Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2025
23. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her views on the current conflict in Tigray, Ethiopia; to outline Ireland's response; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72611/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraWe continue to monitor developments in northern Ethiopia, and across the wider Horn of Africa. The region as a whole is experiencing instability and sustained humanitarian crisis. Ethiopia remains Ireland’s largest bilateral development partner.
It is now over three years since the signature of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement between the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which ended the devastating conflict in northern Ethiopia. In the period since then, there has been progress made in restoring basic services, improving humanitarian access, launching a Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration process, and enabling some limited returns to their homes by Internally Displaced Persons.
Ireland and our EU partners have been clear in our bilateral engagement with the Government of Ethiopia and with all relevant parties that effective implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement is critical to sustain and consolidate peace in northern Ethiopia and in the wider region.
Together with other international partners, Ireland stands ready to support outstanding processes arising from the Agreement, including the return of Internally Displaced Persons in full accordance with international humanitarian law. We also hope to see continued progress on the Transitional Justice process, to ensure that all human rights violations and abuses are investigated and perpetrators held to account, and on the National Dialogue process.
In this context, our development programme currently includes specific interventions in support of the National Dialogue, Transitional Justice, the engagement of women in political and peace processes, and support to Ethiopia’s Human Rights Commission. In the Tigray region we fund programmes which support victims of sexual and gender based violence, including from the 2021-2022 conflict, alongside livelihoods support, and climate smart agriculture interventions.
