DI's response to the new FCDO white paper on international development

Development Initiatives welcomes the change of tone and renewed focus on eradicating poverty and building resilience to climate impacts in the new UK government white paper: ‘International development in a contested world: ending extreme poverty and tackling climate change’.

Development Initiatives CEO Adrian Lovett says:

“There is much to be optimistic about in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) white paper on development. We are pleased to have been consulted and it is great to see many of our priorities reflected.

“The target of allocating 50% of bilateral aid to least developed countries is very welcome. This is where the impacts of poverty and climate are greatest and where ODA has the most powerful role. This poverty focus must be maintained to deliver on the mission to leave no one behind.

“The white paper says climate change is impacting ‘everyone, everywhere’. Yet climate-vulnerable countries not facing long-term crisis have received five times more per person from multilateral climate funds than those in long-term crisis.

“In short, this is an important white paper with plenty to commend. Credit goes to Andrew Mitchell MP for his determination to begin restoring the UK’s credibility after years of cuts and neglect. Much rests on finding the necessary funds. The real test will be in the delivery.”

Development Initiatives (DI) supports the new focus on mutually respectful partnerships. UK plans to publish a ‘localisation strategy’ represent a critical step forwards. However, it is vital that this strategy is based on the accurate tracking of funding to local and national actors and an understanding of the types of partnerships that work best for them.

The FCDO must be bold and recognise the need for radical change to make good on its promise to move beyond an outdated ‘donor-recipient’ model. Global Public Investment is a new approach to public finance that is gaining significant traction. It proposes a radical shift in development cooperation based on mutual benefit and respect.

However, the proposed humanitarian budget of £1 billion still represents only two-thirds of the humanitarian funding provided by the UK in 2019, despite global humanitarian needs having doubled since then. This highlights the vital need for significant increases in total funding over the coming years in order to compensate for cuts and the diversion of aid since that time.

The new £150 million resilience fund is a positive step, but it is crucial that this is ‘new and additional’ funding and not taken from the humanitarian budget. To ensure the additionality of funding and no double counting, there is a need for a single finance framework which counts and differentiates all international financing flows.

Finally, DI welcomes the recognition that new technologies present both opportunities and challenges, including the risk of widening inequalities. Digital transformation and digital literacy must be a focus for FCDO as it is only by closing the digital divide that the AI revolution will succeed in accelerating social inclusion.