Practical Insights on FCDO

International Development Cooperation in the Digital Age

FDCO Digital Development Strategy

The UK Aid Strategy for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO, the new DFID) sets out 4 strategic objectives in order to eliminate poverty, advance the UK’s national interest, and support the UN Global Goals:

  • strengthening global peace, security and governance
  • strengthening resilience and response to crises
  • promoting global prosperity
  • tackling extreme poverty and helping the world’s most vulnerable

Using technology, FCDO aims to continue DFID’s support the effective administration of the department and improve the flow of knowledge, so that FCDO staff can help the world’s poorest by being able to:

  • effectively deliver the UK’s aid programme and continue to improve aid quality through monitoring and evaluation, sharing knowledge and lesson learning
  • share data and collaborate across the department, UK government, donors, partner governments, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and multilateral and private sector partners

FCDO works at the intersection of technology, innovation, and international development to explore how digital solutions can achieve positive social impact.

Posts on FCDO/DFID Programmes

Read our growing list of news and insights on how FCDO is investing grant funding in digital development programming. DFID supported innovative ICT4D solutions in health, education, agriculture and civil society.

Introducing FCDO’s New Digital Development Strategy

Introducing FCDO’s New Digital Development Strategy

Published on: Apr 10 2024 by Guest Writer - Leave a Comment
On 18 March the FCDO launched its new Digital Development Strategy for 2024-2030. The strategy is a deliverable of the recently published White Paper on International...
UK’s International Technology Strategy on Quantum Technologies

UK’s International Technology Strategy on Quantum Technologies

Published on: Aug 02 2023 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on UK’s International Technology Strategy on Quantum Technologies
The UK cannot seek to be a world leader in all technologies. We will focus our efforts on emerging technologies where the UK has significant existing strength...
How Humanitarians Use Satellites in Crisis Response Programs

How Humanitarians Use Satellites in Crisis Response Programs

Published on: Mar 08 2023 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on How Humanitarians Use Satellites in Crisis Response Programs
Satellite applications developed by an increasingly complex web of supply-side stakeholders can be used across a wide range of use cases throughout the life cycle...
15 Ways Donors Support Digital Startups in Developing Countries

15 Ways Donors Support Digital Startups in Developing Countries

Published on: Mar 03 2023 by Wayan Vota - 2 Comments
Donors have a crucial role to play in supporting digital startup entrepreneurs in developing countries. USAID, FCDO, and the World Bank help startup technology...
3 Challenges Bringing Blockchain Land Tenure Records to India

3 Challenges Bringing Blockchain Land Tenure Records to India

Published on: Feb 23 2023 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on 3 Challenges Bringing Blockchain Land Tenure Records to India
Over the last year I’ve been lucky enough to work with an FTL Pilot team that is piloting the use of Blockchain to increase transparency in Land Records in India....
FCDO Funding for Digital Development Programs to Improve Aid

FCDO Funding for Digital Development Programs to Improve Aid

Published on: Dec 07 2022 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on FCDO Funding for Digital Development Programs to Improve Aid
The past decade has seen the United Kingdom’s government continue to evolve its strategy of “doing development in a digital world” from a sectoral lens towards...
Giving Thanks to ICT4D Donors that Changed Digital Development

Giving Thanks to ICT4D Donors that Changed Digital Development

Published on: Nov 24 2022 by Wayan Vota - 3 Comments
Today in the USA it is the Thanksgiving holiday, which historically was a day we gave thanks for a bountiful summer harvest and successful preparations for winter....
Apply Now: £45,000 to Advise FCDO on Frontier Technologies

Apply Now: £45,000 to Advise FCDO on Frontier Technologies

Published on: Jul 04 2022 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Apply Now: £45,000 to Advise FCDO on Frontier Technologies
New technologies and methodologies are disrupting and reshaping individuals, societies and economies. Emerging capabilities like machine learning, drones, blockchain...
Apply Now: £60,000 for Decentralized Web3 Solutions in Aid Programing

Apply Now: £60,000 for Decentralized Web3 Solutions in Aid Programing

Published on: Feb 07 2022 by Wayan Vota - 2 Comments
The World Wide Web was originally conceived as an open protocol with value shared among decentralized systems and users. This Web 1.0 vision soon became Web 2.0...
The ICT4D Guilty Pleasure: Reinventing Digital Wheels for Donors

The ICT4D Guilty Pleasure: Reinventing Digital Wheels for Donors

Published on: Feb 18 2021 by Nadia Andrada - 28 Comments
We are all familiar with the concept of reinventing the flat tire in digital development. That’s when we repackage a known failure as new innovation, usually...