The United Kingdom is delivering significantly more bilateral aid than expected this year — including a 10% increase for countries in Africa — after avoiding budget cuts widely feared just months ago.
A long-delayed funding breakdown for the 2024-25 financial year ending in March shows £3.2 billion (almost $4 billion) allocated for regional programs — compared with an anticipated £2.7 billion, and double the £1.58 billion spent in 2023-24.
Of that £3.2 billion, countries in Africa are receiving £1.5 billion, which is 10% more than expected when provisional allocations were announced before Labour gained power from the Conservatives last July.