UK Aid Transparency Guarantee

The UK Aid Transparency Guarantee was launched by the Secretary of State on 3 June 2010. It commits us to publishing detailed information about new DFID projects and policies in a way that is comprehensive, accessible, comparable, accurate and timely.
Greater transparency will improve the effectiveness of aid in reducing poverty and improving development outcomes. It creates pressure to improve and demonstrate value for money. Better information gives people the power to hold donors and partner governments accountable for using aid money well, and helps to strengthen feedback loops.

Transparency enables UK taxpayers and developing country citizens to better see where aid money is being spent, it helps to improve coordination of aid amongst donors and it helps developing country governments know what aid they will receive, so it is easier for them to plan their budgets.

The guarantee states that:

• We will publish detailed information about all new DFID projects and programmes on our website, in a common standard with other donors.
• Information published will be comprehensive, accessible, comparable, accurate and timely.
• Information will be published in English and with summary information in major local languages, in a way that is accessible to citizens in the countries in which we work.
• We will allow anyone to reuse our information, including creation of new applications which make it easier to see where aid is being spent.
• We will provide opportunities for those directly affected by our projects to provide feedback on the performance of projects.

We will also push for full transparency across the international aid system by

• Requiring, over time, any civil society organisation that is in direct receipt of DFID funds to adhere to similar standards of transparency and accountability, and pushing multilateral organisations to do the same. This means that UK taxpayers will be able to better see where their money is being spent.
• Pressing other donors - bilateral, multilateral and non-traditional - to adhere to similar standards of transparency as set out in the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) This will make it much easier for people to see all the aid from all donors, and get a full picture of the aid being spent in each country.
• Using our influence to encourage developing countries which receive UK aid to become more transparent to their own citizens about their budgets and the aid they receive. 

Progress on UK Aid Transparency Guarantee

Since the launch of the Aid Transparency Guarantee, we have vastly increased the amount of information publicly available on UK aid, and pushed others to do the same. And in 2011 DFID was rated the second most transparent bilateral aid donor, in the only global index of its kind.

See our progress against specific commitments in the Aid Transparency Guarantee.

Where can I find out more?

For more information about aid transparency, please contact the Public Enquiry Point on enquiry@dfid.gov.uk.