London – UK government has announced a significant 40% cut to its foreign aid budget, reducing contributions from 0.5% to 0.3% of national income.
Bilateral support for women’s health and children’s education in Africa will face the steepest reductions, according to several impact reports
Aid budgets for education programs in Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and the DRC will shrink or be phased out, affecting as many as 170,000 children
Support for maternal and women’s health services in Africa faces deep cuts, raising fears of increased maternal mortality and reduced reproductive care
Health sector experts warn that reductions could reverse gains in child health, increase malnutrition, and spark disease outbreaks. The halting of the Fleming Fund, which tracks antimicrobial resistance, may weaken global surveillance, a move criticized for risking millions of lives.
Officials say the cuts are part of a modernised aid strategy, shifting from bilateral funding to multilateral organizations like the World Bank’s IDA and Gavi. The freed-up resources will support increased defence spending, targeting 2.5% of national income
NGOs and development experts warn that redirecting aid to defence could destabilize vulnerable regions, undermine women’s and children’s health, and deteriorate the UK’s global influence.
Bond, Save the Children, and the Centre for Global Development have all cautioned against the negative fallout for impoverished communities.
Government officials assert that multilateral funding to agencies like IDA and Gavi will continue at current levels. Analysts oppose relying solely on large institutions, arguing bilateral aid drives critical grassroots impact in areas where multi-country entities cannot reach.
As the reductions are implemented, close monitoring is needed to assess their real-world impact on vulnerable groups, particularly women and children in Africa.
The shift marks a turning point in UK foreign policy, where strategic defence priorities may eclipse humanitarian commitments.
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