Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Brian Iddon (Labour). It was answered on Tuesday, 2 March 2010 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Sudan

Question: Will my hon. Friend comment on whether it is possible to strengthen the democratic process across Sudan and on how that is emerging?

Answer: My hon. Friend raises the crucial issue. The elections are scheduled for next month, and we have so far pledged £12.5 million towards them. That funding has been focused on technical preparations, civic education and conflict management. We hope that the process will be credible; the voter registration process was conducted largely peacefully. The legal framework for the elections has been approved with a level of consensus, so we hope that they will be another milestone on the way to stability in Sudan.

Secondary information