Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Ireland is closely following developments in Ethiopia, including on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Tigray and elections.

The construction of the GERD in Ethiopia is the cause of escalating tension between Ethiopia on the one hand, and Sudan and Egypt on the other, and poses a significant potential challenge to regional peace and security. As a member of the UN Security Council, and given our friendly relations with Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan, Ireland has been closely monitoring efforts to facilitate dialogue between the parties.

Ireland recognises that the GERD is of critical significance for the three countries. We support the continued leadership of the Africa Union (AU) in facilitating negotiations to find an equitable and peaceful solution. Ireland supports the active role played by the EU in supporting the AU-led negotiation process.

I remain extremely concerned by the ongoing conflict in Tigray.  Notwithstanding commitments made, the situation on the ground is worsening. An immediate ceasefire is the most important step all parties can take. In this regard, it is imperative that Eritrean forces leave Tigray immediately.  

I am alarmed by credible warnings of famine.  I am also concerned by attacks on humanitarian workers. There is an urgent need for full humanitarian access.  Ireland joined recent international calls for a humanitarian ceasefire to allow for planting and to avert the risk of famine.

We support the work of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, to investigate reported atrocities, including widespread and systematic sexual violence.  It is vital that perpetrators be held to account.

Ireland continues to work on the UN Security Council to ensure a focus on the situation in Tigray. Most recently, on 15 June, we called an informal meeting of the Security Council that focused on the humanitarian situation, having led the negotiation in April of a Council press statement on the situation in Tigray, the first time the Security Council spoke publicly on the crisis. We have also used Council thematic discussions on conflict and hunger, and on conflict-related sexual violence, to highlight these aspects of the crisis.  

We continue to support a strong and constructive EU response to the crisis. Minister Coveney also continues to engage with key interlocutors on the situation, including in the region, the Gulf, as well as the AU.

The Department, through Irish Aid, has provided over €3.2 million to support the humanitarian response in Tigray and the refugee response in neighbouring Sudan, through our UN and NGO partners on the ground.  Further Irish Aid humanitarian support is under active consideration.

Ethnically-motivated conflict in Ethiopia beyond Tigray is also of concern, including in the context of the national elections which partially took place on 21 June. In advance of the elections, the EU issued a statement highlighting concerns about the situation on the ground, including ongoing violence, human rights violations and political tensions, harassment of media workers and detention of opposition members.  The exclusion of large segments of the electorate was troubling, and we remain concerned that the situation on the ground was not conducive to a credible, inclusive and transparent electoral process.