Bond statement in response to the FCDO reshuffle

Bond statement in response to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office mini-reshuffle, resulting in one less minister for the department

Yesterday the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) published changes to its ministerial team following Rt Hon James Cleverly MP’s appointment last week as Minister of State for Europe and North America.

He will now deputise for the Foreign Secretary and be responsible for affairs with Europe, North America and Russia, alongside leading on the International Development Strategy and Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations. His Middle East brief has now been given to the Rt Hon Amanda Milling MP, in addition to her Asia brief. Lord Ahmed’s brief was also expanded when he was given North Africa alongside South and Central Asia and the UN.

These expanded briefs for FCDO ministers come just two months after Bond raised concerns over the Foreign Secretary’s increased workload when she was handed the Brexit brief on top of her role as Women and Equalities minister.

Simon Starling, director of policy, advocacy and research at Bond, said:

“The Foreign Secretary already has an expanded portfolio after taking on the Brexit brief, and we are one minister short in the FCDO. How can the Foreign Secretary effectively cover challenging issues such as tackling global poverty, climate change, and the global recovery from the Covid pandemic, as well as everything else? We need a dedicated minister for international development, with a seat in the Cabinet, to drive the UK’s development priorities and ensure that marginalised communities around the world are not neglected.”