In aid of a collaborative new relationship

Priti Patel took charge of the UK government's Department for International Development (DfID) at a time when the country's aid programme for India was evolving from the traditional hand-outs system to a more collaborative one. 'India Investment Journal' caught up with the minister as she completed six months in Britain's Cabinet. “We don't give traditional aid to India but if we look at the facts - the UK is one of the largest investors in India and India is one of the largest investors in Britain. India invests more in the UK than whole of the European Union (EU) put together. “That says a lot about the strength of the private sector working relationship. We have many UK and Indian businesses working collaboratively together,” says Patel, when asked how the India-UK aid relationship is working in 2017. “Joint working on key initiatives in areas like smart cities, the technical assistance we are able to give, the energy side to meet development objectives and urbanisation, cleaning up waters and rivers - all strengthen and re-state our collaboration. It is an opportunity to bring the expertise and experience that the UK has more to the forefront,” says the senior minister in the Theresa May led Cabinet. The Gujarati-origin minister, who has served as the Indian Diaspora Champion in the UK Cabinet previously, also expressed her excitement over the launch of the UK India Year of Culture 2017 celebrations at Buckingham Palace in February. [caption id="attachment_10633" align="alignright" width="463"]

Priti Patel during a recent tour of Lebanon[/caption] “Throughout the year, we are going to see great works of art, great collaborations, all the cultural aspects coming together and a real demonstration of how strong our cultural ties are. It is going to be really exciting,” she said. The Conservative Party MP has completed just over six months in office as minister in the Department for International Development (DfID) but has already been on countless visits to war-torn regions and has just returned from Lebanon and Jordan, countries at the heart of the Syrian refugee crisis. She said: “It's been pretty humbling, my first six months; particularly where I have been and the state of the world in general. My focus has been on many of the humanitarian crises that have concentrated all our minds, in particular Syria. “The UK has been at the forefront of dealing with the crisis. We have committed 2.3 billion pounds since the start of this conflict. It is our biggest ever response to humanitarian crisis and makes us the second-largest bilateral humanitarian donor. We have helped to get over 250,000 Syrian children into schools and get them educated.” Asked about some of the negative rhetoric around refugees coming out of countries like the US under President Donald Trump, she said: “The US are a huge supporter to the refugee crisis, we should not lose sight of that. They are the number one contributor in the region. "We have to make sure that we work together with the international community, whether it is UN agencies or other country donors. It is about how we work together to provide the right support on the ground. “I think the British public should be incredibly proud of the fact that their generosity is saving lives and changing lives in difficult parts of the world, from north-east Nigeria, Ethiopia, Somalia to South Sudan.” When she was appointed as the DfID minister as Theresa May took charge of Downing Street in July 2016 just weeks after the Brexit referendum, Patel had declared her goal as ensuring that British aid delivers the country's global vision outside the European Union (EU). She sees her job as making sure the international aid system “does what it says on the tin” and delivers for the world's poorest. She explains: “The British public should be proud and feel confident in the way in which their development system and aid is spent. I am not afraid to stop things that I think don't work in our national interest or may not fit with our strategic priorities in Britain post-Brexit. “I want to demonstrate that our aid is working in our national interest and global interest, certainly in terms of supporting our place in the world.” However, it is no secret that her job hasn't been easy as she holds firm against a growing tide against the UK's aid programme. “While I appreciate that some might want to paint a particular point of view about aid, we should never lose sight of the fact that we have great values in the UK and the way we are there on the frontline supporting countries and people that are vulnerable and poor and need our help and assistance. “But at the same time, I am not afraid to challenge the aid system and the international development system and that is exactly what I am doing - challenging this department, the way we spend money, re-prioritising how we spend funds in some quarters. “I am also challenging the multi-lateral systems, large aid agencies, getting them to cut back on their overheads, deal with fraud.”