The announcement by the UK government that it will cut ODA from 0.5% to 0.3% of GNI in 2027 is a devastating betrayal of the most marginalised around the world at their greatest time of need. As the world has been taking stock of the terrible impact of the cuts to overseas aid by the U.S administration, it is essential that the UK and other donors send a clear message that they will not turn away. Instead this decision will be heard as a resounding abandonment of all those most in need.
In Labour’s manifesto they spoke proudly about their party’s legacy of using their world-leading expertise in international development to make the world a safer, more prosperous place. This recognised that overseas development plays a crucial role in creating strong and stable societies around the world. However, this decision will make the world and the UK much less safe and diminish the UK’s global reputation. The UKs contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, which are only five years away, have been decimated by this hollowing out of the international development budget.
The U.S. aid cuts are already having a terrible impact on the global HIV response, estimated to have already led to 13,976 adult and 1487 infant deaths and this is horrifyingly just the beginning. The planned drastic reduction to the UK’s aid budget in 2027 will be devastating for those living with and affected by HIV around the world. The UK’s planned cuts mean it would be left with little choice but to drastically cut its commitments to the global HIV response reversing progress towards reaching the sustainable development goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
We call on the Prime Minister to immediately review and reverse the decision to make these cuts to avoid catastrophic loss of life and livelihoods across the world.