ONE Responds to UK / France Summit Communique

Anti-poverty organisation The ONE Campaign supports the  commitment made by the leaders of UK and France to jointly tackle the devastating poverty and instability in the Sahel area of Africa.

The two countries agreed in their joint  2018 UK-France Summit communique to make 2018 a ‘year of learning’,  and also signalled their commitment to a successful replenishment summit of the Global Partnership for Education next month.

Both France and Great Britain are major supporters of GPE, with France co-hosting the Summit with Senegal, and the UK the largest donor.

Romilly Greenhill, UK Director of ONE, said: “The UK and French Government’s support for global education announced during the summit today (Thurs) is positive, but they must put action behind these words and make ambitious pledges to the GPE.”

The GPE provides education in some of the world’s poorest countries and is hoping to raise $3.1billion at its replenishment summit, which is taking place in Dakar on February 2.

Added Greenhill: “For the GPE to continue its life-changing work providing children in the world’s poorest countries with an education,  its replenishment summit must succeed in reaching its goal. That requires the full commitment of these two key players, and their leadership in pushing for ambitious pledges from other donors.”

“There are 130 million girls out of education around the world. This is not just a moral injustice that must be corrected, it is the key to ending poverty. When a girl goes to school, she and her entire community become healthier, more prosperous, and more secure.”

The announcement by British Prime Minister Theresa May to provide lifesaving humanitarian support for hundreds of thousands in desperate need in the Sahel region of Africa, is also welcomed by ONE.

Said Greenhill:  “But humanitarian initiatives in the region will only work if accompanied by an unbreakable will by London and Paris to commit to a long-term, sustainable development effort.”

Millions of the world’s poorest people live in the Sahel, which is made up of Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso.