Emma McClarkin

Emma McClarkin MEP hears from Bill Gates about the real difference development aid is making

7th April, 2011

East Midlands Conservative MEP Emma McClarkin hears this week about the real difference development aid makes, after meeting Microsoft chairman and philanthropist Bill Gates in the European Parliament’s Development committee.

Mr Gates told the committee about his concerns over sanitisation and the spread of disease, and pointed out that his foundation had funded projects to find innovative solutions to areas that are challenged either by water shortages or by flooding. Mr Gates said his foundation had proven results in saving lives and improving conditions.

Miss McClarkin asked Mr Gates about how we can continue to provide more transparent aid to poorer countries whilst also encouraging more open trade. Mr Gates highlighted the need for transparency and simplification of procedures as well as explanations of how aid was spent. He emphasised the work that ‘Living Proof’ was carrying out to highlight the tangible results that are being provided by development money.

Speaking afterwards, Miss McClarkin said:

“It was great to meet with Bill Gates to hear of the work he is doing with the Gates Foundation and how he hopes to reassure people of the value their aid brings to the lives of many many people in the developing world.

“The old proverb of ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime’ is still extremely relevant to our aid policy. Mr Gates has inspired us to look again at how we spend money in poorer countries, so that it is focused on tangible outcomes.

“I’m very proud that the UK Government has increased the aid budget in order to meet its promise to spend 0.7% of Gross National Income on aid from 2013, and I hope that other EU Member States will do the same.

“By increasing aid budgets we can help to fund more important projects such as innovation in sanitation systems, which would do so much to stop the spread of diseases.”