Arms supplies to Sudan must be severed and British diplomatic presence in the war torn country be restored, Bishop Nick told the House of Lords recently.
Violent conflict began in April 2023 when tensions between the Sudanese military and a rival paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, erupted into warfare that has displaced millions of people.
During a House of Lords debate, the Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds: “The UK Government must, in my opinion, along with partners, leverage all its resources and political power to cut off the arms flow and create the conditions where any credible ceasefire might create the space for negotiation.
“Failure to address this catastrophe now will only lead to increasingly uncontrollable consequences elsewhere, further destabilisation of an already fragile region – an example, oil gelling in the pipelines will diminish South Sudan’s economy and add to economic and humanitarian challenges – mass irregular migration will be a consequence and so on.
“So I agree with the call for all diplomatic means and one to add is it’s essential that the new head of office, the new special envoy must physically get into Sudan.
“We need physical, visible presence, even if it’s only on a regular visit. Other ambassadors and envoys are doing this.’
The British embassy in Khartoum is currently closed and there are no British consular staff in Sudan, according to the Foreign Office.
Bishop Nick, who visited our Link diocese of Sudan together with the Rt Revd Toby Howarth, Bishop of Bradford earlier this year (pictured above) has previously warned that a “humanitarian crisis has exploded” in Sudan and that a generation of children are being “starved, made homeless, given no medical care or education.”
He said: “Future harvests are now in serious doubt and the consequences of that will be what? Well, don’t be surprised if masses of Sudanese seek refuge through irregular immigration in this and in other countries if the UK seeks to address the current crisis without addressing the consequent implications for a destabilised region; the wider corruption of civil society in Sudan and neighbouring countries, the challenges of establishing future legitimate government with civil society engagement in a now destroyed nation and the challenge of reconstruction one day.”
Revd Canon Anne Russell, co-lead of our Sudan Link added: “In this dangerous on-going humanitarian crisis, very few Non-Governmental Organisations have managed to reach Sudanese people in desperate need who are still in the country.
“But, the Diocese of Leeds has managed to send funds for emergency food and seeds for planting direct to the Episcopal Church of Sudan.
“Every donation given can make a life and death difference to our brothers and sisters in Sudan.”
More information on our Sudan Link, including how to make donations that will go directly to the Episcopal Church in Sudan, may be found here.