HM Government

Dangerous extremists will be separated from the mainstream prison population and placed into specialist centres, under new rules published today (21 April 2017) by Prisons Minister Sam Gyimah.

Three separation centres are being created and will form part of the wider government strategy to tackle extremism in prisons, holding up to 28 of the most subversive offenders, preventing their influence over others.

An amendment to prison rules laid before Parliament today means prisoners can be placed in a separation centre if they are involved in planning terrorism or are considered to pose a risk to national security.

Those who are spreading views that might encourage or influence others to commit terrorism crimes, or anyone whose views are being used in a way which undermines good order and security in prisons, may also be placed in one of the centres.

The first centre will be up and running at HMP Frankland in the coming weeks, with 2 further units to follow at other establishments.

Prisons Minister Sam Gyimah said:

Any form of extremism must be defeated wherever it is found, and it is right that we separate those who pose the greatest risk in order to limit their influence over other prisoners.

These centres are a crucial part of our wider strategy to help tackle extremism in prisons and ensure the safety and security of both our prisons and the wider public.

A prisoner will be considered for one of the centres if their behaviour behind bars meets one of the criteria included in the new prison rule and the level of risk they present can only be managed through separation.

Once in a centre, they will be reviewed by experts every 3 months and will only be returned to the mainstream prison population if it is considered that the risk they present has reduced to a level that can be effectively managed there.

The introduction of the centres was one of the principal recommendations of a government-commissioned independent review into extremism in prisons. The vast majority of the recommendations are being implemented.

The government takes the threat of radicalisation and extremism in prisons extremely seriously and has built on the recommendations in the review to further boost efforts to tackle extremism.

The centres form part of the wider strategy to tackle extremism, which includes:

• The formation of a new directorate for Security, Order and Counter-Terrorism – responsible for monitoring and dealing with the evolving threat of extremism.
• A launch of a new unit that will analyse intelligence and advise prisons in England and Wales on how to deal with specific threats, as well as instruct and train prison and probation staff on how best to deter offenders from being lured into extremism.
• Extremist literature being banned from prisons and the removal of anyone from communal worship who is promoting dangerous views.
• A new training package to identify, report and combat extremism being rolled out to all prison officers and new pre-employment vetting check for chaplains and imams being introduced from February 2017.

Notes to Editors

• The government announced in August its response to a report into extremism in prisons plans ‘to create specialist units within the high security estate to allow greater separation and specialised management of extremists who pose the highest risk to other prisoners’.
• In November the Ministry of Justice published the ‘Prison Safety and Reform White Paper’ setting out the steps it is taking to make prisons a place of safety and reform. The white paper explained that ‘extremism is a danger to society and a threat to public safety’.
• For more information, contact the Ministry of Justice Press Office on 0203 334 3536.

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Thank you Madam President, and thank you Nikolay very much for your briefing.

As you have set out, peace for many people in the Middle East remains a remote prospect and a distant memory.

Two weeks ago, we saw a horrific chemical weapons attack on Khan Shaykhun in Syria. Environmental samples from the site have tested positive for sarin. We are now almost certain that the Syrian regime carried out the attack using sarin. The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) yesterday confirmed that their incontrovertible evidence indicates exposure of victims to sarin or a sarin-like substance.

The UK Government supported the US action in response and we hope it will deter any further barbaric chemical weapons attacks. But, when the moment came for this Council to show leadership after the attack, we failed. We were stopped by one Council member; who would rather prop up Asad than seek justice for the victims. We will not be deterred by Russia’s veto. We will continue to press in this Chamber for accountability. The international community owes it to the people of Syria.

Any attempt to tie the hands of the investigators will be defeated, just as the Iranian-Russia proposal at the OPCW today was defeated.

As you said, Madam President, we must remember the interplay among the various conflicts in the Middle East region. And for a start, we must not let up in our efforts to defeat Daesh in Iraq, in Syria, elsewhere. The United Kingdom supports Prime Minister al-Abadi and his Government in their fight against Daesh, and in their efforts to build a stable, secure, and unified Iraq.

Madam President,

Iran continues to play a destabilising role in the region. This is most clearly seen in Syria. Iran has violated its obligations under international humanitarian law in Syria failing to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid into Eastern Aleppo, as it was besieged. Iran continues to provide substantial military and substantial financial support to Hizballah and to the Syrian regime. As the Secretary-General’s last report makes clear, the leader of Hizballah stated that Iran supplies all their weapons and missiles.

Senior Iranian individuals listed under this Security Council’s resolution 2231 continued to flout the travel ban imposed by this Council. For instance, Major General Soleimani was pictured in Aleppo in September in a show of support to the Syrian regime. These actions demonstrate that Iran chooses to complicate, not extinguish, a conflict that has continued for far too long.

Madam President,

This year marks fifty years since the Six Day War. This year either we move towards peace, with the strong support of the region and the international community, or we face an uncertain and dangerous future. Unless the parties show leadership, including the willingness to make tough compromises, the risk of terrorism and instability will increase. Israelis and Palestinians cannot afford another fifty years of that.

The UK’s longstanding position on the Middle East Peace Process is clear: we support a negotiated two-state solution leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state; based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states, and a just, agreed and realistic settlement for refugees.

However that vision grows distant. As the British Foreign Secretary said last month the UK strongly condemns Israel’s decision to found a new settlement deep in the West Bank; the first such decision for over 25 years. Such announcements are contrary to international law and seriously undermine the prospects of two states for two peoples. As a strong friend of Israel, and one prepared to stand up for Israel when it faces bias and unreasonable criticism, the UK urges Israel not to take steps, which move us away from our shared goal of peace and security.

It was because of our support for the two-state solution, and commitment to Israel as the Jewish homeland, that we voted for resolution 2334. But we recognise the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is deeply complex, settlements are not the only obstacle to peace. The people of Israel deserve to live free from the scourge of terrorism and anti-Semitic incitement, which as the Quartet report sets out, undermine the prospects for a two-state solution.

It is critical that the Palestinian leadership implement the recommendations of the Quartet Report and continue their efforts to tackle terror and incitement, strengthen institutions, and develop a sustainable economy.

We must continue to press Israelis and Palestinians to refrain from actions which make peace more difficult. It’s because the conflict between Israel and Palestine is one of the central issues in the Middle East that the UK supports a regional approach to peace. The changing regional context, the Arab Peace Initiative, and converging Arab and Israeli interests do present an opening.

We recognise that impetus is needed and we welcome President Trump’s interest in working for a deal that meets the requirements of both parties. The UK’s view remains that the two-state solution is the best way to achieve this and is ready to do all that we can to support this.

We do not underestimate the challenges, but if both parties show leadership, peace is possible.

Thank you.

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Thank you to Chatham House and to Alex Vines for inviting me to speak today.

The first question I often receive when travelling is what is the consequence of Britain leaving the European Union? I see this as an opportunity. It has given Britain and our government impetus to provide the connections, to build relationships, to strengthen the unions that we have with existing and new friends across the world because we need to make this work.

We will strike a new relationship with Europe and I’m sure it will be a more positive one.

We are now free, without having to go through the prism of Brussels, to look at bilateral and multilateral relationships with other parts of the World as well. A great example of this is with ECOWAS and Britain doing work there.

Given that we must make this work – we must make a success of this – and that Britain has a lot to be proud of such as our defence, intelligence, financial services, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, renewable energy, creative arts and many more, we have a lot to offer. We are the best in Europe on so many accounts, we want to share this with a wider field and where better a place to start than across the wonderful continent of Africa.

Many of you will be aware that my portfolio at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has expanded. But I’m not the only Minister who travels to Africa, as FCO is not the only outward facing department that is striking these relationships: The Department for International Development – I travel with my colleague James Wharton MP to bring the benefits of our two departments to the countries we visit; The Department for International Trade – for example, it would be looking at the UK’s relationship with ECOWAS in the future once Article 50 is struck; The Ministry of Defence – who strengthen defence relationships and assist with mutual security in Africa.

So I’m part of a greater team. Other departments have visited too: Therese Coffey MP from DEFRA has visited and is doing a huge amount of work on the illegal wildlife trade; The Chancellor recently visited South Africa, again to strengthen the prosperity bonds that we have between our two countries.

Britain is absolutely committed, not just through me, but across the departments in Whitehall, to make sure we are engaging with Africa across the entire continent.

It is worth stressing why Africa matters to UK. The reasons why are plain for everyone to see. Today 70% of the people in Africa are under 25 – they quite literally represent the future, and the population is growing faster than anywhere else. By 2050, a quarter of the world’s population will be African. Its middle class will be the size of Europe. And all these new consumers are driving some of the world’s fastest-growing economies.

By 2050 the total economy of the continent is expected to be worth $30 trillion. This is supported in part by the continent’s vast natural resources – not just its mineral wealth but also its incredible biodiversity.

Of course huge population growth brings challenges too. The World Bank calculates that African countries will need to create about 50,000 jobs every single day until 2035 just to keep pace with that growth in population. Meeting the aspirations of the young will therefore be especially crucial.

Get it wrong and we could see increasing emigration – draining African countries of their talented young people, weakening their economies and fuelling migration to the north. Worse still, if those aspirations are not met, dissatisfaction could make people more vulnerable to extremism. This would in turn fuel instability, and prolong Africa’s dependency on international assistance.

On the other hand – if we get it right, Africa’s rising population could be the powerful engine for growth that the continent needs to end extreme poverty and drive a prosperous future. This is the future we want to see. An end to the old cycle of aid and dependency and the beginning of a new partnership with Africa. A partnership that will bring mutual benefit.

The UK is well placed to develop this partnership. We already have strong historic links with many African countries. 18 of them are fellow members of the Commonwealth, with whom we share common values, legal frameworks, and institutions. This means we are well placed to support good governance and rule of law. Many others also feel a strong affinity to the UK, nurtured by family ties, language, football and music.

Our extensive diplomatic network which includes 36 Embassies and High Commissions, 19 British Council and 16 DFID offices across Africa – means we have the connections and the influence to promote the UK as the continent’s key international partner.

We are also well placed to develop our partnership with Africa through our leading roles in the G7 and the G20, both of which have a focus on Africa this year. And through our position in the UN, which spends 70% of all business and 87% of its peacekeeping budget on Africa.

And finally, we have strong and historic trading links. We have the largest stock of investment in Africa. We are the largest European overseas investor into Sub-Saharan Africa. And according to the World Bank, the UK was the second biggest source of remittances to Sub Saharan Africa in 2015.

I think this is a strong case for the UK. So it is clear that Africa matters to the UK and the UK matters to Africa. So how do we build a modern partnership that is fit for the 21st Century?

We are focusing on three main areas: prosperity, security and migration. Of course they are all closely linked. You can’t have prosperity without security, or security without prosperity. And if either are lacking, migration could be the consequence. Most importantly, young people must be part of the solution. Because as I said earlier, meeting their aspirations will be crucial to ensuring a stable and prosperous future for Africa.

Every year, 10 million young Africans enter the labour market. They need jobs to help them realise their ambitions. And their countries need them to be productive, to help transform their economies for the future. But we have to be frank and we have to be honest. At the moment, productivity in Africa is poor – the economic output of one billion people in Sub-Saharan Africa is lower than that of 82 million people in Germany.

For all the reasons I mentioned earlier, the UK is uniquely placed to help. We are working to boost productive investment in Africa, including by UK firms. The UK Government’s Invest Africa programme will encourage at least £400 million of foreign direct investment to create 90,000 jobs over the next decade.

Transparency, accountability and good governance are vital for business to thrive. That’s why the UK Government is investing nearly £400 million to support inclusive growth, tackle corruption, promote good governance and strengthen institutional capability. Our aim is to improve the business environment and boost private sector investment and trade in a way that will support development. Our efforts will be complemented by this year’s G20 and EU/Africa Summits, which both have a similar focus.

Of course our departure from the EU also presents mutually beneficial opportunities to boost prosperity through increased trade. We will be building on our strong existing relationships and developing new ones – including with francophone countries.

Our second focus is security. Not just because prosperity is not sustainable without it, but also because of the appalling human cost of conflict. In some cases, conflict has turned a natural disaster into a humanitarian catastrophe. I am proud of the UK role in bringing emergency assistance to Somalia, South Sudan and northern Nigeria, part of the £5 billion of development aid that we are providing in Africa.

Of course we also focus on security in Africa because it matters to the UK. Terrorist groups and organised crime networks in Africa pose an ongoing threat to the UK and UK interests. That is why we are helping Nigerian security forces tackle the threat from Boko Haram, and why we helped to degrade Al Shabaab in Somalia. We are also deploying more than 450 personnel to UN peacekeeping missions in Somalia and South Sudan.

We are shining a light on the security threats associated with the illegal wildlife trade. I pay personal thanks to the work of HRH Prince Harry and his involvement. It not only risks wiping out whole species; its profits also feed corruption, fuel terrorism and encourage organised crime.

I was delighted that a BBC film crew helped to catch a group of chimpanzee traffickers in Cote d’Ivoire last December. I have visited Abidjan since then and checked up on the chimpanzees – I am pleased to say that Nemly Junior is doing well. But this was a one off, and is a major challenge that we face. How is it rangers can be paid off and provide animals for trafficking? How can we strengthen the work countries do to make sure that the movement of wildlife is stopped, that the rangers are empowered to be able to enforce and protect the areas they are responsible for, and that we remove the culture of wanting ivory in other parts of the world? It is not just about working in Africa; the challenge of tackling the wildlife trade is an intercontinental one that we need to support.

We’re also pleased that we are doing work to encourage long term peace and stability through political progress across Africa. That is why we facilitated the first democratic transition of power in Nigeria and why we are hosting the Somalia Conference here in London next month.
We believe strongly in the need to find African solutions for African problems. That is why we are also working with key partners like Kenya and Nigeria to tackle terrorism, violent extremism and serious and organised crime. And it is why we are strengthening the capacity of the African Union to be the primary responder to African crises.

Turning to migration – it is a priority now and most likely still will be when we leave the EU in two years time. Last year, over 180,000 irregular migrants crossed the Mediterranean from Africa. Almost half came from Eritrea, Nigeria and Sudan. At least 30% more have arrived in Italy so far this year, compared to last year.

We need to stop them from making such a dangerous journey and encourage them to stay at home and contribute to their own economy where possible. That’s why we have devoted more resources to tackling the drivers of migration – by boosting prosperity and security in their home countries – as I have just described.

We are also increasing protection for those who do migrate or flee. We are conscious that the number of migrants who reach Europe is actually dwarfed by the up to 20 million refugees who are displaced but hosted in other African countries. So we are providing significant humanitarian and other assistance both for these refugees and their host countries. For example, in Ethiopia we are leading the development of a programme to support industrialisation, creating 100,000 new jobs for Ethiopians and refugees.

We are also focussed on tackling the organised crime networks that support migration flows from East and West Africa. A Regional Operations Centre will open soon in Sudan to share information with partners and break down trafficking networks.

I will finish by saying that leaving the EU gives us a great opportunity to develop a new modern and exciting partnership with Africa. Yes, we will continue to provide humanitarian support where it is needed. We are proud of our 0.7% GNI commitment to international aid.

But we also want this to be a partnership of equals. We are looking forward to our African partners, old and new alike, to create the stable and secure environments for business to flourish and for young people to fulfil their dreams. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the continent after my portfolio expanded last year, and after this summer I will have visited one third of the countries in Africa. From the depths of the Madagascan jungle, to the bustling cities of Lagos and Johannesburg.

Because as Nelson Mandela said, “Money won’t create success, but the freedom to make it will”.

Thank you.

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Africa Minister Tobias Ellwood met 25 members of the Somali Diaspora, invited by the Anti-Tribalism Movement (ATM), on 19 April to talk about the UK’s policy on Somalia which will be delivered through the London Somalia Conference.

ATM’s guests were from different sectors including community leaders representing minorities, campaigners including for women’s rights such as anti-FGM, the media, lawyers, students, and NGOs including the umbrella group for over 80 British Somali groups called the Council of Somali Organisations.

After briefing the community, the Minister consulted the group on their views, identifying shared priorities and opportunities to work together. Discussions were useful and wide ranging, including on the role of the Somali diaspora, the ongoing drought and environmental protection, Security Sector Reform, the African Union Mission to Somalia and accountability, migration and refugees.

The London Somalia Conference, due to take place on 11 May 2017, aims to accelerate progress on security and agree the new international partnership needed to keep Somalia on track towards increased peace and prosperity by 2020. It will also take stock of the response to the humanitarian crisis affecting Somalia.

With support from the international community, Somalia has made real progress since 2012. Al Shabaab has been driven from most cities. A federal structure is being built and an electoral process concluded on 8 February with a peaceful transition of power. But these gains are fragile and significant challenges remain, most urgently the threat of a third famine in 25 years.

The time is therefore right for the international community to come together with the Federal Government of Somalia to agree how to make the most of the present opportunities and to tackle the significant challenges the country continues to face. The new four year term of the Federal Government of Somalia and the need for a replacement to the expired ‘New Deal’ mean this a watershed moment for all interested parties to come together to agree a long-term plan for achieving Somalia’s stability and prosperity.

Further information

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In a world of serious threats to UK and global stability, Britain’s leadership on the world stage is more important than ever. When we look around the world today, people are drowning on perilous migration routes. Children are dying from preventable diseases while drug-resistant infections are brewing that threaten us here at home. Violence and conflict are pulling people back into poverty.

As we exit the EU, Britain will be more, not less, outward-looking and engaged on the world stage. Intensifying our efforts as a global leader in international development is a crucial part of this. A safer and more prosperous world, supported by our international development work, is firmly in the UK’s interest.

Our humanitarian leadership helps Britain stand tall in the world. Since the beginning of the year we have faced the largest humanitarian crisis since the creation of the United Nations. Now, more than 20 million people across four countries face starvation and famine.

The UK is a world leader on humanitarian responses and today I am announcing that the UK will increase funding to tackle humanitarian crises in both Yemen and Nigeria for this coming year. We will lead the world in supporting famine stricken areas by stepping up our emergency assistance.

The UN has described the situation in Yemen as “the largest food security emergency in the world” and last month declared that the country is now on the brink of famine. We will provide £139m for Yemen for financial year 2017-18; an increase of £27m on the £112 million delivered by the UK last year.

UK support will provide lifesaving aid to hundreds of thousands of desperate people, in recognition of the scale of the current crisis which has left some 19 million Yemenis – two thirds of the population – in urgent need of humanitarian aid.

Nigeria is one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. More than 20,000 people have been killed there since the start of Boko Haram’s violent insurgency in 2009 and millions more are in need of food, water and shelter. The UK was one of the first on the ground to respond to the humanitarian crisis in North East Nigeria. Last year alone we reached over a million people with food and provided 34,000 children suffering from malnutrition with lifesaving treatment.

We continue to lead this challenge by increasing our support this year to £100 million, making the UK the largest donor in 2017. Last year (2016), we provided around £70 million for emergency food, shelter and health care for hundreds of thousands of people displaced by Boko Haram’s violent insurgency. The funding will assist the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross and International NGOs to reach the most vulnerable people displaced by Boko Haram:

• Over 1 million people will receive food assistance
• 60,000 children will be treated for severe acute malnutrition
• Clean water will be provided for over 530,000 people
• At least 100,000 children will gain access to education.

The humanitarian needs in 2017 are unprecedented. More than 20 million people across four countries face starvation and famine. In Syria, Iraq and elsewhere, we see ambulances being used as car-bombs; girls stolen as sex slaves; children made to conduct executions, barrel bombs being dropped amongst civilians. The UK will continue to speak out against these outrages, and stand up for respect for the rules of war and for basic humanitarian principles.

This is why Britain pledged £110 million of UK aid to provide up to 1 million people in Somalia with emergency food assistance, over 600,000 starving children and pregnant and breastfeeding women with nutritional help, 1 million people with safe drinking water, and more than 1.1 million people with emergency health services. In South Sudan, where 7.5 million people are in need of assistance after famine was declared, the UK was one of the first major donors to confirm our response to a UN appeal, announcing £100 million of support less than 24 hours after the appeal was launched. This will provide: food for over 500,000 people; life-saving nutritional support to more than 27,500 children and safe drinking water for over 300,000 people.

The UK is at the forefront of the humanitarian response to the Syria crisis, providing lifesaving support to millions, supporting refugees to remain in countries in the region and enabling their hosts to accommodate them. The crisis in Syria is the UKs largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis.

The £2.46 billion provided to Syria and the region since 2012 has provided nearly 25 million food rations, over 9.5 million relief packages and over 7 million health consultations.

We co-hosted the “Supporting Syria and the Region” conference in London in February 2016, which secured the largest amount of pledges ever in one day for a humanitarian crisis. On 4-5 April this year, we co-hosted the Brussels Conference on the “Future of Syria and the Region”, which secured pledges of $9.7 billion.

I am pleased to announce the UK will pledge an additional £75 million, as part of our Brussels commitment, to help kick start economic growth and create jobs in Lebanon and Jordan over the next three years. These funds will leverage up to £250 million of concessional finance from Multilateral Development Banks, including through the Global Concessional Financing Facility.

As the global migration crisis has made clear, the challenges facing the international development system in the 21st Century go beyond anything witnessed before. More than ever, the world needs strong global institutions and leadership for today and for the future. The UK is a founding member of many of the world’s leading international organisations and we remain deeply committed to the spirit and values of the international system.

The UK will continue to champion an open, modern and innovative approach to development and will use our leading position to build a coalition for reform of the global aid system so that it is ready for the challenges of the 21st century. We are promoting investment in the poorest countries, helping them to get on the road to industrialisation. We are, driving progress on economic development and working with businesses to stimulate investment in the world’s most difficult, frontier markets, where jobs and economic opportunities are desperately needed. In the long run, it is sustainable growth, trade and investment that will provide a sustainable route to poverty reduction. Defeating poverty is a joined-up effort across the whole of Government including using the opportunity of leaving the EU to free up trade with the world’s poorest.

I also would like to update the House on how we are reforming UK Aid to maximise its impact by driving new standards and outcomes. DFID’s Economic Development Strategy sets out how Britain will establish new trade, investment and economic links and end global poverty. The Multilateral Development Review spells out how we are raising the bar, requiring more of our partners, by following the money, people and outcomes. The Bilateral Development Review confirms how DFID is reforming the entire global development system to tackle the global challenges of our time.

As a key part of this, my ministerial team and I have conducted a detailed line-by-line review of every programme in DFID’s portfolio, either already approved or in design phase. Each of these programmes has been scrutinised on the basis of their value for money and their strategic fit with the Government’s priorities for Global Britain. The savings from programmes which will not continue will be recycled to fund better value programmes aligned to our priorities, whilst still delivering our planned results and commitments.

In the 2015 Spending Review the Government announced plans to make over £400 million of efficiency savings by 2019/20. DFID will save closer to £500 million in this period, through reform of procurement and commercial practices, estates, IT and departmental pay. These changes are included in the Department’s ambitious new value for money ‘Agenda for Action’.

In addition, a comprehensive review of DFID’s management and relationship with suppliers is underway. This review will drive greater transparency and efficiencies from DFID’s suppliers through new Codes of Practice and contractual obligations; more competition, innovation and choice in our supplier market; and increased transparency of fees and costs throughout our supply chain.

These bold measures will drive value for money without compromising our commitment to being a global leader in international development. In 2015/16, it is estimated that DFID supported:

• The immunisation of approximately 20 million children, saving 250,000 lives: we are on track to meet DFID’s commitment of immunising 76 million and saving 1.4 million lives
• Reaching 13.3 million children under 5, women of childbearing age and adolescent girls through our nutrition-relevant programmes; on track to meet DFID’s commitment of 50 million
• 5.9 million women from 2012 to 2015, and 1 million women in 2015–16, to use modern methods of family planning. This gives a total of 6.9 million for the period 2012–16; on track to meet DFID’s commitment of 24 million between 2012 and 2020
• 3.1 million children to gain a decent education; on track to meet DFID’s commitment of 11 million
• 11.3 million people to access clean water and/or better sanitation; on track to meet DFID’s commitment of 60 million.

UK taxpayers can be equally proud of our record on humanitarian response: in 2015/16 we reached 5.1 million people, including 1.6 million women and girls.

Our support has been life-saving and life changing, as shown by DFID’s leadership of the international response to Ebola in Sierra Leone. The British response to Ebola in 2015 was an example of Britain’s development impact and influence. Experts from DFID coordinated a joined-up effort across Government, bringing together the best of British expertise to defeat that disease.

UK Aid is being focused on where the need is greatest. From fragile and conflict-riven states that need help the most urgently, to protecting lives, reducing poverty, and working with governments who receive our aid to get them to step up and take responsibility for investing in their own people. When we invest in stability, jobs and livelihoods, and sound governance, we address the root causes of problems that affect us here in the UK. It is not in our national interest to simply sit on our hands and wait until these problems reach breaking point or find their way to our doorstep.

This is where our aid budget along with our world-class defence and diplomacy acts not only in the interests of the world’s poorest, but also in Britain’s long term national interest.

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