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1308922

registered interest
date	14/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Ethiopia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many visits (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) officials from his Department have made to Ethiopia since 3 November 2020 to date.
tabling member constituency	Oxford West and Abingdon
tabling member printed	Layla Moran
uin	181103
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2021 answer text <p>The Foreign Secretary visited Ethiopia on 22 January. He visited a humanitarian logistics hub in Gondar run by the World Food Programme, and heard first hand from our agency partners about the difficulties faced delivering life-saving assistance. The Foreign Secretary also met with Prime Minister Abiy, the President and Deputy Prime Minister. In these discussions, he underlined the UK's serious concern about the situation in Tigray. Alok Sharma, the President for COP26, visited Ethiopia on 28 January 2021 to build support for climate action. The UK's Special Envoy for Humanitarian Affairs and Famine Prevention, Nick Dyer, visited Ethiopia in December 2020 to discuss Tigray and other issues with UN and Ethiopian counterparts.</p><p>Ministers and senior officials have also had regular discussions with the Ethiopian Government since the conflict in Tigray began. I [Minister Duddridge] most recently spoke with the Ethiopian Ambassador to the UK on 24 February, and our Ambassador in Addis Ababa spoke with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs on 15 April.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge grouped question UIN 181104 question first answered 19/04/2021 15:41:41 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4656 label Biography information for Layla Moran

1308928

registered interest
date	14/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Ethiopia: Arms Trade
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has conducted a review of existing arms export licences and arms export licensing policy in relation to Ethiopia since the outbreak of conflict in that country in November 2020.
tabling member constituency	Oxford West and Abingdon
tabling member printed	Layla Moran
uin	181106
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2021 answer text <p>The UK Government takes its export control responsibilities seriously and continues to monitor developments in Ethiopia very closely. We examine every licence application on a case-by-case basis against strict criteria, drawing on a range of sources in making assessments, including Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and international organisations, in addition to our diplomatic posts. All licences are kept under careful and continual review.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 19/04/2021 15:36:41 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4656 label Biography information for Layla Moran

1308958

registered interest
date	14/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Democratic Republic of Congo: Development Aid
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the reduction to Official Development Assistance on tackling child stunting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
tabling member constituency	Mid Derbyshire
tabling member printed	Mrs Pauline Latham
uin	180961
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2021 answer text <p>The seismic impact of the pandemic on the UK economy has forced us to take tough but necessary decisions, including temporarily reducing the overall amount we spend on aid to 0.5% of GNI. We will remain a world-leading ODA donor and still spend more than £10 billion this year to fight poverty, tackle climate change and improve global health. We are working through what this means for individual programmes. Decisions will be announced in due course.</p><p>The UK remains a committed development partner to the Democratic Republic of Congo, including on reducing child stunting. In the last year, we have supported 4 million children with community-based nutrition including counselling on exclusive breastfeeding, Vitamin A supplementation, and growing nutritious crops.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 19/04/2021 16:28:04 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4025 label Biography information for Mrs Pauline Latham

1308959

registered interest
date	14/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Democratic Republic of Congo: Food Supply and Malnutrition
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle food security and malnutrition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
tabling member constituency	Mid Derbyshire
tabling member printed	Mrs Pauline Latham
uin	180962
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2021 answer text <p>Tackling severe food insecurity and malnutrition is one of the UK's top priorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Since 2017, UK aid has provided 1.97 million people with food aid, cash and vouchers to reduce food insecurity and treated over 300,000 cases of severe acute malnutrition.</p><p>The UK is also leading a global call to action on the risk of famine and appointed Nick Dyer as the UK's Special Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs. DRC is a priority country for food insecurity and the UK's Call to Action. During my visit to DRC in November 2020 and a subsequent call with President Tshisekedi in March 2021, I discussed with the Government the need to address insecurity and conflict in the East, one of the key drivers of the humanitarian crisis.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 19/04/2021 16:18:53 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4025 label Biography information for Mrs Pauline Latham

1308981

registered interest
date	14/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Democratic Republic of Congo: Food Supply and Malnutrition
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how the G7 will co-ordinate international action to tackle rising food insecurity and malnutrition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
tabling member constituency	Mid Derbyshire
tabling member printed	Mrs Pauline Latham
uin	180963
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2021 answer text <p>Famine prevention is a priority theme of the UK's G7 Presidency. As part of this, the UK Special Envoy, Nick Dyer, is chairing a Panel on Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Crisis to agree a Compact to prevent famine in 2021 and slow the growth in humanitarian need through stronger approaches to early action. The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the priority countries for the UK's Call to Action on famine and food insecurity.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 19/04/2021 16:20:36 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4025 label Biography information for Mrs Pauline Latham

1308993

registered interest
date	14/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Tigray: Armed Conflict
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the withdrawal of Eritrean forces from the Tigray region of Ethiopia.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	181068
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2021 answer text <p>As we have made clear in Ministerial engagements with Eritrea and the international community, Eritrea's role in the Ethiopian conflict is particularly concerning. There are numerous reports of atrocities involving Eritrean forces, and the presence of Eritrean forces is fuelling insecurity. These forces must leave Ethiopia immediately, in line with the commitment made by Prime Minister Abiy in his announcement on 26 March. We are closely monitoring the situation and are clear that their withdrawal must be swift, unconditional and verifiable. We have yet to see any evidence that Eritrean forces are leaving Tigray.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 19/04/2021 15:33:47 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1308994

registered interest
date	14/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Tigray: Armed Conflict
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the validity of reports of starvation being used as a weapon of war in Tigray.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	181069
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/04/2021 answer text <p>The UK has been consistent in calling for the protection of civilians in Ethiopia, unfettered humanitarian access, and respect for human rights. We are concerned about the impact of the conflict on food security and nutrition in Tigray. UK-funded aid agencies in Tigray are delivering support in challenging circumstances, including food, shelter, water and healthcare. A joint humanitarian and political team from the British Embassy in Addis Ababa visited Tigray 4-5 March and 4-7 April. They met with the provisional administration of Tigray, the Mayor of Mekelle, the Interim Head of Administration in Shire and with humanitarian agencies working in the region. They spoke directly to people displaced by violence and heard harrowing accounts of human rights violations. The team also saw UKAid work in action and learned of the challenges across Tigray.</p><p>Since the conflict started, the UK has consistently called for an end to fighting, and for all parties to the conflict to prioritise the protection of civilians. Currently 4.5 million are in need of food aid. I shared the UK's concerns on food security with the International Development Committee on 18 March. To date the UK has provided £19 million of badly needed support to people in Tigray.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 20/04/2021 16:25:03 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge previous answer version 97379 answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1308996

registered interest
date	14/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Tigray: Armed Conflict
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the use of rape as a weapon of war in Tigray.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	181070
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2021 answer text <p>The UK is appalled by reports of gender-based violence that includes widespread rape in the Tigray region. The G7, under the UK Presidency, issued a statement on 2 April condemning human rights violations and abuses and sexual and gender based violence. The UK also condemned in the strongest terms the reported killings of civilians and acts of sexual violence via a joint statement on Ethiopia with 41 other countries at the 46th Session of the Human Rights Council. We support the UN's call for a &quot;zero tolerance&quot; policy for such crimes and we continue to call for independent, international investigations into allegations of human right abuses.</p><p>British Embassy staff conducted a specific protection mission in Shire in Tigray on 4-7 April. It included the assessment of the current Gender-Based Violence response, specific emergency services provided in camps and the remaining gaps. They interviewed staff and volunteers supporting survivors of sexual violence to identify essential activities required to address the immediate needs of the survivors as well as the accountability needs.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 19/04/2021 16:51:05 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1308997

registered interest
date	14/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Tigray: Armed Conflict
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department is having with its Ethiopian counterparts on finding a political resolution to the conflict in Tigray.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	181071
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2021 answer text <p>Since the conflict started, the UK has consistently called for an end to fighting, and for all parties to the conflict to prioritise the protection of civilians. We have, and will continue to advocate that a political process is essential to bring a full end to fighting and a sustainable settlement for Tigray. The Foreign Secretary raised these points when he met with Prime Minister Abiy on 22 January and pressed for a political dialogue to bring a lasting peace to Tigray. He also discussed the importance of credible elections in maintaining peace and stability. Ensuring security, freedom of the media and allowing political parties to organise and campaign are critical to credible elections. I [Minister Duddridge] also pressed for political dialogue to end the conflict when I [Minister Duddridge] spoke with the Ethiopian Ambassador to the UK on 24 February. I [Minister Duddridge]have also spoken with partners in the region and Gulf partners on this issue.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 19/04/2021 15:39:17 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1309013

registered interest
date	14/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Tigray: Internet
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage his Ethiopian counterpart to restore internet access in the Tigray region of that nation.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	181074
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2021 answer text <p>The humanitarian situation in Tigray is concerning, with 4.5 million people in desperate need. Both publicly and in our engagements with our Ethiopian counterparts, the Foreign Secretary and I [Minister Duddridge] have consistently called for greater humanitarian access, as has the UK Ambassador in Addis Ababa. The lack of telephone and internet services is yet another challenge for humanitarian efforts and it should be restored. We also need to see improvements to security for humanitarian workers, the restoration of communications and banking services in Tigray, and the departure of Eritrean troops in line with PM Abiy's commitment of 26 March.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 19/04/2021 15:46:45 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq