THE UK’s ambassador to Ethiopia has denied that fewer people will be helped in the war-torn, drought-devastated country despite UK aid budgets being slashed by more than 50 per cent.

Dr Alastair McPhail told The Herald there would still be focus on those most in need, albeit fewer projects could now take place, as a result of UK aid funds being reduced from £240m to £107m last year.

Mr McPhail, who originates from Maryhill in Glasgow, has worked across the world as an ambassador to the UK government, and was even sentenced to death by Saddam Hussein in the 90’s for his mediation work in northern Iraq.

A significant bounty was placed on his head by the dictator, and several attempts made to collect it, but the ambassador survived thanks to close protection from Kurdish associates.

The Herald: Dr McPhail, who is based in Addis Ababa, is hopeful of resolution in Ethiopia Dr McPhail, who is based in Addis Ababa, is hopeful of resolution in Ethiopia

He is now based in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, striving to restore peace in the country and help its most vulnerable citizens.

In the past year, Mr McPhail explained, the war between rebel forces in the Tigray region and the Ethiopian government, has reached an “equilibrium”, opening the door for mediation between the two parties.

The conflict has been going on for years, triggered when the country’s president Abiy Ahmed removed key Tigrayan government leaders accused of corruption and repression in a reshuffle.

Mr McPhail explained: “The conflict hasn’t finished; it is at a different stage.

“We have been pressing the people who might mediate, and the government feels very strongly that it should be an Ethiopian-only process and they can fix it themselves.

"We will support anything the parties want, or we will keep out depending on what’s needed.

“We are still concerned about humanitarian access and people starving, because they haven’t had proper food supplies for a long time, and the same with medicines.

Other issues are affecting Ethiopians outside of war, including food shortages, drought and the pandemic.

Mr McPhail said that despite the UK Government’s aid budget for the area being reduced, he still believed there were many people who could be helped.

He said: “You don’t have to look far for challenges in Ethiopia and we try to do what we can to support the people here.

“We tailor our programmes according to our purse of course. This is still one of our largest programmes in the world.

“Difficulties have been posed by Covid and also by the conflict but we are still working pretty effectively and efficiently to target the most vulnerable and help in any way we can.

“We still have a large and robust programme, it’s just not as big as it was before.

“If the UK economy recovers to past levels, then we’re told that the proportion of the aid budget will rise again from 0.5 to 0.7% (of GDP).”

READ MORE: Controversial foreign aid cut to stay after Tory rebellion falls short

The reduction in international aid prompted outcry from charities and opposition politicians, who warned that it would have severe consequences on some of the most vulnerable people in the world, never mind having a negative impact on the UK's standing on the world stage.

Asked if the reduction in aid meant fewer people would be helped in Ethiopia, Mr McPhail said: "I wouldn’t put it like that.

“We are still able to target large numbers, and we try not to forget the ones who aren’t just tied up in the conflict.

“I think our final spend for this financial year will be something like £127m, but we also have emergency funding to help with drought, with displacement. We are still playing a positive and supportive role.

“We’re being very careful to ensure we’re not forgetting the vulnerable in the whole of the country, not just those affected by the conflict in the north.

READ MORE: MPs accuse Boris Johnson of abandoning world's vulnerable with foreign policy plans

Asked how he felt seeing reports of parties taking place in Downing Street when he is faced with much more serious situations every day, the ambassador was tight-lipped.

He said: “I can’t comment on that.

"What I’m focusing on is making sure that I’m delivering here for the British taxpayer, and building and continuing to build the partnership and relationship with Ethiopia.

“I would say that we are at a pivotal point in the conflict right now, and the more the international community can support all attempts, without allowing there to be forum-shopping among different initiatives, as long as we can get behind a single mediation then maybe we will see a change.”