Whatever the outcome of this general election, leaders should rise to the ambition of our own and global commitments, write representatives of 49 organisations

The UK has a well-earned reputation for being a key player on the global stage – respected for our record on international development, climate change, and humanitarian aid.

By 2020, this country will have helped vaccinate 76 million children, saving 1.4 million lives from preventable diseases. The UK has already helped 57 million people to cope with the effects of climate change over the last eight years and is on track to reach 60 million people with clean water by 2020. About 32 million people have been supported with humanitarian assistance in the face of conflict and disasters, including at least 10 million women and girls.

We should be proud of the role the UK plays in helping people out of poverty around the world, and we ask party leaders to continue to champion this incredible work.

Whatever the outcome of this general election, leaders should come together to rise to the ambition of our own and global commitments. If we are to achieve the sustainable development goals by 2030, we must all work together to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality, end violence and exploitation of the most vulnerable and tackle the climate and environment emergency.

Delivery of these commitments will require a shift in the way we design government policy at home and abroad so future generations can live in a safe, just, prosperous world where no one is left behind.

The next prime minister has an opportunity to show the world what it means to be an outward-facing and progressive nation, a nation that is proud of our official development assistance, with a Department for International Development - represented by its own secretary of state - that delivers for those most in need. Let’s use this opportunity to make the UK a major force for good in the world.



Jean-Michel Grand Executive director, Action Against Hunger UK, Girish Menon Chief executive, ActionAid UK, Bert Smit CEO, ADRA-UK, Andrew Betts Director, Advantage Africa, Chris Roles Managing director, Age International, Ian Govendir CEO and founder, Aids Orphan UK Trust, Stephanie Draper CEO, Bond, Alasdair Harris Executive director, Blue Ventures, Kirsty Smith CEO, CBM UK, Katie Fowler CEO, Chance for Childhood, Jill Healey Executive director, ChildHope, Amanda Mukwashi Chief executive, Christian Aid, Danny Harvey Executive director, Concern Worldwide, Jonathan Cohen Executive director, Conciliation Resources, Lucy Jones and Ellen Waters Co-directors, Doctors of the World, Naomi Burke-Shyne Executive director, Harm Reduction International, Prof Melissa Leach Director, Institute of Development Studies, Aleema Shivji CEO, Humanity & Inclusion UK, Adele Paterson CEO, International Health Partners, Michael Dockar Director, International Service, Tufail Hussain CEO, Islamic Relief UK, Neil Heslop Chief executive, Leonard Cheshire, Peter Waddup National director, The Leprosy Mission England and Wales, Fiona Greig CEO, Link Community Development International, Charles Nelson Chief executive, Malaria Consortium, James Whiting CEO, Malaria No More UK, Simon Cooke CEO, Marie Stopes International, Catherine McCarthy CEO, Medical Aid Films, Simon O’Connell Executive director, Mercy Corps, Amanda Wilkinson CEO, Motivation, Jehangir Malik CEO, Muslim Aid, Romilly Greenhill UK director, ONE, Danny Sriskandarajah Chief executive, Oxfam GB, Rose Caldwell CEO, Plan International UK, Ian Shapiro Chief executive, Reall, Nancy Wilson CEO, Relief International, Aaron Oxley Executive director, Results, Paul Murphy Executive director, Saferworld, Dr Alice Welbourne Founding director, Salamander Trust, Richard Kramer Chief executive, Sense International, Dr Caroline Harper CEO, Sightsavers, Alison Wallace CEO, SOS Children’s Villages UK, Mike Podmore Director, StopAIDS, Nigel Harris CEO, Tearfund, Sarah Ingleby Chief executive, Tools for Self Reliance, Kathryn Llewelyn CEO, United Purpose, Tim Wainwright CEO, WaterAid, Tim Pilkington CEO, World Vision UK, Leigh Daynes CEO, Y Care International

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