UK, US aid programs can lead world’s COVID-19 recovery

The nomination of Samantha Power as US Agency for International Development (USAID) administrator is the clearest example so far of President Joe Biden’s renewed commitment to the international community and his determination to rebuild the relationships and responsibilities that became strained under the previous administration.
Couple this with the already-confirmed, excellent choice of Linda Thomas-Greenfield as US permanent representative to the UN, whose work in previous roles in Africa was especially impressive and inspiring, and we can see the clear intent of the new US administration to return to a multilateral approach to deploy its policies, actions and thought leadership to match its financial leadership that underpins the multilateral system.
The actions of the US and the UK, in partnering with countries through their aid and development programs to help those in the greatest need, represent the best of the values we share as global citizens to enable everyone to have the chance to survive and thrive. While the greatest needs of affected people by far now arise because of the seemingly unending man-made conflicts around the globe, as well as natural disasters, well-targeted and designed humanitarian and development aid (for which the UK and the US have well-earned respect as technical leaders globally) reinforce the powerful forces for good to give renewed hope of a more peace-orientated and secure world for us all.
The nomination of a new USAID administrator does not often make news, not least in the UK. But this is no normal appointment. A Pulitzer Prize winner and former US permanent representative to the UN, Power’s appointment will ensure humanitarian and emergency responses to natural disasters and, crucially, in helping to meet the even greater critical civilian needs brought on by conflict, a clear-sighted, consistent, resilient and developmental approach will be integral to US foreign policy, alongside diplomacy, security and defense.
Power’s elevation to a seat on the National Security Council further strengthens this renewed focus on the intersection of development and defense. Throughout my years in the UN, as under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, I worked alongside Power during her tenure as US ambassador to the organization. There are few who are better qualified to ensure aid and development remain a central pillar of US foreign policy, not least because of her lifelong vocal advocacy of the values and principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I have no doubt that Power will — as she has already shown in the tweets she has posted since the announcement of her new position and her confirmation hearing last month — be courageous in her unwavering commitment to putting human rights at the center of all her decisions and actions at USAID.
On the world stage, I have seen some of the incredible work that British aid and international cooperation can do for the world’s most vulnerable people. The UK’s response to the Ebola crisis in 2014 and 2015 was a great example of Britain at its best, putting our world-class National Health Service workers and armed forces personnel to the task of fighting a disease that was taking thousands of lives and setting development back years. This was praised by Power, who used UK and US leadership to criticize other countries for not contributing to the efforts. She said: “You have countries at the UN where I work every day who are signing on to resolutions and praising the good work that the US and the UK and others are doing, but they themselves haven’t taken the responsibility yet to send doctors, to send beds, to send the reasonable amount of money.”
The UK is an international development superpower. We enjoy a deserved reputation for being both prepared, and able, to help those who need it most. To build on this reputation, there is a strong case to be made for a minister within the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to both lead on development and to sit, like Power does in the US, on the country’s National Security Council. This would further demonstrate the UK’s commitment to aid, strengthen the “Global Britain” strategy, and mean that humanitarian and development assistance, conflict resolution and prevention, and peacekeeping remain a key consideration for policymakers — all the priorities that were clearly stated and committed to at the World Humanitarian Summit in May 2016 and pursued under the Agenda for Humanity.

Their actions represent the best of the values we share as global citizens to enable everyone to have the chance to survive and thrive.

Sir Stephen O’Brien

Defense, trade and aid are three pillars of the Global Britain strategy that must work together and be given the same priority if we are to see this vision become reality. An excellent example of this can be found in South Korea, where investment through aid helped transform it into a vibrant trading partner and key ally. South Korea, a former aid recipient, has become a high-income country, providing jobs, investment and trade for the UK. Aid and trade are not mutually exclusive, but are in fact two sides of the same coin.
Notwithstanding the severe fiscal constraints the UK (and most other economies globally) face due to the coronavirus pandemic, in this year of London leadership ahead of the G7 summit in Cornwall and COP26 in Glasgow, this country has an opportunity to showcase its international development expertise, commitment and predictability. I welcome Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s restated commitment that the UK will return to spending 0.7 percent of its gross national income on aid each year as soon as possible. It is in all our interests to do so to enhance our security, economy and public health, as well as to meet the climate change challenge. None of these issues respect borders, so we need to reinforce the collaboration necessary to match the challenges. By working alongside the Biden administration, and Power at USAID in particular, the UK can help the world to build back better and greener from the pandemic.

• Sir Stephen O’Brien KBE is a former member of the UK Parliament and former undersecretary-general at the UN.