Bond statement in response to newly announced interim leadership team of the new Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Stephanie Draper, CEO of Bond the UK network for organisations working in international development said:

“We are disappointed to see a complete lack of balance between development and foreign policy experience in the newly announced FCDO interim leadership team and are concerned this could be a sign of development increasingly taking a back seat to diplomatic and commercial interests.

“If this merger is to succeed, then it requires a balance across areas of expertise such as tackling disease, assisting humanitarian and peacebuilding efforts, providing sanitation and clean water, or securing access to quality education for girls – it is critical that the final senior team and non-executive roles have an equal balance of development and diplomatic experience.

“The Prime Minister has said reducing poverty would be at the heart of the new department and has set out bold Covid-19, climate, humanitarian, and development commitments. To have any chance of delivering on those commitments you need people at the top with the right experience.”

ENDS

Notes to editor

Bond is the UK network for organisations working in international development. Bond unites and supports a diverse network of over 400 civil society organisations from across the UK, and allies to help eradicate global poverty, inequality and injustice.
For further information please contact Maryam Mohsin on 07555 336029 or [email protected]
The senior appointments to the interim leadership team of the new Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office are reported to be:

Tim Barrow, political director. He is currently U.K. ambassador to the EU.
Juliet Chua, director general, finance and corporate. She is currently director general, finance and corporate performance, Department for International Development.
Tom Drew, director general, MENA, Afghanistan and Pakistan. He is currently director general, consular and security, Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
Moazzam Malik, director general, Africa. He is currently director general, country Programs, DFID.
Vijay Rangarajan, director general, Americas and overseas territories. He is currently ambassador to Brazil.
Jenny Bates, director general, Indo-Pacific. She is currently director general, Europe, FCO.
Kumar Iyer, director general, delivery. He is currently director general in the prime minister’s COVID-19 task force.