Senator Gold, since fighting began in Sudan in April 2023, the conflict has displaced more than 11 million people and caused 150,000 deaths. Both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces have committed war crimes, including widespread massacres, sexual violence and ethnically targeted attacks. There are no protections for Sudanese civilians. The UN Secretary-General has recently dismissed calls for a peacekeeping force, citing lack of conditions for deployment. Former senator General Roméo Dallaire suggested that a multinational or African Union-led protection force could be deployed to protect civilians, citing the Kenya-led multinational force in Haiti as a precedent.

Given Canada’s long-standing commitment to peacekeeping and human rights, can the government confirm that it is asking the United Nations, the African Union or other international partners to deploy a protection force in Sudan to prevent future atrocities?

Thank you. General Dallaire also highlighted that children bear a heavy toll and are often targeted and exploited in conflicts. According to the International Rescue Committee, an estimated 13.6 million Sudanese children are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, with thousands more having been killed, maimed or forcibly recruited as child soldiers. Is Canada pushing for international protection efforts that address the urgent need to ensure the safety of Sudan’s children?