we need to. We work with other agencies as well—the International Rescue Committee and others—because we need to be able to work with a range of partners because of the very challenging and dangerous circumstances in which we find ourselves having to operate. Unlike some others, we are absolutely committed to working with the World Food Programme, UNICEF, UNHCR and all the UN agencies, and particularly closely through Tom Fletcher, the co-ordinator, because we recognise and respect the fact that the UN is often—not always, but often—the best partner in such circumstances.