Budget 2009: Chancellor warned against cuts in overseas aid
Budget 2009: Chancellor warned against cuts in overseas aid
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Friday, 17, Apr 2009 08:39
Chancellor Alistair Darling has been urged not to implement big cuts in overseas aid in next week's Budget.
Reports suggest Mr Darling is considering cutting up to £860 million-a-year in planned aid spending.
The charity Oxfam has today warned such cuts would represent a betrayal of the millions of poor people around the world suffering as a result of the global recession.
In its 2007 spending review, the UK government pledged to provide £7.5 billion in overseas aid during 2009-10, but Oxfam claims the figure could be cut to £6.6bn next year.
Max Lawson, Oxfam senior policy advisor, said: "The government should not use the economic recession and statistical sleight of hand as excuses to cut aid to poor countries at the very time when they need it most.
"If all rich countries break their promises in this way, the $50 billion promised for developing countries at Gleneagles [G8 Summit] will be reduced by almost a fifth to just $41bn.
"That would deprive millions of men and women of basic healthcare, millions of children of the chance to go to school and millions of people of access to clean water, one of life's most basic necessities."
Mr Lawson said a reduction in future aid from the UK would sent out the "wrong message", especially after the series of economic aid measures announced at the G20 earlier this month.
He added: "It could fatally undermine the 'new world order' based on fairness that Gordon Brown announced at the G20 summit in London. He cannot expect other countries to follow his lead if the UK reneges on its own aid promises."
Oxfam claim the projected aid cut, coupled with the weakened pound, could see the value of UK aid drop by a third in 2010.