Response to interpellation 2024/25:292 on Ethiopia
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerns Sweden's engagement in Ethiopia and the peace process there. M works bilaterally, through the EU and the UN, for an inclusive national dialogue and a broad political solution. M supports the EU's conditions on concrete progress for accountability in order to normalize relations 1. M emphasizes that conflicts cannot be solved with military means and that Sweden contributes 52 million kronor to demobilization 2. M argues that Sweden has an extensive commitment that must continue 3 and that peace is a prerequisite for economic reforms 3. S wants Sweden to take a larger role and prioritize an inclusive peace process 4 5. S considers that peace processes are not sustainable without the entire population and women 6. S argues that it is crucial to continue supporting civil society 6. MP urges the government to continue investing in civil society, a free press, and women's participation 7 8.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)
Madam Speaker! Alexandra Völker has asked me what political initiatives I see as possible to take for peace and security for the civilian population in Ethiopia, as well as what initiatives Sweden intends to take to promote the peace process in Ethiopia.
To enable a sustainable peace in all of Ethiopia, Sweden acts bilaterally, in cooperation with like-minded countries as well as through the EU and the UN for an inclusive national dialogue and a broad political solution, so that human rights are respected, so that accountability is demanded, and for unimpeded and secure humanitarian access.
Sweden, together with the EU and the UN, supports an ongoing dialogue with the Ethiopian government and relevant actors and calls for political solutions to the conflicts in the country. Sweden's and the EU's aid are important tools used to support the processes that Ethiopia has initiated to promote national dialogue, ensure transitional justice, and carry out disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of former combatants.
Alexandra Völker (S)
Madam Speaker! With this interpellation, I want to lift my gaze and direct it towards one of the countries that receives very little attention, despite the fact that there is an extremely serious situation with enormous suffering prevailing there.
According to Unicef, Ethiopia is judged to be one of the countries in the world that will have the largest proportion of children in its population in 2050. Ethiopia is also, and will continue to be, one of the countries hit hardest by climate change. The World Bank has stated that the drought the country has suffered from in recent years, the worst in 40 years, has hit parts of the population extremely hard. At the same time, floods have damaged both infrastructure and supplies in other parts of the country. With the expected development ahead, it unfortunately does not look better; rather, this risks even erasing previous development if it is not addressed now.
Climate change hits the population particularly hard given the conflicts that have characterized the country for a long time. These are conflicts that create a vicious circle and make it difficult for the country to develop as needed to meet upcoming challenges. A long-lasting, stable and inclusive peace is a completely decisive issue for Ethiopia. When the war in Tigray ended, many of us breathed a sigh of relief. But at the same time, we could see the fact that the Amharas were not included in the peace negotiations and the peace agreement, and that this has created great challenges for the peace process.
The ongoing conflicts in the Amhara region are costing human lives, affecting the possibility of attending school, and affecting humanitarian efforts. 4.1 million children are estimated to be out of school in the Amhara region at the current time. Transport corridors are regularly disrupted, which hinders humanitarian aid. Several reports have emerged regarding drone attacks; among other things, a school and civilian homes are said to have been destroyed.
The conflicts in the region make it difficult for organizations to operate in the area. For example, the World Food Programme has expressed a need for safe passage to be able to continue reaching the most vulnerable families. They emphasize the need for all parties to ensure protection and security for civilians, including humanitarian actors and their assets and premises. The current situation threatens the World Food Programme's ability to support nearly half a million vulnerable people in the region. In September, only 49,000 of the planned 340,000 received emergency food aid.
Ethiopia is a country with great influence over the entire region. Contributing to an inclusive peace process should therefore be a priority for the government. The Folke Bernadotte Academy plays an important role based on the existing peace agreement, but we see that much more is needed.
Ethiopia is a country where Sweden has had a long commitment. We were involved in building up the Ethiopian air force, and we have had a development cooperation commitment for over 60 years. Sweden therefore needs to take a more important and larger role moving forward.
It is a large number of Swedes who every day worry about their loved ones on the ground in Ethiopia, not least in the Amhara region. Can we expect that Sweden will play a larger role moving forward?
Jacob Risberg (MP)
Madam Speaker! Thank you, Alexandra Völker, for asking the question, and thank you, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, who is here to discuss! Ethiopia is, as said, somewhat of a forgotten situation, at least in Swedish media for the time being. That has been the case particularly in recent years when we have seen the full-scale invasion in Ukraine and the wars in Gaza and Sudan.
When the peace agreement in Tigray came in 2022, many of us were very happy. At the same time, it quickly faded into the media shadows. A good number of conflicts have returned during this time, including in Amhara and Oromia. According to Unicef, around 9 million children have been forced to drop out of school.
In January, Ethiopia and Somalia restored full diplomatic relations, one year after relations were severed because Ethiopia had entered into a cooperation agreement with Somaliland. While the conflicts continue, arbitrary detentions and forced evictions increased during the past year. Thousands of civilians have been placed in internment camps in Amhara, and in November, three prominent MR organizations were banned, at a time when civil society and free media are extra important. It is necessary that we put pressure on Ethiopia.
It is also required that we continue to have a strong Swedish aid to reach some form of possibility for peace and stability. The Ethiopians do not only have internal problems, but one also has, according to UNHCR, 823,000 refugees from South Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea.
The aid to Ethiopia has, among other things, gone towards promoting women's participation in the peace process. This is an important track where Sweden has a somewhat unique role with the Folke Bernadotte Academy, as Alexandra Völker mentioned, specifically regarding the inclusion of women in the peace process. I must also mention the former feminist foreign policy here.
We have had relations with Ethiopia since 1866, and in 1954 Ethiopia became Sweden's first aid country. We have a long history of trying to help Ethiopia and the Ethiopians. We also have a large Ethiopian diaspora here in Sweden where people, as mentioned, are worried about their loved ones in Ethiopia.
I therefore urge the government to continue investing in Ethiopia and to continue investing in the unique parts where we contribute through the Folke Bernadotte Academy, to support civil society in Ethiopia now when it is most important, and also to try to support a free press.
Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)
Madam Speaker! The Government is closely following the situation in Ethiopia and views very seriously the reports regarding extensive abuses and violations of human rights, international humanitarian law, and refugee law. Sweden and the EU demand that independent investigations be conducted and that accountability is enforced.
Sweden supports the EU's conditions regarding concrete progress for increased accountability in order to fully normalize relations with Ethiopia. Robust processes for transitional justice and accountability aimed at addressing violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Ethiopia over the last decades are fundamental to ensuring a sustainable peace throughout the country, enabling reconciliation and preventing future abuses and violations.
The Ethiopian government has initiated a process for transitional justice. Sweden, together with like-minded countries, is following this process closely and is working to ensure that it takes place in accordance with international standards and in a credible and transparent manner.
An important part of Sweden's aid to Ethiopia aims to increase respect for human rights. In addition, Sweden supports the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Addis Ababa through the aid, which, among other things, has an important role when it comes to ensuring monitoring of the human rights situation in Ethiopia. The support aims, among other things, to contribute to accountability and capacity building regarding human rights, for example by strengthening the Ethiopian HR commission's ability to act against and monitor violations and abuses regarding human rights.
Alexandra Völker (S)
Madam Speaker! Thank you, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, for the answer, and thank you, Jacob Risberg from Miljöpartiet, for participating in this debate! I would actually wish that we had more discussions about just this topic also in the Swedish Riksdag.
What is happening in Ethiopia is incredibly serious, and it is incredibly many people who are affected. It is very many human lives that are being wasted, and it is many who truly suffer. It is also incredibly worrying for the future.
We must get the situation to calm down. We must get a peace process that truly includes the entire population and can lead Ethiopia into the future and also ensure that everyone can have their rights met. It is about being able to live in peace, that children can go to school and that Ethiopia can get a chance to transition in the climate work that will be required for it to be livable there in the future.
It is very important that Sweden and the international community continue to act for this. Sweden has, as previously mentioned here, in many ways a unique role to play precisely because of our very long commitment in Ethiopia. Now we need to take that role. We also need to take that chance. This is about what future we want to have.
We see in so many places in the world that it is going completely the wrong way. We need to achieve a long-term peace that also stabilizes the region, because this can affect the entire region and have incredibly large consequences - even greater than those we see today.
I thank you for this debate so far, but I really hope that the Foreign Minister, in his next contribution, can state a bit more clearly what role Sweden can play going forward, beyond what we already do today. Unfortunately, more is needed.
Jacob Risberg (MP)
Madam Speaker! Thank you, Minister for Foreign Affairs, for the answer! This is the fifth debate for us today, so I am starting to feel a bit weary in the head.
What the Foreign Minister says sounds quite promising. We have, after all, worked with Ethiopia for a long time. I just want to ask a few questions about things that we really must not forget.
Can the Minister for Foreign Affairs promise to continue to keep the focus on Ethiopia as long as she is Minister for Foreign Affairs and also continue to raise Ethiopia in EU circles? In much of the work, it is required that there is also EU pressure. Sweden cannot act alone, but Sweden is a key actor here given the long history we have regarding the relationship with Ethiopia.
I also wonder if the Foreign Minister can promise to continue investing in aid that goes specifically to civil society and women's participation in the peace and democratization process. In that case, I believe we can reach a consensus on this issue, and then I would be very happy and satisfied.
Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)
Madam Speaker! The conflicts in Ethiopia cannot be resolved through military means. The permanent ceasefire in the Tigray region between the government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front has now been in effect for just over two years. It is now crucial to achieve solutions to the ongoing conflicts in the Amhara and Oromia regions. Sweden, together with the EU and the UN, is conducting an ongoing dialogue with the Ethiopian government and relevant actors, where we call for dialogue and political solutions to the conflicts in the country.
Sweden's strategy for development cooperation with Ethiopia 2022-2026 contains a clear focus on peaceful and inclusive societies. The strategy thus extends until 2026, which is the time of the next election. So much advance notice I can give. Then I hope that I am still here after the election as well.
Through the aid, we thus play an important role in promoting a sustainable peace in Ethiopia. Sweden supports and cooperates closely with the UN Development Programme, UNDP, the national dialogue commission and actors in civil society. I want to assure Jacob Risberg that equality and the rights of women and girls are something that permeates Sweden's work all around the world.
Through our embassy in Addis Ababa, we participate in the steering group for the UNDP fund, which has been established to support the national dialogue process. This gives us an important platform to monitor and influence the process in the right direction.
Sweden also contributes through aid with 52 million kronor during the period 2024-2026 to the ongoing process for demobilization, disarmament and reintegration, via UNDP's special fund for this.
The interpellor has been to the Folke Bernadotte Academy, which is important here and contributes technical support to this process. This year, a special position has been appointed at the embassy in Addis Ababa, among other things to be able to monitor and contribute to the process on site.
The path towards sustainable peace in Ethiopia will likely be long and complicated. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the international community continues to engage. Sweden will continue to work actively together with the EU, the UN and other partners to contribute to stability and achieve a sustainable peace throughout the country.
Alexandra Völker (S)
Madam Speaker! Thank you, Minister for Foreign Affairs, for the answer!
The purpose of the interpellation debate was for us to turn our gaze towards Ethiopia, as I said earlier. In a situation where it sometimes feels like the whole world is burning, it is very important that we are actually able to see how things are everywhere, because this has incredibly large consequences. It is important that we focus on our immediate surroundings, but we must also be able to see our entire planet and all the conflicts and all the suffering that is ongoing.
Ethiopia is an incredibly clear example that peace processes that do not include the entire population are not functional and sustainable in the long run. It is about seeing the entire population. It is about including women. Just as Jacob Risberg has pointed out here, it is incredibly important that we also continue to support civil society, as that will be absolutely crucial moving forward. In that regard, it is also pleasing with the Foreign Minister's answer.
I think we have every reason to return to this issue in the future, because it really receives far too little attention despite the serious situation and how this can affect the entire region and have incredibly far-reaching consequences. But I thank you for the debate today.
Utrikesministern Maria Malmer Stenergard (M)
Madam Speaker! Sweden has a comprehensive and long-standing commitment in Ethiopia. We intend to continue with that – I want to be very clear about that. The Government will continue to monitor the situation in Ethiopia closely. We are in close contact with the EU's diplomatic service, the EU's special representative for the Horn of Africa, the EU's member states, the UN, civil society, and other relevant actors.
Sweden and Ethiopia have a tradition of trade relations over 130 years long and a tradition of development cooperation over 70 years long. Today, there are many Swedes with Ethiopian roots, and several Swedish companies work in and with Ethiopia. Sweden maintains an active and ongoing dialogue with these actors regarding the situation in the country. Ethiopia's economic reforms represent an opportunity for increased prosperity for the population, but peace is a prerequisite for this. This is something that Sweden and many others consistently highlight.
I want to thank you for the debate, and I want to thank Alexandra Völker for shedding light on Ethiopia. It is needed, and it will continue to be needed. Many thanks!
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.