The Hague – July 3, 2026 — Today, the Tigrayan diaspora community in the Netherlands organized a successful rally outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We submitted our urgent appeal letter regarding the forced military conscription and renewed war preparations in Tigray, to a representative from the Africa Department (DAF), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
During the successful and fruitful demonstration, our group engaged in a constructive discussion with the DAF delegate where they elaborated on the current forced conscription and suppressive legislation and its far-reaching consequences. The DAF delegate also assured the demonstrators that the DAF section and Foreign Affairs office will take our demands into serious consideration.
Key Takeaways from the Discussion:
- Preventing War via International Cooperation: The representative assured our community that the ministry will do everything possible to prevent another round of war and military escalation in Tigray. She emphasized that the Netherlands will actively pursue this at the European Union (EU) level and in close coordination with the wider international community.
- Updating the Country Report (Ambtsbericht): For our community, it was a valuable and reassuring boost to learn that the Africa and Middle East Department is closely tracking the situation in Tigray, and that the department is currently working hard on updating the official country report (ambtsbericht) for Ethiopia. This update will allow the IND to accurately weigh the current risks when making decisions on asylum seeker cases.
Our Continued Mission
The Tigrayan community in the Netherlands feels deeply heard following today’s exchange. We will remain in contact with ministry officials to ensure our concerns are fully reflected in upcoming Dutch foreign and asylum policies. Thank you to everyone who stood with us today!
Below is the urgent letter we submitted (in Dutch):
Below are the visual highlights from today’s successful demonstration outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague.
