Transparency data

Enabling Activity Supporting FCO Priorities: objectives 2019 to 2020

Published 19 September 2019

1. Overview

The FCO uses a small proportion of its Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget to enable wider departmental policy outcomes through rapid, flexible, small scale, one off or exploratory activities. These activities are largely below the project level in support of FCO priority outcomes in country or across regions. This programme was previously known as Frontline Diplomatic Enabling Activity.

2. FCO objectives on enabling activity

This responsive and agile funding supports the UK’s National Security Strategy and the FCO’s Strategic Objectives highlighted in its Single Departmental Plan. It helps the FCO to tackle complex global challenges, contributing to reducing global poverty and obstacles to sustainable development in line with the UK’s Aid Strategy and helping to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It allows Diplomatic Missions to respond rapidly to opportunities to support the Government’s goals to:

• protect our people to help reduce security threats internationally or prevent or mitigate the effect of crises in vulnerable countries. This will help build more resilient countries worldwide

• project our global influence by working to ensure more stable, prosperous, sustainable and fair societies. This includes support to reducing conflict and building stability (including through the Rules Based International System - RBIS) and championing our values to promote human and environmental security

• promote our prosperity through assistance and collaboration which helps to build more prosperous societies. This includes supporting economic development and security, clean and sustainable growth and better business environments

3. Official Development Assistance (ODA) and enabling activity

This programme strand is a blend of ODA and non-ODA. ODA scoring within this programme is limited to ODA-eligible activities in DAC-listed countries.

This programme enables the FCO to respond quickly and tactically when short-term opportunities open up to tackle challenges, including via e.g. requests for training or technical assistance.

4. Project objectives for enabling activity

Projects and sub-project activities supported by this programme contribute to the FCO’s policy priorities and/or support broader strategies including:

• strengthening global peace, security and governance by helping to build stability and tackling the root causes of conflict. This could include efforts to: reduce extremism and hate speech; reduce serious and organised crime; tackle illegal migration; constrain weapons proliferation; defend international cyberspace; strengthen the Rules Based International System; broaden participation in politics and society; promote human and environmental security, champion democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, and address global challenges. This includes working with governments to strengthen reform and promote stability and security

• strengthening resilience of poor and fragile states to disasters, shocks and climate change. This could include support to increase disaster preparedness as well as support to respond to crises overseas

• promoting global prosperity to help tackle poverty. This could include promoting economic development and security; supporting sustainable growth and development, as well as efforts to support climate change adaptation; building better business environments; supporting efforts to reduce corruption; and deepening relationships between states and people to help build more prosperous, secure, sustainable and fairer societies

Most activities undertaken in support of this programme will occur at the sub-project level and compliment the government’s wider efforts including through the cross-government funds. Activities under the FCO programme could include:

• supporting inward or outward visits, and other tailored events and activities in eligible countries
• assistance to groups in eligible countries to participate in national, regional, and international events
• support for technical assistance, provision of specialist expertise, training etc including through provision of expert seminars, workshops or facilitated dialogues
• scoping visits to identify whether a full-scale project is feasible

5. Enabling activity programme during financial year 2018 to 2019

Project activity during financial year 2018 to 2019 was small scale. Some of the successes for financial year included:

• providing training in digital literacy and coding in Peru and Colombia
• support to Cambodian attendance at key UK conferences including the attendance of the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister to the London International Wildlife Trade Conference. Cambodia is now working to implement a domestic ivory ban
• helping to grow the Fintech Sector and deliver financial services in Ghana
• supporting engagement between UK universities and Guatemalan institutions and building capacity to assist Guatemalan disaster preparedness. This has contributed to improved monitoring capacities of Fuego Volcano and helped position the UK as an important partner in disaster preparedness

6. Enabling activity programme budget for financial year 2019 to 2020

The ODA budget for the enabling activity programme is £7.2 million.