Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department is providing to (a) faith-based actors and (b) other civil society organisations to support a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.

We are concerned about the continued violence in Tigray region and have consistently urged all parties to end the conflict, prioritise the protection of civilians and allow unfettered humanitarian access. The Foreign Secretary raised these points when he met with Prime Minister Abiy on 22 January and also pressed for a political dialogue to bring a lasting peace to Tigray. We also continue to engage with a range of other actors, including faith based actors and civil society organisations.

The UK is facilitating capacity building in Ethiopia to ensure that democratic institutions fulfil their constitutional mandate. Since 2016, the FCDO has provided over £30 million to support Ethiopia's electoral process, support engagement with citizens and support civil society organisations so that they can play an increasing role in monitoring human rights.