The British Government's decision to end aid to South Africa reflects a misunderstanding of the current state of global poverty which threatens to undermine development efforts so far. Clearly, these countries have not eradicated poverty. If wealthy countries are to contribute to development and the end of poverty, we must stop ignoring inequality.

Like Justine Greening, I can't understand the arguments made by some against spending 0.7% of GNI to relieve suffering overseas. They should remember that 7p in every £10 is a small slice of our national income when compared with the spectre of people dying unnecessarily, living without access to education or even clean water.

Asking 'does aid work?' is as absurd a question as 'do schools work?' or 'is government good?' Some aid works well and some doesn't. Sometimes schools fail. Sometimes governments get things wrong.

The ten things you need to know on Wednesday 1 May 2013... 1) FARAGE IN THE FIRING LINE "The unacceptable face of Ukip?" That's the headline on ...

We are heartened by this month's announcement by DFID of up to £35 million to address the issue of female genital mutilation (FGM) overseas and strongly commend the department on its new initiative.

A fortnight ago I announced that the UK, through the Department for International Development, would throw its weight behind the global movement to finally bring an end Female Genital Cutting (FGC). Momentum is building and I firmly believe we have a chance to end the practice within a generation...

In a speech on 18 March to the London Stock Exchange, international development secretary Justine Greening said the UK wants to make it easier for British businesses to get a slice of the aid budget. This sends a worrying signal that the government is putting the interests of the private sector ahead of the interests of the poor.

I still find myself largely in sympathy with Alan Duncan on aid and in particular on women's rights in Afghanistan. You don't have to be a cheerleader for military intervention in Afghanistan (I certainly wasn't) to take this view.

The UK has a duty to get behind this momentum and do all we can to keep it going. We owe it to the millions of girls who are at risk of being cut every year. And this is why the UK, through the Department for International Development, will this year become the largest single investor in ending female genital cutting.

The coalition government has provided nearly £40 million of ring-fenced funding for specialist domestic and sexual violence services, and national helplines. We've invested in changing attitudes and behaviours. You may have seen the UK television adverts we've launched to tackle rape and relationship abuse amongst teenagers. We've reformed our legislation, introducing two new stalking offences to better protect victims and better support the police and prosecutors who bring about justice. But we can and must do more.

We could be the generation to end poverty. For many that statement seems a little unbelievable at least in part because we've heard it all before. But it really is possible - the problem is maybe that we've tended to get too bogged down in the past and thinking that the problem of global poverty is just too big to solve.

Ipsos MORI recently released a poll which showed that three quarters (76%) of those surveyed in Britain say they know 'not very much' or 'nothing at all' about the development aid given by the UK to poorer countries.

Conflating poverty alleviation with peacekeeping and other military operations ignores a fundamental principal of economic efficiency - comparative advantage - and fuels mission creep, one of the most dangerous threats to military operations.

A UK taxpayer earning £30,000 per year will pay £7,065 in tax. Of that, £67 will go to the aid budget and £403 towards defence. That leaves £6,595 for everything else. A proper debate about government spending should surely recognise that pitching defence spending against aid is like robbing a pretty hard-up Peter to pay an even more impoverished Paul.

The United States must not cut back on foreign aid, the new American secretary of state John Kerry has said on the eve of his visit to London, amid re...

Today I met a future doctor, accountant and engineer. They were all 13 year old girls. The aspirations of these Ethiopian girls is heartening. The engineer says she wants to train to help "build up her country". I wouldn't bet against her doing just that.

Mobile money means more small, safe, cashless transactions can happen - urban workers can send money back to rural homes; small shops and stalls can trade more and grow their business.

Great strides have been made and great plans are underway in DFID. Now we need to ensure these plans are sustainable, beneficial to the majority of the poor, and have impact.

This week Comic Relief celebrated its 25th anniversary and as we look back over the years, there is a lot to be proud of. For the past quarter of a century, Comic Relief has inspired people up and down the country to play a part in changing the lives of millions of people across Africa for the better.

Imagine if, this evening, the entire population of the United States, Canada, Australia, Britain and the rest of Europe were going to bed hungry. And not just tonight, but one week after another.