'A real kick in the teeth': DFID staffers speak out on merger
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NEWSWIRE June 18, 2020
Hi Devex readers,
We're monitoring the fallout of Boris Johnson's decision to do away with DFID. Today we bring you staff reactions, and decipher what Johnson's speech says about his future plans for U.K. aid (Pro). Read on for a look at how COVID-19 is challenging impact investing.
Today's online event: Between Pandemics: Global Health Security, Universal Health Coverage, and the Role of the Private Sector at 11 a.m. ET (5 p.m. CET).
TODAY'S TOP STORY
What Boris Johnson's speech reveals about the future of UK aid
What Boris Johnson's speech reveals about the future of UK aid For Pro members only
On Tuesday afternoon, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the creation of a new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office — and his speech in the House of Commons gave worrying signals about his plans for government development policy, according to aid experts.
Johnson's announcement of a merger between the Department for International Development and Foreign & Commonwealth Office was laden with references to the U.K.'s national interest. Many in the U.K. development sector fear that the merger will see aid spending diverted from its intended purpose of poverty alleviation and toward foreign policy priorities. U.K. Correspondent William Worley digs in.
More on the merger
► Clare Short, DFID's founding secretary of state, says Johnson is poised to 'dismantle one of the most effective development organizations...'
► The U.K. Parliament's aid watchdog looks set to be dissolved in September, sparking questions over how U.K. aid will be scrutinized following the merger of DFID and FCO.
► DFID staffers express fear and frustration over the potential for U.K. aid to be misused, with one official calling Johnson's speech 'a real kick in the teeth.'
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YOUR HEADLINES
Multilaterals under the microscope. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne delivered a stinging criticism of U.N. and WHO politics, which she said had been exposed by COVID-19. In response, the Australian aid program will be placing a critical eye on the deliverables of multilateral institutions.
Imagining new systems. The pandemic revealed the fragility of our social and economic systems, says Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, head of the African Union's development agency — but we can rebuild more resilient ones.
Over-zealous sanctions. The European Commission is writing almost daily letters to help NGOs convince financial institutions to process transactions to countries covered by sanctions, says Michael Köhler, ECHO deputy director-general.
COVID-19 and impact investing. Devex President and Editor-in-Chief Raj Kumar speaks with former World Bank Managing Director Bertrand Badré about the pandemic and the challenges it poses to impact-oriented businesses and investors.
COVID-19 FUNDING UPDATE
Interactive: Who's funding the COVID-19 response?
Interactive: Who's funding the COVID-19 response?
How funding pledges transition into action is still a work in progress for many funders. Here are the latest numbers and opportunities this week.
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https://stories.devex.com/from-rhetoric-to-reality
IN OTHER NEWS
Forcibly displaced people now make up over 1% of the world's population — with the figure at nearly 80 million in 2019, almost double the number a decade ago, according to a UNHCR report. [The Telegraph]
George Floyd’s brother, whose death at the hands of police sparked weekslong protests in the U.S., has called on the U.N. to investigate the deaths of African Americans in police custody. [BBC]
India, Ireland, Mexico, and Norway have won U.N. Security Council seats for a two-year term. The second round of elections will determine the fifth seat for the African bloc and will be held Thursday. [VOA]
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SPECIAL NOTICE
New visual story on transforming philanthropy to deliver outcomes that matter most
Nonprofits, civil society, the private sector, and governments all share a desire for sustainable impact with the people they aim to serve, and this should be no different for corporate philanthropy.
According to Paurvi Bhatt, president of the Medtronic Foundation, such entities should be more focused on achieving real outcomes. That way, the philanthropic sector can ensure that investments are truly having an impact and improving the lives of those in need.
But how does an organization transition from one-off investments to a more strategic philanthropic and impactful approach? And how can mission-driven corporate philanthropies deliver scalable and sustainable solutions in health?
Explore the visual story 'From rhetoric to reality.'
You can't always throw money at the problem — not even billions.
This email was written by Kelli Rogers, edited by Delia Behr, and produced by Yula Mediavillo and Mariane Samson.
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