HOW TO CONTACT US Contact:

HOW TO CONTACT US
DFID’s Public Enquiry Point is dedicated to answering your questions
Contact:
By telephone:
UK local rate call: 0845 3004100
From outside the UK: +44 1355 84 3132
By fax:
From the UK: 01355 843632
From outside the UK: +44 1355 84 3632
By e-mail:
[email protected]
By post:
Public Enquiry Point
DFID
Abercrombie House
Eaglesham Road
East Kilbride
Glasgow
G75 8EL
UK
Alternatively, you can access our website: www.dfid.gov.uk
Front cover picture: Children at a Forum for Street Children in Ethiopia’s tutorial class in Nazareth, Ethiopia.
Tim Unwin for Imfundo, DFID
Hilary Benn picture: News International
Chapter 1: Female farmer contemplating land loss in Western China/Panos Pictures
Chapter 2: Woman participating in mangrove rehabilitation project in Kenya/Panos Pictures
Chapter 3: Mother pouring water from newly installed water pump in Tamil Nadu, India/Panos Pictures
Chapter 4: Favelas, shanty town on the outskirts of Salvador da Bahia, Brazil/Panos Pictures
Chapter 5: Female workers in one of the biggest clothing manufacturers in China/Panos Pictures
Chapter 6: Farmer with palm fruits in Sierra Leone/Matthew Lessar/DFID
Chapter 7: Girl with baby in the ruin of a town on the Ethiopian–Eritrean border/Panos Pictures
Annexes: Schoolgirl in Nigeria/Panos Pictures
This document is part of a series of Departmental Reports (Cm 6201 to 6231) which, along with
the Main Estimates 2004-05, the document Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2004,
and the Supply Estimates 2004-05: Supplementary Budgetary Information, present the
Government’s expenditure plans for 2003-2006.
The complete series of Departmental Reports and Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2004
is also available as a set at a discounted price.
Text and Cover printed on material containing 75% post consumer waste and 25% TCF pulp
Department for International Development
Departmental Report
2004
Presented to Parliament by the
Secretary of State for International Development
and the
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
by Command of Her Majesty
April 2004
CM 6214
£27.00
© Crown Copyright 2004
The text in this document (excluding the Royal Arms and departmental logos) may be reproduced free of charge in
any format or medium providing that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material
must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and the title of the document specified.
Any enquiries relating to the copyright in this document should be addressed to The Licensing Division, HMSO,
St Clements House, 2-16 Colegate, Norwich, NR3 1BQ.
Fax: 01603 723000 or e-mail: [email protected]
About this report
The Departmental Report is intended to provide Parliament, members of the public, our
development partners and others interested in development issues with a comprehensive account
of how we have been spending, and plan to spend, public funds. The report focuses primarily
on DFID’s work and key developments from April 2003 to March 2004. It does not repeat
information about policy that is already set out in other DFID publications. See Annexe 6.
Summary
The summary is intended to give an overview of the Department’s work over the last year.
It includes key achievements relating to each Public Service Agreement objective.
Chapters 1 to 7
Chapter 1 summarises DFID’s role and responsibilities. Chapters 2 to 6 are structured around
DFID’s Public Service Agreement. Chapter 2 covers sub-Saharan Africa. Chapter 3 details our
work in Asia. Chapter 4 examines Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the
Middle East and North Africa. Chapter 5 looks at the multilateral agencies and conflict and
humanitarian crises. Chapter 6 considers evidence-based, innovative approaches to
international development. Chapter 7 explains how the Department is organised and managed.
Annexes 1 to 8
Annexe 1 sets out DFID’s current and planned financial allocations. Annexes 2 and 3 provide
details of DFID’s progress against its 2001-04 and 2003-06 Public Service Agreements.
Annexe 4 sets out the Millennium Development Goals, including targets and indicators.
Annexe 5 shows the DFID Organisational Chart. All publications mentioned are followed by
a number in brackets, which indicates where to find them in the list of publications, at
Annexe 6. Where possible, abbreviations, acronyms and development jargon have been avoided.
A list of the most commonly used acronyms, abbreviations and development terms is given
in Annexe 7. Annexe 8 provides a comprehensive index.
1
Contents
Foreword by the Secretary of State
Summary
11
Chapter One
The Responsibilities of the Department for International Development
15
The Importance of Aid
The Millennium Development Goals
DFID’s Commitment to Poverty Reduction
DFID’s Public Service Agreement 2003-06
Aims of the Departmental Report
Chapter Two
Poverty Reduction in Africa
Public Service Agreement Objective I
Progress against Public Service Agreement Target 1
Regional Issues
Commission for Africa
New Partnership for Africa’s Development
Conflict Reduction and Peace Building
Budget Support
Strategic Partnership for Africa
Focus Country Programmes
2
8
16
17
20
21
21
23
27
28
29
30
31
31
33
34
35
Contents
Chapter Three
Poverty Reduction in Asia
Public Service Agreement Objective II
Progress against Public Service Agreement Target 2
Focus Country Programmes
Other Country Programmes
Focus: Afghanistan
Chapter Four
Poverty Reduction in Europe, Central Asia, Latin America,
the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa
Public Service Agreement Objective III
Middle-Income Countries Strategy
Europe and Central Asia
Middle East and North Africa
Latin America and the Caribbean
Overseas Territories
Focus: Iraq
Chapter Five
Working with Multilateral Agencies and Responding Effectively
to Conflict and Humanitarian Crises
Public Service Agreement Objective IV
Progress against Public Service Agreement Targets 3 and 4
Improved Effectiveness of the International System
Trade and Investment
Debt
International Finance Facility
Poverty Reduction Strategies
Working with Key Partners
World Bank and International Monetary Fund
European Community
United Nations
Regional Development Banks
Commonwealth
Working with Other Bilateral Donors
Civil Society
Development Awareness
Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance
Humanitarian Assistance in Iran
47
50
51
53
59
64
67
71
71
72
74
76
79
80
85
86
88
89
90
92
93
94
96
96
98
100
101
102
103
104
105
108
110
3
Departmental Report 2004
Chapter Six
Developing evidence-based, innovative approaches
to international development
Public Service Agreement Objective V
Aid Effectiveness
Budget Support
Pursuing Partnerships at Country Level
Economic Growth in Favour of Poor People
Agriculture
Access to Medicines
HIV/AIDS
Education
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
Gender
Child and Maternal Health
Poverty Reduction in Difficult Environments
Migration
Climate Change
Water and Sanitation
Knowledge and Research
Chapter Seven
Organisation and management of delivery
Organisation and Structure
Corporate Strategy Framework
Public Service Agreement
Joint Targets
Performance Measurement
Progress against Public Service Agreement Target 5
Quality Assurance
Risk Management
Financial Resources
Business Change
Learning Lessons
Human Resources
Diversity
Human Resource Management
Training and Development
Infrastructure and Procurement
Overseas Pensions
4
113
114
116
117
119
120
122
124
124
127
129
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
139
141
144
144
145
147
150
150
151
153
156
158
159
159
161
163
165
166
Contents
Annexes
167
Annexe 1
Analysis of Departmental Expenditure
168
Table 1: DFID public spending
Table 2: DFID resource budget
Table 3: DFID capital budget
Table 4: DFID allocation by programme
Table 5: DFID capital employed
Table 6: DFID administration costs
Table 7: DFID staff numbers
Table 8: DFID liabilities
168
169
169
170
174
175
175
176
Annexe 2
Progress against DFID 2001-04 Public Service Agreement
177
Annexe 3
Progress against DFID 2003-06 Public Service Agreement
181
Annexe 4
The Millennium Development Goals
194
Annexe 5
DFID Organisational Chart
196
Annexe 6
Publications
198
Annexe 7
Glossary and Abbreviations
202
Annexe 8
Index
209
5
Departmental Report 2004
List of Boxes
Chapter 1
Box 1a
Box 1b
Box 1c
Box 1d
The Millennium Development Goals
Share of people living on less than $1 a day
Public Service Agreement Objectives
Progress is possible
17
18
21
22
Guide to ‘traffic light’ assessment in this report
Progress against Public Service Target 1
Working to improve performance in Africa
Strategic Partnership for Africa
HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa
27
28
29
34
42
Guide to ‘traffic light’ assessment in this report
Progress against Public Service Agreement Target 2
Working to improve performance in Asia
Indian focus states
Development assistance in conflict area in Nepal
Achievements in Afghanistan in 2003/04
50
51
52
54
60
66
Population living on less than $1 a day
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline
World Bank and Regional Development Banks
Making Bolivian markets work better for the poor
Humanitarian and reconstruction assistance in Iraq
Achievements in Iraq 2003/04
69
74
77
79
82
83
Chapter 2
Box 2a
Box 2b
Box 2c
Box 2d
Box 2e
Chapter 3
Box 3a
Box 3b
Box 3c
Box 3d
Box 3e
Box 3f
Chapter 4
Box 4a
Box 4b
Box 4c
Box 4d
Box 4e
Box 4f
Chapter 5
Box 5a
Box 5b
Box 5c
Box 5d
Box 5e
Box 5f
Box 5g
Box 5h
Box 5i
Box 5j
6
Guide to ‘traffic light’ assessment in this report
Progress against Public Service Agreement Targets 3 and 4
Working to improve performance of the international system
Trade, growth and poverty conference
Poverty Reduction Strategy indicators
DFID engagement with Poverty Reduction Strategies
Enhancing the ‘voice’ of developing countries
Planned EC development expenditure for 2003
Development of a new European Union Treaty
African Development Bank
87
88
89
91
94
95
97
98
99
101
Contents
Box 5k
Box 5l
Box 5m
Box 5n
Box 5o
ENLACE – Social Inclusion Fund partnership
Zambia: Harmonisation in Practice Initiative
Working with UK civil society
Conflict and humanitarian assistance studies
Rapid response to humanitarian crises
102
104
105
108
110
New Policy Division groups of teams
Advantages of budget support
Creating economic opportunities
CDC and the private sector in poorer countries
Global summary of the HIV/AIDS epidemic 2003
UK’s Call for Action on HIV/AIDS
Universal primary education in Kenya
Education Global Monitoring Report
DFID support to Safer Motherhood in Nepal
Sexual and reproductive health services in Bolivia
Improving women’s rights
Service delivery in difficult environments
Climate change in Bangladesh
Examples of impact from research
115
118
120
121
125
126
127
128
130
131
132
134
136
138
DFID core values
Ministerial team
Management Board
DFID strategy and performance management – how it fits together
Joint target on conflict
Appearance versus reality: health care in Uganda
Value for Money
Guide to ‘traffic light’ assessment in this report
Progress against Public Service Agreement Target 5
Summary of DFID resource plans
Reprioritisation of financial resources
Catalyst logo
Video conferencing
Numbers of DFID staff by location and gender December 2003
Progress against diversity strategy
Diversity monitoring January 2004
Permanent UK-based staff appointments filled in 2003
Benefits of the new posting and promotion system
Progress against the Service Delivery Agreement Targets
Staff salaries
Performance against pension service standards
140
141
142
144
146
147
149
149
150
154
155
156
157
159
159
160
161
162
162
163
166
Chapter 6
Box 6a
Box 6b
Box 6c
Box 6d
Box 6e
Box 6f
Box 6g
Box 6h
Box 6i
Box 6j
Box 6k
Box 6l
Box 6m
Box 6n
Chapter 7
Box 7a
Box 7b
Box 7c
Box 7d
Box 7e
Box 7f
Box 7g
Box 7h
Box 7i
Box 7j
Box 7k
Box 7l
Box 7m
Box 7n
Box 7o
Box 7p
Box 7q
Box 7r
Box 7s
Box 7t
Box 7u
7
Foreword
by the Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP
Secretary of State for International Development
Aid works. In the last four decades life expectancy has risen in
developing countries, adult literacy has increased, the number of
children enrolled in primary education has doubled and we are now
close to eradicating polio. As you will see in this report, there are
success stories, attributable in some measure at least, to the increasing
effectiveness of the development assistance provided by the richer
nations to the poorer. However progress towards the internationally
agreed Millennium Development Goals is far too slow in many critical areas. Too many
mothers are still dying in childbirth and too many children are dying before they reach their
fifth birthdays. 104 million children worldwide still do not go to primary school and 1.1 billion
of our fellow human beings still lack access to clean water. This is, quite simply, unacceptable.
To change this we need to provide additional finance for development and ensure that aid is
spent where it will be most effective in reducing poverty. We must ensure that our decisions
reflect good policy and that we monitor the difference we make. As required by the
International Development Act of 2002, UK taxpayers’ money must be used to reduce poverty
and improve the welfare of poor people. We estimate that our aid lifts 2 million people
permanently out of poverty each year.
Our Public Service Agreement sets us clear objectives to meet by 2006, based on the
Millennium Development Goals and the commitments set out in our two White Papers. This
involves improving access to education, health and clean water. It means tackling infant and
maternal death rates and the major diseases – tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS, where the
UK Call for Action on HIV/AIDS has highlighted the need for us all to do more. We also
need to tackle the most fundamental obstacle of all to development – conflict – and help those
afflicted to rebuild their lives. If we are to enable poor people and poor nations to gain a strong
voice, economic independence and self-reliance for the future, we have to ensure that their
basic needs are met and that the building blocks are in place for a strong civil society and
effective and transparent government.
We cannot achieve these aims alone, however. That’s why we work as part of the international
development community to build effective relations with others: multilateral agencies such as
8
Foreword
the United Nations, the European Union, the World Bank and the International Monetary
Fund; other bilateral donors through the work of the OECD; non-governmental organisations
and, last but most importantly, developing countries themselves. Alongside others, we
increasingly work in partnership with developing country governments and civil society
groups, not least because building effective states and good governance is central to success.
The UK aid budget is set to increase to over £4.5 billion a year by 2005/06. This is almost
double the aid we gave in 1997 and it will help move us further towards the United Nations
target of 0.7% of gross national income spent on international aid. We are committed to
spending 90% of our budget in the world’s poorest countries by 2005/06, and this includes
£1 billion per year in sub-Saharan Africa. The Commission for Africa will provide an
opportunity to bring together new ideas in support of a better future for this continent.
This report sets out what we have done over the last year and our plans for the future.
It explains how we have spent taxpayers’ money and what has been achieved. It acknowledges
difficulties that have arisen and what we have done to try and deal with them. It covers
progress made in Afghanistan and Iraq. And it sets out the challenges that still face us.
Looking ahead, 2005 will be an important year. There will only be a decade to go to 2015 –
the deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. It will also be the
year in which the UK has the chance to provide international leadership as Chair of both the
G8 and the expanded European Union.
It is our moral duty – as well as common sense – to tackle poverty, injustice and inequality
to seek to improve the lives of others. If the political will is there, it can be done.
Hilary Benn
April 2004
9
Pitcairn (UK)
Mexico
Belize
Cuba
Bridgetown
Barbados
Trinidad
Tobago
Guyana
Surinam
French
Guiana (FR)
Cape Verde
Is.
Western
Sahara
Estonia
Kiev
Latvia
Poland Belarus
Slovakia
Lithuania
Rus
Czech
Republic
Cyprus
Lebanon
Israel
Sudan
Kuwait
Bahrain
Qatar
U.A.E
Oman
Seychelles
Thailand
Burma
Mongolia
China
Beijing
Hainan
Hanoi
Java
Singapore
Borneo
Malaysia
Cambodia
Bangkok
Laos
Vietnam
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Russian Federation
Nepal
Kyrgyzstan
Delhi
Tajikistan
Kazakhstan
an
Afghanistan
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Dhaka
Kathmandu
India
Maldives
tr
ma
Mauritius
Su
Burundi
Nairobi
Malawi
Iran
Uzb
Azerbaijan
Turkmenistan
Moscow
Syria
Jordan
Saudi
Arabia
Yemen
Djibouti
Ethiopia
Eritrea
Tanzania
Kenya
Kampala
Addis
Ababa
Zambia
a
Maputo
biq
Dar es Salaam
Lilongwe
Kigali
Iraq
Ukraine
Hungary
Moldova
Slovenia Serbia Romania
Croatia
Georgia
Pristina
Bosnia
Bulgaria Armenia
Montenegro
Albania
Turkey
Macedonia
Malta
Angola
Congo Dem. Rep.
of Congo
Central
African Rep. Uganda
Rwanda
Chad
West Bank & Gaza
Libya
Egypt
Tunisia
Niger
Abuja
Nigeria
Benin
Algeria
Mali
Burkina
Faso
Morocco
Mauritania
Senegal
The Gambia
Guinea Bissau
Guinea
Sierra Leone
Togo
Liberia
Accra
Ivory
Ghana Cameroon
Coast
Sao Tomé
Cabinda
(Angola)
Equatorial Guinea
Gabon
St. Helena (UK)
Lusaka
Harare
Zimbabwe
Namibia
Botswana
Swaziland
Lesotho
Pretoria
South
Africa
t
Venezuela
British Virgin Islands
Anguilla (UK)
St Kitts & Nevis
Antigua
Montserrat
Dominican Republic
Turks & Caicos (UK)
The Bahamas
Haiti
Jamaica
Honduras
Nicaragua
Panama
Colombia
Brazil
Brasilia
Tristan da Cunha (UK)
is
ek
Guatemala
El Salvador
Costa Rica
Managua
Ecuador
La Paz
gua
y
Uruguay
li a
ma
So
Madag
asc
ar
Peru
Lima
Bolivia
ra
Chile
Pa
Argentina
ue
DFID’s work around the world
Bilateral Countries
Key
Bilateral (Focus) Countries
Multilateral Countries
DFID Overseas Offices
Moza
m
N. Korea
S. Korea
Taiwan
Philippines
Brunei
East Timor
Indonesia
Irian
Jaya
Papua
New
Guinea
Nauru
Solomon Islands
Vanuatu
Fiji
Suva
Summary of Departmental
Report 2004
The Department for International Development aims to eliminate poverty in poorer countries,
in particular through achievement by 2015 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Our Public Service Agreement (PSA) 2003-06 contains objectives and targets by which we
measure our progress.
The world map on the opposite page and the maps at the starts of Chapters 2, 3 and 4 show
where DFID works around the world. The bilateral countries receive bilateral funding from
DFID and these include the focus countries – 16 in Africa and four in Asia – which are used to
measure progress against the Public Service Agreement. The multilateral countries receive
DFID funding through multilateral agencies. We currently have 27 overseas offices with full
responsibility for running the DFID programme in a particular country or region.
Africa
Progress is possible in Africa, despite limited movement towards the MDGs. It will depend
upon an increase in the volume and effectiveness of aid and greater African management of
poverty reduction strategies. Constraints to progress include: HIV/AIDS, poor governance,
weak health services and barriers to trade.
■
48% of DFID’s bilateral assistance was spent in sub-Saharan Africa in 2002/03 – up from
42% in 2001/02; by 2005/06 we will have increased our annual bilateral assistance to
sub-Saharan Africa to £1 billion.
■
On-going conflicts have fallen from 19 in 2000 to 2 in 2004 – in northern Uganda and Somalia;
the UK has worked through the Africa Conflict Prevention Pool to help establish peace.
■
In 2001 23 African countries had economic growth rates above 5% – this needs to rise to
7% across the continent.
■
HIV/AIDS rates have levelled off in DR Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe
and fallen in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda.
11
Departmental Report 2004
■
Enrolment rates in primary education have increased greatly since the abolition of school
fees; in Kenya a DFID grant helped an additional 1.2 million children enrol.
■
The Commission for Africa was launched in February 2004.
Asia
Progress varies greatly across the region and the MDGs will be met in some countries but not in
others. Constraints to progress include: inequality and exclusion, HIV/AIDS and weak governance.
Progress will continue to be made by working more closely with partner governments,
understanding their motivations and focusing increased resources on the poorest people.
■
DFID funding for Asia will increase by 45% over the next 2 years.
■
Through sustained support, DFID has helped India to increase primary school enrolment to
over 90%.
■
New DFID offices opened in Vietnam and China in 2003, which will help build more
effective relations with partners.
■
DFID collaborated with the World Bank to loan $100 million to China to provide
schooling for 2.4 million children.
■
DFID is the largest co-financer of the $21 million Fund for HIV/AIDS in Burma.
■
In Afghanistan, economic growth is up 30%, 4 million children have returned to school and
30,000 children’s lives have been saved through wide-scale immunisation programmes.
Europe, Middle East and Americas
Patterns of poverty vary hugely across these regions. Current trends suggest that only some
of the MDGs will be met by 2015. Constraints to progress include inequality, HIV/AIDS,
governance problems and human rights abuses. Iraq is a challenge. However significant progress
has been made over the last year.
■
The Coalition Provisional Authority has launched over 17,000 reconstruction projects in
Iraq; 30 million doses of vaccines have been provided and 76,000 new jobs created.
■
The UK has pledged a total of £544 million up to March 2006 for reconstruction and
humanitarian assistance.
■
We worked with the EC on the technical assistance for the Commonwealth of Independent
States regulation to ensure a greater poverty focus.
■
DFID convinced key institutions in Bolivia to revise their Poverty Reduction Strategy to
promote economic growth to benefit the poor.
12
Summary of Departmental Report 2004
■
DFID has allocated an additional £15 million to the Palestinians to support the Roadmap
to peace.
■
Support to Yemen doubled in 2003/04 with an increased focus on education for girls.
International
Achieving the MDGs will depend upon a greatly enhanced and coherent international
approach with agreed policies and effective collaboration between nations and institutions.
The international community is also critical in responding to conflict and humanitarian crises,
both of which can halt or reverse development progress. Considerable progress has been made.
■
The UK has written off 100% of the debt owed to us by the most Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC). The HIPC initiative has released $1.7 billion for social expenditure and
poverty reduction in 27 countries since 2001.
■
DFID donated £950,000 to Iran immediately after the Bam earthquake in December 2003
and £2 million to support victims further since then; joint international rescue efforts saved
1000 lives.
■
Despite the failure of the Cancún trade negotiations, developing countries found a more
confident voice within the G20+ group, which comprised mostly more advanced and
industrialised developing countries.
■
The UK has proposed an International Finance Facility to bridge the $50 billion gap
between global development funds currently allocated and those estimated to be necessary
to meet the MDGs by 2015.
■
33 countries now have full Poverty Reduction Strategies and 46 have interim Strategies.
■
Around a quarter of UK development expenditure goes through EC programmes and
we are seeing more progress in terms of the poverty focus and effectiveness of this aid.
■
In 2002/03 DFID channelled £223 million through UK civil society organisations.
Policy
Improving the effectiveness of aid depends upon well-informed policy. DFID is working to
strengthen its policies through greater research and improved analytical methods to support
progress towards the MDGs. 2003/04 has seen the reorganisation of Policy Division.
■
The new Policy Division has created 25 teams and a Central Research Team.
■
UK’s Call for Action on HIV/AIDS was launched, December 2003.
■
A new agriculture paper, Agriculture and poverty reduction: unlocking the potential, was published
January 2004.
13
Departmental Report 2004
■
Since 1997 the UK has committed over £1.5 billion to support health systems in poorer
countries and the supply of safe and reasonably priced drugs.
■
In 2002/03 the UK invested £270 million in bilateral HIV/AIDS and sexual and
reproductive health programmes.
■
We collaborated closely with other Government Departments on failing states, access to
medicines and urban regeneration.
■
We have adopted a new and co-ordinated approach to research with a clear Departmentwide strategy.
Finance and Corporate Performance
DFID has undertaken major changes to corporate delivery systems to ensure we are fit for
purpose. We aim to ensure that the vast majority of our funding goes to the poorest people in
the poorest countries and that the efficiency of our corporate procedures supports this.
■
DFID works with less than 1% of UK taxes and aims to spend less than 6% on
administration.
■
We are working to ensure that over 90% of our bilateral programme funding, excluding
humanitarian assistance, goes to low-income countries by 2005/06.
■
96% of regional projects have been scored to assess their success.
■
CDC – formerly the Commonwealth Development Corporation – has invested over
£1 billion of UK public funds in developing countries.
■
£22 million have been saved through efficient procurement as reported to the Office of
Government Commerce.
■
We secured a 3-year Investors in People re-accreditation – one of very few decentralised
international operations to achieve such recognition.
14
1
The Responsibilities of
the Department for
International
Development
The Importance of Aid
16
The Millennium Development
Goals
17
DFID’s Commitment to Poverty
Reduction
20
DFID’s Public Service Agreement
2003-06
21
Aims of the Departmental Report 21
1 The Responsibilities of the
Department for International
Development
We will spare no effort to free our fellow men, women and children from the abject and dehumanising
conditions of extreme poverty, to which more than a billion of them are currently subjected
United Nations Millennium Declaration – September 2000
The Importance of Aid
1.1
Over the past generation, significant progress has been made towards the elimination of world
poverty. Although the world’s population has risen by 2 billion in the last thirty years, basic
living standards for many of the very poor have improved. Child mortality rates have halved,
illiteracy rates among adults have fallen from 46% to 24% and twice as many people have access
to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.
1.2
However, 1.1 billion people – one in five of the world’s population – are still living on less than
$1 a day. 1.1 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water and 2 billion lack adequate
sanitation. 104 million children are not enrolled in school and some 10 million children die
each year before their fifth birthday, largely from preventable diseases. With a rising world
population and the HIV/AIDS epidemic continuing unabated in parts of the world, the fight
against poverty remains a moral imperative.
1.3
Extreme poverty is not an isolated issue, relevant only to those in developing countries.
As goods and services, information and people move between countries at unprecedented
levels, awareness of the global impact of poverty is inescapable. Growing recognition of the link
between deprivation in some parts of the world and wider insecurity for all of us has led to
increased international commitment to the elimination of poverty. In order to address the
causes of conflict, environmental degradation, illegal migration and drug trafficking we have
to improve the living standards of the very poor.
16
The Responsibilities of the Department for International Development
The Millennium Development Goals
1.4
The Millennium Development Goals were established at the United Nations Millennium
Summit in 2000. They represent a global commitment by 189 countries to the elimination
of poverty by 2015 and a means of measuring progress towards this aim.
Box 1a The Millennium Development Goals
Goal 1
Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger
➧
Goal 2
Achievement of universal primary education
➧
Goal 3
Promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women
➧
Goal 4
Reduced child mortality
➧
Goal 5
Improved maternal health
➧
Goal 6
Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
➧
Goal 7
Ensuring environmental sustainability
➧
Goal 8
A global partnership for development
17
Departmental Report 2004
1.5
Achieving the 2015 goals is one of the greatest challenges we face at the start of the 21st century.
While we are making progress in many regions and in many countries, we will fail in sub-Saharan
Africa unless extraordinary efforts are made. We have the capacity to change this. We need to increase
the volume of assistance going to developing countries, target assistance at the poorest countries and
do much more to increase its effectiveness. The following graphs demonstrate the current variations
in progress towards the Millennium Development Goal relating to income poverty.
Box 1b Share of people living on less than $1 a day
East Asia & Pacific
Europe & Central Asia
50
50
40
30
40
29.4
30
20
14.7
14.5
10
20
10
2.3
0
1.4
4.2
1.3
0.7
0
1990 1995 2000
2005
2010 2015
1990 1995 2000
2005
2010 2015
Middle East & North America
Latin America & the Caribbean
50
50
40
40
30
30
20
20
11.0
10.8
7.6
10
5.5
0
1990 1995 2000
2005
10
2.1
1990 1995 2000
2010 2015
South Asia
1.11.2
2005
2010 2015
Sub-Saharan Africa
50
50
41.5
40 47.4
40
30
2.8
0
20.8
31.9
20
42.3
49.0
30
23.7
20
16.4
10
0
10
0
1990 1995 2000
2005
2010 2015
1990 1995 2000
Goal
1990
2000
2005
2010 2015
Poverty rate at $1 a day
2015
Actual
Projected
Path to goal
Source: World Bank
1.6
A series of international conferences has taken place since 2000, at which both donors and
partner governments have renewed their financial and political commitment to the Millennium
Development Goals. In March 2002 the Financing for Development meeting took place in
Monterrey where donors pledged around $16 billion a year in additional aid by 2006. Then in
August/September 2002, the World Summit for Sustainable Development was held in
18
The Responsibilities of the Department for International Development
Johannesburg and again countries reiterated their commitment to work towards meeting the
United Nations target of 0.7% of gross national income given to official development assistance.
1.7
The World Trade Organisation has also focused on development in the Doha Round, which
began in Qatar in November 2001. More than 50 nations grew poorer over the last decade –
open trade has a vital role to play in helping countries reduce poverty. To maximise these
benefits, poor countries need a rules-based international trading system, with continuing
reductions in barriers to trade in both developed and developing countries. The latest
Ministerial Conference took place in Cancún in September 2003, and although agreement
was not reached at that stage, the UK Government remains committed to resuming
Panos Pictures
negotiations.
Slum shanty housing in front of an affluent high-rise suburb in Bombay. DFID is working to improve
the living conditions of the very poor in India
1.8
While broad-ranging international commitment exists towards achieving the Millennium
Development Goals, major challenges remain. The donor community must harmonise its
different approaches and ensure the efficient delivery of aid. We must raise public awareness of
the problems facing us all and work in partnership with other international bodies. Increasing
the volume of aid is also critical to success. The international community has estimated that
if global aid were increased from $50 billion to at least $100 billion a year the Millennium
Development Goals could be met by 2015. We now need to live up to our commitments and
ensure that by working in partnership with governments in developing countries we achieve
the Millennium Development Goals.
19
Departmental Report 2004
DFID’s Commitment to Poverty Reduction
1.9
The Department for International Development (DFID) is responsible for leading the UK
Government’s contribution to the international effort to reduce poverty. In 1997, the first
White Paper on International Development, Eliminating World Poverty:A Challenge for the
21st Century (1), committed the UK Government to contributing towards the achievement
of the International Development Targets by 2015. The second White Paper in 2000, Making
Globalisation Work for the Poor (2), confirmed the UK’s commitment and also set out the new
challenges and opportunities for those working to reduce global poverty.
1.10
The International Development Act, which came into force in June 2002, established legally
acceptable objectives for UK development assistance. The Secretary of State for International
Development has to be satisfied that the assistance provided under the Act is likely to
contribute to poverty reduction. Under the main power of the Act, the sole purpose for which
development assistance can be provided is to promote sustainable development or improve the
welfare of poor people. The restrictions in the Act over how funds voted by Parliament can be
used mean, for example, that aid cannot be tied to the purchase of British goods or services.
Such tying could not have as its purpose the promotion of sustainable development or the
Panos Pictures
improvement of welfare of poor people.
1.11
An Ethiopian farmer with his meagre
harvest after just two days of rain all
year. DFID supplied £27 million of
humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia in
2002/03
UK official development assistance is set to rise by £1.5 billion from £3.4 billion to
£4.9 billion following the 2002 Spending Review, representing 0.40% of gross national
income. DFID’s budget will reach more than £4.5 billion by 2005/06.
20
The Responsibilities of the Department for International Development
DFID’s Public Service Agreement 2003-06
1.12
The Public Service Agreement 2003-06, agreed as part of the 2002 Spending Review, helps
DFID to improve its performance by focusing on what has already been achieved and what
remains to be done. It tracks progress and allows for reassessment of policy decisions and financial
commitments in the light of successes and underperformance. In addition, it allows each division,
department, team and individual to set targets which relate directly to the overall achievement of
the Public Service Agreement objectives – and ultimately of the Millennium Development Goals.
Box 1c Public Service Agreement Objectives
Objective 1
Reduce poverty in sub-Saharan Africa
Objective 2
Reduce poverty in Asia
Objective 3
Reduce poverty in Europe, Central Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the
Middle East and North Africa
Objective 4
Increase the impact of key multilateral agencies in reducing poverty and
effective response to conflict and humanitarian crises
Objective 5
Develop evidence-based, innovative approaches to international development
Value for money
Aims of the Departmental Report
1.13
This report sets out what DFID has done in the year April 2003 to March 2004. It explains
our approach to working as part of a wider international effort, collaborating with many
organisations, including: other UK Government Departments, international development
agencies, governments of developing and transition countries, civil society, business and academia.
1.14
The report explains what we have done to increase the impact of development assistance on
poverty. We have retained our focus on helping the poorest countries and agreed longer-term
financial commitments, which will mean beneficiaries will be able to predict their income.
We have continued to move away from stand-alone projects – where the donors decide the
agenda – towards support for poverty reduction strategies led by developing countries
themselves. The report also describes our efforts to improve the work of the main multilateral
agencies through which we channel funding.
1.15
It explains what we are doing to ensure that international policies on trade, debt, investment, the
environment and conflict increase, rather than limit, opportunities for poor countries. Economic
prosperity is vital for providing basic services, such as education and health care and for building
capacity in developing countries. If trade barriers prevent farmers from selling their produce or
if debt repayments erode any financial gain, no amount of aid will compensate.
21
Departmental Report 2004
1.16
DFID also has a responsibility to help victims of natural or man-made disasters. The report
explains how our humanitarian assistance has been used to save lives, relieve suffering and
improve access to basic services when emergencies have arisen.
1.17
The report is structured around DFID’s Public Service Agreement (PSA). Chapters 2 to 6 focus
on the five Public Service Agreement objectives, and indicate where targets have been met and
where they are off track. Chapter 7 explains how the Department is organised to deliver. The
report sets out plans for tackling underperformance and for responding to changing needs and
for modifying planned spending accordingly. We have maintained a clear focus throughout on
ensuring value for money and achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
1.18
Much has already been achieved, although much remains to be done. Some of the progress made
by developing countries is set out in Box 1d. International development assistance can help these
countries further and DFID has an important role to play. This report explains how we contribute.
Box 1d Progress is possible
■
Life expectancy in developing countries has increased from 44 years in 1960 to 64 years
in 2001.
■
More than 3 million children survive each year due to the extension of basic immunisation.
■
Since 1990, 800 million people have gained access to safer water and 750 million to
improved sanitation.
■
Aid is significant – in 2001 there were 34 countries in which aid represented more than
8% of national income.
■
Adult literacy in developing countries has increased from 47% in 1970 to 76% in 2001.
■
Brazil has controlled its HIV/AIDS infection rate at around 0.5% – half that projected;
Uganda cut its prevalence rate from around 15% in 1991 to 5% in 2001; Thailand reduced
infections among commercial sex workers in cities from 9.7% in 1990 to 6.7% in 2000.
For more information
On DFID’s work
See the Quick Guide to the Department for International Development
Annexe 6 has details of how to obtain this (37) and other DFID publications
22