Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his (a) Ethiopian and (b) Eritrean counterparts on the use of bombing in civilian areas of the Tigray region of Ethiopia.

The indiscriminate targeting of civilian areas, no matter the weapon used, is against international law, and is unacceptable. The former Minister for Development visited Ethiopia 19-20 October. She met Ethiopia President Sahle-Work and Deputy Prime Minister Demeke and raised the protection of civilians. The British Ambassador to Eritrea has regularly raised human rights issues, and the impact of its involvement in the war in northern Ethiopia on civilians, with the Eritrean Government. We have made numerous public statements urging all parties to the conflict to prioritise the protection of civilians. We welcome the 2 November peace agreement.