Press releases

Provisional UK Official Development Assistance as a proportion of Gross National Income, 2010

31 March 2011

UK to send emergency drinking water to Japan

28 March 2011

The UK will send bottled drinking water to Japan in response to a shortage of safe drinking water, International Development Secretary, Andrew Mitchell confirmed today.

Ashdown Review: UK Government must be prepared for increase in natural disasters and emergencies

28 March 2011

The review sets out 40 key recommendations aimed at overhauling the way that the UK responds to emergencies.

Britain to provide emergency aid to Liberia and the Ivory Coast

26 March 2011

The British Government today announced an urgent emergency aid package to help tens of thousands of people affected by the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Liberia and the Ivory Coast.

Ground breaking ‘scuba rice’ developed thanks to Britain has won a prestigious national award

21 March 2011

The special flood-resistant rice can breathe under water for up to two weeks, giving it protection during the monsoon season.

UK fire-fighters return to UK from Japan

19 March 2011

The UK Government’s specialist search and rescue team has returned to the UK today following their relief mission to Japan.

Government boost for Comic relief

18 March 2011

The government has backed the public's incredible support for this year's Red Nose Day with £10m support for Comic Relief's work in improving health and education across Africa.

UK to protect a quarter of Mozambique’s vulnerable population from malaria

17 March 2011

More than five million people - one million of them children under the age of five - will be protected from malaria in Mozambique with help from the British Government.

UK to send search and rescue teams to Japan

12 March 2011

Britain will send a specialist team of search and rescue experts to Japan later today, the UK Government has announced. Following a direct appeal from the Japanese Government earlier this morning, the British Government will dispatch a team of 59 UK fire service search and rescue specialists, two rescue dogs and a medical support team to join the international relief effort in Japan.

Kenyan tea farmer project featured in TV ad gets UK government support

11 March 2011

A project supporting Kenyan small-scale tea farmers, which features in The Co-operative’s new high profile TV campaign, has received important backing from the Department for International Development(DFID).

Britain to fund emergency medical teams for Libya

09 March 2011

UK support funding will enable ICRC to provide medical treatment to people affected by the ongoing fighting in Libya

Young people to make a difference to the world’s poorest – International Citizen Service opens

09 March 2011

Young adults from across the country and from all walks of life will be given the chance to make a real difference in the poorest parts of the world – by volunteering overseas.

Nottingham firm commended on partnership for African schoolchildren

07 March 2011

Eagle Scientific, based in Sandiacre, recently won a contract with the Ghanaian government to kit out vocational training schools in Ghana.

British Government responds to humanitarian needs after Andrew Mitchell’s Libyan border visit

06 March 2011

The British Government will provide emergency evacuation flights to repatriate 500 Bangladeshis stranded in Tunisia after the International Development Secretary assessed the scale of the humanitarian situation for himself during a visit to a Libyan border camp.

Mitchell visits Libya camp and border areas

04 March 2011

Andrew Mitchell arrived at the Libyan Tunisian border today to understand what more Britain can do to help avoid a major humanitarian crisis.

British Government to provide emergency relief flights for Libya crisis victims

02 March 2011

The British Government will provide emergency evacuation flights to repatriate up to six thousand people stranded in Tunisia to prevent the humanitarian situation on the border with Libya spiralling further into disaster

Mitchell redraws aid map to transform lives of millions

01 March 2011

A major shake up of Britain’s aid programme which will provide 50 million people with the means to help work their way out of poverty was announced today by International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell.

UK Government and Gates Foundation partner to support agricultural research and boost productivity of poor farmers

28 February 2011

Co-funded grants aim to reduce poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia as world food prices mount

Mitchell: UN women launch welcome

24 February 2011

Andrew Mitchell today welcomed the launch of UN Women and called on world leaders to unite behind the agency

UK Government to help UNICEF boost health and education for millions more children

22 February 2011

The UK Government will boost its contribution to UNICEF to help the global children’s agency improve the health, protection and education of the world’s poorest children.