Foreign aid key to UK’s soft power in Middle East

  • 6/26/2024
  • 00:00
  • 3
  • 0
  • 0
news-picture

mailto:?body=The%20UK%20has%20traditionally%20been%20a%20leading%20donor%20of%20foreign%20development%20aid%2C%20annually%20earmarking%20funds%20to%20support%20education%2C%20infrastructure%2C%20healthcare%20and%20peacebuilding%20in%20some%20of%20the%20world%E2%80%99s%20poorest%20and%20most%20vulnerable%20countries.%20Foreign%20aid%20has%20helped%20wealthy%20Western%20nations%20create%20positive%20socioeconomic%20impacts%20globally%20and%20jointly%20resolve%20transnational%20challenges%20such%20as%20epidemics%2C%20climate%20change%20and%20conflict.%20Currently%2C%20the%20top%20three%20recipients%20of%20British%20bilateral%20foreign%20aid%20are%20Afghanistan%2C%20Ukraine%20and%20Nigeria.%20The%20UK%20also%20contributes%20significant%20portions%20of%20multilateral%20overseas%20development%20assistance%20to%20international%20organizations%20such%20as%20the%20World%20Bank%E2%80%99s%20International%20Development%20Association%2C%20the%20Global%20Fund%20to%20Fight%20AIDS%2C%20Tuberculosis%20and%20Malaria%2C%20and%20the%20African%20Development%20Fund.%20The%20Foreign%2C%20Commonwealth%20and%20Development%20Office%2C%20which%20in%202020%20incorporated%20the%20Department%20for%20International%20Development%2C%20is%20at%20the%20forefront%20of%20British%20overseas%20development%20assistance.%20However%2C%20in%20the%20last%20five%20years%2C%20the%20UK%20has%20seen%20a%20notable%20decline%20in%20foreign%20aid%20and%20a%20redirection%20of%20funds%20toward%20domestic%20priorities.%20Amid%20the%20COVID-19%20pandemic%20in%202020%2C%20the%20British%20government%20%E2%80%9Ctemporarily%E2%80%9D%20reduced%20its%20overseas%20development%20assistance%20spending%20from%200.7%20percent%20of%20gross%20national%20income%20to%200.5%20percent%20due%20to%20economic%20weakening.%20Former%20Prime%20Ministers%20Tony%20Blair%20and%20David%20Cameron%20both%20warned%20against%20this%20at%20the%20time%2C%20saying%20it%20was%20an%20irresponsible%20policy%20with%20far-reaching%20consequences.%20Budget%20cuts%20have%20severely%20limited%20the%20UK%E2%80%99s%20ability%20to%20stabilize%20conflict%20zones%20in%20the%20region%2C%20such%20as%20Libya%2C%20Syria%20and%20Sudan%20Zaid%20M.%20Belbagi%20With%20a%20significant%20increase%20in%20Ukrainian%20refugees%20in%20the%20UK%20since%202022%2C%20British%20foreign%20aid%20faced%20further%20strain%2C%20as%20the%20government%20has%20used%20its%20overseas%20aid%20budget%20for%20domestic%20spending%20on%20hosting%20refugees%20and%20asylum%20seekers.%20In%202022%2C%20the%20UK%20spent%20%C2%A33.7%20billion%20(%244.7%20billion)%2C%20close%20to%2030%20percent%20of%20its%20overseas%20development%20assistance%20budget%2C%20on%20in-donor%20refugee%20costs%2C%20while%20spending%20just%20over%20%C2%A32%20billion%20on%20bilateral%20development%20aid%20in%20Asia%20and%20Africa%20combined.%20In%202019%2C%20aid%20to%20least%20developed%20countries%20made%20up%2019%20percent%20of%20combined%20UK%20overseas%20development%20assistance%2C%20while%20in%202022%20this%20stood%20at%2010%20percent.%20From%20Nigeria%20to%20Nepal%2C%20several%20of%20these%20countries%20have%20faced%20the%20negative%20impact%20of%20British%20aid%20cuts.%20Despite%20being%20key%20to%20Britain%E2%80%99s%20strategic%20and%20economic%20interests%2C%20the%20Middle%20East%20has%20not%20been%20a%20priority%20region%20for%20British%20overseas%20development%20assistance.%20A%20reduction%20of%20more%20than%2030%20percent%20in%20the%20Conflict%2C%20Stability%20and%20Security%20Fund%E2%80%99s%20budget%20in%202022%20has%20severely%20limited%20the%20UK%E2%80%99s%20ability%20to%20stabilize%20conflict%20zones%20in%20the%20region%2C%20such%20as%20Libya%2C%20Syria%20and%20Sudan.%20The%20Middle%20East%20has%20seen%20the%20effects%20of%20this%2C%20with%20reductions%20in%20the%20already%20limited%20aid%20streams%20in%20the%20region.%20Since%202021%2C%20aid%20to%20Lebanon%20has%20reduced%20by%2085%20percent%20and%20to%20Syria%20by%2070%20percent.%20In%20addition%20to%20weakening%20commercial%20and%20diplomatic%20relations%20in%20the%20Middle%20East%2C%20a%20downturn%20in%20development%20aid%20has%20negatively%20impacted%20British%20credibility%20in%20the%20region%2C%20pushing%20the%20countries%20in%20this%20area%20to%20focus%20on%20other%20international%20partners.%20It%20must%20be%20noted%2C%20however%2C%20that%20the%20majority%20of%20British%20overseas%20development%20assistance%20to%20the%20region%20at%20present%20is%20focused%20on%20climate%20change%20mitigation.%20Of%20the%20%C2%A39%20million%20allocated%20to%20the%20region%20under%20the%20foreign%20aid%20budget%2C%20close%20to%2097%20percent%20is%20earmarked%20for%20climate%20action.%20The%20UK%20also%20runs%20a%20program%20called%20%E2%80%9CPHENOMENAL%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20Pioneering%20a%20Holistic%20approach%20to%20Energy%20and%20Nature-based%20Options%20in%20MENA%20for%20Long-term%20stability%20%E2%80%94%20which%20supports%20various%20clean%20energy%20and%20water%20management%20projects%20across%20Egypt%2C%20Jordan%2C%20Lebanon%20and%20Tunisia.%20This%20offers%20a%20timely%20opportunity%20for%20bilateral%20cooperation%20in%20the%20region%20on%20a%20pressing%20matter%2C%20as%20the%20Middle%20East%20continues%20to%20face%20the%20challenges%20of%20climate%20change%20and%20global%20warming.%20Foreign%20aid%20has%20long%20been%20one%20of%20the%20most%20influential%20tools%20in%20the%20UK%E2%80%99s%20arsenal%2C%20helping%20to%20establish%20its%20soft%20power%20globally%20Zaid%20M.%20Belbagi%20The%20Labour%20Party%2C%20which%20is%20only%20a%20week%20away%20from%20potential%20victory%20in%20national%20elections%2C%20has%20committed%20to%20restoring%20UK%20overseas%20development%20assistance%20to%200.7%20percent%20of%20gross%20national%20income%20%E2%80%9Cas%20soon%20as%20the%20fiscal%20situation%20allows%2C%E2%80%9D%20to%20revive%20the%20UK%E2%80%99s%20pro-aid%20policies%20under%20past%20Labour%20governments.%20It%20has%20prioritized%20PHENOMENAL%20and%20climate%20action%20in%20the%20Middle%20East%20as%20a%20focus%20area%20of%20international%20development%2C%20along%20with%20the%20provision%20of%20humanitarian%20aid%20and%20long-term%20development%20assistance%20to%20conflict%20zones%20such%20as%20Syria%20and%20Yemen.%20It%20is%20also%20keen%20to%20address%20the%20gender%20gap%20in%20the%20region%20by%20promoting%20the%20educational%2C%20economic%20and%20political%20empowerment%20of%20women%20in%20collaboration%20with%20regional%20partners.%20Despite%20recent%20downward%20trends%2C%20British%20overseas%20development%20assistance%20is%20expected%20to%20rise%20in%202024.%20Total%20foreign%20aid%20in%202023%20stood%20at%20%C2%A315.4%20billion%2C%20or%200.58%20percent%20of%20gross%20national%20income%2C%20which%20is%20the%20highest%20since%202019.%20Moreover%2C%20year-on-year%20spending%20on%20Ukrainian%20refugees%20and%20asylum%20seekers%20will%20decrease%20and%2C%20by%202029%2C%20the%20UK%20is%20projected%20to%20clear%20its%20dues%20to%20the%20EU%E2%80%99s%20external%20action%20and%20humanitarian%20aid%2C%20in%20line%20with%20targets%20under%20the%20post-Brexit%20withdrawal%20agreement.%20This%20indicates%20a%20renewed%20commitment%20toward%20foreign%20aid%20and%20Labour%E2%80%99s%20stated%20commitment%20to%20spend%200.7%20percent%20of%20gross%20national%20income%20on%20aid%20promises%20the%20reinvigoration%20of%20overseas%20development%20assistance%20if%20it%20comes%20to%20power.%20The%20UK%20is%20staring%20down%20the%20barrel%20of%20waning%20global%20influence%20and%2C%20at%20such%20a%20time%2C%20a%20stronger%20commitment%20to%20foreign%20aid%20can%20go%20a%20long%20way%20toward%20reinstating%20strategic%20partnerships%20in%20the%20Global%20South.%20Foreign%20aid%20has%20long%20been%20one%20of%20the%20most%20influential%20tools%20in%20the%20UK%E2%80%99s%20arsenal%2C%20helping%20to%20establish%20its%20soft%20power%20globally.%20In%20the%20Middle%20East%2C%20UK%20aid%20has%20supported%20the%20region%20in%20diverse%20areas%2C%20from%20women%E2%80%99s%20empowerment%20to%20employment%2C%20and%20a%20return%20to%20this%20approach%20is%20crucial%20at%20a%20time%20when%20British%20foreign%20policy%20in%20Gaza%20has%20been%20criticized%20across%20the%20board%2C%20affecting%20its%20reputation%20in%20the%20region.%20A%20sustained%20stream%20of%20foreign%20aid%20is%20important%20to%20ensure%20that%20some%20of%20the%20most%20impoverished%20regions%20of%20the%20world%20are%20able%20to%20develop%20their%20skills%20and%20infrastructure%2C%20which%20will%20in%20turn%20usher%20in%20economic%20prosperity%20and%20political%20stability.%20As%20the%20old%20adage%20goes%2C%20the%20more%20a%20government%20spends%20on%20aid%20today%2C%20the%20less%20it%20spends%20on%20bullets%20tomorrow.%20Zaid%20M.%20Belbagi%20is%20a%20political%20commentator%20and%20an%20adviser%20to%20private%20clients%20between%20London%20and%20the%20Gulf%20Cooperation%20Council%20region.%20X%3A%20%40Moulay_Zaid%20Disclaimer%3A%20Views%20expressed%20by%20writers%20in%20this%20section%20are%20their%20own%20and%20do%20not%20necessarily%20reflect%20Arab%20News%27%20point%20of%20view%0a%0ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.arabnews.com%2Fnode%2F2537996

مشاركة :