News Alert: UK Aid Cut Will Cause 'Irreversible Damage' to Millions of Lives

Global organisation Mercy Corps has called today’s announcement to cut the UK’s international aid budget from 0.7% to 0.5% of GNI ‘a huge step backwards for Global Britain’. This announcement comes at a time the UK should be leading the agenda on tackling the overwhelming triple threats of the climate crisis, ongoing conflict, and the global pandemic -  all of which are falling hardest on the poorest and most vulnerable.  

Alexandra Angulo, Interim Executive Director of Mercy Corps, said:

“Today’s budget cut is a huge step backwards for Global Britain in the fight against the climate crisis and in developing a safer, more prosperous world able to recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic.

“The UK has a unique opportunity to lead the agenda on tackling the climate crisis ahead of hosting COP26 next year. Instead, we are proactively taking money away from the very communities living on the frontlines of the crisis, who are falling into extreme hunger and poverty as a result of ever-more-frequent extreme weather events that are destroying their livelihoods.

“Put simply, cutting aid will cause irreversible damage to millions of lives at a time where vulnerable countries face the biggest economic crisis in a generation and famine is once again a real threat for millions of people. 

“We urge the government to ensure humanitarian aid, peacebuilding and climate action remains at the forefront of the UK’s international development plans. This temporary cut must not become the norm, and international aid must continue to go to those that need it most.”