How Labour Should Respond to the Government’s International Development Strategy

The Government has finally published its International Development Strategy after significant delays.

The strategy is the first significant intervention on international development since the abolition of the Department for International Development and the creation of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in September 2020. 

It is published in the wake of significant cuts to the UK aid budget following the government’s decision to no longer uphold its pledge to spend 0.7% of Gross National Income on development. 

The paper complements the Integrated Review of 2021 and emphasises the use of development policy for strategic ends. 

It outlines the government’s priorities of facilitating international investment partnerships; supporting women and girls; increasing support for the prevention of humanitarian crises and of placing the UK’s climate commitments at the centre of its foreign policy. 

The most notable policies outlined are an increase in government spending on bilateral aid programmes; the creation of ‘UK Centres of Expertise’; the empowerment of Ambassadors and High Commissioners in projects; and the prioritisation of development activity in the Indo-Pacific region. 

The Labour Party should question the government on its rationale behind cutting support for multilateral development organisations; the likely impact of the cuts to British aid programmes; and how this strategy helps the UK confront China.