At the UN General Assembly in September, world leaders reiterated their commitment to accelerating action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). What role can the UK play in reinvigorating momentum on this?
Andrew Mitchell spoke in 2022 about the need to recover the UK’s role as a ‘development superpower’. But there are challenges ahead. Since 2021, the UK’s overseas aid budget has been cut from 0.7 per cent to 0.5 per cent of gross national income (GNI). There is also the question of the strength of British public support for development assistance at a time of domestic economic hardship. What does leadership on development and the SDGs look like for the UK?
At this event, Minister of State for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell tackles questions including:
- In a more competitive world, what role can and should aid and development play in the UK’s global influence and soft power?
- Can policymakers and politicians garner domestic support for international aid in times of economic uncertainty, and if so how?
- Can the UK rebuild its reputation in the world while it doesn’t meet its 0.7 per cent of GNI target? What new approaches can or should the UK take?
- What priorities are likely to be set by the government’s forthcoming development white paper?
