Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on 21 March (HL6783), what assessment they have made of the denial of transit facilities to the United Nations through Ethiopia; and whether they consider this to be a blockade.

Less than 10% of required aid has reached Tigray since July 2021. The UN has described Tigray as being subject to a 'de facto blockade' and we share this assessment. We welcome the humanitarian ceasefire announced by both sides on 24 March and are working with a range of stakeholders how to operationalise this to enable swift delivery of aid.