Cord responds to the UK Aid review

The Government’s review of its International Aid spending must recognise that long term peace building and capacity development are essential if the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are to be met and countries are to avoid falling back into conflict, says Cord.

By 2014 the UK Government will have focussed around 30% of its aid budget on what it describes as ‘fragile states’. While Cord welcomes the need to ensure fragile states recover and are able to develop peacefully, it has concerns about the possible ‘securitisation’ of aid - where funds are allocated to countries based primarily on an analysis of their potential security threat to the UK, rather than on broader concerns.

‘If the UK is to remain a world leader in promoting democracy, human rights and poverty reduction it is important that the public’s support for international development is galvanised around the long term peace building agenda and not simply UK security,’ said Cord Chief Executive Brian Wakley,

The Department for International Development’s approach, published this week, means that bilateral aid is increased for Ethiopia- a buffer country to Somalia- but has been cut to countries like Burundi, which while making progress on economic growth has a long way to go in key areas of good governance and human rights. .

‘‘This strategy risks a fall back into conflict for some countries,’ warned Mr Wakley. ‘We need to ensure that support is there for the long haul. The British Government’s decision indicates an approach to peace building that is simply about stabilisation and immediate post conflict recovery, rather than addressing the underlying governance, human rights and economic causes of conflict,’ he added. .

The same concerns apply to DfIDs cuts to Cambodia, a country which still struggles with the legacy of the conflict and needs to develop good governance and human rights.

Cord welcomes the renewed focus on the Millennium Development Goals and the need to ensure real results. However this needs to occur in a sustainable way so that they continue to be met beyond the 2015 target. Cord’s “Capacity Development” approach of developing the capability of local organisations to drive their own development ensures that all its MDG related programmes are sustainable. .

‘The measure of success should not just be that the goals are met but that long term capacity is built,’ said Mr Wakley. This is a very important point for Myanmar, where DfID will focus funding and where civil society and government capacity is very limited and support is needed for NGOs to work with national and local partners to ensure long term progress.

Cord urged the Government to ensure it retains the bigger picture and that UK foreign policy and security interests do not dictate its strategy for international development. .

It is the poorest of the poor who are most impacted by rising food and fuel prices, the impact of climate change and insecurity. The UK’s development strategy must focus on the rights of all humanity to peace and security.