Conclusion 12

We challenged the FCDO and the British Council over why it has taken them such an extended period to finalise a long-term future for the loan arrangement that is satisfactory to both parties. The British Council acknowledged that it had known that something would need to be done about the loans since 2021, and that the slow pace of negotiations was frustrating and had hampered the organisation’s effectiveness as it attempted to stabilise its finances.31 The FCDO told us that it felt that it was right to take the time, and to conduct a series of reviews, to reassure itself that the British Council’s new turnaround plans represented a realistic path back to financial stability.32 The relationship between the British Council and the FCDO