Opinion: An independent UK aid department will rebuild our reputation

Establishing an independent U.K. international development department with a poverty-focused mission and budget autonomy is essential to rebuild the country’s leadership in international development and respond to new and existing global challenges rapidly and effectively. In autumn 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a seismic decision: merging the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to form the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. This move, undertaken without consultation, little preparation, or clear evidence of its benefits, has proven to be deeply damaging. The merger led to a reduced emphasis on development in the U.K. government and a significant loss of development expertise within FCDO. In the first year following the merger, over 200 DFID staffers left FCDO without being replaced, exacerbating the loss of development expertise. It also triggered three years of distracting administrative restructuring and diminished transparency. Coupled with drastic cuts to the U.K. aid budget, the merger tarnished the U.K.'s hard-won development reputation at a time of global need. With an impending general election this year, there is an opportunity to bring U.K. international development policy back to the forefront. --— The shift away from the U.K.'s once highly regarded reputation in international development has been evident. Geopolitical interests, rather than an assessment of need, have arguably dictated the U.K.’s international development policy since the DFID-FCO merger. This shift has not only damaged the U.K.'s reputation with lower- and middle-income countries but also made the U.K. one of the largest recipients of its own aid. Recent developments though have been encouraging. The appointment of Andrew Mitchell as minister for Africa and development alongside the appointment of a second permanent under-secretary, showed signs of improvement within government. Still, while the creation of a white paper to refocus development policy back to poverty alleviation combined with David Cameron’s return to government as foreign secretary suggests a renewed commitment to prioritizing international development within FCDO, the damage inflicted by the merger cannot be overlooked. Reports from the Independent Commission for Aid Impact highlight an erosion of technical capacity and institutional memory, indicating ongoing challenges within FCDO. ICAI's synthesis of reviews underscores the continued challenges facing the department, including capacity reductions in critical sectors and an incomplete reform program. Existing FCDO structures risk perpetuating the subordination of development goals to U.K. foreign policy. However, with an impending general election this year, there is an opportunity to bring U.K. international development policy back to the forefront. Reflecting on past successes, such as the establishment of DFID in 1997, provides valuable insights. While simply recreating DFID may not be prudent, creating a new department with development at its core could be beneficial. This new department could facilitate a stronger focus on development across government, ambitious capability rebuilding, and high-level cabinet representation. Drawing lessons from other countries' experiences of departmental mergers, such as Australia's recent moves to recenter and rebuild development at the heart of its foreign policy, or Norway’s hybrid, semi-autonomous model, is essential. Specialist skills in development and humanitarian crises are indispensable, particularly considering escalating global challenges. In the last few years, global events have placed significant demands on FCDO, demonstrating the urgent need for development and humanitarian expertise and specialist skills within Whitehall. The withdrawal of the U.K. and its allies from Afghanistan, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war, and the outbreak of conflict in Sudan all have required specialist country knowledge and humanitarian expertise which have been severely depleted because of the merger, hindering the U.K.’s humanitarian response and ability to act quickly. U.K. responses to Afghanistan and Sudan in particular have been highlighted as lacking knowledge, capacity and political will. Addressing the knowledge gap in development expertise within Whitehall is imperative for any future U.K. government. Establishing a Cabinet-level secretary of state overseeing an independent international development department, with a fully resourced budget, is crucial. Setting up an international development department with budget autonomy that advocates for poverty reduction and the prioritization of U.K. aid spending where it is most needed will ensure the U.K. can rebuild its reputation, and effectively prevent and respond to existing and future global crises.