Overview

• The FCDO’s 2025-26 impact assessment confirms that first-phase cuts will scale back bilateral support for women’s health, health-system strengthening and emergency response in six African nations including DRC and Ethiopia.
• Education budgets will be reduced this year in Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Zimbabwe, and a DRC girls’ education programme serving 170,000 children will close early.
• The UK has committed £1.98 billion to the World Bank’s International Development Association over three years and will invest £1.25 billion in Gavi from 2026 to 2030.
• Bond, Save the Children and other NGOs warn that the world’s most marginalised women, children and conflict-affected communities face higher disease burdens, disrupted schooling and increased mortality.
• The aid reduction from 0.5% to 0.3% of gross national income is designed to fund rising defence spending set to reach 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and 3% in the next parliament.