SNP pledges to increase aid budget by 50%, if re-elected, to support global recovery

14 April 2021

The SNP has said "Scotland stands ready to play its full part" in global efforts to vaccinate the world's poorest and most vulnerable from Covid-19 - pledging to increase its aid budget by 50% to support the recovery in Malawi, Zambia, Rwanda and Pakistan.

The SNP has said "Scotland stands ready to play its full part" in global efforts to vaccinate the world's poorest and most vulnerable from Covid-19 - pledging to increase its aid budget by 50% to support the recovery in Malawi, Zambia, Rwanda and Pakistan.

Jenny Gilruth pledged, if re-elected on 6th May, the SNP government will increase its International Development Fund from £10 million to £15 million, and commit to further increases in line with inflation. Part of this fund will be used to help with covid preparedness, the vaccine rollout, and aid recovery from the pandemic in Scotland's partner countries.

The SNP Minister for International Development urged Boris Johnson to reverse the Tory government's 'shameful' cuts to the UK's international aid budget and commit new funding to a worldwide vaccination programme - warning unless the world acts "many thousands will die from this disease unnecessarily as it spreads and mutates out of control."

Commenting, SNP Minister for International Development Jenny Gilruth said:

"As Scotland's vaccine roll-out powers ahead, and lockdown restrictions ease, it is vital that we don't lose sight of the continued global threat of the covid pandemic.

"Scotland stands ready to play its full part in global efforts to vaccinate the world's poorest and most vulnerable. It is clear that covid-19 will remain a threat for some time to come, and we must therefore step up our international contribution.

"If re-elected, the SNP government will increase the International Development Fund by 50%, from £10 million to £15 million, and commit to further increases in line with inflation. This will help with covid preparedness, the vaccine rollout, and aid recovery from the pandemic in our partner countries.

"Boris Johnson must step up to the plate by reversing the shameful Tory cuts to the UK's international aid budget and committing additional funds to a worldwide vaccination programme.

"Not only is it the right thing to do but it is also the only sensible course of action to benefit people all over the world. If we fail to act, many thousands will die from this disease unnecessarily as it spreads and mutates out of control - impacting us all.

At the time of writing, only the Scottish Greens have published their full manifesto. We welcome their commitment to: “support and contribute to the costs of [Covid-19] vaccination in Malawi, given our historic partnership” and to “urgently make the case for restoring” the UK aid budget. The SMP is politically neutral. We will highlight each parties’ commitments to Malawi and international development on social media as they come out and publish a full round-up on the 20th April, once all the main manifestos are released.

The Scotland Malawi Partnership is a politically neutral charity and is independent of government. We have lobbied all five major parties competing in May’s Holyrood election to make strong commitment to the Malawi partnership, in support of our members’ work. We will publicise all commitments, from each political party, which we feel are relevant to Scotland’s links with Malawi, on as equal basis as we are able.

Click here to read the manifesto commitments made by each of the major Scottish parties in the last Holyrood elections.

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