Department for International Development (UK) - Explained
Written by J. Mance Gordon
Updated at April 21st, 2024
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What is the Department for International Development (DFID)?
The Department of International Development (DFID) is a department of the UK government working towards alleviating world poverty and promoting sustainable development. They address the issues affecting the lives of thousands including poverty, disease, mass migration, insecurity, and conflict. They aim to create a safer, healthier, and more prosperous world for the people of developing countries as well as for the people of UK.
What does the Department for International Development Do?
The department was started in 1997 and have around 2700 staff member working in their offices all across the world including London and Kilbride.
DFID works in the developing nations of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East to promote development. These countries are in bad shape because of poor economies or threat from neighboring countries. DFID also runs regional programs in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. Aid dependent Overseas Territories St Helena, the Pitcairn Islands, and Montserrat have development relationships with the Department for International Development.
Apart from working directly in the fields, it also provides aid through multi-country global programs to reach out to a large section of the underprivileged and deprived populations.
DFID funds a number of organizations working across the globe to end poverty. In the economic sector, they work for developing infrastructure to promote growth in production and also participate in development planning.
They also work in the areas of health education, social services, water supply, sanitation, government, and civil society. DFID works for supporting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
The United Kingdom's Secretary of State for International Development heads the department. Per the Development Assistance Committees report of 2010, the DFID is an international development leader in times of global crisis.