Subject: Questions after the visit to Tigray of the EU envoy
Following all the pressure from the global community and in the light of the need to scale up of assistance, the Ethiopian government has reported that it is providing access to humanitarian organisations.
Moreover, the presence of Eritrean soldiers in the Tigray region had also been creating more tension until the Ethiopian government consulted the Eritrean government about the withdrawal of its soldiers.
Tension with neighboring Sudan has also mounted following an accusation that Ethiopia was supporting gangs that target Sudanese territory, and because of disagreement about the use of Nile after the construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam.
Furthermore, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees from Ethiopia continue to flee to Sudan. This migration and tension could also affect the entire Horn of Africa region.
1. Although the war has not been halted, what progress has been made in the Tigray region, and how is the international community providing support to finding peaceful solutions there?
2. Is there a glimmer of hope that there will be an end to the war and to the reported violations of human rights and international humanitarian law?
Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Borrell on behalf of the European Commission (25 June 2021)
Seven months into the conflict, the humanitarian crisis in Tigray is reaching staggering levels, while violence is increasing in other parts of Ethiopia and tension is growing in the Horn of Africa region. As stated in the latest Council Conclusions on Ethiopia adopted on 11 March 2021 (1), the EU, along with its Member States, is deeply concerned by the overall deteriorating context.
Despite EU continuous calls for unhindered humanitarian access to all parts of Tigray and an immediate cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access is still being restricted, while over 5 million people are in need of emergency assistance, in particular food aid.
The announced withdrawal of Eritrean troops should start immediately and all parties to the conflict should exercise restraint, and abide by human rights law and international humanitarian law.
It remains decisive to investigate all the allegations of human right abuses, war crimes and gender-based violence that are continuously reported. In that regard, the EU encourages the ongoing joint investigations between the Ethiopian Human Right Commission and the Office of the High Commissioner on Human rights.
In addition to the active humanitarian support provided since the beginning of the crisis, the European Union has been engaged in a frank dialogue with the government of Ethiopia. The EU remains strongly engaged in coordinating efforts with other key donors and actors to increase international understanding on the severity of the conflict in Tigray, guarantee coordinated actions to ensure the protection of all civilians, and avert the risk of large-scale famine.
⋅1∙ https://www.consilium.europa.eu/fr/press/press-releases/2021/03/11/eu-ethiopia-relations-eu-council-conclusions-stress-the-strategic-partnership-and-eu-s-deep-
concerns-about-the-situation-in-the-tigray-region/