Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Ethiopia regarding the expulsion of seven United Nations officials from that country.

On 30 September the Minister for Africa called on the Government of Ethiopia to reverse the decision to expel seven United Nations Officials from the country with immediate effect. The removal of key UN personnel will have a direct impact on the ability of the international community to deliver vital humanitarian assistance. The UK's Special Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs, Nick Dyer visited Tigray where he saw first-hand the UN's efforts to respond to this emergency. This was reiterated at the 48th session of the UN Human Rights Council on 4 October where a joint statement was issued by the UK Ambassador to the UN on behalf of over 40 countries, and raised at the UN Security Council briefing on Ethiopia on 6 October. The Minister for Africa also raised the expulsions and situation in Ethiopia on her visit to the UN on 13 October, with many senior representatives of the UN and the three current African members of the UNSC. She urged consensus to press all parties in Ethiopia to deliver an urgent ceasefire and for a humanitarian corridor to be opened to deliver then humanitarian assistance that is urgently required.