Anti-comms

The International Policy Network has released a slightly wild-eyed critique of DfID's communications spend.

The thrust of the argument is spot on: 'Communications' shouldn't be used to covertly fund political activities, especially those of dubious benefit for development.

But doesn't this line of attack still miss the target? In 2008-09 DfID's communications budget was £140 million, but this is out of an overall spend of £6.1 billion.

To focus on the communications budget is therefore to distract attention from the more deep-rooted problems with aid transparency and effectiveness, which are of a different order of magnitude.