Foreign Affairs Committee on March 25th, 2021

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Dear colleagues, welcome to meeting number 24 of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the committee on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, the committee is holding two briefings today. The first is on the current situation in Tigray, and the second is on the current situation in Myanmar.

Colleagues, the clerk circulated two budgets to you, one for each of these briefings, in the amount of $775 each. That leaves us some wiggle room in case we wish to resume these studies later on. I'm asking the committee if we can approve these budgets as circulated. It's important because we're at the fiscal [Technical difficulty—Editor] today.

Are there any objections?

Okay, colleagues. Thank you very much.

We are likely going to be impacted by bells later on, so I'm also going to ask, colleagues, if it's okay—as we've done a couple of times in the past—that we align the two sessions to be roughly equal in time. The second round of questions would be reconfigured to allow each party to probably ask a very short question and answer for about two to three minutes, if time lines up that way, just for the sake of inclusion, because these are informational briefings. If there's no objection to that, then I would ask colleagues that we go ahead on that basis.

Thank you.

We will begin the first hour with officials from Global Affairs Canada to discuss the situation in Tigray.

To ensure an orderly meeting, as always, I encourage participants to mute their microphones when they're not speaking and to address comments through the chair. When you have 30 seconds left in your speaking or questioning time, I will signal visually with this piece of paper.

Interpretation is available through the globe icon on the bottom of your screens.

I'd like to welcome our witnesses. We have with us Mala Khanna, assistant deputy minister, sub-Saharan Africa branch; Ian Myles, director general, southern and eastern Africa bureau; Beth Richardson, director, southern and eastern Africa bilateral relations division; Tara Carney, director, international humanitarian assistance operations; Michael Callan, director, conflict prevention, stabilization and peacebuilding; as well as Geneviève Asselin, deputy director, Ethiopia development division.

Ms. Khanna and Mr. Myles, you have five minutes for your opening remarks.

[Mala Khanna, Assistant Deputy Minister, Sub-Saharan Africa Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Good afternoon. My name is Mala Khanna, and I'm the assistant deputy minister for Global Affairs' sub-Saharan Africa branch.

I am here today to speak to you about the situation in Tigray, where the armed conflict that erupted in November 2020 continues unabated with devastating impacts for millions of civilians and with serious implications for security and stability in the region, notably Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea. I am joined today by four colleagues with experience on the humanitarian development and political elements of our response.

Canada has a comprehensive relationship with Ethiopia. It is one of the largest recipients of Canadian development assistance and a close partner for Canada, particularly on multilateralism, on the women, peace and security agenda, and on peacekeeping.

Ethiopia has one of the fastest growing economies on the continent, and commercial ties are growing. Ethiopia's capital is also home to the African Union, the continent's leading intergovernmental body. With 112 million people, Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa. While the country traces its history back for millennia, its democratic traditions are relatively recent.

A new era began in 2018 as the country emerged from 27 years of dominance by a single party. Prime Minister Abiy put forward a vision for a peaceful, inclusive, democratic, multi-ethnic and prosperous Ethiopia. Canada and much of the international community warmly welcomed this vision. However, the current conflict has put this vision at risk, especially in light of the planned national elections in June 2021.

Ethiopia's government is struggling to address deeply-rooted ethnic rivalries and weak institutional mechanisms for negotiations and compromise. The economic situation is equally fragile, especially in light of the economic impact of the worsening pandemic, debt servicing and high youth unemployment. The country's long-standing stabilizing influence in the region has been significantly undermined by the crisis in Tigray, and its neighbours are rightly concerned about the repercussions.

The current crisis was ignited in November 2020 when the Tigrayan regional government, controlled by the Tigray People's Liberation Front, seized a federal military base in the northern province following two years of increasing tensions between the TPLF and federal authorities. The ensuing confrontation, framed by the government as a law enforcement operation, has proven to be a lengthy one and has drawn in additional combatants from within Ethiopia and from Eritrea. Border tensions with Sudan have also worsened.

There is broad consensus among the international community that serious and grave violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law have occurred, and continue to occur, in Tigray province that may amount to atrocity crimes. Many credible allegations have been made, potentially implicating all parties to the conflict, to a greater or lesser degree. Canada is particularly concerned about reports of widespread sexual and gender-based violence.

For instance, on February 5, the UN Special Adviser to the Secretary General on the Prevention of Genocide released a warning that “a culture of impunity and lack of accountability for serious violations committed, perpetuates an environment that exposes the civilian population to a high risk of atrocity crimes”.

On March 4, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights released a statement highlighting reports of sexual and gender-based violence, extrajudicial killings, widespread destruction and looting of public and private property by all parties.

Prime Minister Abiy recognized in a parliamentary address on March 23 that atrocities had been committed in Tigray and without naming the forces accused implied that it included Eritrean forces, whose presence he also acknowledged. He further indicated that perpetrators would be held accountable.

Due to the disruption of telecommunication systems and limited access by the media, there remain many unanswered questions around the extent of the abuses and the violations, and the identity of the perpetrators.

Canada has joined others in calling for credible, independent and impartial investigations of the alleged atrocities committed in Tigray.

Officials were encouraged to see that the High Commissioner Bachelet agree to the Ethiopian request for a joint investigation, with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. While the information on the crisis focused on humanitarian implications, the conflict continues to resurface. According to the UN, approximately 4.5 million people—

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Ms. Khanna, one moment, please.

Mr. Harris.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order. We have a problem with the translation. The English and French are at the same volume, and one can't be heard over the other.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Madam Clerk, perhaps you could have a quick look at that. I'm not sure if it has been corrected or if anybody else has already been made aware of the problem with respect to the interpretation volume.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Ms. Erica Pereira]

Ms. Khanna, when you're speaking French, I ask that you click on the globe icon at the bottom and select French as the language, and then when you're speaking English, click to English. You might have an older version of Zoom.

Try that and see if it fixes the problem.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

On that point, Ms. Khanna, in the interest of time, I'd ask that you bring the presentation to an end in the next 30 to 45 seconds, and then we'll go to questions and answers. You'll be able to address subsequent points in Qs and As.

Thanks so much.

[Mala Khanna]

Okay.

I'll just cut to the end.

Ministers, including Minister Champagne, Minister Gould, Minister Garneau and the Prime Minister, have communicated our concerns directly to Ethiopian authorities at the highest levels.

In these discussions, ministers have emphasized the importance of the Government of Ethiopia taking all measures to ensure rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access and the protection of civilians, including refugees. Ministers have underscored the impact of seeking a resolution that safeguards prospects for long-term ethnic reconciliation. Ministers have called for credible, independent investigation of alleged human rights violations, regardless of the perpetrators.

Canada has been doing its part to respond to humanitarian needs. Minister Gould announced $3 million in humanitarian assistance in November for people affected by the situation in Tigray, Ethiopia, and in Sudan. For 2021, Global Affairs has further approved $34 million to support humanitarian assistance in Ethiopia through UN agencies, the ICRC and NGOs.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Thank you very much, Ms. Khanna. Let me stop you there.

Colleagues, let's go to our rounds of questions. I would propose, just looking at the clock, if it's okay with colleagues, that instead of a six-minute round per party, we change that to eight minutes. That would give us just over half an hour with the witnesses on this issue. Colleagues would be free to split time if they wish.

Is that acceptable to the committee? If so, then I would propose just for expediency's sake that we go ahead on that basis.

Seeing no objection, why don't we proceed.

Mr. Morantz, why don't you lead us off, then, for eight minutes, please.

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Ms. Khanna, for your presentation.

I have a number of questions. To start off, there is actually a Tigrayan community in Winnipeg, and I have met with them. They are very concerned about their loved ones in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Phone lines are cut. Power shortages are in place. There's no Internet access. Do you have any information that you could share with us as to what progress is being made in terms of at least opening up lines of communication so that Tigrayan Ethiopians in Canada can at least communicate with their loved ones?

[Mala Khanna]

Mr. Chair, Canada is deeply concerned by the continued conflict and violence in Tigray and the impact on millions of civilians, and the challenges around telecommunications remain.

I'll turn it over to Ian to answer the question.

[Ian Myles, Director General, Southern and Eastern Africa, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development]

Thank you very much.

We unfortunately don't have much detail in terms of the current status of telecommunications. The reports we're getting from our embassy are that it goes up and down quite a bit. That's been actually one of the main constraints or challenges facing humanitarian workers. We do understand there have been gradual improvements over time, but we've also understood that there's a significant amount of infrastructure that has been damaged as a result of the conflict.

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

Thank you.

To move on, I understand there was a vote at the UN Security Council on March 5 calling for an end to the violence and for enhanced humanitarian assistance, and that resolution did not pass because of the opposition of China and Russia. I'm wondering if you have any insight, from a diplomatic perspective, as to why China and Russia refuse to support that resolution.

[Mala Khanna]

Ian, please go ahead.

[Ian Myles]

Thank you for the question.

I really don't have much information on that basis. I do understand that issues of national sovereignty were raised as part of that discussion, but I don't have any more detail than that right now.

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

I wonder if you can describe what Eritrea is doing in this conflict. It's a different country. I realize there are historical ties and I'm sure it's a long and complicated history. What is the Eritrean government's reason for being in Tigray?

[Mala Khanna]

Mr. Chair, it's a very good question.

As we have been receiving more information as this crisis has unfolded, we are learning more about Eritrea and its involvement. We saw just a couple of days ago that Prime Minister Abiy himself was recognizing that Eritrea is there. There are credible allegations that Eritrea is involved in the violence, and given the fact that it is in northern Ethiopia which borders Eritrea, that may explain their presence.

I would turn to Ian to answer it more.

[Ian Myles]

Just to complement what's been said, there are historical tensions between Eritrea and the population of Tigray, or at least the authorities of Tigray, who used to be the dominant force within the coalition party that ruled the country over 27 years, including during extended periods of conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea. As a result, there are some historical grievances there. I believe that when the conflict broke out between the federal government and the regional forces in Tigray, the Eritreans may have seen themselves as having common interests in terms of avoiding the TPLF, the Tigray People's Liberation Front, from seeking to resume their place within the Ethiopian political structure.

This is an issue that has been on our radar for some time. In February of this year, Canada's non-resident ambassador to Eritrea, who's based at our embassy in Khartoum, met with the Eritrean chargé d’affaires to raise the issue of the Eritrean forces in Tigray, and to convey concerns about refoulement of Eritrean refugees, so Eritrean refugees who were forced to return to the country from which they were fleeing.

The issue was raised as well on March 8 when the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marc Garneau, spoke with the Ethiopian foreign minister, Minister Demeke, also conveying these concerns.

The issue was flagged once again in a joint statement by like-minded partners with the EU, the U.S., U.K., France and Germany, when we called for the withdrawal of Eritrean forces in the human rights council. That statement was signed by 41 countries.

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

On the same line, what's the risk of a broadening of this into a regional conflict growing in other countries?

[Mala Khanna]

Mr. Chair, that is something that Canada and, I think, the international community as a whole are concerned about, the regional impacts in terms of not only Ethiopia, but also Somalia and Sudan. There are border tensions between Ethiopia and Sudan, so it's really one of the reasons that Canada and the international community is so concerned about the situation.

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

From all reports, there are very serious atrocities going on, crimes against humanity. It sounds like a very serious situation. You mentioned in your presentation Prime Minister Abiy indicated that the perpetrators of atrocities will be held accountable. I think he said that in his parliament.

Do you know what mechanisms Ethiopia could use to ensure this, or would this be an international effort? How are the people who are actually doing these terrible things going to be held accountable?

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Just a brief answer, please, Ms. Khanna.

[Mala Khanna]

Mr. Chair, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission has begun investigations, has issued a report and has indicated its desire and commitment to investigating further allegations of atrocities, and has also reached out to the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for assistance. I think that is one of the means in which the independent and impartial investigation can occur.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Thank you very much, and thank you, Mr. Morantz.

We'll now go to our next eight-minute round of interventions, led off by Dr. Fry, please.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Thank you, Chair. I will be splitting my time, four minutes for me and four minutes for Peter Fonseca, if that's okay.

Actually, that last question that was asked by Mr. Morantz segues very nicely into the one that I'm going to ask.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has asked for access to view and have an independent assessment about the crimes against humanity that have been levelled. Did he get that? Do the human rights organizations have access to Tigray? What are the results? How can Canada contribute to this kind of assessment? Would we send in independent analysts?