Policy Updates

Scottish and UK development organizations criticized Prime Minister Andy Burnham's decision to exclude newly appointed Minister for Development Kirsty McNeill from Cabinet on July 30, 2026, with critics warning the move signaled a reduced commitment to international development.

McNeill, who served as an executive director for Save the Children before being elected MP for Mid Lothian in 2024 and subsequently serving as Scotland Office minister, was appointed Minister for Development and Africa by Burnham. Unlike her predecessor Jenny Chapman, who held the same role and attended Cabinet, and fellow FCDO minister Hamish Falconer, Minister for Intergovernmental Relations and European Relations, McNeill will not attend Cabinet. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband will instead provide senior representation for development issues at Cabinet level.

Scotland's International Development Alliance welcomed the appointment of McNeill as Minister for Development and Africa but expressed concern that her exclusion from Cabinet represented a clear signal that the government failed to recognize the importance of global justice in addressing climate change and global conflict. Alliance representative Frances Guy urged the government to reinstate commitments to overseas development assistance and international climate finance. Oxfam, the SNP, and the Scottish Greens also criticized the decision.

UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband was appointed as as UK Governor to the World Bank on July 27, 2026, signaling renewed UK leadership on international development and climate finance.

As Governor to the World Bank, Miliband will be taking personal leadership of the UK's engagement on international development and climate finance. In the role, Miliband will attend the World Bank's Annual and Spring Meetings, including the Annual Meetings in Bangkok in October 2026. The UK government stated that UK leadership at the World Bank will help drive international action on poverty, climate change, and economic stability, and address global challenges including food insecurity and energy price shocks.

Miliband also confirmed that international development and tackling the climate and nature crisis will remain priorities for the FCDO, recognizing extreme poverty and climate change as shared global challenges affecting security and prosperity in the UK and partner countries.

World Bank President Ajay Banga welcomed the appointment of Miliband, stating the institution looks forward to working with him to create jobs, mobilize private capital, and deliver development outcomes.

On July 20, 2026, Andy Burnham became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after the resignation of Keir Starmer. Following the announcement, Burnham appointed Ed Miliband as Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, replacing Yvette Cooper, and Kirsty McNeill as Minister for Development.

Burnham, the UK's fifth prime minister in four years, previously served as a Member of Parliament for 16 years, and also served as Health Secretary, before becoming Mayor of Greater Manchester in 2017. Meanwhile, Ed Miliband previously held the role of Energy Secretary in Starmer's cabinet, and has represented Doncaster North in Parliament since 2005. In addition to Miliband's appointment, Kirsty McNeill was chosen as Minister for Development. Previously, McNeill served as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland and was an Executive Director at Save the Children.

In a speech following his appointment, Miliband outlined priorities including deepening the UK's strategic alliance with the EU, maintaining the alliance with the US, and upholding commitments to multilateral institutions such as NATO and the UN. He emphasized continued support for Ukraine, efforts to end the conflict in Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and pursuit of a sustainable peace in Palestine and Israel. Miliband also highlighted tackling the climate crisis, strengthening international development partnerships, and reforming international institutions as key priorities for FCDO.

On June 30, 2026, The UK announced GBP23 million (US$30 million) for UNRWA at a UN pledging conference in New York to support up to 5.9 million Palestine refugees and scale humanitarian assistance in Gaza and across the region.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the contribution would help maintain essential services for up to 5.9 million Palestine refugees and assist civilians in Gaza facing displacement, food insecurity, and limited access to basic services. The funding will support primary healthcare, basic education, social services, emergency food, and shelter, as UNRWA continues to experience severe restrictions and disruption to its operations.

On June 3, 2026; the UK announced the launch of the Multi-Hazard Research Network to support the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda and provide rapid expert advice during crises as well as funding up to GBP5 million (US$7 million) for research into diagnostics and treatments for the Bundibugyo species of Ebolavirus.

Led by the Institute of Development Studies, the new network brought together experts from the UK and international partners to strengthen prevention, preparedness, and response to emerging infectious disease outbreaks and other crises. The British government said the network’s Rapid Response Unit has already supported the Ebola response through data analysis, social and behavioral science research, lessons from previous outbreaks, local context analysis, and outbreak modeling. Meanwhile, the new GBP5 million (US$7 million) commitment will support research and development of treatments and rapid diagnostics, alongside existing support to CEPI for vaccine candidates.

On May 20, 2026, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper launched a UK-convened International Coalition to End VAWG, bringing together eight countries to scale up prevention work and strengthen action against domestic abuse, sexual violence, and online abuse.

The coalition was announced at the Global Partnerships Conference in London and aligns with the UK government’s mission to halve VAWG within a decade. Founding members include the UK, South Africa, Brazil, Morocco, Spain, Jamaica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Australia.

Coalition members will share expertise and develop national action plans to prevent violence, protect women and girls, and hold perpetrators to account. The coalition will also support efforts to prevent sexual violence in conflict and other forms of violence within humanitarian crises and that the UK will convene a summit in 2027 for members to set out further commitments and report on progress.

The launch coincided with the publication of the UK’s International Strategic Framework on Women and Girls. The framework will embed women and girls’ rights across diplomacy, trade, security, and development and included a commitment that at least 90% of FCDO bilateral ODA would focus on gender equality by 2030.

The UK government announced a fundamental reform of its development assistance approach, prioritizing fragile and conflict-affected states, women and girls, global health, and climate action, while reducing its ODA budget to 0.3% of GNI by 2027.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper outlined the UK's new three-year development assistance framework on March 19, 2026, shifting focus from donor to investor and emphasizing partnership over paternalism. By 2028-2029, 70% of all geographic support will be allocated to the most fragile and conflict-affected states, with funding protected for Sudan, Palestine, Ukraine, and Lebanon. Annual ringfenced funding of GBP24 million (US$32 million) will address underlying causes of irregular migration.

At least 90% of FCDO aid programs will integrate gender equality by 2030, with central spending on preventing violence against women and girls protected at 2025-2026 levels. The UK reaffirmed support to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Global Fund. GBP6 billion (US$8 billion) will be invested as International Climate Finance, bolstered by GBP6.7 billion (US$8.9 billion) in climate and nature-positive investments. Core funding to Education Cannot Wait will match the previous pledge of GBP80 million (US$106 million).

The UK government has announced the closure of the GHWP, a health workforce development initiative operating in six African countries, citing ODA budget cuts.

The FCDO confirmed the GHWP would close at the end of March 2026. The programme supported healthcare staff development and training in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Malawi, and Somaliland, and had operated in various iterations since 2008. The current three-year contract had previously been expected to be renewed.

The closure followed the Labour government's 2025 decision to reduce ODA to fund increased military spending, following an earlier cut under Boris Johnson's government. Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for FCDO Chris Elmore stated that the government would continue to support countries in building resilient health systems and was working to ensure the sustainability of projects beyond the programme's closure.

Ben Simms, CEO of Global Health Partnerships, which ran the programme, warned that the UK risked ceding ground in global health that would be difficult to recover.

UK Minister of State for International Development and Africa Jenny Chapman visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo on March 6, 2026, pledging more than GBP13 million (US$17 million) for peace, humanitarian assistance, and support for survivors of sexual violence, while announcing new investments in clean energy, business finance, and sustainable growth.

Chapman visited Kinshasa and Beni in eastern DRC, meeting President Félix Tshisekedi, Vice Foreign Minister Ayenganagato Noella Ayenganagato, UN peacekeepers, health and humanitarian partners, women peacebuilders, and civil society organizations. During the visit, GBP7 million (US$10 million) was announced in humanitarian support for communities affected by conflict in eastern DRC and the wider region, including:

• GBP3 million (US$4 million) for clean water, hygiene, and protection services
• GBP2 million (US$3 million) for the International Committee of the Red Cross providing emergency healthcare and support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence
• GBP2 million (US$3 million) for the World Food Programme providing emergency food and nutrition assistance for up to 132,000 refugees in Burundi.

An additional GBP6 million (US$8 million) was announced for UNFPA to provide sexual and reproductive health services and support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence through a hospital in the northeastern DRC.

Finally, the UK – DRC Chamber of Commerce was launched during the visit, and a US$25 million (GBP19 million) British International Investment loan was announced to Rawban, the largest commercial bank in the DRC to expand access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises. Chapman also confirmed new UK-backed investments in clean energy, including support for Moyi Power to deliver electricity to up to 700,000 people in northern DRC.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on February 24, 2026, that the UK will provide GBP226 million (US$305 million) in new military, humanitarian, and reconstruction support for Ukraine on the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion.

Starmer convened a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing with French President Emmanuel Macron, following their January declaration with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the UK's intent to deploy British troops to Ukraine once peace was secured. A 70-person headquarters for the Multinational Force for Ukraine was operational, backed by GBP200 million (US$270 million) in funding.

The new support package includes:

• GBP20 million (US$27 million) for emergency energy support to protect and repair the energy grid, bringing total UK energy support for Ukraine to GBP490 million (US$662 million).
• GBP6 million (US$8 million) for humanitarian assistance to frontline communities targeting 4.1 million people
• Medical mentoring by British military surgeons, nurses, and physiotherapists for Ukrainian clinicians treating battlefield injuries
• Helicopter instructor training for Ukrainian pilots at a UK air base.