UK keeps aid promises to the world’s poor

 

LONDON, United-Kingdom, October 2, 2008/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Figures published today by the Department for International Development (DFID) confirm the UK Government is keeping its promises to fight global poverty.

Statistics on International Development (SID) 2008, published today, shows the UK provided £4,921m as Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the calendar year 2007 and £6,042m total Gross Public Expenditure on Development (GPEX) in 2007/ 08.

 

The UK’s ODA spending is set to exceed £9bn by 2010, representing 0.56% of Gross National Income (GNI), a rise of more than £4bn over the next three years. The UK is on track to spend 0.7% of its gross national income on development by 2013, two years ahead of the EU target.

 

Commenting on the figures, International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said:

 

“We are keeping our promises to the worlds poor. The UK government is helping to save people from preventable diseases, to send children to school, and to lift millions of people out of poverty.”

 

Since 2004 over half of new UK ODA, excluding debt relief, has been spent in Africa. Early delivery of promises on debt relief for poor countries caused a spike in the figures for 2006 with UK ODA equivalent to 0.51% of GNI.

 

In 2007, UK ODA was 0.36% of GNI, rising to 0.43% of GNI in 2008 and 0.48% of GNI in 2009, on track to meet our promises. By 2010, excluding debt relief, the UK will have spent cumulatively an additional £12.5bn of new ODA. Over half of this will be spent in Africa meaning over £6bn of new ODA.

 

Today’s figures also show the Gross Public Expenditure on Development (GPEX), excluding debt relief, increased by 7% since 2006/07, an increase of £389m.

 

Douglas Alexander added:

 

“Last week in New York the UK Government was instrumental in re-focusing the world’s attention the urgent need to address global poverty. I am proud that the UK is on track to meet all the pledges it made at the historic Gleneagles summit in 2005.”

 

DFID’s aid has helped to:

• Take 3m people worldwide permanently out of poverty each year
• Increase the number of children in Tanzania who are enrolled in school – now 9 out of 10, compared to fewer than 6 out of 10 in 1999.
• Reduce the level of poverty in Mozambique from 70% to 55% and double the number of children in school between 2000-5.
• Save an estimated 30,000 lives in Afghanistan with an extensive polio and immunization programme.

 

SOURCE : UK Department for International Development (DFID)