Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) current, and (2) future, impact of COVID-19 on developing countries; and what steps they plan to take in response.

We are using UK aid to its full effect to counter the health, humanitarian, and economic risks and impact of this pandemic in the developing world. The UK has, so far, pledged £744 million of UK aid to help end this pandemic as quickly as possible.

Our latest UK aid funding of £200 million, announced on 12 April, will enable humanitarian organisations to help reduce mass infections in developing countries which often lack the healthcare systems to track and halt the virus. This funding includes £130 million to UN agencies in response to their COVID-19 humanitarian appeals.

The UK is also providing up to £150 million of UK aid funding which will go the International Monetary Fund’s Catastrophe Containment Relief Trust to help developing countries meet their debt repayments so that they can focus their available resources on tackling COVID-19. The UK has also worked closely with other G20 creditors and the Paris Club to provide a temporary suspension of debt repayments from the poorest and most vulnerable countries that request relief, further boosting countries’ capacity to respond to the crisis.

Alongside our comprehensive COVID-19 response, which includes programmes in health, humanitarian support, financial aid and economic support, vaccines, and preparations for the recovery phase, we are redirecting existing support and programmes to be more responsive to COVID-19 and work on other DFID priorities will continue to help support the recovery phase and preparedness for future threats.