Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 71
71
The humanitarian crisis in Tigray—and the international response to it—matters on three levels.
Conclusion
The humanitarian crisis in Tigray—and the international response to it—matters on three levels. First, it matters because of the scale and harrowing nature of the suffering, with lives lost and devastated because of the conflict. The international community has a narrowing window of opportunity to stop this suffering and manage the risk of conflict spreading or becoming protracted. Secondly, through its aid programme in Ethiopia and the broader region, the UK has made a considerable investment in the region’s ongoing development. This conflict has potential to undermine that investment and to set back development in Tigray, Ethiopia and the wider-region. Ethiopia is a country with great potential, but one where much of that potential will be at risk if an inclusive peace cannot be found and a process of long-term reconciliation started in Tigray, as well as in other parts of Ethiopia where the potential for conflict is high.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
The IDC’s report calls for future action to focus on four areas: help bring about an end to the conflict and prevent it from spreading; ensure that the humanitarian needs of those affected by the conflict are met, that people can safely return to their homes and that essential services are restored as quickly as possible; help find an inclusive political settlement that delivers a sustainable peace; and establish a process for reconciliation— drawing on the UK’s previous experience in supporting reconciliation processes (e.g. in Colombia) - that starts with investigating the alleged crimes that have been committed and bringing those responsible to justice. We agree. All four core recommendations have been considered as part of our response to the conflict, but are all, to a greater or lesser extent, predicated on an end to fighting. This remains our primary ask of the parties to the conflict.