Charities protests at UK government 'cruel' aid cuts

Scenes of severe malnutrition in Gaza

Source: CAFOD, Christian Aid

Aid agencies today expressed grave concern as the UK government announced damaging overseas aid cuts.

CAFOD Director of Advocacy, Neil Thorns, said: "The aid budget and international climate finance are important commitments to our brothers and sisters around the world who are facing increasing climate impacts and conflict and the news today shows the pain that these cuts will cause.

"Peace and security in the world will be achieved through tackling poverty, reducing inequality and solving issues which cause destabilisation through diplomacy and dialogue, not through greater spending on defence.

"Today is not a good day for the UK's global reputation, and it's the wrong time for the government to be breaking its manifesto pledge to be a global climate leader.

"When the UK takes over the G20 Presidency later this year it can go some way towards restoring its reputation. We're in a global debt crisis and the UK has a unique opportunity to show leadership, in reforming financial systems to release funds for countries to invest in their own sustainable development."

"In a shrinking budget the quality of how any remaining money is spent becomes paramount. International Climate Finance (ICF) must maintain - if not surpass - the UK's strong record on providing interest-free grants. As British International Investment funding is counted as ICF, their work must also become more transparent and accountable on how it's contributing.

"With a greater focus on humanitarian contexts, funding must prioritise support to locally-based organisations, who are best placed and most effective in response."

Why is the UK uniquely positioned to take action on debt?

Of all the debt owed by low-income countries to profitable private banks and hedge funds, the vast majority is governed by UK law. UK courts are currently being used by predatory private lenders, to sue debt distressed countries.

Many of the countries at risk or already unable to meet unjust debt requirements are the very same ones losing out on aid. The government could change the law tomorrow, to help make the system fairer for the world's poorest countries who are struggling. Alleviating this burden would be a lifeline for countries in debt-distress, while having zero impact on UK budgets.

international development agency Christian Aid said the UK government is balancing its finances on the "backs of the defenceless".

Further UK aid budget cuts announced today will mean the world's most vulnerable people will pay with their lives and livelihoods the charity said.

Jennifer Larbie, from Christian Aid said: "Today's deep cuts to the aid budget are a political choice to boost the defence budget at President Trump's behest - one that the world's most vulnerable people will pay for with their lives and livelihoods.

"From cruel reductions to welfare payments for disabled people here at home, to cuts affecting communities fleeing conflict, girls' education, and those on the frontline of a climate crisis they did not cause, this government continues to balance its books on the backs of the defenceless. Why must the most vulnerable pay for bombs and warships?

"If the government is determined to push through these cuts, it still has a choice: introduce debt legislation to help deliver debt cancellation for countries in crisis across Africa, where countries are paying 50 times more in external debt repayments than they receive in UK aid, and tax the profits of polluting companies causing the climate crises to deliver much needed climate finance."