Ending Cymru’s international spending and global engagement would cost more than it saves

Campaigners have warned that a motion tabled in the Senedd to end Welsh government spending on international relations would damage Cymru’s reputation as an open, outward-looking nation and weaken its ability to respond to global challenges such as climate change.

Llyr Powell from the Reform UK party has submitted a motion calling for the cessation of all Welsh government international relations spending. Critics have called this a step backwards for a nation that has built its global reputation on partnership, sustainability and solidarity.

The Welsh government’s international relations budget represents a very small proportion of overall public expenditure. It’s around £9.2m in total, of which approximately £1m supports international sustainable development activities. That’s equivalent to roughly 0.003% of total Welsh government spending.

Campaigners argue that despite its modest size, the budget delivers disproportionate value. They point as a clear example to the Mbale tree-planting initiative in Uganda, which plants a tree for every child born in Cymru.

The scheme has already sequestered an estimated 1.4m tonnes of carbon dioxide, equivalent to around a quarter of Cymru’s annual transport emissions. It also supports local livelihoods, reduces landslide risk and strengthens climate resilience in vulnerable communities.

Cymru’s place in the world

A spokesperson from Global Climate Justice Cymru said:

We regret Reform UK’s isolationist approach to Cymru’s place in the world.

At a time when climate change, economic inequality and conflict are global challenges that do not respect borders, turning inward and cutting off the partnerships that help us respond to them is not strength, it is retreat.

Cymru cannot insulate itself from the world by pretending it isn’t part of it.

The warning echoes the UK government’s own National Security Risk Assessment, which identifies biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse as top-tier threats to national security, economic stability and public wellbeing.

Environmental degradation, including deforestation in critical ecosystems like the Amazon, is linked to food insecurity, rising prices, instability and displacement worldwide.

The campaign also pointed to the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act. This requires Cymru to consider its contribution to global well-being as part of its approach to domestic policy. It’s not an optional extra, but a defining feature of how the nation is governed.

A spokesperson from Wales Overseas Agency Group said:

Cymru’s reputation as an outward-looking, internationally engaged nation has been hard-won. It reflects decades of leadership on sustainable development and global solidarity.

Cutting this funding would not save meaningful sums but it would send a damaging signal that Cymru is turning its back on the world.

Campaigners stressed that the costs involved are negligible in the context of overall public spending. The £1m sustainable development budget is equivalent to roughly 40 minutes of health spending in Cymru. While the entire international relations budget would barely cover six hours of healthcare spending.

They argue the real impact of cutting it would be reputational and economic. Around £8m of the budget supports international economic and cultural links. These are increasingly vital in the post-Brexit context, where Welsh exporters face new trade barriers, regulatory complexity and delays.

Campaigners are calling on Members of the Senedd to oppose the motion when it comes to a vote, and instead to recommit to Cymru’s role as a globally responsible, engaged and forward-looking nation working in partnership with others to advance shared prosperity, climate action and social justice.

Featured image via the Canary