Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether human rights issues will remain a firm condition for the granting of development aid to the government of Eritrea.

DFID does not have a bilateral development programme in Eritrea, but makes a humanitarian contribution through UNICEF, until June 2015, for health, nutrition, water and sanitation.

Across our humanitarian programmes we consider key human rights issues including issues of impartiality, protection, principles of do no harm, conflict sensitivity, access to vulnerable groups and the needs of women and girls. In countries where DFID does have, or is planning to have, bilateral development programmes, the extent of partner governments’ commitment to respecting human rights and other international obligations is one of four Partnership Principles assessed by country offices. The Government has made representations to the Government of Eritrea to improve its observance of human rights, and works with European partners on the implementation of the Eritrea Country Programme under the Eleventh European Development Fund to help provide for greater economic growth and opportunity.