UK Cuts Aid Budget 40% to Boost Defense Spending

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper announced on Thursday that the UK will reduce its official development assistance budget by 40 percent over the next three years, redirecting funds to bolster defence spending amid global threats. The move lowers aid from 0.5 percent to 0.3 percent of gross national income by 2027, affecting programmes in health, education, and climate support for some of the world's poorest nations.

In a statement to Parliament, Cooper outlined priorities for the reduced budget, emphasizing humanitarian crises, global health, and climate and nature initiatives as core focuses. The UK plans to allocate £6 billion over three years to international climate finance projects, including emissions reductions and adaptation efforts, down from £11.6 billion pledged over the previous five years. Officials also aim to mobilize an additional £6.7 billion in UK-backed climate and nature-positive investments, alongside efforts to attract private finance for disaster recovery, such as risk insurance in vulnerable regions.

Bilateral aid to Africa, home to many low-income countries, will face the steepest cuts, dropping from £1.3 billion annually to £677 million by 2029, a...