HM Treasury
Britains aid spending will be restructured to tackle some of todays biggest global challenges including mass migration, disease, the threat of terrorism and global climate change, the Chancellor George Osborne and Secretary of State for International Development Justine Greening have announced today (23 November).
The new strategy sets out how tackling poverty and serving Britains interests are linked and shows how our aid investment can achieve both goals.
Ahead of this weeks Spending Review, the government has published its new aid strategy, re-affirming its commitment to spend 0.7% of national income on official development assistance (ODA), and setting out how development spending will meet Britains moral obligation to the worlds poorest and also support its national interest.
The strategy will fulfil the governments manifesto commitments and, on priorities such as vaccines, malaria and family planning, will commit to delivering ambitious outcomes which go beyond existing commitments.
The new document, UK aid: tackling global challenges in the national interest also outlines how the government will take further steps to build on the action taken over the last Parliament to cut waste, introduce greater transparency and subject aid to robust independent scrutiny.
A number of significant announcements are set out in the plan, including:
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a new 1 billion commitment over five years to global public health (the Ross Fund) which will fund work to tackle the most dangerous diseases, including malaria
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the allocation of 50% of DFIDs budget to fragile states and regions in every year of this Parliament
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expansion of the cross-government Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), supporting the international work of the National Security Council
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a new 500 million ODA crisis reserve to allow greater flexibility to respond to emerging crises, such as the movement of Syrian refugees
In a joint statement, George Osborne and Justine Greening said:
We believe this fundamental shift in how we use 0.7% of our national income will show there is no distinction between reducing poverty, tackling global challenges and serving our national interest all are inextricably linked.
We will ensure that every penny of money spent delivers value for taxpayers, and projects that do not will be cancelled.
With this new strategy, Britain can be proud to be a country that not only meets its responsibilities to the worlds poorest, but in doing so best serves and protects its own security and interests.
Read the governments Strategic Defence and Security Review.