Written question asked by Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour) on Thursday, 3 November 2022, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 7 November 2022. It was answered by Andrew Mitchell (Conservative) on Monday, 14 November 2022 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Ethiopia: Ceasefires

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Agreement for Lasting Peace through a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, brokered by the African Union on 2 November 2022, what steps he plans to take as part of his Department's programmes on (a) conflict prevention and (b) women, peace and security to support the preservation of peace; and whether he plans to offer the support of UK institutions to assist with (i) democratic and (ii) peacebuilding processes.

Answer: The UK welcomes the important step towards peace taken by the Ethiopian Government and Tigray People's Liberation Front in signing a cessation of hostilities on 2 November, and commends their choice to end the devastating two-year-long conflict. We are grateful to the leadership shown in brokering this critical agreement by African Union Commission Chairperson Faki, African Union High Representative to the Horn of Africa Obasanjo, former South African Deputy President Mlambo-Ngcuka, former Kenyan President Kenyatta, and the South African Government in hosting the talks. The UK is ready to support the peace process. Our Embassy in Addis Ababa will discuss ways that we can support the implementation of the peace agreement with the Ethiopian Government and the African Union.

Secondary information