Statement on aid transparency
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The new UK Government places a high value on transparency of government spending, and nowhere does this apply more appropriately than to aid spending. Aid transparency is critical to improve value for money and accountability. I strongly believe that the public has a right to access information about the aid we provide so as much as possible should be released. We should support those who want to analyse and use data to hold us and developing country governments accountable for using aid money wisely. We live in a post-bureaucratic age in which information needs to be diffused and democratised, so we can use it to improve the quality of aid programmes. This is why I have recently launched a UK Aid Transparency Guarantee and taken decisions to make DFID more transparent. I wish you well in delivering your agenda today and urge you to join us in being as ambitious as possible. The agreements you reach here today could deliver the real change in aid transparency that is so urgently needed.