Scottish Catholic Observer

The director of the Catholic Overseas Development Agency (CAFOD) has reacted positively to the coalition government’s review of overseas aid revealed yesterday and SCIAF’s chief executive spoke of the agency’s role in making the budget work.

Changes to the UK’s foreign aid programme were announced on Tuesday following a nine-month review by international development secretary Andrew Mitchell and, despite widespread spending cuts in other areas, Mr Mitchell has been allocated a rise in the aid budget from £7 billion to £11 billion by 2015.

“We should be extremely proud of the lead this government is showing in tackling poverty overseas,” Chris Bain, director of CAFOD, the sister agency of SCIAF, said.

“Times are undoubtedly tough here, but we should be proud that this review sets out how we will be supporting some of our poorest neighbours around the world.

“It sends a clear message to the UK public and global community that fighting poverty is a fundamental part of British development policy.”

Under the review of overseas aid 16 countries will lose their UK international aid budget, including China and Iraq, whilst out of the 27 countries that the government will focus on; Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Pakistan (flood victims pictured above) will receive substantial increases.  CAFOD has said it is ‘good practice for the UK government to look where it can make an impact and concentrate its development work in fewer countries.’

“We are particularly pleased that the government’s review has considered how to withdraw from countries in a responsible way, in co-ordination with other donors and honouring existing commitments,” Dr Amy Pollard, CAFOD’s lead aid analyst, said.

Paul Chitnis, SCIAF’s chief executive, spoke on Monday  ahead of the review of the ongoing importance of the government’s commitment to overseas aid and challenged the perception that the budget is inefficient.

“We need a government aid policy, we need a government budget and we need non-governmental organisations, like SCIAF, to do that,” Mr Chitnis said.

He added that the government’s current UK foreign aid commitment ‘produces a huge change to the lives of people.’