An update to a policy paper outlining the United Kingdom’s “Modern Development approach” published in July spells out the national interest and priorities underpinning the shift it is making to its international development model.
Although there is a new prime minister, these ideas are carried over from his predecessor, affirming the Labour Party’s position and locking in the recent switch to huge aid cuts – a fundamental turnaround from previous ambition to get annual overseas development assistance (ODA) to reach the 0.7 percent of gross national income (GNI) mark aligned to the United Nations and Development Assistance Committee target. The UK legislated this commitment via the ‘International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act of 2015.
