Aid agencies: UK Spring Budget has abandoned world's poor

Photo by Jeff Ackley on Unsplash

Source: CAFOD/Christian Aid

Aid agencies have expressed disappointment and grave concern at the UK Government's Spring Budget, which they say fails to tackle massive humanitarian crises taking place around the world.

CAFOD's director of advocacy Neil Thorns said: "Spending £11 billion more on the military is unforgiveable when millions face famine in East Africa. It cannot be right for the UK to cut its aid budget despite the region experiencing its worst drought in four decades.

"Countries such as the UK have caused these climate-related droughts and our aid can save the lives of those affected. If we continue to turn away, there will be further destabilisation of the region and the inevitable consequences that would bring, including mass movement of people and other affects."

Last year, the UK provided East Africa with just one-fifth of the aid given to the region during the hunger crisis in 2017-18. This helped prevent a widespread famine, but without action soon millions face starvation again.

Sophie Powell, Chief of UK Advocacy at Christian Aid said: "From conflict to climate change, the poorest and most vulnerable communities are facing challenges like never before.

"Yet this budget fails once again to deliver the finance needed. Not only has the aid pot been stunted and raided by other government departments, but it has also lost its focus on tackling poverty and its causes.

"That's why it's even more urgent for the government to release new resources, starting by getting private creditors such as the big banks to cancel the debt of countries on the frontline of these crises."