A report released today by the National Audit Office welcomed steps taken by the Department for International Development (DFID) to improve transparency over aid distributed via multilateral organisations.

Commenting on the report, Publish What You Fund Director David Hall-Matthews said:

‘We agree that DFID is making great steps to improve the transparency of its aid distribution, which will help to improve its effectiveness. The department should now work to ensure that all the multilaterals through which it gives aid, such as the EC, UN and World Bank, are just as transparent.’

The report also found that the review is a significant step towards DFID being able to improve the value for money from its spending through these organisations which totalled £3.6 billion in 2011-12.