UK vows to reverse cut in international aid when economy recovers from pandemic

UK vows to reverse cut in international aid when economy recovers from pandemic

Britain will reverse its major cut to overseas aid spending as soon as the economy recovers from the pandemic, the UK's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab vowed on Thursday.

Following a major backlash against Britain's reduction of more than £4 billion ($5.57bn) in international aid, Mr Raab made the unequivocal commitment to return it to 0.7 per cent of gross domestic product “when the fiscal situation allows”.

Despite his promise, he faced a torrent of questions over the impact of the reduction to 0.5 per cent of GDP, including the implications to British national security in the Sahel region where ISIS is growing in strength.