Scottish Government Increases in Draft Budget For International Development & Humanitarian Emergency
16 January 2026
The SMP welcomes the Scottish Government's plans to increase its annual budget for international development to £16m, including £1m for humanitarian crises. This is an uplift to international development of over £3m per year.
The level of commitment to climate justice funding is to be maintained at £12.7m per annum “allocated to support vulnerable communities in the Global South, particularly women and young people.”
These announcements (which will make a huge difference to the lives of individuals, families and communities in Malawi and other partner countries), were made in the Scottish Government’s draft Budget for 2026-27 which was published on Tuesday.
The Scottish Government writes in the document: “…we remain steadfast in our support for international development and humanitarian responses at a time when other governments have reduced their overseas assistance.”
The draft budget is next scrutinised by the Scottish Parliament ahead of a final vote. See the Scottish Parliament’s website here for more detail on the process.
Read the full budget here.
