The recent merger of the United Kingdom's Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development has raised concerns and questions about transparency, funding, and multilateral relationships. While official FCO data can be found in sources such as Development Tracker, Contracts Finder, and Tenders Electronic Daily, among others, data gaps make it challenging to track who all of its contractors are.
In 2019, DFID was the top U.K. department disbursing official development assistance at £11.1 billion, or more than 73% of the £15.1 billion in total U.K. ODA, while FCO — the agency that promotes global security and the United Kingdom's interests — came in third at £675 million, or 4.5% of total ODA, after the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.
However, when adding ODA disbursed through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, or CSSF, and the Cross-Government Prosperity Fund — both mainly managed by FCO — it becomes the second-largest disburser, with £1.5 billion, or about 10% of total ODA.