Squaring the Circle: is it time to stop this 0.7% nonsense?

An even more detailed piece with provoking reasons why aid effectiveness and development should come before 0.7%

Phil Vernon

People and organisations in the UK’s overseas development sector are getting hot under the collar. This is because the government is not prioritising legislation to enshrine a perpetual commitment to spend 0.7% of UK Gross National Income (GNI) on overseas development aid (ODA). Letters are being drafted, articles are being written, politicians are being lobbied. After all, this issue has cross-party support, so why not just rush it through parliament?

Well, there are several reasons why not.

First, it’s politically naïve to push this issue now. In case NGOs haven’t noticed, most voters are not clamouring for this to be made into law. In fact, most people would rather see UK aid reduced, not increased in line with the 0.7% pledge. The Daily Mail is among voices asking why we are helping people far away when we have so many problems at home. On the whole it’s only aid specialists and…

View original post 1,103 more words

About ipeanddevelopment

Author of four sites.
This entry was posted in Alan Duncan, Andrew Mitchell, Campaigning, DFID, Glenys Kinnock, Harriet Harman, International Development, Ivan Lewis, Least Developed Countries, Mark Lazarowicz, ODI, Posts, Poverty Reduction, Rushanara Ali, Stephen O'Brien, Tony Cunningham and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a comment