The U.K. Department for International Development should increase its use of British specialists for projects on strengthening parliaments in developing countries.
That’s according to a recent report from the U.K. House of Commons International Development Committee. In it, the committee stated it was “surprised” to discover the extent to which DfID used large organizations headquartered in the United States to deliver parliamentary strengthening work. Several members of Parliament have also criticized the use of such U.S. global development implementers, claiming U.S.-style presidential systems were “less accountable” than parliamentary systems.
The committee’s investigations revealed that of 37 current DfID projects focused on delivering parliamentary strengthening work, seven had been commissioned to U.S. managing agents. Further, the report noted the U.K. aid agency commissions more than 55 percent of its expenditure on parliamentary strengthening projects from U.S.-based organizations.
About the author
Gabriella Jóźwiak@GabriellaJ
Gabriella Jóźwiak is an award-winning journalist based in London. Her work on issues and policies affecting children and young people in developing countries and the U.K. has been published in national newspapers and magazines. Having worked in-house for domestic and international development charities, Jóźwiak has a keen interest in organizational development, and has worked as a journalist in several countries across West Africa and South America.