DFID White Paper: Business as usual?

CAFOD Director Chris Bain responds to the Department for International Development White Paper, Building a Common Future

"We welcome the doubling of support to faith based organisations as a means of reaching the poorest people. In Colombia, we work with the San Vicente del Caguán Diocese to provide humanitarian relief to tens of thousands of conflict affected people.

"In 2007 the Catholic Church was almost the only representation of civil society in this part of the country which was not only difficult to access, but also very insecure. Throughout Africa, and in other parts of the world, churches provide health, education and water and sanitation.

"Increasing support for faith-based organisations shows that DFID is committed to supporting the poorest people. In many places the Church offers the only available infrastructure for this to happen.

"We also recognise the increased support directed towards Southern NGOs as a welcome development.

"However it’s disappointing that the government is not providing any leadership in rethinking our economic development model in light of climate change and the financial crisis.

"The White Paper still has at its heart the need for the rich to get a lot richer for the poor to get a little less poor. In 1980 the poor received $2.20 for every $100 of growth, by 1991 it was just $0.60.

"We’re going back to a business as usual model and that’s not good news for the poorest people or the planet."

Launching the White Paper, entitled Building our Common Future, International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said the world was at a "critical juncture" in efforts to alleviate poverty with progress threatened by the global recession.

In a Commons statement, he said the UK would work towards supporting growth and reforming international institutions such as the United Nations, and that the UK was committed to keeping its promise of dedicating 0.7% of national income to development assistance by 2013.

But he acknowledged that under the new proposals the UK would "prioritise our efforts and work in fewer countries".

Under the White Paper, half of bilateral aid would be invested in public services, helping to get eight million African children into schools and delivering an extra 30 million anti-malaria bednets by 2013.

And the government would continue to work on concluding the Doha round of trade talks and "rapid delivery" of the commitments made in the G20 summit to provide support to the poorest countries.

For further information please contact Nana Anto-Awuakye on: 0207 095-5560 or 07799 477 541 or email nanto-awuakye@cafod.org.uk

related resources

CAFOD's submission to DFID White Paper (45.61 kB) Comments on the issues which we believe should be taken into account in the White Paper

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