Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) reports that Sudanese security officials have been involved in smuggling refugees from East Africa, (2) reports that the government of Sudan has been complicit in the illegal sale of Sudanese passports, and (3) how this relates to Sudan’s role as the EU’s partner in countering irregular migration; and whether they have raised those allegations with the government of Sudan.

We raised our concerns about reports that Sudanese Government officials have been involved in the smuggling of refugees from East Africa with the Ministry of the Interior earlier this month, and continue to monitor this issue closely.

We are aware of media reports that have alleged a link between individuals with ties to senior Government officials and the illegal sale of Sudanese passports. We will continue to monitor the situation and to discuss passport security issues with the Government of Sudan where appropriate.

We will also continue to discuss issues relating to irregular migration from and to Sudan under the umbrella of the Khartoum Process, and through the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue.