Rachel Maclean: Commitment on overseas aid stays the same - The Redditch Standard

Rachel Maclean: Commitment on overseas aid stays the same

Redditch Editorial 8th Aug, 2020   0

The Rachel Maclean column:

“WE can all agree that the UK should be supporting the poorest around the world and working to end poverty.

However, when times are tough at home – and the impact of coronavirus to our economy begins to hit incomes, jobs and businesses – it’s right the aid budget is cut as our economy shrinks.

As a nation we commit to spending 0.7 per cent of our gross national income on international development. But, as our economy contracts – this means the aid budget will be cut.




The Foreign Secretary has confirmed that this year that there will be a £2.9billion cut to the international development budget because of the hit our economy has taken.

To those who believe this is the beginning of the end of the aid budget I want to make to clear that this Government is still committed to the 0.7 per cent goal.


This reduced budget will continue to focus on tackling climate change and reversing biodiversity loss, championing girls education, UK leadership in the global response to Covid-19, and campaigning on issues such as media freedom and freedom of religious belief.

This brings me on to the merger of the Department for International Development and the Foreign Office.

To me this makes complete sense. This merger will allow us to project UK values, UK policies and UK interests overseas.

The new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will place UK aid at the heart of what it does, leveraging the development expertise of DFID through the reach of the FCO’s global network.

Far from walking away from the world stage, we’re forging ahead with Global Britain as this new department demonstrates our commitments on international development.

We’ll be pursuing these commitments with greater effect and reducing poverty will remain central to the UK’s international work.”

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