ICAI's report: DFID's trade development work in Southern Africa

Witnesses

Tuesday 10 December, Committee Room 5, Palace of Westminster

At 10.30am:

Independent Commission for Aid Impact

• Graham Ward CBE, Chief Commissioner and Lead Commissioner for the Southern Africa Trade review
• Mark Hellyer, Team Leader for the Southern Africa trade review
• Alexandra Cran-McGreehin, Head of the ICAI Secretariat

At 11.15am:

Department for International Development

• Rt Hon Justine Greening MP, Secretary of State for International Development
• Mark Lowcock, Permanent Secretary, DFID

Purpose of the Session

This session was set up at short notice in order to obtain a UK Government response to ICAI’s report on Southern African Trade (published on 6 December). ICAI awarded its first overall ‘Red’ traffic light rating for the report, which made serious criticisms of the DFID-funded £100 million Trademark Southern Africa (TMSA) programme. ICAI will set out their concerns about TMSA, before the Committee hears the response of the Secretary of State for International Development, and DFID’s Permanent Secretary.

Announcing the evidence session, Sir Malcolm Bruce said

‘The revelations made in ICAI’s report on DFID’s Trade Development Work in Southern Africa raise serious concerns. ICAI has uncovered serious deficiencies in DFID’s £100 million TradeMark South Africa programme, including financial mismanagement, poor governance, insufficient reporting and lack of oversight. Worst of all, there has been little or no benefit to the poor. I have called DFID’s Secretary of State, Rt Hon Justine Greening MP, and the Permanent Secretary, Mark Lowcock, to appear before the Committee on Tuesday morning to give an account of DFID’s actions.’

Further information

• About Parliament: Select Committees
• Visiting Parliament: Watch Committees
• ICAI's Report on Southern African Trade (PDF 70 KB)