Ahead of FCO-DFID Merger Debate, Mercy Corps says “Stability Overseas Means Stability at Home”

Tomorrow (9 July), MPs will debate the merger of the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and the future of foreign aid as COVID-19 is continuing to spread rapidly around the world.

Selena Victor, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy for Mercy Corps says: 

"As COVID-19 continues to spread at an accelerated pace, we are very likely to see an increase in violence and conflict in the world’s most fragile places.

Violent conflict erodes global development and exacerbates humanitarian crises. It also drives violent extremism, mass displacement and undermines national security.

Any UK COVID-19 response must have conflict prevention at its core. As the Foreign Secretary considers priorities ahead of the FCO-DFID merger, he has an opportunity to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to funding for fragile and conflict-affected states, and to double down on efforts to address the root causes of conflict.

Frankly put, responding to crises costs significantly more than conflict prevention, yet in 2018 the UK Government only spent 2% of its aid budget on peacebuilding, a fraction of what is needed to get to the heart of the problem. Investing in stability overseas means stability at home.”