The UK and Brexit were on almost every page over the last year, bringing the UK-EU agreement to the headlines. Another topic of concern was the future of UK aid after Brexit and an aid strategy was published at the end of November 2020 which will focus only on those countries with which the UK’s “development, security and economic interests align”. We asked several UK experts to share their insight as to how the lack of focus on poverty reduction will impact upon international aid and development.
“The UK’s new aid strategy launched in November 2020 has completely disregarded the bottom billion. The word poverty was mentioned only once in the aid strategy papers and this brings the question as to how the principles agreed at the Fourth High Forum in Busan Korea with regards to poverty reduction and income inequality will be achieved. Failure to commit to the Busan Aid Effectiveness forum principles will have a huge negative impact on international aid and development. There is also the issue of the spill-over effects in that if the UK only focuses on certain selected countries, it’s a zero-sum game in that the poverty effects faced by one country may still spill over to the neighbouring country that is receiving aid from the UK, for instance, refugees fleeing their own country to a neighbouring country for a better life. Furthermore, the UK aid strategy fails to recognize that focusing only on countries that have development, security, and economic interests that align with its own is a recipe for disaster. Countries do not exist in a vacuum, there is a need for international aid to work together for the greater good.”
“Focusing the UK’s aid strategy on development and national economic interests will strengthen the focus on poverty reduction, ensuring funds are better targeted and British expertise is properly harnessed. This is very true in the transport sector. British companies and operators have significant expertise in delivering sustainable and efficient transport systems which help in poverty reduction. There is a need globally to rehabilitate existing road, rail, and other transport networks with the focus on enhancing the skills and technical capabilities of local operational and maintenance staff. This will increase direct employment in the sector and also bring in investment and jobs as market accessibility improves. British companies are best placed to provide such advice. Road safety is another area where the world’s poorest can benefit from British expertise, including ensuring good quality and well-maintained road surfaces, investment in driver training, developing national standards, and ensuring enforcement of safe driving practices. British companies are global leaders in green transport technologies, whether this is its energy-efficient engines, battery-powered vehicles, or the use of intelligent transport systems to reduce traffic congestion. Focusing the UK’s aid strategy on effectively transferring these technologies to the world’s poorest countries will help enhance the quality of life and reduce poverty.”
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