LONDON, 1 December 2016: RESULTS UK congratulates the Department for International Development on the launch of the Bilateral Development Review and the Multilateral Development Review. Together these eagerly awaited documents highlight the future approach of UK development spending.
We are pleased to see that the value of UK investment in multilaterals has been positively identified in the Multilateral Development Review, with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria and the Global Partnership for Education scoring ‘Very Good’ in terms of alignment with the UK’s priorities. The UK’s commitment to these agencies helps prevent a death every 3 minutes from HIV, TB or malaria and also protects an additional 76 million children in the world’s poorest countries against life threatening but preventable diseases, saving a child’s life every 2 minutes. These valuable investments are also instrumental in supporting the development of stronger and more resilient health systems that can react quickly to global health emergencies. Beyond health, in 2015–16, DFID also supported 871,000 children in the poorest countries to gain a decent education through the Global Partnership for Education.
We are also pleased to see DFID’s commitment to ensuring development leaves no one behind, in promising to strengthen its work on disability and establish itself as a world leader in this area. We look forward to working with DFID to ensure this approach is implemented in full to ensure everyone feels the benefits of meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.
In response to the Bilateral Development Review, evidence suggests that where DFID has withdrawn funding from countries in the past this has often been done poorly, with adverse consequences – including putting past UK investments at risk. We hope that in taking forward any changes in relation to where DFID works, DFID will develop guidelines on withdrawal that can be used consistently. Working closely with other donors and civil society in the countries affected will encourage responsible changes in donor funding which ensures continued and scaled up services for all.
Aaron Oxley, Executive Director of RESULTS UK, said:
“UK investment is helping reach millions of people with essential and life saving services, saving and improving thousands of lives every day. This is something the UK Government and public should be very proud of. It is essential that the legacy of our investments is maintained.”
Notes to the Editor:
For further information, please contact Amy Whalley, Head of Policy Advocacy on [email protected] or 020 7793 3970
RESULTS UK is a movement of passionate, committed, everyday people who together use their voices to influence political decisions that will bring an end to poverty. For more information please visit www.results.org.uk