Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Conflict Armament Research, Weapon Supplies into South Sudan’s Civil War, published on 11 November, which states that (1) weapons from EU countries have been supplied to South Sudan despite an EU embargo, (2) such weapons are in use in South Sudan, and (3) the government of Uganda has acted as a conduit for the supply of weapons.

The UK is deeply concerned by reports of alleged breaches by regional powers of the arms embargo imposed on South Sudan by the EU in 2011. We welcome the report by Conflict Armament Research as an important insight into the movement of arms that have such a devastating effect in perpetuating the suffering of the South Sudanese people. We strongly condemn any actions that could undermine or obstruct the path to peace in South Sudan, including enabling or facilitating the supply of weapons, equipment, or ammunition to parties of the conflict.

In addition to the 2011 EU arms embargo, we urge the region and the international community to fully uphold their obligation to rigorously enforce the UN arms embargo on South Sudan, as agreed in July by the UN Security Council.