UK Slashes Climate and Development Aid in Major Budget Refocus
The UK government has announced a significant reduction in its overseas aid spending, confirming a 14% cut to its climate finance commitment for developing countries. The new pledge of approximately £6 billion over three years, or £2 billion annually, is down from the previous £2.3 billion per year. This decision is part of a broader 'refocus' of the aid budget, which has been slashed overall from 0.5% to 0.3% of Gross National Income. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stated the government would prioritize support for 'proven global partnerships' like the vaccine alliance Gavi, while also focusing on fragile states, violence against women and girls, and climate response. The cuts have triggered widespread condemnation from campaigners, politicians, and development organizations. Critics, including Sarah Champion, chair of parliament's International Development Select Committee, labelled the move 'catastrophic' and 'short-sighted,' arguing it would disproportionately impact the world's poorest. Bilateral aid to African countries, which funds essential services like schools and clinics, is set to be cut by almost £900 million by 2028-29. The NGO network Bond warned of severe reductions, particularly affecting the Middle East and Africa, while critics noted that fossil fuel profits remain 'untouched'. The government has attributed the budget pressure to broader spending constraints, with sources citing the financial impact of the war in Iran. The announcement also revealed that a significant portion of the UK's aid budget, £2.8bn or 20%, is now spent domestically on supporting asylum seekers and refugees within the UK during their first year. The opposition Conservative party has called for the funding reductions to be accompanied by 'genuine reform,' expressing concern over the lack of detail in the government's new strategy.
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Sources
Ministers are trying to bury the consequences of UK aid cuts. But what we know is catastrophic | The Independent
From more small boats crossing the channel to families in poverty across Africa being hit hard, the truth is clear, writes Sarah Champion, chair of parliament's International Development Select Committee
UK to cut climate aid to developing countries by 14% to £2bn a year in ‘refocus’ | Climate aid | The Guardian
The move follows bitter rows with ... deeper cuts owing to pressure on spending resulting from the war in Iran. Overall, the UK’s aid budget was slashed to 0.3% of gross national income, with programmes on health, education and humanitarian assistance all facing the axe. Climate spending will ...
UK climate aid cuts ‘short-sighted’ and leave ‘fossil fuel profits untouched’, campaigners say | The Independent
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told parliament that the UK's climate finance commitment would be cut to around £6 billion or three years – roughly £2bn a year, down from £2.3bn annually under the previous five-year arrangement. The overall aid budget has been reduced from 0.5 per cent ...
Bond, a UK network for international development organisations, warned there are severe cuts, particularly for the Middle East and Africa. Making a statement to MPs, Cooper said direct bilateral aid funding would be reduced but support to "proven global partnerships", including the vaccine alliance Gavi, would continue. Helping fragile states, tackling violence against women and girls, and responding to climate ...
'With less investment we need to refocus': UK to cut climate aid to around £6bn over three years | BusinessGreen News
The government is to cut climate finance for developing countries to an estimated £2bn a year as part of a "refocus" of aid spending, which will see the overall overseas development budget cut to 0.3 per... To continue reading this article... In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to: Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news...
Iran strikes intensify | UK to ‘cut climate aid’ | ‘Rampant greed for oil’ - Carbon Brief
The UK will cut its climate aid to developing countries by about 14%, to roughly £2bn per year, says the Guardian. The newspaper adds that, overall, the UK’s aid budget was cut to 0.35 of gross national income, following “bitter rows with the Treasury, which wanted deeper cuts owing to ...
Conservative shadow Foreign Office ... said a reduction in funding "has to be accompanied by genuine reform" but warned "very little" is known about this. International rules allow governments to spend some of their foreign aid budgets at home to support asylum seekers during the first year after their arrival. Government statistics show it spent £2.8bn, or 20% of its aid budget, supporting refugees in the UK in ...
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