Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the endorsement of the presidents of Somalia, Egypt and Eritrea, on 10 October, of the deployment of Egyptian troops to Somalia, (2) the threat that such a deployment would pose to Ethiopia’s dam on the Blue Nile, and (3) the concomitant risk of conflict between Egyptian and Ethiopian troops.

The UK, alongside partners, continues to urge all stakeholders and regional actors to avoid escalation and any action that threatens stability in the wider Horn of Africa. We hear downstream nations' concerns about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and we continue to urge all parties to reach a mutually acceptable agreement through negotiation and dialogue. To further address the rising tensions in the Horn of Africa, we have tabled a debate on 29th October in the House of Lords.