The UK government’s department responsible for overseas aid has been merged with Foreign Office (FCO).
The new office, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), began its journey on Wednesday, the British High Commission in Dhaka said.
With that, the separate Department for International Development (DfID) is abolished, meaning, what the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier said, aid spending better reflected UK aims.
The DFID chief in Dhaka now becomes the Director of Development at the British High Commission.
“This merger will bring together our overseas efforts on aid and diplomacy so we can maximise our influence around the world,” the High Commission said.
To mark the day, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson and new Director of Development Judith Herbertson delivered a video message.
“Today is a special day for the British Government because we are launching the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, FCDO for short. The FCDO is a merger of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development,” Dickson said.
Judith Herbertson said: “This is an exciting and important day for the UK Government as we pioneer a new international Department.
“Here in Bangladesh, this offers us the opportunity to build on the successes of the DFID presence and partnerships have offered over decades, and to continue the UK commitment to support long term sustainable development and stability, prosperity for Bangladesh, drawing on the strengths of both former departments, FCO and DFID.
“In terms of the joined up approach that FCDO offers, we are going to bring together the full range of the UK Government knowledge and expertise to deliver more both creative and more ambitious policy and programmes for the benefit of the UK and Bangladesh through one single, coherent effort.
“As one team, we aim to become a force for good in the world here in Bangladesh and for the people of the UK.”
The British High Commissioner also said that the UK is demonstrating global leadership on key world challenges such as the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and children’s education.
“We will continue to do so, particularly in support of equitable and fair access to vaccines, putting in place actions to tackle climate change as the Chair of the UN climate change conference COP26 next year and championing quality education for young girls. All of this matters to Bangladesh and as FCDO we will be even more committed to these causes locally and globally,” he said.
“Building shared global prosperity, eradicating extreme poverty, leaving no-one behind, tackling climate change, strengthening the international rule of law and global security, and promoting universal human rights and free, open societies will be among the core missions of the FCDO.”
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab urged countries to step up alongside the UK to fight back against coronavirus and growing risk of famine in developing countries on the day.
The UK also announces a new £119m aid package to combat threat of coronavirus and famine as it takes on the G7 and COP26 Presidencies.
Raab also appointed former Department for International Development Acting Permanent Secretary, Nick Dyer, as UK’s first Special Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs.
“Coronavirus and famine threaten millions in some of the world’s poorest countries, and give rise to direct problems that affect the UK, including terrorism and migration flows,” he said.
“Global Britain, as a force for good in the world, is leading by example and bringing the international community together to tackle these deadly threats, because it’s the right thing to do and it protects British interests. We can only tackle these global challenges by combining our diplomatic strength with our world-leading aid expertise.”
