Sudan: Darfur

House of Lords written question – answered at on 1 December 2009.

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Photo of Baroness Tonge Baroness Tonge Spokesperson for Health

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to support the African Union in implementing the recommendations of the Mbeki panel's report on Darfur.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support the implementation of the roadmap to a global political agreement in Darfur.

To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they will give to the African Union and United Nations in planning for a truth, justice and reconciliation process in Darfur.

Photo of Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Minister of State (Africa and UN)

We welcome the report from the AU high-level panel on Darfur led by former President Mbeki. We consider it a serious, thorough and balanced piece of work, whose recommendations, if implemented, could make a significant contribution to peace, justice and reconciliation.

The UK has engaged closely with the panel during its work, including extensive meetings in Addis Ababa, and participation in the AU Peace and Security Council meeting in Abuja that endorsed the report. We will continue to stay in close contact as the AU's plans for implementation develop. We look forward to further details of how new follow-up mechanisms will work in practice, including at the planned presentations of the report by the AU to the UN Security Council and EU in December. We remain ready to assist where appropriate.

The panel's proposed road map for a global political agreement broadly reflects the current efforts of AU/UN Joint Chief Mediator Bassole, whose work the UK supports both politically and financially. We agree with the observation of the AUPD report on the need to avoid micromanagement. It is important that the mediation team has the space and flexibility it needs to do its work.

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