“The notable ambitions of the White Paper require adequate resourcing and will not be realised without rapidly returning the UK aid budget to the legally mandated level of 0.7% of national income” – Bond responds to the UK International Development White Paper

Today, Monday 20 November, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) publishes the UK International Development White Paper which builds upon the Integrated Review refresh setting out the government’s vision for international development until 2030.

This is the first UK White Paper on international development since 2009 and centers on the UK’s ambitions for ending extreme poverty, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and tackling climate change. 

In response to the White Paper, Gideon Rabinowitz, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Bond, the UK network for NGOs, said:  

It is welcome that the White Paper commits to a refocus of UK aid on the lowest income countries, to scale up efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to further prioritise the needs of women and girls and other marginalised groups. We also welcome the commitment to pursue more respectful and equitable development partnerships, which is vital for strengthening the UK’s global development role and impact.

It is also encouraging that the Government recognises the importance of reforming international institutions to make them more effective and representative of lower-income countries.

The notable ambitions of the White Paper require adequate resourcing and will not be realised without rapidly returning the UK aid budget to the legally mandated level of 0.7% of national income and providing additional finance to tackle climate change.  We are also concerned that this White Paper fails to recognise the reforms to the UK’s policies on tax, trade and debt cooperation required to reduce poverty and inequality. The lack of commitment and political will from other government departments outside of FCDO speaks volumes. At a time when the UK aid budget is severely stretched, we expect to see the rest of government do more to add value to the UK’s development efforts. Without a whole of government effort, the SDGs will never be achieved.

ENDS.

Notes for editors

• The White Paper is available to view on the UK Government website.  

• Bond’s submission to the White Paper consultation is available to view online. 

• Bond is the UK network for organisations working in international development. Bond unites and supports a diverse network of nearly 400 civil society organisations from across the UK, and allies to help eradicate global poverty, inequality and injustice. 

• For further information, please contact Jess Salter, Media Adviser at Bond at [email protected] or call 07493200979.