The leadership that the UK has shown on international development over the past two decades has been an important part of this story. The work that the UK has championed, funded and supported through its development assistance has been widely recognised for its innovation and effectiveness, even if there is still a lot to learn.
This work has been agenda-setting on a global scale, in particular in terms of understanding development in all its complexity, and designing and implementing programmes accordingly; placing politics and governance at the centre of the challenge to build more peaceful, stable, resilient, and open states and societies; and focusing on ongoing learning and adaptation to address these complex development challenges more effectively.
UK-funded research has also been a significant lever of soft power. Research and evidence are essential in understanding what works, as well as what doesn’t work, and why – which is needed to improve policy and practice. Through a variety of UK-supported research programmes and research funds, UK universities and other research institutes have been able to develop world-class partnerships and collaborations across the developing world and to provide evidence-based responses to pressing problems ranging from global health, migration, climate and conflict to education and technology, women’s and girls’ empowerment, and politics and governance.
In this way, UK international development assistance has played a crucial role in enabling the UK to become an international leader in tackling global challenges, which has been integral to the UK’s national interest.
These latest cuts directly undercut the very tools and mechanisms of soft power that the UK has at its disposal to give substance and meaning to the idea of a Global Britain. In addition, the way in which they are being made and communicated – without impact assessments or proper lead time to enable sustainable planning – has the potential to seriously damage the UK’s reputation, credibility and standing on the world stage, not only over the immediate term but well beyond.
There is a danger that the cuts will undermine the partnerships and relationships that the UK government and other UK organisations have developed in the Global South with both governments and civil society over the years. In addition, as with the decision to severely curtail humanitarian aid to Yemen, there is also a real possibility that the cuts can do harm. Thus, just as the UK is preparing to host the G7 and COP26, these cuts threaten Britain’s global leadership and weaken trust among key allies.
UK international development aid has been a powerful and compelling example of Global Britain at its best. There is a crucial opportunity for the UK to continue to lead through its soft power. However, this requires building on the progress and change that have been achieved through aid rather than undermining them. This is a positive vision of Global Britain that we should all be working towards – which is also in the UK’s national interest.
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Alina Rocha Menocal | Radio Free (2021-05-11T00:00:00+00:00) International aid is crucial to the UK’s ‘Global Britain’ ambitions. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2021/05/11/international-aid-is-crucial-to-the-uks-global-britain-ambitions/
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