Boris Johnson’s conception of the global UK as a “soft power superpower” is taking shape in some respects. The UK will hold the G7 summit next month and the important COP26 climate negotiation in November.In the meantime, it will co-host the July fundraising summit with Kenya Global education. This is a very unfortunate moment for the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom reduced its international aid budget from 0.7% of its gross national income to 0.5%, that is, a reduction of approximately 4 billion pounds. This not only eroded its soft power, but also had a great negative impact on practice.

Financial Times Already reportedMany NGOs are suffering from severe financial pain.Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab (Dominic Raab) last month Seven priority areas identified The government aims to provide “taxpayer value” assistance, including global health protection and girls’ education.What he didn’t notice was that the funds used for girls’ education were Down 25% At pre-pandemic levels, humanitarian response has fallen by 44%. NGOs have warned of significant cuts in funding in areas such as health projects, family planning, AIDS and neglected tropical diseases.

Ministers said that the UK is still the “world leader in international development” and last year was the world’s third largest donor country, with a donation of 14.5 billion pounds.Even if expenditures are reduced, in proportion to France’s gross national income, it will also make it one of the largest donor countries in the Group of Seven, even though France May overtake Britain next year. The pandemic forces people to make difficult decisions.Public borrowings in the previous fiscal year £300.3 billion, This is the highest level since the Second World War. Indonesian Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised to cut aid cuts “when the economic situation permits.”

He should do this earlier, not later. Regardless of the pressure on public finances, the global health emergency is the wrong time to cut overseas aid. Although the government has expressed its commitment to global health security, various budget cuts may weaken the global response to infectious diseases (such as Covid-19), including disease surveillance and future vaccine distribution channels.

Doctors and academics have warned that wider cuts in aid to health, education and family planning will slow the progress and development of education and increase insecurity.Climate activists take note of overseas development assistance Help raise funds Climate change projects and provide support to countries vulnerable to climate impacts. Funding cuts will undermine the trust from developing countries, which is essential for making Britain the chair of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Research and universities also have a knock-on effect. Department of Research and Innovation, Public Science Funding Agency, Written earlier this year For companies, higher education and research institutions Warn them Due to cuts in official development assistance, the funding gap for the next fiscal year is 120 million pounds.

Reduced overseas aid is very popular among some Conservative voters. But this is short-sighted and may rebound in the UK.The longer it takes Full control of the coronavirus, The risk of seeding new diseases with vaccine-resistant variants is even greater. Increasing turmoil and scarcity in developing countries will increase immigration, some of whom will head to the British coast.

governmental Foreign policy review The goal of becoming a “country that solves problems and shares burdens” was set in March. However, although the £4 billion saved from aid cuts is insignificant compared to Britain’s borrowings over the past year, it can fund vital work. Among the G7 countries that will meet in Cornwall in June, the United Kingdom is the only country to cut aid. This summit or the upcoming summit is a good time to announce that it is changing its decision.