Development works. The UK has been at the forefront of international efforts which have helped lift record numbers of people out of poverty in recent years. Real incomes in the developing world have doubled. Two-thirds of countries are now classified as electoral democracies. Child mortality has almost halved and the number of children in developing countries out of school dropped by 28 million.
But despite this progress, the developing world is facing its profoundest challenge in a generation. The worst global downturn in 60 years threatens to push 90 million people into poverty. Climate change and conflict threaten the lives of the poor. This matters not just for the poor, but for us all. In an interdependent world, our future is tied together. Prosperity, security and justice can only be sustained when they are shared. Development is not just a moral cause, but is in all of our common interests.
Poverty reduction and sustainable development remain the UK’s central development objectives. And investing in services that directly reduce poverty like health, education, and water and sanitation is critically important. But if we are to meet the Millennium Development Goals, this alone will not be enough. We also need to directly confront the underlying causes of low growth, climate change and conflict and fragility.
Our aspiration should be to do more and to do it differently because DFID was established not as an aid agency but as a development department. To build a better world for our common future.
We need to protect the poorest through the economic downturn and ensure they build back resilient and sustained economic growth.
We should support poor countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change and invest in low carbon growth.
We need to take a new approach in fragile and conflict-affected countries, doing more to provide justice, security and jobs for the poor.
We should invest more through the international system, in return for reforms to make the institutions more accountable, responsive and representative;
We need to build new and deeper relationships with emerging global powers, civil society and faith groups, and the private sector;
And in everything we do, we need to increase the value for money, effectiveness and transparency of international aid.
The White Paper charts new courses. It marks our renewed commitment to the ideals of international development, but also takes us in new and fresh directions. We will work across government, the international community, and at local levels with a wide set of partners to make our commitments a reality.
The challenges before us all are huge. But our response cannot be to turn away when things get tough. But instead to re-double our efforts to make a fairer, safer and more sustainable world for all people – for our common future.
So the UK government commits to:
On sustainable growth
- helping 50 million poor people through the global downturn
- pressing for a fair deal on trade
- trebling efforts to freeze and recover stolen assets
- delivering our commitment to double agricultural research
- helping 15 countries grow their economies through support from an International Growth Centre
- investing £1 billion for African regional development
On climate change
- pressing for ambitious & equitable global Copenhagen deal with additional public finance
- setting up a Climate Change Knowledge Network
- new trans boundary water initiatives
- setting ambitious renewable energy targets for multilateral investment
- delivering £800m for climate mitigation, adaptation and innovation
- piloting affordable insurance for the poor
On peaceful states and societies
- at least half of new UK bilateral aid will focus on conflict affected and fragile states
- tripling investment on security and justice
- new economic opportunities for 7.5m people in five major fragile countries
- investing in more effective UN support for peacebuilding
- joint UK government strategies in fragile countries
- 1,000 civilians ready to be sent to countries affected by conflict
While keeping our promises
- dedicating 0.7% of GNI to aid by 2013
- half of future UK direct support to go to public services
- supporting 8m in school in Africa by 2010 & launch new education strategy
- save 6 million mothers and babies by 2015 through supporting a new international consensus to accelerate progress on mother and newborn health
- giving higher priority to tackling malnutrition and launch a new nutrition strategy by end 2009
Changing international institutions
- increasing spend on international institutions as they successfully reform
- more money through UN system subject to performance
- pushing for the creation of a new, powerful UN agency for women
- pressing for EU to create single Commissioner for Development & focus re-prioritise resources to fragile states
- pressing for better governance and performance of World Bank, IMF & regional development banks
- increasing support for UN emergency response funds to meet growing humanitarian demands
Changing the way we deliver
- increase aid transparency & independent evaluation
- establishing joint HMG teams in key emerging economies
- doubling central support to civil society
- introducing a new aid logo
- supporting 30 new businesses to boost employment through a new Business Innovation Facility
- increasing support for innovative financing for health.