Committee publication · Correspondence · 21 April 2026
Correspondence to the Minister of State for International Development & Africa relating to Partnership priorities in South Sudan, 13 February 2026
Summary
The International Development Committee chair writes to the Minister of State for International Development expressing alarm at a reported 90% cut to UK funding for the Girls Education for South Sudan (GESS) programme in the new financial year. The Committee warns this risks reversing progress in girls' education and undermining the UK's partnership credibility, and requests detailed information on funding decisions, impact assessments, embassy planning, and coordination with international partners.
Key findings
- UK funding for GESS programme faces a 90% cut in the new financial year, reportedly communicated by the South Sudan Minister of General Education
- GESS has achieved significant increases in girls' school attendance and is supporting education systems strained by 1.6m+ Sudan refugees
- Committee contends such reduction risks 'significant regression' in progress and represents a 'shortsighted own-goal' that undermines UK partnership credibility
- Committee seeks impact assessments on girls' education, three-year embassy business plans, and evidence of coordination with other international funders before any scaling back
Tone
CriticalTopics
Key actors
Sarah Champion MP, Baroness Chapman of Darlington, International Development Committee, Foreign Secretary, UK Foreign Office, South Sudan government, Girls Education for South Sudan (GESS) programme
Notable line
“Such a reduction to the overall programme would likely see significant regression in the progress that the GESS has made.”
Key Quotes
“Such a reduction to the overall programme would likely see significant regression in the progress that the GESS has made.”
“This would seem to be a shortsighted own-goal, undermining the efforts of the UK's partner South Sudan before they are self -sustaining, and setting a negative example to the UK's international partners who support this programme.”
“In particular, we are encouraged to see the attention paid to the impact of the conflict on women and girls, not just in Sudan but those who have fled the conflict to South Sudan and Chad.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗