Recommendation 39

James Duddridge MP, Minister for Africa, told us: One of the problems is that there is just no access, so we do not even understand the nature of the problem. Another is trying to gain consistent access and not being blocked by Eritrean soldiers, and the complexity around the provisional government and perhaps outlining what the regional authorities … are doing. Some of the territory that we would describe as Tigray is under the control of the Amharans or is inaccessible.94 The UK Government has also expressed concern about limited access for humanitarian agencies to refugee camps in northern Tigray and has called for “sustained, free and unfettered access to enable the delivery of much needed humanitarian assistance”.95 It has also said that, The UK continues to press, at the highest levels, for sustained, free and unfettered humanitarian access across Tigray, so that the UNHCR can uphold its mandate towards refugees.96