Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans his Department has to support peace talks between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and the Ethiopian Government.

The UK is urging all parties to the conflict to reinstate the truce, join African Union-led peace talks to negotiate a ceasefire, restore humanitarian access and banking and communications services to Tigray and prioritise the protection of civilians and uphold international humanitarian law. The Minister for Development met Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister Demeke on 22 September to deliver these messages. The Minister for Development also travelled to Ethiopia on 19 October and met the Deputy Prime Minister and the President, to press these points. Our Embassy in Addis Ababa is in regular touch with Ethiopian and Tigrayan leaders. We are supporting the African Union led mediation efforts.