Business News
Cord focuses on sustainability following Government Aid Review
The Government Aid Review has come under scrutiny by Cord on sustainability issues. The response on the whole was a positive one, commending targets set, welcoming the renewed focus on the Millennium Development Goals and ensuring success. Concerns have mounted surrounding the longevity of the successful outcomes to these targeted results and also to the possible securitisation of aid, where by aid is allocated based on their security threat to the UK at that time, and do not consider the bigger picture.
Cord has raised that sustainability falls under the fact that in order for the Millennium Development Goals to be met, long term peace processes and development are paramount in making them successful and to avoid countries falling back into conflict. In line with this, and the forecast to have around 30% of the Government aid budget focused on fragile states by 2014, the possible securitisation of aid has the potential of falling back on the UK and the country in question.
Cord Chief Executive, Brian Wakley said, “If Britain is to remain a world leader in promoting democracy, human rights and poverty reduction it is important that the British public’s support for international development is galvanised around the long term peace building agenda and not simply UK security.”
Countries struggling with human rights issues and good governance such as Burundi and Cambodia have met with aid cuts from The Department for International Development’s current approach.
‘‘This strategy risks a fall back into conflict for some countries,” warns Mr Wakley. “We need to ensure that support is there for the long haul. The British Government’s decision indicates an approach to peace building that is simply about stabilisation and immediate post conflict recovery, rather than addressing the underlying governance, human rights and economic causes of conflict.”
In order for the Millennium Development Goals to succeed past their 2015 goal, it is felt that Cord’s approach of developing the capability of local organisations to drive their own development ensures that all its MDG related programmes are sustainable, Wakley added, “The measure of success should not just be that the goals are met but that long term capacity is built.”
Myanmar is a key example of how important this is; DfID will be focusing funding where civil society and government capacity is very limited, so a support network between NGO’s and partners locally and nationally is paramount to their success and progress long term.
The bigger picture is that it’s the poorest of the poor who are the most deeply affected by rising food and fuel prices, the impact of climate change and insecurity. Cord’s response to the Aid Review, is that the Government was ensure that its foreign policy and strategy are not dictated by security threats to the UK. As a key player in Aid, the UK’s development strategy must focus on the human rights, security and peace of those who need it most.
