Author: Alicia Kearns MP

Towards the end of 2020, I had the opportunity to visit Cameroon to see some of the amazing work that is being carried out by UK funded projects thanks to the Coalition for Global Prosperity and the International Rescue Committee – albeit remotely. Cameroon currently faces a brutal conflict between its Anglophone and Francophone communities, and a significant threat from Boko Haram and Daesh affiliates, and yet the crisis is not well understood in Britain.

The South West region has been ravaged by violence, local lockdowns where anyone on the streets is deemed a fair, military target, communities displaced by local militia, rape and sexual violence, and regular conflict on its streets. In just this part of Cameroon over 2.3 million people are in need of urgent assistance. This includes over 850,000 school aged children who have been out of education for at least four years. Sadly attacks on schools are commonplace, most recently in October seven children were murdered when a school was burned to the ground.

Given this environment, it is becoming extremely difficult to deliver the much-needed aid.  Roads are blockaded by the military or militias, Boko Haram regularly threatens aid convoys and unexploded roadside IEDs make every journey dangerous. Despite these immense challenges, the UK is playing an important role delivering much needed relief. Thanks to UK support, teams in Cameroon have been able to continue to administer and deliver food voucher programmes and dignity kits to displaced women and girls.

In this extremely difficult context, one in which rape is regularly used as a weapon of war, extrajudicial killings occur frequently, and the shadow of terrorism is pervasive, the United Kingdom is able to use its additional capabilities – diplomatic, intelligence and economic, in service of its humanitarian objectives. That is why I back the Government’s efforts to better co-ordinate our foreign activities across these dimensions. As we have seen from Syria to Cameroon, delivering aid is not simply about writing a cheque and transporting supplies. Often these vital lifelines are only kept open through diplomatic engagement, the backing of international law, and the influence that the British state can bring to bear. By more closely aligning all our activities, our aid can be even more effective.

And the world needs effective British aid. Around the world, UK aid has helped over 1.5 million girls and young women to access years of quality education, we’re on track to help immunise 76 million children around the world thanks to our support of the GAVI vaccine alliance and have provided more than 1.4 million people with assistance, including water and sanitation in Afghanistan. Thanks to the scale of our international commitments, which continue to be leading within the G7, British aid has justly acquired a reputation for being peerless in terms of skill and expertise. By investing in local economies, infrastructure and public health projects abroad, by knowing the local context and coupling that with our exceptional capabilities we are helping secure our own national interest and create brand new opportunities for UK businesses.

Cameroon was a reminder, though, that as much as we may recognise our own contributions, our work is never done. Millions of people, young and old, still face the most appalling conditions, grinding poverty and the fear of violence. It is also a reminder that we do not pursue a Global Britain for ourselves alone. The world is a better place when Britain takes a leading role, thanks to our values, our commitment to development, and our defence of human rights. As we emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, in a world where many developing countries face significant economic challenges, the United Kingdom can make an immense difference to so many. With our new, more integrated and more co-ordinated foreign policy, we are well on our way to doing so

The virtual trip reminded me, indeed reminded all the MPs on the trip that, even when there is little publicity, the United Kingdom is a world leader in aid and, more importantly, that our diplomatic efforts, when partnered with our development work, can make a real difference.