Select committee: International Development Committee
Conclusion 33
Tenth Report - The humanitarian situation in Tigray
Published 30 Apr 2021
Addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
International Development Committee Humanitarian crises monitoring: Ethiopia’s Tigray region All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
As insecurity continues in Tigray, humanitarian access to the region remains constrained, particularly in and around the city of Shire.79 Fighting, clashes, and ambushes have affected not only the safety and wellbeing of millions of people but also constrained humanitarian agencies’ operations.80 The delivery of humanitarian assistance is further complicated by bureaucratic obstacles and the presence of various armed actors, particularly in rural areas.81 Paul Turnbull explained that many of the ministries in Tigray had become dysfunctional.82 73 Q13 [Edward Brown] 74 OCHA, Ethiopia – Tigray Region Humanitarian Update: Situation Report, 22 March 2021 75 UNHCR, Regional Update 14: Ethiopia Situation (Tigray Region), 16 March – 7 April, 12 April 2021 76 OCHA, Humanitarian Needs Overview Ethiopia, February 2021, p.53 77 OCHA, Ethiopia – Tigray Region Humanitarian Update: Situation Report, 13 March 2021, p.8 78 Q5 [Paul Turnbull] 79 International Organization for Migration, Northern Ethiopia Crisis Situation Report 4, 11–18 January 2021, 19 March 2021, p.1 80 OCHA, Ethiopia – Tigray Region Humanitarian Update: Situation Report, 30 March 2021, p.1 81 OCHA, Ethiopia – Tigray Region Humanitarian Update: Situation Report, 19 February 2021 82 Q10 [Paul Turnbull] The humanitarian situation in Tigray 17
From: International Development Committee, Tenth Report - The humanitarian situation in Tigray, 30 April 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 16 July 2021.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government states that it agrees with the Committee's four core areas for future action, while saying all four are "predicated on an end to fighting", and it responds to the individual recommendations with a mix of continuing action and some stated disagreement.
- On genocide, it says its "longstanding position is that any determination of genocide is an issue for competent courts, rather than governments", and that its focus is on ending violence and protecting civilians.
- It does not accept the call for a separate atrocity prevention strategy, saying it does "not assess that a separate atrocity prevention strategy is necessary" as the work is already in existing work streams.
- It says it does "not share" the assessment that the WFP head's visit improved access, pointing to continuing problems with communications equipment and travel approvals.
- On reconstruction, it says it is "too early for detailed reconstruction planning" but that some initial consideration of recovery planning "will commence at an early stage". On funding, it cites £47.7m to the Tigray response and says it keeps support under review.