Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) implications for his policies of the (i) humanitarian and (ii) civilian protection situation in the Amhara region of Ethiopia and (b) adequacy of the accountability for alleged violations against civilians in that region since August 2023.

We follow the conflict in Amhara and its implications for civilians closely and we have offered assistance to the Government of Ethiopia to find a peaceful solution. The UK has increased support to the Ethiopia Human Rights Commission who monitor the situation and who will be key in implementing the recently announced Transitional Justice Policy for Ethiopia. This aims to provide a mechanism for accountability for crimes committed in Amhara as well as other regions affected by conflict. We continue to speak out on specific incidents such as suspected extra-judicial killings in Merawit and consistently call for the protection of civilians in Amhara and Oromia, most recently at the UN Human Rights Council, and with Government of Ethiopia interlocutors. His Majesty's Ambassador met with the Amhara regional President in January and discussed a number of issues, including the ongoing conflict and prospects for dialogue.