Praise for UK efforts to reduce poverty
OECD's Development Assistance Committee issues a report on UK’s development assistance
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) has issued a report on the UK’s development assistance as part of a series of examinations of OECD DAC donor aid policies and programmes.
The report notes that:
The UK plays a leading role in tackling global poverty and other donors see the UK as a model of good practice. The UK has taken the lead in a number of critical areas including humanitarian assistance, fragile states and supporting a country led approach to development. DFID has a strong management framework, which combined with a purpose and performance-driven organisational culture, ensures effective delivery of the aid programme.
The DAC encourages the UK to continue its focus on poverty reduction and to further strengthen its whole government approach to development. The report notes that DFID should build the capacity of partner governments, allowing them to manage their own future better. The DAC also recommends that the UK strengthens the transparency of all UK aid and communicates the impact of UK aid to the public. Results, value for money, transparency and accountability are highlighted as key areas where the UK will need to focus its attention in future.
The reform agenda identified by the DAC is being vigorously pursued by the UK Government. DFID has accepted the recommendations made in the UK’s DAC Peer Review Report and is already taking action to ensure greater accountability, transparency, value for money, and development results from all UK aid spending. The new UKaid Transparency Guarantee will help people in the UK and in developing countries track where money is going. And steps to build in stronger impact evaluation will help strengthen the evidence base for decision making.
The UK Government is committed to strengthening a ‘whole of government’ approach to development; deploying all the policy tools of trade, climate policy, diplomacy, business investment, as well as aid, to reduce global poverty.
For more information on OECD DAC please visit their website.