Parliamentary Activities

APPG on Eritrea

The first UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Eritrea was formed on 9 March 2016. The stated purpose of the APPG on Eritrea are:

  • To raise awareness of the human rights abuses which are taking place in Eritrea;
  • To examine and debate how the situation in the country could be improved; and
  • To raise matters of concern with, and make representations to, government and other policy makers.

Original Members of the APPG were:

  • Matthew Pennycook MP (Labour, Greenwich and Woolwich)
  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead (Labour)
  • Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench)
  • Jeremy Lefroy MP (Conservative, Stafford)
  • Ann Clwyd MP (Labour, Cynon Valley)

A press release on the formation of the APPG can be found here Press Release

The APPG’s work is driven and controlled by its Parliamentary Membership, led by the Chair.   With Eritrea Focus providing secretarial support.

The APPG on Eritrea held its last AGM in December 2017 resulting in change in its membership. There will be a communication as soon as soon as the APPG re-registration is confirmed and we will instate regular newsletters plus notifications whenever significant developments.

Since its inception the APPG on Eritrea has held the following meetings:

  • 9 March 2016 – Inaugural meeting
  • 5 September 2016 – Indefinite national service
  • 27 March 2017 – Situation of Human Rights in Eritrea
  • 1 November 2017 – The role of domestic and international media

UK Parliament Early day motions (EDMs) and Parliamentary Questions (PQs)

Parliamentary activity, such as EDMs and PQs, are all available at They Work For You. Here’s a link directing to Eritrea as the search term on the database:

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/search/?q=eritrea.

Dutch Parliament
In December 2017, the Dutch Parliament passed a motion to close due to the Eritrean government continued demand to raise 2% tax from the diaspora.  http://www.eepa.be/.

Martin Plaut provides some background information on this here

https://martinplaut.wordpress.com/2017/12/21/dutch-parliament-presses-government-to-close-eritrean-embassy/

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eritrea

Inaugural Meeting Report
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Eritrea held its inaugural meeting, following the General Election in June, on Wednesday 29 November 2017 in the Houses of Parliament. The purpose of the meeting was to elect the Group’s officers and re-register as an APPG. The following officers were duly elected:

  • Patrick Grady (Chair and registered contact)
  • Sir Henry Bellingham (Vice-Chair)
  • Nic Dakin (Vice-Chair)
  • Jeremy Lefory (Vice-Chair)
  • Ann Clwyd (Vice-Chair)
  • Lord Alton of Liverpool (Vice-Chair)

The meeting was attended by the following parliamentarians.

  • Lord McConnell (LAB)
  • Patrick Grady (SNP)
  • Martin Docherty-Hughes (SNP)
  • Ross Thomson (CON)
  • Hugh Gaffney (LAB),
  • Christine Jardine (LIB)
  • David Linden (SNP)
  • Alison Thewliss (SNP),
  • Douglas Ross (CON)
  • Colin Clark (CON)
  • Bill Grant MP (CON)
  • John Lamont (CON)

The APPG on Eritrea will soon publish its updated Terms of Reference and proposed schedule of work.

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eritrea
Chair: Patrick Grady MP
Vice Chairs: Sir Henry Bellingham MP; Nic Dakin MP; Ann Clwyd MP; Lord Alton of Liverpool; Jeremy Lefroy MP.
Email: info@eritreaappg.co.uk

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