May 18, 2021 —  The UK’s move to cut its foreign aid budget at a time of rising hunger is undermining its G7 Presidency. Analysis from the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has found that the UK is spending 40% less on humanitarian aid than before the pandemic, at a time when the UN predicts that the humanitarian need in 2021 is nearly 40% higher. [1]

This year’s G7 is the first big test for ‘Global Britain’ as the UK hosts this year’s Summit in Cornwall on June 11. G7 leaders will convene as growing numbers of people living in crisis-affected countries face hunger and famine. 34 million people are currently experiencing emergency levels of acute food insecurity. 

Yet the UK, traditionally a global champion on fighting malnutrition, has made devastating cuts to its nutrition aid budget, despite its stated aim to prioritise efforts to address food insecurity through its leadership of the G7 with the launch of the G7 Famine Prevention Crisis Panel and Compact. The UK is looking like the global outlier, with other G7 countries, including Germany, France and the USA, signaling commitments to increase aid.

In a new report released today, the IRC has outlined the immediate steps that the UK, as leader of the G7, must take to avert the worst of this growing hunger crisis, including an urgent return to spend 0.7% of its national income on aid.

Melanie Ward, Executive Director for IRC UK, says:

“The UK's move to cut humanitarian aid makes a mockery of the Government’s stated aim of Global Britain “being a force for good in the world." As the UK attempts to lead a global initiative on tackling famine at the G7, it is planning on spending 40% less on humanitarian aid than before the pandemic at a time when 270 million people are facing acute levels of hunger around the world. This demonstrates worrying contradictions in the UK Government’s actions.

Hosting the G7 in a few weeks, the UK should be showing global leadership and galvanizing world leaders towards progress, not stepping back. Yet in countries like Syria and Nigeria, where people are facing rising levels of hunger, the UK is enacting drastic cuts to vital IRC programmes. 

Despite what the Government says, the decision to cut aid isn’t a question of necessity. This is a political decision which is already having devastating humanitarian consequences.”

 [1] https://www.unocha.org/sites/unocha/files/GHO2021_Press%20Release_EN.pdf