In 2013, the United Kingdom Government announced its pledge to provide 0.7% of its gross national income (GNI) as ODA. The following three years, new research funds were set up to support research activities tackling challenges faced by developing countries (see box 4.1). A second aim of the research funds were also to benefit from the high quality standard of research conducted in the United Kingdom. While the Department for International Development (DFID) has committed to invest 3% of its budget in research, additional funding is expected to be provided through the new funds.