Recommendation 1

The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) was established to deliver a cross- Government response to challenges overseas which threaten UK national security, using both Official Development Assistance (ODA) and non-ODA funding. ODA programmes within the CSSF have suffered significant cuts, shifting the emphasis of the Fund away from peacebuilding and conflict prevention and creating a de facto de-prioritisation of development work within the Fund. We are concerned that the cuts to ODA-funded programmes within the CSSF are likely to impair the ability of the UK Government to anticipate conflict, prevent escalation, and respond effectively to areas of known instability across the world, which may be a false economy. In addition, these cuts may have impaired the Government’s ability to respond effectively to recent crises in the Middle East and Sudan.