New White Paper on International Development
Development was at the very heart of international debate in 2005.
The Global Call to Action Against Poverty campaign (which in the UK included
Make Poverty History) mobilised millions around the world. The United
Nations, G8, European Union, Africa Union and others made a series of
commitments to deliver more and
better aid,
debt relief, fairer trade,
better governance and more coherent, "joined up" policies in support of
development.
What is needed in 2006 is action
How can we ensure these commitments are followed through. Building on the first two White Papers (Eliminating
World Poverty: A Challenge for the 21st Century 310
kb and Eliminating World Poverty:
Making Globalisation Work for the Poor647
kb) , this new White Paper on International Development will set out what the UK
government will do - in developing countries, in the UK and internationally to translate the promises of 2005 into better lives for
poor people in poor countries.
The new White Paper will focus on three central themes:
- what can we do to reduce poverty and deliver development more quickly
- what policies are needed in the UK and internationally to create the conditions necessary for
reducing poverty
- how can the international development system be reformed so that it delivers
better results for development, and be more responsive to the needs of poor people.
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Consultation completed
DFID is committed to consulting broadly on policy papers, and aims to carry
out public consultations as recommended in the
 Cabinet Office Code of
Practice on Consultations wherever possible. We have pursued an intensive public consultation over
the last 11
weeks, which finished on the 7 April.
The consultation was based around a short
consultation document
(61
kb) and a series of six speeches on White Paper topics, given by Hilary Benn,
the Secretary of State for International Development. The speeches and
consultation document laid out a series of issues and questions relating to the
themes that the White Paper will cover.
The new White Paper will be published later this summer.
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Growth and poverty reduction? Creating more and better jobs in poor
countries
Thursday 19 January
NEF (new economics foundation)
"Poor people in poor countries want the same things that we do here -
they want to have a decent job, to meet their basic needs, to lead a
fulfilled life, take good care of their children and have a role in
their community and in society."
Read the
full
speech and questions |
 |
Humanitarian reform and conflict issues
Monday 23 January
United Nations, New York
"I want to discuss with you how I think we can do better in
preventing humanitarian emergencies and conflict, and when we can't, how
we can respond better to them"
Read the full
speech and questions
|
 |
Governance and development
Thursday 2 February
Royal African Society and the Centre for African Policy & Peace Strategy
(CAPPS)
"Now all of this is, of course, about making poverty history. But the
dream that unites us won’t be fulfilled without good political
governance, and it’s that I want to talk about this evening."
Read the full
speech and questions |
 |
Public services (education, health, user fees, social protection)
Thursday 16 February
UNISON - The public service union
"In Britain when a woman decides to have a child, it is almost always a
joyous occasion. In the developing world, 130 million can't get any family
planning, so they don't have any choice in deciding if and when to have
children"
Read the full
speech and
questions |
 |
Development beyond aid (climate change, global governance)
Thursday 23 February
Chatham House and British Overseas NGO's for Development (BOND)
"The challenge facing developing countries in making poverty history
for themselves is becoming more and more complicated because we live in
an increasingly interconnected world."
Read the full
speech and
questions |
 |
Reform of the international development system
Tuesday 14 March
Overseas Development Institute and All party parliamentary group on
overseas development
"I think we should put our money where it is most effective in
helping to eliminate poverty, regardless of the institution"
Read the full
speech
and questions |
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Related Links
Related links on wider and foreign policy
Last Updated 7 April 2006
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