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Despite the imminent lamentations about Global Britain, it would be a mistake to see FCO-DFID amalgamation as especially radical politically, internationally, or historically. /1
Although the 2019 manifesto directly mentioned only the 0.7% commitment (a huge thing) rather than ‘MoG’ changes - given public/political concerns about aid spending it shouldn’t be a surprise that the latter was looked at in same spirit as Integrated Review. /2
Boris himself made noises about this when Foreign Sec, and variations of it have rumbled around parliament, thinktanks, leadership contest etc for a few years. /3 https://twitter.com/samuelcoates/status/948217641214398466
E.g. in his RUSI speech a couple of years ago
@TomTugendhat went as far as arguing for all of defence to be rolled into a super ministry (as well as trade). https://rusi.org/event/tom-tugendhat-defending-rules /4
@TomTugendhat went as far as arguing for all of defence to be rolled into a super ministry (as well as trade). https://rusi.org/event/tom-tugendhat-defending-rules /4
Merger ideas normally come up at reshuffles, as one way to help with the perennial problem of Cabinet size, but it's not an inevitable aspect. In Canada there are still three cabinet ministers representing different arms of the dept. /5
This announcement brings UK into line with the Anglosphere. It started with the NZAid agency being fully reintegrated with MFAT in 2009. Australia similarly had an agency setup until 2013 when it was integrated into its DFAT. /6
My main experience of this, and reason for having advocated it, was from being a SpAd to the Canadian Foreign Minister (2013-15). That was the year they started amalgamating trade and the longstanding CIDA aid agency. Very controversial there at the time. /7
I say started... announcing and implementing mergers are different things. As well as separate Cabinet ministers, the HR integration took years to wrinkle out. That complexity embedded the change - otherwise Trudeau would very likely have unpicked the fabric again. /8
But the objective of integrating efforts was/is sound. PM Harper had a formative experience early on when he wanted to prioritise resources in a strategic area (I think West Africa, due to francophonie).
The CIDA head essentially said 'cool, but no, that's not our priority'. /9
The CIDA head essentially said 'cool, but no, that's not our priority'. /9
It is the case that much integration could be done at the leadership level rather than institutional. Friends in the aid world also have valid concerns about creeping conditionality of aid.
But I think UK needs to be a lot better at global strategy, and this should help. /10
But I think UK needs to be a lot better at global strategy, and this should help. /10
Worth noting that it was Conservative governments in all the above Anglosphere examples. I'd be interested in global data beyond that - anyone seen a good study?
E.g. the PM just referenced this integrated model being the norm for all but one OECD members. /11
E.g. the PM just referenced this integrated model being the norm for all but one OECD members. /11
It also, don't forget, used to be the norm in the UK.
I’m a decade older than DFID. /12 https://twitter.com/lottelydia/status/1272840949543174145
I’m a decade older than DFID. /12 https://twitter.com/lottelydia/status/1272840949543174145
So there are good arguments either way. Let's just please avoid Brexit-esque histrionics about UK retreating from the world when we are:
a) Top-tier donors
b) Reverting to the mainstream model
/end
a) Top-tier donors
b) Reverting to the mainstream model
/end
This piece by @stephenkb is sensible on it being about a balance of trade-offs, not as black and white as some make out https://twitter.com/stephenkb/status/1272913847783952389?s=21 https://twitter.com/stephenkb/status/1272913847783952389
This from former DFID SpAd @LauraRound is also smart and nuanced. The degree to which aid is politically championed, and the way in which the internal wiring is done, will be what ultimately determine where this leaves us in coming years: https://twitter.com/lauraround/status/1272918498499612678?s=21
Another excellent thread with more detail - and cautionary tales - from the Aussie experience: https://twitter.com/dmitryopines/status/1272900050801299458?s=21 https://twitter.com/dmitryopines/status/1272900050801299458
