Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to mediate tensions between the Governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea.

The Government is deeply concerned by the renewed conflict in northern Ethiopia and the implications across the Horn of Africa. We call on all parties to end hostilities, respect international humanitarian law, allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and return to dialogue under African Union-led mediation.

Ministers and senior officials have engaged with Ethiopia and Eritrea to call for restraint and de-escalation. We are also coordinating closely with the African Union, United Nations and international partners. On 14 October the UK released a statement which called for "all parties to respect the sovereignty… of all countries in the region". This followed a statement on 24 September condemning attacks by the Tigray Defence Forces.