Mid Worcestershire MP Nigel Huddleston has praised the Government’s key role in modernising the global definitions of Official Developmental Assistance (ODA) and welcomed the Department for International Development’s subsequent announcement that over £100 million of UK Government spending will now be classified as ODA and count towards the 0.7% aid spending target. Previously, much more of the UK’s aid spending had to be made outside of ODA contributions, meaning it could not be as easily targeted towards the institutions best placed to combat war and poverty and around the world.
Now, more than double the amount of the UK’s multilateral contribution to UN peacekeeping operations will count as ODA, from 7% to 15%. This change strongly incentivises international support for such missions, as they bring together domestic aid spending pledges with international peacekeeping obligations. This drives more money towards the world’s most vulnerable and war-torn areas. Further, 85% of the UK’s contribution to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank will be classed as ODA for 2016. This acknowledges this organisation’s important work to boost investment across a range of developing countries and will similarly incentivise investment towards its objectives.
Nigel Huddleston MP said “This is a hugely encouraging announcement because it incentivises countries around the world to contribute to vital peacekeeping and infrastructure missions and makes UK aid spending more targeted and effective.
We have made a manifesto commitment to spend 0.7% of our GDP on aid and now that 15% of our contribution to UN peacekeeping and 85% of our contribution to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank can comprise a part of this figure, more of this 0.7% will be spent by established and reliable institutions in the areas that need it most. This announcement is so important because people cannot pull themselves out of poverty when they are surrounded by war and violence so targeted investments to bodies and institutions that can is vital. This will promote global stability and help prevent the chaos in which terrorists and extremists thrive.”