Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what formal assessment they have made of the remarks of President William Ruto of an impending genocide in Sudan and of the UK’s obligations under the 1948 Convention on the Crime of Genocide.

The UK strongly condemns the ongoing escalation of violence in Darfur. On 16 June, the Minister for Development and Africa publicly condemned the attacks on civilians in West Darfur, including the killing of Governor Khamis Abaker. These atrocities must end immediately, and the UK will use all diplomatic means to help achieve this. The UK recently called for a UN Security Council discussion on Darfur. This took place on 23 June, and resulted in a Council press statement, calling for the respect of international humanitarian law and for the fighting to end. As a signatory of the 1948 Convention on the Crimes of Genocide, the UK is fully committed to the punishment of those complicit in genocide. The UK recognises findings of genocide by competent national or international courts that meet international standards of due process. The UK is funding organisations who are working with local partners to collect, verify and preserve digital content from the conflict, including incidents of significant abuse. We are also providing support to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Sudan, a UN body that provides a crucial role in monitoring and reporting on human rights violations. By working with our international partners, we are supporting efforts to secure a permanent ceasefire, the most important thing we can do to ensure the safety of all in Sudan.