Britain will cohost a two‑day Global Partnerships Conference in London on 19–20 May, billed as a finance‑first reboot of development policy. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) confirmed the plan on 20 February, with South Africa, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and British International Investment (BII) named as co‑hosts. (gov.uk)

Officials say the event is designed to build modern coalitions around three levers: mobilising a wider mix of finance, applying new technology and backing local leadership. The FCDO describes a shift from being a donor to operating more like an investor, with a stronger emphasis on value for money for UK taxpayers. (gov.uk)

Expect BII to sit at the centre of that strategy. The UK’s development finance institution, led by chief executive Leslie Maasdorp since late 2024 and appointed to the board in January 2025, invests around £1bn a year across Africa, Asia and the Caribbean-giving it convening power with private capital. (bii.co.uk)

For investors, the track record matters. Between 2017 and 2023 BII’s investments helped draw in roughly £6bn of private capital; since 2020 it has committed £1.6bn to climate finance; and over the past decade it has returned £1.3bn to the Exchequer-money that can be recycled. Those figures were set out by BII’s CEO in a letter to the Financial Times. (ft.com)

The conference also sits alongside the FCDO’s MOBILIST programme, which backs listed products in emerging markets to attract institutional money. Recent updates include fresh Norwegian support for MOBILIST and plans to deploy a further £100m; the approach is already visible in public markets via IFC’s $510m securitisation with a Mobilist‑backed equity tranche listed in London. (gov.uk)

Deal flow is building. Last summer, Helios’ CLEAR fund reached a $200m first close with support from InfraCo Africa, BII and MOBILIST-an example of blended structures the UK wants to scale. For UK pension schemes and managers, this points to more co‑investment routes into climate and infrastructure with defined exit pathways. (mobilistglobal.com)

Philanthropy and local leadership remain part of the design. CIFF’s Kate Hampton argues philanthropy should work alongside governments, DFIs, academics and civil society to bring skills and capital; South Africa’s Maropene Ramokgopa frames the aim as inclusive growth that leaves no one behind. Those priorities will shape the May agenda. (gov.uk)

What to watch next: a venue announcement, early signals on which vehicles and guarantees will be prioritised, and clarity on where UK asset owners-pension funds, insurers, investment trusts-are expected to participate. The FCDO says the goal is new, diverse partnerships that help countries build self‑sustaining growth. Venue remains to be confirmed. (gov.uk)