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EMAIL PARLIAMENT
Priority of the Official Development Assistance Budget
​Dear [Your MP’s Name],
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I hope this email finds you well.
As a local constituent and supporter of The Borgen Project (www.borgenproject.uk and www.borgenproject.org), I am reaching out to you personally to request your support in prioritising the Official Development Aid (ODA) budget in Parliament and beyond.
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I have reviewed the report of the House of Commons which stated that the UK's support for ODA will not be increased to the target of 0.7% and will be reduced further to increase the UK's defence spending. This is a cause for concern. Given the current political climate, ongoing conflicts and the cost-of-living crisis, it is critical that we do not lose sight of those who are most in need – those living in extreme poverty. The ODA target is an essential step towards securing a stable future for these individuals and opening new markets for UK companies.
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As my elected representative, I believe you have the power to help make a difference on this issue. I would like to request that you take the following actions:
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1) Write to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and HM Treasury to express your support for the campaign to raise the ODA budget back to 0.7%.
2) Raise the issue in written and oral questions in the House of Commons, including any committees on which you sit in.
3) Use your communication channels, including social media and relevant meetings, to publicly pledge your support to secure funding for ODA programmes that support fighting global poverty, such as the Prosperity Fund.
4) Work with fellow MP’s and stakeholders to build a cross-party consensus in support of the campaign.
5) Lobby the government to allocate more resources to ODA by arguing that the UK's international reputation and influence are at stake.
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I believe that your support can play a crucial role in securing funding for ODA programmes that support fighting global poverty, and I hope that you will consider my request.
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Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
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Dear [Member of Parliament],
I hope this message finds you well.
I am writing to seek your support for Bill 128. This critical legislation is aimed at addressing the ongoing debt crisis in low-income countries, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and rising inflation on essential goods like food and fuel.
As you may be aware, many African countries spend more on external debt payments than on essential services like healthcare and education. According to the Send My Friend to School coalition, debt servicing in low-income countries accounts for as much as 60% of education expenditure. In 2024, African countries are expected to pay $104 billion in external debt, with a staggering $47 billion owed to private creditors. For context, the entire UK aid budget to Africa in 2024 amounts to just £993 million—far less than what is owed in external debt.
To illustrate the issue further, Kenya is expected to spend $5.149 billion on external debt this year, with nearly $3 billion going to private creditors. Meanwhile, the UK provides Kenya with just £45 million in aid, which in effect helps to service this debt. With overseas development aid having been reduced from 0.7% to 0.5% of GNI, it is vital that we examine the broader role of aid in the context of debt servicing.
The G20 has acknowledged the debt crisis in developing countries, creating the Common Framework for Debt Treatments to facilitate debt relief from private creditors. However, this framework has proven ineffective due to a lack of enforcement, coordination, and transparency. As a result, only four countries—Chad, Zambia, Ghana, and Ethiopia—have attempted to use it, with no debt cancellations from private creditors.
The UK has an opportunity to lead on this issue by supporting a new bill that would compel private creditors to actively participate in debt relief negotiations, ensuring they accept the same terms as government creditors. This would help to streamline the process and ensure fairer treatment for the countries involved. If successful, this bill could unlock billions in savings for low-income countries, enabling them to invest in critical areas like health and education. This would be at no cost to the Treasury.
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I would also like to highlight that similar legislation was passed in 2010 through the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Act, which proved successful without adverse impact on the UK economy. This new bill builds on that precedent, strengthening provisions and adapting them to the current debt relief framework.
The need for action is urgent. With 3.3 billion people living in countries that spend more on debt servicing than on healthcare and education, we must act now to alleviate the burden of debt and prevent future crises. Your support for this bill would make a significant difference in the lives of millions of people around the world, again, without any cost to the UK.
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As your constituent and a Borgen Project supporter, I ask that you support Bill 128 at the second reading in mid-March.
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Thank you for considering this important issue. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Funding for Gavi - The Vaccine Alliance
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Dear Rt. Hon. Anneliese Dodds MP,
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I hope this email finds you well.
As you may be aware, each year, 5 million children worldwide die before their fifth birthday from preventable causes, often from vaccine-preventable diseases such as pneumonia, rotavirus, and measles. In 2023, 14.5 million children did not receive a single vaccine dose, more than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The UK government has made significant contributions, investing £330 million annually between 2021 and 2025, making it the largest supporter of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. These investments have helped protect up to 75 million children in the world’s poorest countries.
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However, these gains are at risk. Without additional funding, Gavi’s vital work may stall, endangering millions of children's lives. To prevent this, a 10% increase in the UK’s previous investments is urgently needed to boost global immunisation efforts.
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During its next strategic period, from 2026–2030, Gavi plans to immunise at least 500 million more children, potentially preventing a further 8–9 million deaths.
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As a concerned citizen and Borgen Project supporter, I urge the government to increase funding at the pledging conference for Gavi in Brussels on 19-20 March, encouraging other countries to follow suit.
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Thank you for considering this important issue. I look forward to hearing from you.