The Department for International Development (DFID) leads the UK’s global efforts to end extreme poverty, deliver the Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs) and tackle a wide range of global development challenges. The UK’s focus and international leadership on economic development is a vital part of Global Britain - harnessing the potential of new trade relationships, creating jobs and channelling investment to the world’s poorest countries. Throughout history, sustained, job-creating growth has played the greatest role in lifting huge numbers of people out of grinding poverty. This is what developing countries want and is what the international system needs to help deliver. Whilst there is an urgent need for traditional aid in many parts of the world, ultimately economic development is how we will achieve the Global Goals and help countries move beyond the need for aid.
Contribution to Global Goals and other government commitments (achieved as at March 2018)
55 thousand children supported to gain a decent education.
Headline deliverables
- Building stability: UK aid helps maintain stability in the OPTs by providing essential services and strengthening the capacity of the Palestinian Authority (PA) through financial assistance. UK aid will help develop a Palestinian state that can act as a ‘partner for peace’ with Israel, to underpin progress on a negotiated two-state solution. We will support up to 3,700 immunisations for children and up to 185,000 medical consultations annually. We will also support co-existence between the OPTs and Israel through projects that bring Israeli and Palestinian people together to break down barriers and build trust.
- Protecting the vulnerable: UK funding assists the United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) in its provision of health services for around 3 million Palestinian refugees. We are challenging United Nations (UN) agencies, including UNRWA, to reform and ensure they deliver effectively for the world’s most vulnerable and are value for money for the UK tax payer.
- Economic development: We will help to build economic prosperity by supporting cooperation between the OPTs and Israel, and by improving the competitiveness of the Palestinian private sector through the Palestinian Market Development Programme. UK aid has helped create 2,610 jobs to date and will create more employment by supporting a target of 750 businesses to grow over the life of the programme.