Anti-Poverty Plan Will Help World's Poorest

A new poverty action plan to help the world's poorest people cope with the economic crisis was announced today by International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander.

Launching a new White Paper, Building our Common Future, Mr Alexander said the measures would bring help to the 50 million people worst hit by the global recession, keeping children in school, parents in jobs and the most vulnerable out of destitution.

The White Paper represents a fundamental shift in the way the UK delivers development aid, refocusing resources onto fragile countries and for the first time treating security and justice as a basic service alongside health, education, water and sanitation.

Fifty per cent of new bilateral funding will be committed to fragile countries.

Douglas Alexander said: "We have made great strides over the past decade in tackling global poverty but there is much still to do.

"The economic downturn has had a devastating effect on the developing world, whilst millions live surrounded by conflict and violence. And we must face up to the havoc climate change could cause in the poorest countries.

"We will take action to save lives, put children in school and give mothers access to much-needed healthcare. But we will also support economic growth and tackle climate change - for many developing countries not a future threat but a current reality."

He added: "Poverty and fragile countries go hand in hand. We cannot make the impact we need to unless we work in the most difficult environments.

"I am determined to help create stable societies where ordinary people can learn, train, work and prosper.

"This is not just in their interests but in our own - the economic crisis has highlighted as never before the interdependence of nations, rich and poor, across the world."

There are currently 1.4 billion people living in extreme poverty, of whom one-third live in countries affected by conflict and instability.

The economic crisis will force a further 90 million people into poverty and could lead to 400,000 more children dying every year.

(JM/BMcC)