New UK policy to fight corruption in poor countries

The White Paper entitled "Eliminating world poverty: Making governance work for the poor' responds to four big challenges: the importance of good governance in poor countries; how to improve security, growth and public services to reduce poverty; the need to tackle climate change; and reforming the international system so that it is better equipped to deal with international problems, says a press release.

Benn said, "Long-term progress in the fight against poverty will only be achieved through effective government, and by people with the voice and confidence to hold their governments to account."

The new measures to improve governance and fight corruption include a new £100 million governance and transparency fund to help people hold their governments to account; and a new 'quality of governance' framework that will assess states' accountability and effectiveness -- including the ability to deal with corruption -- to ensure that the UK aid is put to best effect.

The measures also include helping developing countries to investigate corruption, dealing with alleged offenders through the courts, and strengthening their financial systems to prevent wrong-doing and a commitment to expand the successful Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative to other sectors such as construction, procurement and health.

Dirty water claims the lives of 5,000 children a year, so having doubled spending on water and sanitation to £95 million a year in Africa by 2007, Benn announced that it would more than double again to £200m by 2010.

There will also be new support to develop technologies for cleaner water and sanitation. "Because clean water saves lives, and it allows girls to go to school and women to work rather than spend long hours collecting water," he said.

The White Paper argues that climate change could undermine any progress to eliminate poverty. Hilary Benn said that poor countries have made the least contribution to climate change but are likely to be hit the hardest.

"We need an international development system that is fit for the challenges of this century, not the last. So we will use our money and influence to push for urgent reform of the United Nations so that it can lead the international response when poor countries face emergencies -- whether wars or natural disasters," he said.