UK cuts aid to Africa and Syria by more than 40% in favor of defense and security - Sarmad

The Financial Times revealed that Britain will cut direct economic aid to several African countries and Syria by more than 40%, due to reductions in allocations for these purposes.

London made this decision last year, and British aid allocated to programs in African and other countries is expected to decrease by 43%, from £3.14 billion ($4.24 billion) in the 2024-2025 fiscal year to £1.79 billion ($2.42 billion) in the 2028-2029 fiscal year, according to the newspaper.

African countries such as Sierra Leone will be affected the most, with aid declining by 83%, followed by Somalia (49%) and South Sudan (46%). Aid to Syria will also drop by 55%, and to Afghanistan by 39%.

This decision comes at a time when these countries are facing severe humanitarian crises, prompting criticism from relief organizations that warned the cuts would lead to “loss of life” and undermine decades of development progress.

These cuts are part of a reallocation of British spending. Last March, the government announced a comprehensive review of foreign aid, aiming to reduce expenditure and increase focus on security and defense priorities.

A report by the International Development Committee noted that the cuts come as Britain faces growing financial pressures, with the government intending to redirect funds toward strengthening defense capabilities.

The decision has sparked a wave of criticism, with UN officials and relief groups expressing concern that the cuts will exacerbate humanitarian conditions in the most affected countries, particularly in regions such as the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, which are already suffering from drought and conflict. Oxfam also warned that these cuts would be “catastrophic” for the most vulnerable groups.

It is worth noting that Britain had previously committed to allocating 0.7% of its national income to aid, but reduced this to 0.5% during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now to 0.3%.