Chris Elmore MP: speeches

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Speeches

15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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We continue to work with the US-led Quad effort, which includes the UAE, to ensure that we bring about a sustainable humanitarian pause and a broader ceasefire. We continue to work with all countries to bring about the cessation of violence as quickly as possible.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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As I have mentioned, tomorrow we will co-host, with Denmark, the closed United Nations Security Council informal interactive dialogue. As a Government, we will continue to do all we can to bring about the cessation of violence. If we can do any additional work on negotiating peace, of course we will play our part in that.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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External support to the SAF and the RSF only fuels the conflict. We continue to emphasise to all parties the importance of refraining from actions that prolong the conflict. We ask that all those with influence over the warring parties bring them to the negotiating table to seek a political resolution.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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As I have mentioned, the Prime Minister has made it clear that we will continue to play a humanitarian role in Sudan, and he is committed to protecting our funding support for people affected by the crisis over the next three years. The fund is not linked to any official development assistance cuts and will, in fact, deliver £146 million of lifesaving aid over the next year.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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As I mentioned, we support the work of the International Criminal Court and its investigation is happening in real time. On healthcare, the humanitarian aid will help to support people through malnutrition and the wider healthcare challenges that they face because of the horrific situation in Sudan.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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As I have set out to the House, there is no evidence in recent reporting of UK weapons or ammunition being used in Sudan.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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I am more than happy to look at any position at a multilateral level that supports the people of Sudan and brings a cessation of violence as quickly as possible, whether at the UN General Assembly, the Security Council or the Human Rights Council, as part of ongoing work across the multilateral space.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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On arms exports, the UK has one of the most robust and transparent export control regimes in the world. All export licences are assessed for the risk of diversion, and we regularly prevent exports that might be diverted to an undesirable end user or end use. As I have said, in recent reviews that has not been deemed the case from any other nation. On our role on the Human Rights Council and the Security Council, I agree with my hon. Friend: we do have a moral imperative, and that is exactly our approach. This is a personal mission for the Foreign Secretary. She convened the emergency meeting of the Human Rights Council, and the meeting of the Security Council was brought forward. The UK, as penholder, has been at the very forefront of trying to end these most appalling atrocities against the Sudanese people.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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The best and most robust work we can do is to use our robust and transparent export control regime around the world. We are able to be nimble in ending exports where we find any undesirable end user, and that work will continue, not just in Sudan but in other conflicts around the world.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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I thank the hon. Gentleman for his further questions. He is not correct about ODA cuts for Sudan. The Prime Minister has already committed to that funding continuing over the next three years, so it is not correct to say that there will be ODA cuts for Sudan. We continue to support the International Criminal Court’s active investigation of the situation in Sudan. In relation to arms, I say to the House that we take very seriously allegations that UK-made equipment may have been transferred to Sudan, in breach of the UK’s arms embargo. There is no evidence in recent reporting of UK weapons or ammunition being used in Sudan. In terms of reporting to the House, the Foreign Secretary answered substantive questions on Sudan at the beginning of this month and made a statement at the end of last month. It is notable that the hon. Gentleman was not here for those questions.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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We are alarmed by the use of drones to attack civilians. We are particularly concerned about the recent attack, which my hon. Friend mentioned and to which I referred in my opening remarks, that killed peacekeepers and may have involved drones. Our export controls on arms are strict and include military drones, and we are working as best we can to ensure that external actors refrain from fuelling the conflict and work together to secure peace, and particularly to try to introduce mitigations on the use of drones. We continue to work on all possible options in the multilateral space as the penholder at the UN.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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I know how much my right hon. Friend cares about this issue, particularly as she was a development Minister last year. Tomorrow, the UK will co-host with Denmark a closed informal interactive dialogue at the United Nations Security Council. It will address the urgent need to harmonise regional international mediation efforts to bring about the much-needed humanitarian ceasefire.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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We are working with the African Union as best we can on ensuring that aid is delivered. There was a statement on 18 November, and there were oral questions to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office at the beginning of the month. The fast pace of this work in Sudan, as a personal priority for the Foreign Secretary, means that it is under constant review and dialogue with various partners, including as recently as last week with US Secretary of State Rubio.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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I thank my hon. Friend for highlighting the most horrific element of this conflict. It appears that sexual violence against women and girls, and in some cases boys, is increasingly a part of all conflicts across the globe. We have utterly condemned the significant escalation of conflict-related sexual violence throughout Sudan at the United Nations Human Rights Council and the UN Security Council and via two joint statements of the International Alliance on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict. I would be glad to come and see the exhibition. I have seen some of the imagery and it is genuinely distressing, but it is important that we keep a focus on the Sudanese people, as they are the victims of this horrific conflict.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this urgent question. The thoughts of the whole House will be with those affected by the horrific antisemitic terrorist attack on Bondi beach yesterday. The Foreign Secretary will address this further at the start of her statement, which follows this UQ. Sudan is experiencing the most severe humanitarian crisis of the 21st century: 30 million people need lifesaving aid, 12 million people have fled their homes, and women and children are bearing the brunt of the violence. The drone strike on the UN peacekeeping base in Kadugli on Saturday was deplorable and exemplifies how the war is being fought with little regard for civilian life and international law. The strike killed six Bangladeshi peacekeepers, and our thoughts are with their families. The British high commission Dhaka has released a statement offering the Government’s heartfelt condolences to the families of those who tragically lost their lives and wishing a swift recovery to all those who were injured. The perpetrators must be held to account. On Friday, the UK announced a package of sanctions targeting four senior commanders from the Rapid Support Forces involved in the horrendous violence in El Fasher. The Government will do all they can to exert pressure on those responsible for these atrocities. The Foreign Secretary is working with her counterparts on three priorities: first, protecting civilians; secondly, strengthening humanitarian access; and thirdly, securing an immediate ceasefire and a political process to end the conflict. The war in Sudan was a priority for the Foreign Secretary on her visit to Washington DC last week, where she discussed these issues with Secretary of State Rubio and senior adviser Boulos. Last week, we stepped up our response to the crisis with an additional £21 million, taking the UK contribution to £146 million this year. UK funding will reach more than 800,000 people with lifesaving aid. That is in addition to our efforts as penholder for Sudan at the United Nations Security Council to call out atrocities committed and press for unimpeded humanitarian access. On 8 December, the UK led the UN Security Council consultations on the violence in Kordofan where members heard from senior UN officials on worsening conditions and access challenges. The UK will convene the Security Council again tomorrow to discuss mediation efforts. We are urgently pressing for a three-month humanitarian truce and will do all we can to support and help drive these peace efforts forward alongside the Quad. All those with influence over the warring parties must work to stop the suffering, and that must include ending external support for the conflict in line with the Quad statement on 12 September. The Foreign Secretary has been clear that the UK will use all diplomatic tools at our disposal to agree a cessation of hostilities and a sustainable end to this conflict that delivers peace for the Sudanese people.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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We are working at pace in the international multilateral space to do our very best to bring about a cessation of violence, even if it is over a short period, and we are working with the Quad to ensure that we bring about a permanent ceasefire.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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I thank the shadow Foreign Secretary for her opening remarks and questions. She is right to say that there should be no politics in this. We all want to see an end to the unimaginable suffering that is taking place in Sudan, and as was mentioned by the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East (Seamus Logan), the idea that we can see that from satellite imagery shows its unimaginable scale. On sanctions, we will not rule anything out and we will keep the issue under constant review following the announcement on Friday—that was the second round of sanctions that the Government have issued in relation to Sudan. We are continuing to work with all members of the Quad, and we want to be as clear as we can be that all sides must come together in ensuring what will hopefully be a humanitarian pause, and more broadly a wider ceasefire. On the specific points about support for refugees and people on the ground in Sudan, the funding so far has supported over 1 million people, including 98,000 children, in tackling severe malnutrition; in food assistance for 744,000 people; in vital protection for services for 350,000 people in relation to victims of international humanitarian law violations; and indeed in cash assistance. I am confident that the money is reaching the people it needs to reach. On more support, the additional £20 million—or the £146 million—is about aid directly on the ground and supporting 800,000 people. Some of that is supporting refugees in Chad and other countries that people are moving to, but fundamentally it is about support. We are absolutely working on the wider points about work in the multilateral space with the United Nations. This is a personal priority for the Foreign Secretary, and she is in pretty much constant dialogue with Secretary Rubio, including last week. Baroness Chapman, the Minister for Africa in the other place, is in regular dialogue with African near neighbours, and she is having broader conversations to ensure that we find a humanitarian ceasefire and the broader ceasefire that is so desperately needed.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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The right hon. Gentleman will know from his time in government and opposition that we do not comment on individuals in relation to specific sanctions, but I confirm to the House that we will not rule out any additional sanctions. On the work of the Quad, the statement on 12 September is a significant development, and we remain completely focused on pushing for the humanitarian pause, the wider ceasefire, and supporting the Sudanese-led political transition. It is for all sides as part of that Quad to ensure that they can do that work— [ Interruption. ] The right hon. Gentleman pushes me on sanctions for UAE. As he knows, we do not comment on individual sanctions decisions. He is an experienced Member of the House, and he knows that. We will keep this matter under constant review, and keep working with the Quad towards the cessation of violence.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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I thank my hon. Friend for his important question. Prevention work is ongoing to try to avoid further horrendous scenes. This conflict is ongoing and we are doing our very best at the UN level, across the European Union and working with the African Union to ensure that these conflicts do not continue and that we learn lessons as soon as possible.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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As I have mentioned, we do not provide a running commentary on individual sanctions, but I assure the hon. Gentleman and the House that we will keep this matter under constant review.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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The hon. Gentleman raises an extremely important point in relation to children, as have other Members. Conflict is unimaginable in any form, but the killing of children specifically and the use of children as weapons of war is an atrocity all of its own. We continue to work at the UN level, at both the Human Rights Council and the Security Council, to ensure that, as penholder, we bring about an end to the conflict as quickly as possible. Obviously, we will keep up that work, including on the specific impacts on children.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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I know how much these issues matter to the hon. Gentleman. We are working as quickly and as robustly as we can at the UN level, and we are working with European and American partners to ensure that we bring about the cessation of violence. We will continue to do that work. This is a personal commitment of the Foreign Secretary, given all her work in recent months to try to bring about a peaceful settlement for the people of Sudan.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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My hon. Friend raises such an important point. In a previous answer, I spoke about the 98,000 children who we are supporting to tackle malnutrition. I reassure her that we are working with organisations like UNICEF to ensure that we are getting support to children on the ground. Conflict is horrific in all its forms, but there is no worse conflict than that against children, and it must be called out and stopped.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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Let me give the hon. Gentleman one example. Over the past two years we have provided the World Food Programme with £55 million, which has been explicitly targeted at populations at risk of or experiencing famine, including in Sudan, and £2 million of additional funding for Cash Consortium Sudan’s El Fasher response, supporting over 100,000 people with lifesaving aid in north Darfur. We also work regionally, including around eastern Chad. We do ensure that the funding through the aid programmes reaches the people who are most in need.
15 Dec 2025 · Sudan: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source
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I can confirm that, as I have done for all questions throughout the session.

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