By David Williams
05 June 2009
MPs have warned the government not to cut aid to developing countries as a result of the recession.
The Commons international development select committee chair Malcolm Bruce said wealthy countries had a ‘moral obligation’ to offer support.
Bruce said it was unacceptable for countries to cut their aid budgets and called on the government to press the international community to honour its funding pledges.
He also welcomed the G20 agreement to direct extra resources to the International Monetary Fund, but added that the IMF ‘must justify the uplift in its resources by responding more flexibly and speedily to developing country needs’.
Bruce said less wealthy countries must be given more decision-making power in institutions such as the World Bank.
The committee published a report, Aid under pressure: support for development assistance in a global economic downturn, on June 2. The study estimated that the financial crisis would cause an extra 90 million people to be living in poverty by the end of 2010.
The MPs said the recession would also be responsible for the deaths of 400,000 children over the same period. They recommended that the Department for International Development consider renaming itself ‘British Aid’ to clarify its image both in the UK and abroad.
