At the Queen’s Speech on 11 May 2021, the Government will outline its legislative agenda for the next parliamentary session. This article considers what may be announced in the areas of foreign affairs, defence and international development.
In the 2020 spending review, the Government cut aid spending from a target of 0.7% of GNI to 0.5%. The Government said in its recent integrated review of security, defence, development and foreign policy it would use aid spending “more strategically” to increase the UK’s impact as a force for good. On 28 April 2021, the House of Lords is due to debate the reduction in aid spending and its impact on achieving the integrated review’s objectives.
As part of its sustainable development goals, the United Nations (UN) has called for women to achieve full and effective participation in political life by 2030. Currently, women account for 25.5% of national representatives worldwide. The UN has said that with the current rate of action gender parity will not be reached for another 130 years. This article considers which countries are leading on political gender parity and what barriers to full participation remain.
In Focus
In 2020, the Commonwealth postponed its 26th Heads of Government Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, due to the coronavirus pandemic. It has since announced that the meeting will take place in June 2021.
Current Affairs Digest
Catch up on world affairs with a selection of articles you may have missed. Articles this month include a look at faith in Nigeria, and the lasting impact of the Arab Spring.
In Focus
Malaria remains a deadly disease for many countries. A complex parasite causes the illness, which means it has proved difficult to vaccinate against. Currently, only one vaccine candidate has received regulatory approval, and no candidate has ever been fully launched and distributed. Why is malaria so difficult to vaccinate against, and which vaccine candidates are currently in development?
In Focus
It is estimated that there are around 40.3 million victims of modern slavery worldwide. Of these, about 40% are thought to live in the Commonwealth. In the last few years, the UK Government has distributed £200 million in aid to fund international projects to tackle modern slavery. It has also committed to tackling modern slavery in supply chains. Campaigners have said that progress on the issue amongst Commonwealth governments overall has been slow.
In Focus
On 2 March 2021, the House of Lords is due to take note of the UK-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement. The agreement would set out the UK and Kenya’s future trading relationship. This article considers the details of the agreement, as well as scrutiny it has received from the House of Lords International Agreements Committee.
Current Affairs Digest
Catch up on world affairs with a selection of articles you may have missed. Articles this month include a look at protest movements in Africa, and the unrest in Washington DC.
Current Affairs Digest
Catch up on world affairs with a selection of articles you may have missed from October and November 2020. Articles this month include a look at the American election, and protests in Nigeria.
In Focus
Covid-19 has impacted the work of LGBTI+ organisations around the world. This article looks at a recent report by the Baring Foundation which calls for increased spending by the UK Government on global LGBTI+ rights and outlines the current spending commitments in this area.
In Focus
This article looks at the measures G20 nations have taken to help developing countries deal with the financial effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. It particularly looks at the initiative to pause debt service payments, which is the subject of an oral question in the House of Lords on 10 June 2020.
In Focus
Coronavirus is believed to have originated in a ‘wet market’ selling wild animals in the city of Wuhan in China. This has provoked debate about the relationship between unsanitary conditions in some markets and the spread of diseases from animals to humans. The article summarises international efforts to regulate live animal markets, particularly those in Asia and Africa.
Research Briefing
This House of Lords Library Briefing provides information to mark the upcoming World Cities Day on 31 October 2019.
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