The Department for International Development (DFID) is the British government department responsible for promoting development and the reduction of poverty. The government elected in May 1997 increased its commitment to development by strengthening the department and increasing its budget.
The policy of the government was set out in the White Paper on International Development, published in November 1997. The central focus of the policy is a commitment to the internationally agreed target to halve the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by 2015, together with the associated targets including basic health care provision and universal access to primary education by the same date.
DFID seeks to work in partnership with governments which are committed to the international targets, and seeks to work with business, civil society and the research community to encourage progress which will help reduce poverty. We also work with multilateral institutions including the World Bank, United Nations agencies and the European Commission. The bulk of our assistance is concentrated on the poorest countries in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
We are also contributing to poverty elimination and sustainable development in middle income countries, and helping the transition countries in Central and Eastern Europe to try to ensure that the widest number of people benefit from the process of change.
As well as its headquarters in London and East Kilbride, DFID has offices in New Delhi, Bangkok, Dhaka, Kathmandu, Nairobi, Dar-es-Salaam, Kampala, Harare, Pretoria, Suva and Bridgetown. In other parts of the world, DFID works through staff based in British embassies and high commissions.
Department for International Development
October 2000
This paper was produced within DFID by a team led by Rosalind Eyben and Clare Ferguson. Inputs came from Sarah Beeching, David Clarke, Sam Gibson, Annabel Gerry, William Kingsmill, Sarah Maguire, Sam Selvadurai, Sheelagh Stewart, Miriam Temin, David Woolnough and David Wood. Comments and ideas on various drafts also came from. a wider group of UK government departments, representatives from other donor organisations and civil society. All contributions have been much appreciated.
