•What is DFID?•What are the aims of DFID•What does DFID do?•Criticisms of DFID aid

What is DFID?

• Organises, plans and delivers all development assistance from the British government

• Led by government minister (currently Andrew Mitchell)

Aims of DFID

1. Honour international commitment to the 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

2. Make aid more effective by improving transparency, openness and value for money

3. Tackle the underlying causes of poverty and boost wealth creation

4. Strengthen governance and security in fragile and conflict-affected countries

5. Lead international action to improve the lives of girls and women

6. Combat climate change

UN MDGs

What does DFID do?

• Budget increased from £5.3 bn in 2004-05 to £7.9 bn in 2010-11

• Aid spending on Africa doubled from £1.3bn in 2004 to over £3 bn in 2010

• Both long term projects and emergency response

• Eg.– Better access to food, sanitation, plus food and

essential healthcare in Zimbabwe– DR Congo: 600 classrooms and 750,000 school kits.

Provided education programme which will enrol 1 million extra children into school by 2015

Some criticisms

• In 2007-08, UK only allocated 0.36% of GNP to overseas development. Currently still only 0.5% (short of UN target of 0.7%)

• Concerns that former colonies are given preference when delivering aid

• Claimed by some that aid is used to control the internal affairs of African countries

• Worries about impact of economic downturn (though DFID budget has been ring fenced by coalition gov)

Task – working from OLP

• Textbook p18-22

• OLP questions p5– Answer questions 1-4 and question 6– (question 5 will be set as research homework

to ensure up-to-date examples!)

Homework – Fri 7 Sept

• DFID Internet Research exercise• Go to www.dfid.gov.uk• Click on the tab WHERE WE WORK• In the left hand menu, click AFRICA: EASTERN

AND SOUTHERN or AFRICA: WESTERN AND CENTRAL and then browse by country

• Make notes on at least 4 up to date case studies of DFID work in Africa, each relating to different millennium goals

• Pick countries we’ve already mentioned where possible and projects you fully understand!