This is the third in a series of papers on the UK’s Department for International  Development (DFID) between 1997 and 2020. It analyses DFID’s impact in reducing global  poverty between 2003 and 2010, particularly in 18 low-income countries in which the  majority of the world’s extreme poor lived and where the department focused much of its  effort. The global context in this era was conducive for progress in poorer countries, until  the environment deteriorated in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. DFID’s growing  budget, influence, capability, focus and political support from the highest levels of the  UK government allowed it, in these years, to make a substantial contribution towards the  achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. These years also saw the emergence  for the first time of a cross-party political consensus that the UK should aim to play a  leading role in international development, creating a platform for a further decade of  strong British commitment towards the reduction of global poverty. By 2010, however,  there were signs of choppier waters ahead, with some features of the previous DFID  approach beginning to fray.