Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that the closure of the UN Transitional Mission to Sudan will have on the Sudanese people and other UN operations; and whether they expect there to be a successor to that Mission.

The UK continues to use its position as penholder to speak out against egregious human rights abuses being committed by both warring parties, and call for a permanent ceasefire, a transfer of power to a civilian administration, as well as unfettered humanitarian access. We worked closely with Security Council members and the UN Secretariat to agree an orderly transition and liquidation last December; this was the best available outcome in the circumstances. We welcome the Secretary-General's appointment of Ramtane Lamamra as a personal envoy, whom we are keen to support.