Deep cuts to bilateral aid from the UK are set to leave vulnerable African nations struggling with conflict and climate change, according to analysis by development charities. As part of its efforts to reallocate funds towards defence spending, the Labour government's overseas aid budget has been slashed, with some countries facing reductions of up to 90% in direct support.
The Foreign Office's annual report provides a detailed breakdown of how the reduced aid budget will affect individual countries over the coming years. Mozambique and Malawi are set to experience a 90% reduction in direct UK aid by 2029, while Rwanda and Sierra Leone will see an 80% cut. Somalia's bilateral support is expected to decrease by 49%. Development charities have expressed significant concern about these cuts, with Romilly Greenhill, chief executive of Bond, warning that they risk abandoning communities grappling with crisis.
The policy shift was announced last year as part of the government's efforts to increase the defence budget. Anneliese Dodds resigned as development minister in protest at the move, which has seen a significant reallocation of funds towards multilateral donors such as the World Bank. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has argued that this represents a more efficient use of resources, but charities counter that it will jeopardise crucial on-the-ground projects.
Save the Children's Director of Global Outcomes, Lisa Wise, has criticised the cuts, saying they reflect a reduction in public investment for countries and children most in need. She added that these decisions convey a global message about the role the UK intends to play on the international stage.
The future direction of Labour's development policy now hangs in the balance as Prime Minister Andy Burnham prepares to appoint a new Foreign Secretary. With Ed Miliband widely discussed for the role, some MPs are urging Mr Burnham to take steps to re-establish the party's leadership in development and outline a pathway back towards the long-standing target of allocating 0.7% of national income to overseas aid.