UK Security in a Post Aid World
Exploring how aid cuts and shifting global influence affect UK security, stability, and development policy, with a focus on fragile states in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Overview
Recent cuts to USAID, alongside reductions in UK and European aid budgets, mark a major turning point for humanitarian, diplomatic, peacebuilding, and security efforts. Reduced funding for emergency response and long-term development work increases the risk of instability and insecurity, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected states (FCAS). At the same time, the international aid landscape is becoming more fragmented, with countries such as Russia, China, and a range of emerging 'middle powers' playing a growing role in ways that may both support and challenge UK priorities and values.
Against this backdrop, there is a pressing need to understand what these changes mean for UK strategic interests. This project will examine why aid matters for UK security and explore the UK’s future role in preventing and responding to instability in crisis-affected regions. As the UK government reassesses the relationship between development, diplomacy, and defence, the project offers a timely opportunity to explore how effective aid policies can contribute to stability and security, with a particular focus on Sub-Saharan Africa.
Aims and objectives
The aim of this project is to better understand the relationship between UK aid and security, and to explore how the UK can help prevent and respond to instability in fragile and conflict-affected states (FCAS). While the project focuses primarily on Sub-Saharan Africa, it draws on a wide range of expertise, experiences, and perspectives to provide a broader understanding of how changes in UK development policy may affect the country’s strategic interests.
Project sponsor
This project is funded and supported by the Strategic Communications and Advocacy Lab.