Climate change to be key focus in UK aid strategy » Central Government » 24dash.com

Tackling climate change and an increased focus on war-torn regions will be key planks of a new strategy for the UK's international aid budget, MPs were told today.

International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said the world was at a "critical juncture" in efforts to alleviate poverty with progress threatened by the global recession.

In a Commons statement outlining a Government White Paper on International Development, he said the UK would work towards supporting growth and reforming international institutions such as the United Nations.

He told MPs the UK was committed to keeping its promise of dedicating 0.7% of national income to development assistance by 2013.

But Mr Alexander acknowledged that under the new proposals the UK would "prioritise our efforts and work in fewer countries".

For Tories, Andrew Mitchell said there was much in the White Paper to welcome.

"This time of economic crisis, which particularly affects the world's poor, is a time not to withdraw our support but to redouble our international development efforts."

Mr Alexander said: "We stand at a critical juncture for international development. While millions have been lifted out of poverty over the last decade, thanks to sustained economic growth, reforming governments, debt relief and increases in aid, much of that progress we have seen is now imperilled.

"The global recession, the climate crisis and ongoing conflict and fragility in many countries threaten now to turn the clock back on the development gains made since the turn of the century."

The recession "threatens to trap as many as 90 million people in poverty," he warned, which would push back progress on the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger.

Mr Alexander said: "Now is not the time to turn away from the mission to tackle global poverty."

Under the White Paper, half of bilateral aid would be invested in public services, helping to get eight million African children into schools and delivering an extra 30 million anti-malaria bednets by 2013.

The Government would continue to work on concluding the Doha round of trade talks and "rapid delivery" of the commitments made in the G20 summit to provide support to the poorest countries.

"We will help developing countries to build more fair and sustainable economic growth, double our agricultural research funding and provide investment for infrastructure and reforms that will help African countries to trade with each other and the world."

Department for International Development (DfID) support for the law enforcement agencies' efforts to tackle bribery and corruption would be trebled, he said.

There will be increased investment to help developing countries "mitigate and adapt" to climate change, capped at 10% of official development assistance.

Mr Alexander said one-third of the world's poorest people lived in conflict affected or fragile areas.
"If we are to make further progress towards meeting the MDGs we must work differently in these countries and directly address the causes of war and weak government," he said.

Half of all new bilateral aid will go to regions ravaged by conflict and instability, with tackling violence against women a priority.

Working to tackle global problems will require more cooperation with international organisations.
But, Mr Alexander said: "If international institutions are to live up to these new responsibilities, they must become more accountable, more responsive and indeed more able to address the current challenges and more representative of all their constituents."

The UK's funding to the UN will be subject to performance and the Government will push for it to create a powerful new agency for women.

The EU should create a single Development Commissioner and concentrate resources on fragile states in Asia and the Middle East.

The Government will press for "improved governance and performance" from the World Bank, IMF and regional development banks to help poor countries through the downturn.