When the Government announced the ‘Integrated Review of foreign policy, defence, security and development’ in February 2020, it was described as the largest foreign-policy review since the Cold War: examining the UK’s objectives abroad, and aiming to establish the country as a “problem-solving and burden-sharing nation”. The Review, according to the Government, will consider the UK’s strategic aims, its capabilities, the role of its allies, and the “necessary reforms” to the “systems and structures” of UK Government Departments.
But the Government initially announced few details about the Review process, what strategic questions drive it, or how resources will be allocated to match the UK’s ambitions. This inquiry will examine the FCO’s contribution to the Review process, and ask what role and resources the Review should give to the FCO for UK foreign-policy strategy.
Read the key points in an interactive summary of our report