Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Department's News Story entitled, The conflict is causing untold suffering and must end, published on 20 January 2022, what assessment she has made of the range of organisations and people who will be able to participate in the (a) National Dialogue Commission and (b) peace and reconciliation efforts that that dialogue ​intends to make.

We are extremely concerned by the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia and the implications it has for the country as a whole. The UK is working to support an end to the violence. I [Minister Ford] met Prime Minister Abiy in Addis Ababa on 20 January when we discussed the conflict and I urged for efforts towards peace. I have continued to emphasise the need for a ceasefire through calls with my African counterparts, including from Kenya and the African Union (AU). I have urged my counterparts to engage with the African Union-led mediation efforts. We welcome the establishment of a National Dialogue Commission and the release of some political prisoners as positive steps forward. We are watching the development of the new Commission closely, which is still in its very early days. We engage on a regular basis with organisations and institutions involved with dialogue, peace and reconciliation efforts. This includes providing direct funding to support such efforts in Somali Regional State. We have spoken with a variety of international partners about the situation in Ethiopia, and have urged them to support a ceasefire and support the efforts of AU High Representative Obasanjo to bring an end to the violence. The British Ambassador in Addis Ababa remains in touch with HR Obasanjo.