Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure humanitarian assistance reaches rural areas in Tigray.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The conflict in northern Ethiopia has contributed to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, leaving 13 million people in Tigray, Amhara and Afar requiring humanitarian assistance. The UK has provided more than £80 million to respond to the humanitarian crises Ethiopia since November 2020. Our support has reached civilians across the country including in conflict areas, drought affected areas, and to refugees. UK support has gone towards water and sanitation, health and nutrition, child protection and gender-based violence prevention and response, livelihoods, logistics, communications, and technical expertise seconded to the UN.
The return to conflict, including the seizure of fuel by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) from the World Food Programme, makes the work of humanitarian agencies more difficult. The UK, working closely with international partners and the UN, is urging all parties to the conflict to guarantee unfettered humanitarian access by immediately ceasing hostilities and allowing aid in.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with international partners over the renewed conflict in Ethiopia.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The breakdown of the truce and return to conflict between the Tigray People's Liberation Front and the Ethiopian Government is catastrophic for the people of Ethiopia. It risks tens of thousands of deaths, both directly through fighting and indirectly through a further deepening of the already dire humanitarian situation. 22 months since fighting began, it is clear that there is no military solution to the conflict.
The UK is heavily involved in international efforts to de-escalate conflict, stressing the need for a political solution, humanitarian access and accountability for atrocities. We support the African Union's mediation efforts to this end, and encourage a redoubling of these efforts to avert further escalation. The UK urges Tigrayan troops to leave Amhara and Eritrean troops to leave Tigray. We urge the Ethiopian Government to restore services to Tigray and both parties to begin direct talks without preconditions. Our Embassy in Addis Ababa is engaging with all parties to the conflict to deliver these messages.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the status of the humanitarian truce between the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The breakdown of the truce and return to conflict between the Tigray People's Liberation Front and the Ethiopian Government is catastrophic for the people of Ethiopia. It risks tens of thousands of deaths, both directly through fighting and indirectly through a further deepening of the already dire humanitarian situation. 22 months since fighting began, it is clear that there is no military solution to the conflict.
The UK is heavily involved in international efforts to de-escalate conflict, stressing the need for a political solution, humanitarian access and accountability for atrocities. We support the African Union's mediation efforts to this end, and encourage a redoubling of these efforts to avert further escalation. The UK urges Tigrayan troops to leave Amhara and Eritrean troops to leave Tigray. We urge the Ethiopian Government to restore services to Tigray and both parties to begin direct talks without preconditions. Our Embassy in Addis Ababa is engaging with all parties to the conflict to deliver these messages.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Zimbabwe regarding (1) the abduction and murder of opposition political activist Moreblessing Ali, and (2) the steps being taken by the Zimbabwe authorities to investigate this.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The Minister for Africa and I [Lord Goldsmith] were appalled to hear of the murder of Moreblessing Ali. The British Ambassador in Zimbabwe publicly expressed her sadness at this tragic news and passed on our condolences to Moreblessing's family and friends. It is important that the Zimbabwe police continue to investigate her murder to establish the facts, and those behind this terrible crime are brought to justice. The Minister for Africa recently wrote to Foreign Minister Shava to reiterate the importance of demonstrable progress on the human rights and political reforms that the President of Zimbabwe committed to in his inauguration speech in November 2017.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to lead an international response to prevent widespread famine in (1) East Africa, and (2) the Horn of Africa.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The humanitarian situation across the Horn and East of Africa is extremely concerning. Conflict and drought are the main causes of humanitarian need. The region is experiencing one of its most severe droughts in history with more than 15 million people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia assessed to be acutely food insecure, according to the UN. Nearly 500,000 people in Ethiopia and Somalia are experiencing famine-like conditions.
The UK is a major humanitarian donor to the region. In 2022 the UK has provided £72 million to support more than one million people in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan affected by conflict, drought and flooding. Across the region UK funded humanitarian activities are making a difference and saving lives. In Kenya the UK is providing 26,000 children with life-saving nutritional support. In Ethiopia a further 200,000 children and pregnant and lactating women in southern and eastern regions will receive similar aid. The UK also played a critical role in convening the recent UN Horn of Africa Drought Roundtable which took place in late April in Geneva. This included working with states in the region and the UN to ensure appropriate levels of participation. It helped to bring much needed focus on the drought and it mobilised roughly US$400 million in new funding.
Our response to the drought builds on long-established resilience building programmes in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. In Kenya this includes support to the Hunger Safety Programme, which has provided 600,000 people in drought prone areas with regular financial assistance. In Ethiopia, the UK funded Productive Safety Net Programme has benefitted some 8 million people via financial welfare provision and community public works projects. In Somalia the UK has been supporting over 220 rural communities in three large urban cities with durable solutions initiatives for internally displaced persons. These programmes, coupled with additional investments, have enabled the UK to reach nearly 8 million individuals as a part of our emergency humanitarian response.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what humanitarian assistance they are providing to the 5.7 million children in the Horn of Africa who are expected to suffer acute malnourishment this year as a result of the ongoing drought.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK is a major humanitarian donor to the East Africa region. In 2022 the UK has provided £72 million to support more than one million people in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and South Sudan affected by conflict, drought and flooding. Across the region UK-funded humanitarian activities are making a difference and saving lives. In Kenya the UK is providing 26,000 children with life-saving nutritional support. In Ethiopia a further 200,000 children and pregnant and lactating women in southern and eastern regions will receive similar aid. The UK also played a critical role in convening the recent UN Horn of Africa Drought Roundtable which took place in late April in Geneva. This included working with states in the region and the UN to ensure appropriate levels of participation. It helped to bring much needed focus on the drought and it mobilised roughly US$400 million in new funding.
Our response to the drought builds on long-established resilience building programmes in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. In Kenya this includes support to the Hunger Safety Programme, which has provided 600,000 people in drought prone areas with regular financial assistance. In Ethiopia, the UK funded Productive Safety Net Programme has benefitted some 8 million people via financial welfare provision and community public works projects. In Somalia the UK has been supporting over 220 rural communities in three large urban cities with durable solutions initiatives for internally displaced persons. These programmes, coupled with additional investments, have enabled the UK to reach nearly 8 million individuals as a part of our emergency humanitarian response.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect that the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Health Workforce Support and Safeguard List will be updated; and what discussions, if any, they have had with the WHO about this.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The World Health Organisation have confirmed that they will be preparing a 2022 update of their Health Workforce Support and Safeguard list for publication in early 2023, alongside their regular reporting on their Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel. The UK will participate in their first Member State consultation on this update later this month.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the shortage of health care workers in Zimbabwe, what discussions, if any, they have had with the (1) government of Zimbabwe, and (2) World Health Organisation, about Zimbabwe remaining on the World Health Organisation Health Workforce Support and Safeguard Green List.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
We regularly engage with the Government of Zimbabwe on a breadth of health care issues. Our Embassy officials met with the Permanent Secretary for Health and Child Care at the beginning of March. The UK is one of the largest donors to Zimbabwean health care. Between 2017 and 2022, the UK will have provided £130 million of support through the pooled Health Development Fund (HDF). The HDF focuses on delivering sexual, reproductive, maternal, new-born, child and adolescent health and nutrition services including support to health workers in primary health care facilities. The UK also provides critical support to Zimbabwe's health sector via global health initiatives like the Global Fund, GAVI and the Global Finance Facility.
The UK supports the freedom of movement of skilled workers and follows the guidelines as set out in the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguard Green List. We will continue to engage the World Health Organisation to ensure a strategic approach to health worker recruitment, retention and migration.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had at ministerial level with Southern African Development Community (SADC) members states concerning the prospect for free and fair elections with respect to the 26 March (1) parliamentary, and (2) municipal, by-elections in Zimbabwe.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
There has been no ministerial contact with the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) partners specifically on Zimbabwe's March 26 by-elections. However, through our Embassies and High Commissions, the UK regularly discusses the political, economic, and human rights situation in Zimbabwe with its international partners. The UK is committed to working in partnership with the SADC and the African Union as well as other international organisations. The Minister for Africa met with President Mnangagwa on 1 November 2021 and raised our concerns regarding human rights, the shrinking of democratic space and the importance of Zimbabwe demonstrating a positive trajectory ahead of the 2023 elections. The UK continues to urge the Zimbabwean Government to fulfil their own constitution and their commitments to reform electoral laws.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the economies of African countries as a result of being placed on the UK's COVID-19 travel red list.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The travel red list was a short term measure which ended at 4am on Wednesday 15th December. Through our bilateral programmes, and the UK's important role working through the International Financial Institutions, we are helping governments and businesses in southern Africa access affordable financing and advice; and establish safety nets to support the most vulnerable.