New poverty plan will help millions of the world’s poorest people

International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander has launched a new poverty action plan to help the world’s poorest people cope with the economic crisis.

Announcing a new White Paper, Building our Common Future, Mr Alexander said the measures would bring help to the 50 million people worst hit by the global recession, keeping children in school, parents in jobs and the most vulnerable out of destitution.

Core Facts

The new White Paper represents a fundamental shift in the way the UK delivers development aid, refocusing resources onto fragile countries where one third of the world’s 1.4 billion poorest people are living
For the first time, DFID will treat security and justice as a core part of its work and plans to increase funding by more than double for this purpose
A focus on jobs in five of the most vulnerable countries - Yemen, Nepal, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Afghanistan – means 7.5 million people will benefit from new jobs and economic opportunities
Concrete measures in the new White Paper include steps to save the lives of 6 million mothers and babies by 2015 as well as plans to send 8 million more children in Africa to school
The commitment to fair and ethical trade continues with an increase of funding by four times in this area
Climate adaptation, low carbon growth and protection of forests remain a priority with £800m of funding to support this work

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Quotes

International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander

We have made great strides over the past decade in tackling global poverty but there is much still to do.

The economic downturn has had a devastating effect on the developing world, whilst millions live surrounded by conflict and violence. And we must face up to the havoc climate change could cause in the poorest countries.

We will take action to save lives, put children in school and give mothers access to much-needed healthcare. But we will also support economic growth and tackle climate change.

This is not just in their interests but in our own – the economic crisis has highlighted as never before the interdependence of nations, rich and poor, across the world.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown (speaking at the DFID Conference, Eliminating World Poverty, 18 March 2009)

Never before has the case for co-operative global action been so obvious and so urgent.

Now is the time to make the development agenda for addressing poverty a central part of the global agenda for restoring growth.

Amidst all the other challenges of globalisation we must not, and will not lose sight of our vision of a world freed from poverty.

Bob Geldof (speaking at the DFID Conference, Eliminating World Poverty, 18 March 2009)

We are all being bombarded by hailstones of history right now. We are now living through the dark side of connectedness.

The wealthy have just learned of the fragility of life, while the poor continue their struggle for existence.

Here is one great, unalterable - even globalised - truth: when the rich become less rich, the poor become even poorer.