"Plans by Reform UK to slash the aid budget by 90% would not cover existing contributions to global bodies such as the UN and World Bank, shredding Britain's international influence and risking its standing within those organisations, charities and other parties have warned. Under cuts announced by Nigel Farage in November, overseas aid would be capped at 1bn a year, or about 0.03% of GDP."
"Multilateral overseas aid totalled 2.8bn in 2024, the most recent year for which detailed figures are available. The UK's existing commitments to the UN, the World Bank's International Development Association, the Gavi vaccination alliance and the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria total more than 1.6bn a year. Cutting those immediately would be difficult, with most settlements agreed over several years."
A proposed cap of £1bn a year on overseas aid, equivalent to about 0.03% of GDP, would be far lower than current plans and commitments. The current government plans to reduce aid from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP by 2027, amounting to roughly £9bn annually. Multilateral overseas aid totalled £2.8bn in 2024, and existing commitments to bodies such as the UN, the World Bank's IDA, Gavi and the Global Fund exceed £1.6bn a year. Most commitments are multi-year, making immediate cuts difficult, removing capacity for new disasters and undermining the UK's role in global health, poverty reduction and international decision-making, potentially placing UK aid below that of rival states and weakening national interests.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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