“Revolutionary” plans were reportedly drawn up by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to “reshape” the economy by merging the two departments.
Charity bosses say the proposed plans would “risk dismantling the UK’s leadership” on aid and development and suggests “we are turning our backs on the world’s poorest people.”
The joint statement highlights extreme poverty, climate change and conflict to be some of “the greatest global challenges of our time” that require a specialised and properly funded department to be tackled.
“By far the best way to ensure that aid continues to deliver for those who need it the most is by retaining DfID as a separate Whitehall department, with a Secretary of State for International Development, and by pledging to keep both independent aid scrutiny bodies: the Independent Commission for Aid Impact and the International Development Select Committee,” the statement reads.
Laura Taylor. head of advocacy and campaigns at Christian Aid, told Premier she would be “disappointed” to see the department which has existed for 22 years “disappear”.
Independent aid commission’s analysing the DfID’s spending found its funds to be generally “more impactful for the poorest communities” and “more transparent in the way that it is spent” according to Taylor.
She added: “Our mandate is for the poorest communities around the world. If we started to see aid being…
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