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Ian Mitchell

@ianmitchell1.bsky.social
277 followers 25 following 75 posts

Economist working on international development, climate and trade Co-Director, Europe programme at the Center for Global Development.

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Ian Mitchell @ianmitchell1.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
The UK has just published the brutal cuts it will make to country spending plans. In 10 of 17 African partners spend is being cut to a de minimis level. They are home to over 130m people in extreme poverty. The UK is giving up meaningful influence and heading for an all-time low in overseas aid.
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Ian Mitchell @ianmitchell1.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
3. The Govt has also confirmed it will no longer adjust th aid budget based on GNI - So, if GDP/ national income rises more quickly than expected, the aid budget will not; and if it falls then the aid budget will stay flat. Some stability at least.
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Ian Mitchell @ianmitchell1.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
3) The UK's commitment to the World Bank last November wasn't historically generous and should remain a priority. Even as a share of the reduced aid budget in 2027, it's still under 8% of ODA, in line with previous shares
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Ian Mitchell @ianmitchell1.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
Even the PM instinctively understands that aid should be spent overseas - his official statement on the cut refers to "Overseas Development Assistance' (usually "Official" Devt Assistance). Let's hope he stops counting the £4-5bn spent in the UK as aid. www.gov.uk/government/n...
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Ian Mitchell @ianmitchell1.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
3. What's more, the UK's country programmes have become too small to achieve real change. The UK's largest programmes are one-fifth the size of Germany's.
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Ian Mitchell @ianmitchell1.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
2. It isn't just Africa - the UK's aid budget (even the part spent abroad) is much-less focussed on the poorest countries. Under half went to the Least Developed Countries in 2023 - its lowest level in 15 years
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Ian Mitchell @ianmitchell1.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
1. Two thirds of those in extreme poverty live in Africa. But the UK's aid budget is no longer focussed there. The aid budget has suffered a 14% cut - but Africa's budget has been cut by 65%.
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Ian Mitchell @ianmitchell1.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
20 years ago this week Nelson Mandela told a UK audience that poverty was man-made and could be eradicated. Most think aid should tackle poverty - but with the US stepping back - is the UK actually focussed on that goal? Does it still care? A 5-point thread on our new @cgdev.org blog & analysis:
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Ian Mitchell @ianmitchell1.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
3. If the UK had reported these amounts, this is what it would have looked like. In 1999, the costs would have been even higher - over £5bn in today's terms - but actually the UK reported barely any refugee costs before 2014 (and none in 1999).
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Ian Mitchell @ianmitchell1.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
1. Current levels of asylum seekers are not unusual - the current spike is similar to the one at the start of the century
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Ian Mitchell @ianmitchell1.bsky.social · 13/12/2024
"Foreign-aid fiddle" Great to see the @economist.com highlight the UK's misuse use of aid (inc some of our @cgdev.org work w/ @samhugh3s.bsky.social ) economist.com/britain/2024...
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Ian Mitchell @ianmitchell1.bsky.social · 23/11/2024
My take on the #COP29 climate finance goal (#NCQG); based on our model. It will require barely any additional effort from providers and creates a greater risk of diverting funds from existing development finance @fionaharvey.bsky.social @joshgabbatiss.bsky.social @kenzabryan.bsky.social
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Ian Mitchell @ianmitchell1.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
2. The latest text suggests that all climate outflows from MDBs would be counted. In 2022, that adds $10bn to the climate finance total, ($126bn vs $116bn reported by OECD). In 2035, we estimate that could add over $20bn and increase baseline climate finance to some $240bn.
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Ian Mitchell @ianmitchell1.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
Also, the current text implies a broader definition than now: 'private' - rather than 'mobilised private' So, $250bn would be even less ambitious.
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