Mozambique: UK to reduce direct bilateral aid funding

The British government announced on Thursday that it would focus international aid on countries affected by war and crises and on support programmes for women, reducing direct bilateral aid funding to countries such as Mozambique. “To fund additional defence spending, we had to make the extremely difficult decision to reduce our development budget in the coming years,” UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told Parliament on Thursday. The UK government had announced in February that it would reduce overseas aid to 0.3% of Gross National Income (GNI) by 2027, down from the current 0.7%, to offset the military budget increase in response to global geopolitical tensions.

In Parliament on Thursday, Cooper said: “Seventy per cent of all geographic support will be allocated to the most fragile and conflict-affected states, resulting in humanitarian crises such as Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and, since this week, Lebanon—countries whose funding will be fully protected next year. That does mean that direct bilateral aid funding for other countries will be reduced.” “Countries like Yemen, Somalia and Afghanistan will remain humanitarian priorities. They will see direct grant reductions, although we will continue to support multilateral programmes which operate in those countries too,” she added.

“Countries like Pakistan and Mozambique will remain development priorities, but their direct grant funding will be significantly reduced, and instead we will run partnerships for investment,” Cooper said. She added that at least 90% of bilateral development aid programmes would focus on women and girls, integrating gender equality criteria. READ:UK to focus reduced aid budget on conflict-hit countries, cuts funding for Africa Bilateral funding to G20 countries would be phased out, except for Turkey, where the UK would continue to fund refugee support. Cooper emphasised: “We will focus on areas that maximise impact, transform lives and build stability, creating jobs and economic opportunities as the path out of poverty.” The UK is transforming our approach to development by prioritising communities hardest hit by crisis, conflict or climate change, leveraging innovative finance, and supporting women and girls.pic.twitter.com/Oerd8eSbWR — Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK)March 19, 2026 Below is the full, unabridged statement delivered by UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to Parliament on 19 March 2026: Foreign Secretary statement on International Development: 19 March