Select committee: International Development Committee
Recommendation 73
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 ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We believe that the UK Government should be working to: • 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; • 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; To achieve this, the FCDO will need to work with the Government of Ethiopia, regional authorities, its bilateral partners and multilateral organisations, including the UN Security Council, in a coordinated effort that will be a true test of the approach it has set out in the Integrated Review. 28 The humanitarian situation in Tigray
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.