Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 4
4
While there has been a trend in recent years for some OECD donor countries to...
Conclusion
While there has been a trend in recent years for some OECD donor countries to merge their development and foreign policy administrative bodies, all the other most substantial donor countries - the United States, Germany, France and Japan - typically adopt governance models where there is a clear separation between policy and implementation. (Paragraph 39) 38 Effectiveness of UK aid: potential impact of FCO/DFID merger Maintaining the effectiveness of UK aid
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
Merging DFID with the FCO to create the new FCDO will enhance our aid by bringing together the best of what we do in aid and diplomacy to make the UK a force for good in the world. It is about ensuring our development and foreign policy are aligned and that decisions on development spending are taken in a way that takes into account a coherent and unified set of priorities for our international policy. The objective of UK Aid to reduce poverty will remain central to the new department’s mission and we will continue to look at how UK aid can be spent most effectively in our national interest, including through the Integrated Review. In creating the FCDO, we are considering carefully the international evidence around how diplomatic and development functions work best together and drawing on lessons learned from international partners. The most recent OECD DAC peer review of Canada, for example, noted that its merger had “improved the coherence of Canada’s approach to foreign policy, international trade, development, and peace and security”.