The United Kingdom government has not worked out its objectives for international development beyond buzzwords such as “modern” and “equal partnerships,” the expert asked to carry out an independent review said.
In private comments shown to Devex, Minouche Shafik said her role is to “help figure out” Labour’s plans and priorities — going beyond her official remit to advise how to rebuild capacity and expertise after the botched merger that killed off a separate aid department in 2020.
“You have to know ‘capacity for what,’ and unless you've got clarity about your strategic objectives, it's very difficult to know what capacity to build,” Shafik said at an online event last month.