Asked by: Baroness Quin (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they give, when allocating aid to Ethiopia, to the human rights situation in that country, particularly in relation to the Oromo population.
Answered by Baroness Northover
When allocating aid to Ethiopia, Her Majesty’s Government assesses the commitment of the Ethiopian government to our ‘Partnership Principles’, one of which relates to ‘Human Rights and International Obligations’. This assessment shapes how we work with the Government of Ethiopia in delivery of our aid.
We are concerned at recent events related to student protests in Oromia and have raised this issue at the highest levels of the Ethiopian government. We will continue to raise our concerns, press for an investigation into what happened, and for any members of the security forces who have used excessive force to be held to account.