Right now, humanitarians the world over are operating with far less support. A global retreat from foreign aid is happening at precisely the wrong moment.
Early last year, the United States closed USAID and slashed its foreign aid budget by more than 80 percent. Modelling from Boston University suggests this has already caused 600,000 deaths, two-thirds of them children. Other major funders followed: Germany cut aid by 50%, the UK by 40% and France by 37%, all diverted to record defence spending.
We are thankful that Australia’s aid budget was saved from cuts, in no small part by a movement of faithful Christians and church institutions refusing to see aid as discretionary spending, but as an extension of our shared values.
If you added your voice through the Safer World For All campaign, contacted your Member of Parliament, or prayed for and supported us and our partners as they advocated in Canberra – thank you!
There’s still a long way to go. Australia’s foreign aid remains at a historic low of just 0.5 per cent of the federal budget, well below what’s needed to meet humanitarian and development needs around the world.
We will continue to urge the government to restore Australian aid to the modest level of 1% of the Federal Budget, a small step that would have a huge impact.
You can help by joining the campaign at www.saferworld.org.au