The UK government has announced a 56% reduction in bilateral aid to some of the world’s poorest countries, according to The Guardian. This cut. Amounting to nearly £900 million by 2028-29, is part of over £6 billion in budget reductions aimed at increasing defense spending, though the move has raised concerns among aid agencies, who warn of a more unequal and unstable world as a result.

Impact on the Poorest Countries

Countries such as Mozambique. Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen will see nearly all their development aid cut, according to the report; Instead, the UK will shift its focus toward partnerships for investment in these regions. Yvette Cooper. The foreign secretary. Said these nations would still receive funding from multinational aid agencies, but the direct support from the UK will be significantly reduced.

The cuts will have the most severe impact on countries in Africa, where bilateral overseas development aid is expected to fall from £818 million in 2026 to £677 million by 2029. The Foreign. Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said this shift is part of a pivot to multilateral contributions through institutions such as the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

Bilateral aid will be phased out in all G20 countries except for a small allocation for refugee-hosting in Turkey, but no direct aid will go to countries such as Brazil, India, Indonesia, and South Africa. The FCDO also stated that it will stop funding some major international programs, including polio eradication and the Pandemic Fund.

Humanitarian and Social Consequences

According to an analysis by Bond, the UK network for NGOs, the cuts will leave vulnerable populations in countries such as Ethiopia, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia more exposed. Children, people with disabilities, and older people will be disproportionately affected, with fewer girls and children with disabilities able to access education in South Sudan.

The crisis reserve for humanitarian emergencies has also been reduced, from £85 million to £75 million. Romilly Greenhill, CEO of Bond, said, “Africa and the Middle East, both home to some of the world’s least-developed countries, will be forced to pay the highest price because of the reduced budget.”

The impact on Somalia, one of the world’s most unstable countries, is likely to be severe. Cuts to health programs will affect access to services for women and children, raising concerns about a potential resurgence of deadly diseases.

Government Justifications and Responses

Yvette Cooper acknowledged the difficult choices the UK has had to make in the face of international threats. “This for us is not an ideological step – it is a difficult choice in the face of international threats,” she said. The government has emphasized that the changes are not a values shift but a strategic reallocation of resources.

Different approaches are being proposed for some of the poorest African nations, with countries such as Malawi, Mozambique, and Sierra Leone expressing a preference for expertise partnerships focused on building stable financial systems and clean energy rather than traditional aid programs.

Development minister Jenny Chapman said the government has worked closely with global south partners. “We’ve undertaken this task in a very collaborative way with our global south partners. We’ve been very open about it. We’ve listened hard to what people have told us,” she said.

However, some Labour MPs have expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the cuts in bolstering UK military spending. Fleur Anderson, the MP for Putney, said, “The government has on one hand increased defense spending in response to a more dangerous world, but on the other cut the investment that helps build stability before crises emerge.”

The UK has also ringfenced £240 million a year until 2029, alongside billions in loan guarantees for Ukraine. Funding for Palestine and Lebanon will remain at current levels, with the latter explicitly aimed at reducing the drivers of irregular migration.

The cost of housing asylum seekers in UK hotels, which runs at roughly £2 billion a year, is being taken from the aid budget. This has led to aid spending on overseas programs expected to reach its lowest since records began in 1970, at just 0.24% of gross national income.

Adrian Lovett, UK executive director of the ONE Campaign, said the cuts will have a devastating impact on millions of people. “Slashing bilateral aid to Africa, where need is greatest, will have a devastating impact. These choices will leave millions without access to basic healthcare, education, and urgent humanitarian support,” he said.