Skip to main content

Ethiopia: Human Rights

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

UIN 53252, tabled on 22 September 2021

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of sanctioning (a) the Chief of Staff of the Eritrean Defence Forces, Filipos Woldeyohannes and (b) individuals responsible for human rights violations in Ethiopia.

Answered on

18 October 2021

We are deeply concerned by Eritrean involvement in the conflict in Tigray. My predecessor has made clear to the Eritrean Ambassador the UK's concern about reports of human rights violations by all parties to the conflict and the need for the withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Tigray. The former Foreign Secretary raised the need for a political dialogue to bring a lasting peace to Tigray directly with Prime Minister Abiy on 5 August. I also raised these issues in my first meeting with the Ethiopian Ambassador on 22 September. The UK continues to consider the full range of policy tools at our disposal to protect human rights and deter violations of international humanitarian law. It is longstanding practice not to speculate on future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce the impact of the designations.