The United Kingdom has a new aid chief: Alok Sharma, who formerly served as employment minister at the U.K. Department of Work and Pensions.
Sharma is the third official to lead the U.K. Department for International Development in 2019, after Penny Mordaunt and Rory Stewart. Mordaunt left the post in May after being assigned to take on the role of U.K. Secretary of State for Defense. Stewart was appointed in May, but resigned after Boris Johnson became the new prime minister in late July.
Sharma is seen as a newcomer in the development sphere, but following his appointment, he released a statement highlighting the United Kingdom’s aid investment and his commitment to “transforming the lives of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, giving them access to quality education and jobs, while promoting Britain’s economic, security, and foreign interests.”