UK aid budget to be spent on addressing migration crisis – Bond reaction
Today, the UK government has announced £84million UK aid funding over the next 3 years to address the reasons for illegal migration.
Sir Keir Starmer said the money would go towards health and education initiatives, as well as humanitarian support, to address the reasons people flee their homes in the first place.
In reaction to the announcement, Gideon Rabinowitz, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Bond, the UK network for NGOs, said:
This support to marginalised people facing displacement and instability worldwide is welcome. However, it will mean very little if the government fails to protect the UK aid budget from potential cuts in autumn’s budget. In the long term, planning to secure a return to 0.7% will be required to invest in ambitious responses to global challenges linked to migration.
ENDS.
Notes to editors
- In 2023 the total UK aid budget was £15.37bn, amounting to 0.58% of gross national income (GNI). Bond is calling for the UK government to allocate the funding required to ensure that the UK aid budget is maintained at this current level at the very least in 2024, to avoid further UK aid cuts.
- Bond is the UK network for organisations working in international development. Bond unites and supports a diverse network of over 350 civil society organisations from across the UK, and allies to help eradicate global poverty, inequality and injustice.
- For further information or interviews please contact Jess Salter at [email protected] or call 07493200979.
