To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the International Development Committee's Tenth Report of Session 2019-21, The Humanitarian Situation in Tigray, HC 1289, published on 30 April 2021, what steps her Department has taken to implement the recommendations set out in that report; what representations she is making to the Ethiopian government on ensuring protection for (a) Ethiopians from violence and (b) vulnerable communities in the region; what steps her Department is taking to enable access by independent monitors to Tigray to collect criminal evidence and bring those who are responsible to justice; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that humanitarian agencies have access to vulnerable communities in (i) Tigray and (ii) neighbouring regions.
Answered on
19 November 2021
The UK Government welcomed the International Development Committee's (IDC) report "The humanitarian situation in Tigray" published on 30 April and our response to the recommendations highlighted in the report is available to view online (https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5802/cmselect/cmintdev/554/55402.htm).
We are extremely concerned by reports of widespread human rights violations and abuses in Ethiopia. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Deputy Prime Minister Demeke on 5 November. HM Ambassador Addis Ababa spoke to Prime Minister Abiy on 28 October. I raised my concerns with Deputy Foreign Minister Redwan on 18 November. We support the conclusions of the joint investigation by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which collected harrowing evidence from Tigray. It is essential that all those responsible for human rights violations and abuses be held to account. All parties must implement the report's recommendations and ensure that victims have access to support.
The humanitarian context in Tigray is catastrophic. To avert region-wide famine and massive loss of life we are clear that the Government of Ethiopia must lift the blockade of Tigray and allow aid in. The humanitarian crisis now extends beyond Tigray impacting millions of people in Afar and Amhara following attacks by the Tigray Defence Force (TDF). The TDF's advance must stop and the TDF must allow humanitarian supplies and commercial goods to reach all areas of need. On 16 October, I announced an additional £29 million of humanitarian aid to people affected by the conflict in northern Ethiopia. This increased the UK's commitment to the crisis to more than £76 million making the UK the second largest donor.