Aid Cuts Spark Outcry: Campaigners Warn of 'Devastating Damage' to Global Poor
Campaigners and aid organisations have delivered a damning assessment of the Government's latest funding decisions, warning that cuts to the overseas aid budget are set to cause widespread and severe damage to the world's most vulnerable populations.
Cooper Announces Allocations Amid Growing Criticism
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper announced allocations under the official development assistance (ODA) regime on Thursday, distributing money to specific countries and programmes while insisting the UK would remain a "major player" in overseas aid and development. This comes despite a significant shift in funding priorities toward defence spending.
Under plans announced by Sir Keir Starmer last year, aid spending will fall to less than 0.4% of national income this year before dropping again to 0.3% in 2027. Cooper told MPs that hard choices were required when deciding where to focus capacity, but insisted a new approach recognising the need for "partnership not paternalism" would prove effective.
Organisations Warn of Dire Consequences
However, organisations operating in the sector have been unanimous in their condemnation, insisting the cuts will severely limit efforts to improve lives across the globe.
Romilly Greenhill, chief executive of Bond, the UK network for non-Governmental organisations, stated: "Today's allocations show the harsh reality of Labour's cuts to the UK aid budget, the steepest in the G7 – lives lost, the UK's reputation in tatters, and a poorer, more unequal and unstable world for us all."
Greenhill specifically highlighted that Africa and the Middle East, both home to some of the world's least-developed countries, would be forced to pay the highest price because of the reduced budget.
While welcoming the Government's commitment to supporting women and girls, the pivot away from rich countries, and continued support for conflict zones like Gaza, Sudan and Lebanon, Greenhill called for greater transparency regarding allocations to individual countries.
Africa Faces Steepest Cuts
The ONE Campaign, a global advocate for investment in Africa, revealed that UK bilateral aid to the continent is due to be cut by almost £900 million by 2028-29 – representing the largest regional cut in absolute terms.
Analysis by the organisation found UK aid cuts are set to be steeper than any other country in the G7, going even further and faster than reductions planned by the United States.
Adrian Lovett, UK executive director of the ONE Campaign, warned: "Today's figures lay bare the true scale of these cuts and the damage they will do. Slashing bilateral aid to Africa, where need is greatest, will have a devastating impact."
Lovett emphasised that these choices would leave millions without access to basic healthcare, education and urgent humanitarian support, while risking a resurgence of deadly diseases that have been targeted for decades.
Experts Question Strategic Approach
Ian Mitchell, co-director of the Europe programme at the Centre for Global Development, noted that UK aid assistance is set to fall to its lowest share of national income on record by 2027. He raised particular concerns about the approach to Africa.
"If the government is determined to proceed on this path, prioritising effective multilateral organisations and fragile states is the right approach," Mitchell acknowledged. "But reducing the share of aid going to Africa, where most fragility, poverty, and future opportunity are concentrated, is difficult to justify and risks making talk of 'global partnerships' ring hollow."
Women and Girls Bear Disproportionate Impact
Action Aid, an international charity working with women and girls living in poverty, stated that the true impact of the Government's deep cut to the official development assistance budget "has become painfully clear".
Hannah Bond and Taahra Ghazi, co-chief executives of ActionAid UK, expressed concern: "We're pleased to see the Foreign Secretary acknowledge that women and girls disproportionately bear the brunt of poverty, violence and conflict by promising to make them a priority – but without backing up this pledge with increased long-term funding, it rings hollow."
They particularly criticised the announcement that international climate finance would be reduced, calling it "a huge betrayal for women and girls on the frontline of the climate crisis" and a violation of the government's own manifesto commitments on climate and gender equality.
Afghanistan Faces Additional Challenges
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) warned that reducing support to Afghanistan while freezing study and skilled-worker visas "risks sending a signal that Afghans are being forgotten".
Flora Alexander, IRC UK executive director, stated: "Reducing direct UK support to some of the world's most severe humanitarian emergencies will have devastating consequences. It also raises important questions about how the UK's commitments apply in places like Afghanistan, where women and girls continue to face extremely restrictive conditions."
Government Defends Strategic Approach
In her statement to the House of Commons, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper defended the government's approach: "We will still use international leadership, such as our 2027 G20 presidency, to shape the global agenda for development and we will continue to use our other policies and levers so that lower-income countries benefit from trade and growth, and tackling flows of illicit finance and dirty money, which harm developing countries most and fuel crime on everyone's streets."
Despite these assurances, campaigners remain unconvinced, warning that the scale of cuts will undermine Britain's global standing while causing measurable harm to the world's poorest communities at a time of increasing global instability.
