Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the voter registration exercise in Ethiopia.

The UK is supporting the organisation of elections with up to £15m assistance to a UN programme which supports the National Elections Board of Ethiopia (NEBE). There have been substantial improvements delivered by NEBE, but candidate registration and voter registration have been subject to profound delays and difficulties. The UK, together with the EU, US, Sweden and UN, met with Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen and Attorney General Gedion Timothewos on 14 April to raise our concerns about those delays. The Foreign Secretary spoke with Prime Minister Abiy during his visit to Ethiopia on 22 January and discussed the importance of credible elections in maintaining peace and stability.