JERSEY’S overseas aid budget remains below the United Nations target, the International Development Minister has said.
During a recent Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel hearing, Deputy Carolyn Labey admitted that the Island’s aid contribution did not meet international standards.
She explained that the relief and development agency, Jersey Overseas Aid, currently received 0.29% of the Island’s gross value added. This figure is lower than the UN’s target of 0.7% and the OECD average of 0.36%.
Deputy Labey, who is both International Development Minister and chair of Jersey Overseas Aid, is responsible for promoting economic and social development in developing countries and humanitarian aid overseas. While the budget falls short of international targets, Deputy Labey said the aid budget had increased slowly over recent years.
She said she had negotiated an annual increase of 0.01% per year and aimed to reach 0.3% by 2025.
“I think if we can demonstrate that we are slowly going up, [that is good] but we’ve got to bear in mind everything else going on out there,” she said.
Concerns about potential conflicts of interest arising from Deputy Labey’s dual roles were also raised during the hearing.
However, she argued that her ministerial position provided the JOA with “a voice round the Council of Ministers’ table”.
The panel also scrutinised JOA’s volunteer programme, with Deputy Geoff Southern questioning the efficiency of sending volunteers to countries such as Malawi, Kenya, Rwanda and Nepal. He asked: “Is that the best way of delivering aid to African countries?”
Deputy Labey responded: “To be brutally honest, no. It might be better just to write a cheque and spend the money that way or add the funding to a sustainable development grant.”
However, while acknowledging it may not be the most efficient way to deliver aid, Deputy Labey defended its value in public engagement and education.
“It is part of our outreach, part of putting something back into our own community and to giving local people opportunities. It gives them those chances and makes them more fulfilled in the workplace,” she said.
