Stefan Dercon, Professor of Economic Policy at the Blavatnik School, and Ranil Dissanayake, currently studying for a DPhil in Public Policy at the School, co-authored a note on the recently announced merger between two departments of the UK government: the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for International Development (DFID).

Stefan is former DFID chief economist and Ranil has advised successive chief economists in the department.

In a Center for Global Development note – and related blog – the authors argue that the new departments has the potential to be a 'force for good' and offer some recommendations.