Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 5
5
Paragraph: 57
UK aid spending amplifies the UK’s voice on the world stage, promoting our national interest...
Conclusion
UK aid spending amplifies the UK’s voice on the world stage, promoting our national interest by projecting our core values, and transforming the lives of people living in the very poorest countries. A potential shift of the UK’s ODA budget away from helping the very poorest people would be counterproductive - global poverty drives conflict and instability, and inaction on tackling poverty will compromise the other strands of the UK’s international policy.
Paragraph Reference:
57
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The UK is a world leader in international development, helping to end extreme poverty in developing countries by tackling challenges like Covid-19, saving lives in humanitarian crises and helping girls get a quality education. Investing 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) on international development shows we are an enterprising, outward-looking and truly global Britain that is fully engaged with the world. Protecting the most vulnerable around the world is central to our work and will continue to be so as we form the FCDO. Our commitment to poverty reduction was reflected in the recent review of 2020 ODA spend, in which the First Secretary of State was very careful to ensure that remaining ODA for this year continues to support key priorities that include: responding to humanitarian crises and protecting those in the most vulnerable countries in the world; tackling climate change and reversing biodiversity loss; championing girls’ education; and UK leadership in the global response to Covid-19.