7 8 July 2016
INTERNATIONAL
T
he impact of Brexit on the internationalist agenda
and international development remains to be
seen.
The 28 member states of the EU constitute the world’s
biggest donor group, providing over half of interna-
tional aid. European institutions deliver aid under the
EU’s neighbourhood policy to countries such as Turkey
and Morocco (the largest recipients), as well as to India
and Brazil, where the UK has a limited and diminishing
aid presence. The EU is also the largest single source
of humanitarian aid for Syria, providing support to
groups in Syria and the neighboring states.
The UK’s pro-active, largely progressive, agenda-set-
ting role in development co-operation has been an EU
centrepiece for over two decades. The UK channels
around 10% of its total aid budget through the EU, but
research shows that each £1 of aid the UK spends
through EU institutions is matched by £6 from other EU
member states. This gives British development aid par-
ticular leverage. The creation of the Department for
International Development (DfID) under Tony Blair, in
the mid-1990s, significantly shaped international
policy for the better. It played a key role in the Millen-
nium Development Goals and the pro-poor focus of aid.
Despite changes of Government, DfID has established
itself as a leader.
Scale is part of this leadership. The fact that its
budget has been growing at a time when most OECD
aid budgets have been contract-
ing, has given it added weight. The
UK is now the fourth largest donor
globally and the third in terms of
percentage of aid by GNP, exceeded
only by Norway and Sweden. It is a
massive and trend-setting pres-
ence within the aid community.
In his resignation speech, David
Cameron listed the things he felt
were put under threat due to Brexit.
Amongst them he cited the
achievement of the last Govern
-
ment to legislate for 0.7% of British
GNP to go to Overseas Develop-
ment Assistance (ODA), compared
with the EU average .4%. The
potential unravelling of this legis-
lation, which he signalled, is a
concern. A more isolated, insular
UK is one which may put its own
interests first.
Legislating for 0.7% of GNP
going to ODA has already been
challenged within the UK, on the
grounds that poverty at home is more important. If a
more right-wing government emerges it may yield
under pressure of an ascetic recessionary agenda, as
well as of ideology. Depreciation of Sterling has already
led to a drop of 10% in the value of UK aid globally - or
£1 billion lost from current spending. This depreciation
will prompt tough choices around the world.
Serious questions are emerging for development and
humanitarian organisations across Europe that are in
receipt of EU funds. Brexit implies a massive restructur-
ing of the entire EU Aid programme. The UK currently
contributes €1.2 billion to the European Commission’s
aid programme. Take that out and everyone, not just UK
NGOs, is affected.
Humanitarian organisations, which receive a large
portion of their funds from ECHO, the EU’s humanitar-
ian body, are particularly vulnerable. There is a further
sad irony since, even in the short-term, Brexit will
greatly complicate the multilateral effort to stem the
migration from conflict-ridden countries, the very
migration that clearly influenced the Leave vote. Criti-
cal funds will end up stuck amid uncertainty over
funding cuts.
In the longer term, a possible shrinking role for the
UK in defining the EU’s development co-operation pri-
orities is equally worrying. The UK is disproportinately
influential in setting the priorities of the European
Union aid programme, EuropeAid. It has had a key role
in shaping the Sustainable Development Goals. The
work on incorporating these into EU aid programmes is
only now beginning.
In the coming years, the UK will be absent from key
discussions about the future of the EU’s Development
Consensus, the Cotonou Agreement and other key pro-
cesses. The withdrawal of the UK from EU common
positions at the UN too will lead to a weaker EU and UK
influence. It allows other forces which may not share
such an internationalist vision to become more
prominent.
The UK has been no angel when it comes to develop-
ment co-operation. Certain pro-private-sector,
public-private-partnership approaches which DfID has
recently been promoting caused consternation within
the NGO community. However, overall, the work of DfID
has had a net positive contribution to the development
sector. The UK’s leadership on providing public develop-
ment finance has been critical in making the promises of
the Sustainable Development Goals more than hot air.
The direct and indirect effects of Brexit are bigger
than anyone has realised.
Lorna Gold is Head of Policy and Advocacy with
Trócaire
Development
aid and Britain
The UK’s influence is financial and symbolic
by Lorna Gold
out
£1 of aid the UK
spends through
EU institutions is
matched by £6
from other EU
member states
The tabloids have put the UK's overseas-aid budget
under pressure

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