ONE reaction to Gordon Brown conference speech

Brighton - Today Gordon Brown announced that the UK’s commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on development assistance will become law under forthcoming legislation.

"In the last 10 years effective aid and debt cancellation have helped give an extra 34 million African children an education and over 3 million Africans desperately needed life-saving AIDS treatment.  But there is much more to do if Africa is to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and Gordon Brown's historic announcement today will help make sure it is done," said Oliver Buston, ONE's European Director.

ONE will be working to ensure that money to help Africa adapt to climate change will be additional to the 0.7 per cent and that aid is spent as effectively as possible.
 
Notes for Editors

For interviews please contact Jessica Gomez-Duran on Jessica.gomez-duran@one.org or 07500 085776.

In his speech Gordon Brown said: "And let me say what was once an aspiration – 0.7% of national income spent on international development aid, has become with Labour a promise, and will in future become a law. We will pass legislation that the British government is obliged to raise spending on aid to the poorest countries to 0.7% of our national income. Others may break their promises to the poorest, with Labour Britain never will."

ONE is a campaign and advocacy organisation backed by more than two million people around the world committed to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa.