LONDON — A major forthcoming review of international policies is an opportunity for the U.K. to make democracy strengthening “central” to its overseas work, according to the government agency responsible for supporting democratic processes around the world.
The Westminster Foundation for Democracy — described by its chief executive, Anthony Smith, as an independently operating “arm’s length” body of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office — has been making the case for democracy and human rights to be at the heart of the new strategy, with Smith arguing that aid programming has sometimes been at odds with concerns about democratic oversight.
Expected to be published in November, the government’s highly anticipated Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy is expected to guide much of the work of the new FCDO. The role of the United Kingdom’s “values” will likely be a significant feature, with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab already touting a “freedom agenda” for the department’s work.