Foreign Affairs Committee on Feb. 17th, 2022

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Welcome to the seventh meeting of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

Pursuant to the motion adopted on January 31, the committee is meeting to discuss the current situation in Ethiopia.

As always, interpretation services are available through the globe icon at the bottom of your screens.

For members participating in person, please keep in mind the Board of Internal Economy's guidelines for mask use and health protocols.

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Before speaking, please wait until I recognize you by name.

When you have the floor, speak slowly and clearly. When you aren't speaking, please mute your microphone.

As a reminder, all comments by members and witnesses should be directed through the chair.

For housekeeping, I will remind members, and inform our panel as well, that I will be using a very analogue reminder to indicate that 30 seconds remain in your speaking or testimony time. When you see the yellow card, please try to wrap up the discussion so we can go to the next member or intervenor.

I would now like to welcome our witnesses.

We have with us this afternoon, from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, Tarik Khan, the acting assistant deputy minister for the sub-Saharan Africa branch.

We'll also be meeting with Hilary Childs‑Adams, special advisor for Ethiopia, Sub‑Saharan Africa Branch.

We also have Stephen Salewicz, director general, international humanitarian assistance; and Gwyn Kutz, director general of the peace and stabilization operations program.

I've bee advised that Acting ADM Khan will be making the opening remarks of five minutes.

Sir, I will give you the floor, and we will then go to questions by members. Please go ahead.

[Tarik Khan, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Sub-Saharan Africa Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development]

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and good afternoon, members of the committee.

Good afternoon. It's my pleasure to speak to you today.

Since my predecessor appeared before this committee in March 2021, Canada's response to the deteriorating humanitarian crisis and conflict in Ethiopia has continued to be proactive and constructive.

However, this crisis is ongoing and it continues to have major human rights and humanitarian impacts on the civilian population of Ethiopia.

In the last year, the armed conflict in Ethiopia has intensified dramatically. This has led to a significant increase in humanitarian needs in northern Ethiopia, with more than nine million people requiring assistance. In the province of Tigray itself, these needs have reached catastrophic levels.

Human rights violations and abuses continue to be perpetrated by all parties. Inter-ethnic tensions have deepened, and Eritrean forces remain within Ethiopia. We hear this from independent eyewitnesses and media reporting, as well as from Canadians who have friends and family in the affected states.

Global Affairs Canada continues to prioritize the safety, security and provision of consular services to Canadians. Over the course of the conflict, we have pursued three objectives: one, seeking the cessation of hostilities and supporting efforts towards a political resolution; two, calling for immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access and the protection of civilians in Tigray and other conflict-affected areas; and three, calling for the perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses to be held accountable.

Canada's sustained political and diplomatic engagement over the past year has helped build momentum for peace.

Prime Minister Trudeau has spoken to Prime Minister Abiy four times since November 2021, calling on him to engage meaningfully in mediation, facilitate humanitarian access and ensure accountability for human rights violations. Foreign Minister Joly spoke with her Ethiopian counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mekonnen, in November 2021, calling for immediate humanitarian access, and reiterating Canada's support for the joint investigative report on human rights violations, conducted by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.

The Prime Minister and the ministers have spoken with a range of international leaders and foreign ministers to galvanize international action.

This intensive political engagement has been matched by our diplomatic engagement on the ground in Ethiopia. Our ambassador to Ethiopia meets regularly with human rights organizations, local organizations, local governments and the Government of Ethiopia to advance the three objectives I've outlined.

We continue to use all possible levers to promote and support mediation, a first step towards a durable peace. Canada is funding the mediation efforts of African Union High Representative Obasanjo and we stand ready to provide additional support.

There are some signs of progress. In recent weeks, both the government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front, or TPLF, appear more open to mediation efforts. The government has released some political prisoners. There has been a reduction in armed hostilities. A national dialogue process has started. The mediation track is key to securing an end to the conflict.

Our diplomatic representatives have also made it clear that the blockade of humanitarian assistance is unconscionable and that it must stop. They highlighted the need to protect civilians in Ethiopia with parties to the conflict and at the United Nations.

The department has also worked actively to promote and protect human rights in Ethiopia, including to ensure accountability for human rights violations and abuses, such as sexual and gender-based violence. The department provided over $600,000 to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to support its joint investigation with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission on human rights violations in Tigray.

We ensure that none of our development assistance is directed to the Government of Ethiopia nor to any of the other parties to the conflict. We have also successfully advocated with the boards of international financial institutions to ensure that they apply greater scrutiny to all of their projects in Ethiopia and to ensure that development assistance does not benefit the parties to this conflict.

Looking ahead, Canada will support conflict prevention and resolution as well as the role of women as peace-builders. We will ensure that our future assistance reflects the nexus of humanitarian, development and peace and security investment that Ethiopia so badly needs.

Canada will continue to work with our African country partners and our like-minded country partners to seek a solution to this multi-dimensional conflict that threatens the security of Ethiopia and its neighbours.

I would now be pleased to address any questions you might have.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Mr. Khan, thank you very much.

We will now go to rounds of questions by members. Round one consists of four segments of six minutes each. Leading us off this afternoon will be Mr. Chong.

The floor is yours for six minutes.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to officials from Foreign Affairs for appearing in front of us today. I'd like to start by asking the officials whether or not they have engaged the Forum of Federations. The reason I ask is that the Forum of Federations is a Canadian organization that the federal government funds. I believe it's been involved in Ethiopia in the past. In the opening remarks one of the three objectives of the government is to seek the cessation of hostilities and support efforts toward a political resolution. I'm wondering if non-governmental organizations like the Forum of Federations has been engaged to that end.

[Tarik Khan]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Would you like me to answer that question right now?

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Yes, that would be great.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Yes, Mr. Khan. There's no need to revert back to the chair. Members have the ability to manage their discussions for the time that's allotted to them.

Thank you very much. Please go ahead.

[Tarik Khan]

Very good. Thank you.

The Forum of Federations is an important partner of Global Affairs Canada, and of course we recognize the work they do in supporting federalism in their assistance to a number of different countries around the world. We do currently have, I believe, a development project with the Forum of Federations and we are in close contact with that organization.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Is that NGO actively engaging with the Department of Foreign Affairs to provide ideas and suggestions as to how a political solution can be found to the crisis in Ethiopia?

[Tarik Khan]

Thank you.

The project that we currently have has of course experienced some delays due to the situation on the ground in Ethiopia. It's a project that is valued at $8.5 million. It is due to end in 2023. We have an ongoing conversation with them about the ability to support the work they do in the current environment. I would just reiterate that it is difficult for them to do their work in the current context.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

The Biden administration executed an executive order in September of last year authorizing the Secretary of State to impose sanctions on certain individuals with respect to human rights violations in Ethiopia. Last November Secretary of State Blinken announced the U.S. was imposing sanctions on six individuals associated with the Eritrean government and ruling party. Has the Government of Canada considered imposing sanctions related to the conflict in Ethiopia?

[Tarik Khan]

Sanctions remain a very important tool that can be used in situations like this. We have not applied sanctions; however, it is still one tool that is always on the table for consideration. We have deployed other diplomatic and political tools to put pressure on the Government of Ethiopia, and of course, we have raised all of the issues related to human rights violations and accountability for those violations amongst all of the actors and parties to the conflict.

In light of the current openness that we are seeing towards potentially some peace and some dialogue by the parties, this is of course a tool that would be considered in light of that current context. We do recognize that the U.S. has imposed those sanctions on the Eritrean individuals mentioned and one entity. As I said, the sanctions option remains something that we consistently analyze and do consider in terms of timing.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

I have a very quick question.

Has the Government of Canada made any representations to the Government of Eritrea with respect to their armed forces' involvement in the conflict in Tigray?

[Tarik Khan]

Yes, we have. We have spoken directly to the Government of Ethiopia and the diplomatic representatives, expressing our serious concern about the presence of Eritrean troops in Ethiopia.

This has been stated on a number of occasions.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

It has been widely reported that the Ethiopian government has acquired drones from a number of countries, including Turkey. In the past, Canada has issued export permits for the export of drone technology to Turkey.

Is the government aware of any reports that some of the Canadian-manufactured drone systems have found their way into the Ethiopian conflict?

[Tarik Khan]

We have no ability to confirm at this stage whether any Canadian parts were used in those drones. We cannot either confirm or deny that. It's a difficult thing for us to assess at this stage.

Export permits for such optical systems to Turkey were suspended in October 2020, and then cancelled in April 2021. Turkey did not export a significant amount of arms, including drones, to Ethiopia until a military agreement was signed later, in August 2021.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Does Canada support a no-fly zone over portions of Ethiopia, as some have proposed?

[Tarik Khan]

For that question, I will turn to my colleague Mrs. Hilary Childs-Adams. She can respond to that one.

[Hilary Childs-Adams, Special Advisor for Ethiopia, Sub-Saharan Africa Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development]

This is not something that has been widely discussed in multilateral fora. It is something that was called for by the Tigrayan forces. We continue to keep in very close contact and coordination with our like-minded allies on this. That has not come to a decision or a vote anywhere.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sven Spengemann]

Mr. Chong, thanks very much.

We will now go to our next intervenor.

It's MP Ehsassi for six minutes, please.

[Ali Ehsassi, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to the representatives from GAC for providing us this briefing.

As I understand it, over the past 48 hours, the state of emergency has been lifted in Ethiopia. Could you provide us with some information as to what that was in response to? What were the initiatives that were under way in encouraging the Ethiopian government to do so? How significant a step could that be?

[Tarik Khan]

They declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, November 2, and then, as you indicated, it was lifted on February 15.

We believe this is a significant event in that it could provide greater access for humanitarian actors. We see it as a promising sign of the Government of Ethiopia's intention to make progress on this issue. We also believe this will also help enable swifter investigations for those Ethiopian and foreign citizens who are currently under detention and that it will potentially enable the prompt release of those who were not charged. It is a very promising sign.

I'll ask my colleague Mrs. Hilary Childs-Adams if she wants to add to that.

[Hilary Childs-Adams]

Thank you.

I would just say that we are hopeful, now that the state of emergency has been lifted—and has been lifted three months early—that the situation will improve in terms of humanitarian access, as my colleague said. It will also allow people to depart Tigray who had wanted to do so, but were unable to during the state of emergency.

[Ali Ehsassi, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Thank you for that.

It is good to hear that some promising steps are occurring. However, as I understand it, the World Health Organization has indicated that there is still a de facto blockade.

What are some of the diplomatic initiatives under way to ensure that there will be no more blockades and that humanitarian assistance can make it to northern Ethiopia? I believe it's mostly there.

[Tarik Khan]

We are aware that there has been some loosening of the blockade that is now permitting UN humanitarian assistance services and UNHAS flights into Tigray. That is also a promising sign. We only provide funding to our humanitarian partners who have significance in working in these kind of challenging situations.

We have raised the issue of humanitarian access on multiple occasions. These include the calls between our Prime Minister and Prime Minister Abiy, as I mentioned. That's happened four times since last November. We've raised this concern with the high representative of the African Union, Obasanjo. We've raised it in calls with the Prime Minister to President Biden in January, as well as to the UN Secretary General in December.

If there is one thing that has been consistent in all of Canada's political and diplomatic representations on the crisis in Ethiopia, it has been that call to lift the humanitarian blockade and to improve humanitarian access. As we mentioned, hopefully there will be some lifting of that and an improvement in access with the lifting of the state of emergency.