Contribution to international development: report 2021 to 2023

Ministerial Foreword

This Report covers the Scottish Government’s contribution to international development over the period 2021-2023, one of the most tumultuous periods in living memory. Due to the generosity of the Scottish people, and the hard work of our humanitarian and development partners, our aid has touched lives all over the world. From responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining wider support to our partner countries, providing crucial humanitarian assistance to those fleeing conflict in Ukraine, to supporting communities to recover from the loss and damage caused by the climate crisis, Scotland’s aid assistance has had a significant impact.

The Scottish Government’s contribution, both in terms of our unwavering commitment to support our partner countries of Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia and Pakistan, and in our response to global humanitarian crises, is remarkable considering that Scotland itself continues to face challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit, and the cost of living crisis. We clearly demonstrate our commitment as a good global citizen whilst we focus on the needs of the Global South and respond to multiple humanitarian crises, including the less visible such as Sudan.

I am enormously grateful to our project partners who have, with our support, successfully delivered projects in humanitarian assistance, equalities, education, health, water, climate, sustainable economic development, civic governance, and renewable energy over the last three years. Their hard work, adaptability and expertise in delivering projects in difficult circumstances has been inspiring. This Report provides an opportunity to spotlight some of those projects and, through them, the ways in which Scottish Government Official Development Assistance has contributed to sustainable development. The many valuable and varied lessons learned in this period are also included in this Report, as we continue to strive for innovation and excellence in delivering with, and for, our partner countries.

Recent years have seen countries across the world, but particularly in the Global South, face immense difficulties such as the effects of COVID-19, poor economic conditions, and the impacts of climate change. In 2020-21 we carried out a review into our approach to international development. A key outcome of our Review, published in March 2021, was a new set of Scottish Government International Development Principles, co-designed with representatives of government, academics and civil society in our partner countries and in Scotland.

These Principles are at the heart of the design of our new programmes, including through our work to take a Global-South-led participatory approach to portfolio and programme design in our development and climate spend.

They underpin our work to promote a shift of power to the Global South, respond to the climate emergency and support our partner countries to build back fairer and stronger from COVID-19. These Principles align with those set out in our recently published Feminist Approach to International Relations with a particular focus on the advancement of equality.

Scotland’s voice on the global stage matters and we are committed to speaking up in defence of our core values of democracy, the rule of law, equality and inclusion. As a small Global North donor, we are at our best when we use our platform, in close partnership with the Global South, to push for meaningful change, as we did when we became the first Global North nation to commit funding explicitly to address loss and damage caused by climate change at COP26. This, and our continued focus on loss and damage, has helped galvanise an ongoing global ambition on the issue, with the creation of a Loss and Damage Fund and global commitments to funding loss and damage now over $700 million.

Rich nations also have a moral responsibility to uphold their commitment to the world’s poorest. We will continue our vocal advocacy for the reinstatement of the United Kingdom meeting the UN commitment for richer nations to invest 0.7% of Gross National Income on Official Development Assistance. We have set out a commitment to increase our International Development Fund to reach £15 million per annum by the end of this Parliament, and our separate Climate Justice Fund was trebled to provide £36 million across this Parliament. We have a duty both to taxpayers here in Scotland and to communities in the Global South to ensure our investment is targeted for maximum impact.

Throughout my career, I have witnessed first-hand the widespread commitment to global citizenship and international solidarity in Scotland. I am proud to serve a country and people that places such value on its commitments to the world’s most vulnerable.

Reflecting on our work together over this Report, it is clear that with the Scottish public’s support we have made a real difference to the lives of vulnerable communities in our partner countries. I remain fully committed to enhancing Scotland’s reputation as a good global citizen, including through our contribution to overseas development and humanitarian activities in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

I look forward to leading on international development and global citizenship, continuing to work closely with our partners across Scotland and the Global South and with colleagues across the Cabinet and wider Government, as we redouble our efforts in tackling poverty, inequality, and injustice.

Angus Robertson

Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture