Charities condemn UK foreign aid cuts threatening global development
- Over 100 NGOs warn against cuts to the UK's foreign aid budget, emphasizing the impact on marginalized populations.
- The UK aid budget has been reduced from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP to fund increased defense spending.
- Charities argue this decision undermines the UK’s commitment to global development and could worsen poverty and conflict.
In late 2021, a coalition of over 100 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the United Kingdom expressed their outrage at the government's decision to reduce the foreign aid budget from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP. This announcement came as the UK sought to balance fiscal requirements in light of increased defense spending, particularly due to geopolitical tensions exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The NGOs, including prominent organizations such as Save the Children UK, Oxfam GB, and Christian Aid, warned that the cuts would devastate programs aimed at supporting vulnerable populations worldwide, including those affected by poverty, conflict, and climate change. They emphasized that this reduction would undermine Labour's commitment to international development, describing the situation as one that