DI’s response to the UK’s new International Development Strategy

Yesterday, the UK government published its International Development Strategy (IDS). The UK is the world’s fifth largest aid donor, and has a strong historic reputation for focusing its official development assistance where it is needed most . In 2019, the UK government pledged to put the world’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged people first , but this new strategy appears to mark a shift away from that goal.

Harpinder Collacott, CEO of Development Initiatives said: “The IDS presents a mixed picture for the global development community. Making humanitarian crisis, women and girls and climate change top priorities is important and welcomed, but there is a concerning lack of focus on poverty, inequality and fairness. It is vital that the UK does not turn its back on the poorest people globally and seeks to ensure that the implementation of this strategy will actively promote inclusive growth and progress for those at greatest risk of being left behind.”

The IDS explicitly aligns the UK’s development goals with other elements of foreign policy such as trade, investment and defence, with emphasis on leveraging the private sector to stimulate growth and addressing the root causes of conflict and crises. At a time when humanitarian needs have spiralled to unprecedented levels, gender equality has been set back, and the world is struggling to address the impacts of a global health pandemic and climate change, the need to focus on these issues is clear.

However, it is concerning to see a major donor de-emphasise the need to deliver the primary Sustainable Development Goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030 and focus on stimulating economic growth while saying relatively little about how the risks of exacerbating inequality within and between countries can be addressed. The IDS also does not explicitly set out whether the UK will attempt to ensure that climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts are made with due care for the livelihoods of vulnerable communities, and tackling malnutrition is without mention despite the UK once being a global leader in this area.