The British government has announced a revision of its foreign aid policy, now prioritizing countries in war or humanitarian crisis, a decision expected to reduce direct funding to countries such as Mozambique.
The measure was confirmed on Thursday, March 19, by the UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, during a speech in the British Parliament. According to the minister, the cut comes in the context of rising defense expenditures, driven by escalating global geopolitical tensions.
“To fund the additional defense costs, we had to make the extremely difficult decision to reduce our development budget in the coming years,” she stated. The UK government had already indicated in February its intention to reduce foreign aid to 0.3% of Gross National Product by 2027, down from the current 0.7%, representing a significant shift in the country’s international cooperation policy.
Under the new guidance, about 70% of aid will be directed to fragile countries affected by armed conflicts, including Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and more recently, Lebanon. This reconfiguration implies a decrease in direct bilateral funding to other countries.
Mozambique remains among the UK’s priority countries, alongside nations such as Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. However, support will increasingly be channeled through multilateral mechanisms and investment partnerships rather than direct grants. The minister also emphasized that at least 90% of bilateral development aid programs will focus on women and girls, incorporating gender equality as a central axis of cooperation.
At the same time, bilateral financing to G20 countries will be progressively phased out, with the exception of Turkey, where the UK will continue to support programs aimed at refugees.
“We will focus on areas that maximize impact, transform lives, and promote stability, creating jobs and economic opportunities as a pathway out of poverty,” highlighted Yvette Cooper.
Source: Diário Económico
