UK plans $175 million aid for Arab Spring nations

DEAUVILLE: Britain plans a 110 million pound ($175 million) aid package to help support the transition to democracy in countries like Tunisia and Egypt, the government said on Thursday.

The four-year aid programme was announced during the G8 meeting of world powers in the French town of Deauville at which the implications of the Arab Spring uprisings featured prominently.

Money will fund programmes to support greater political participation and strengthen the rule of law. Britain will also work with groups like the African and Islamic Development Banks to tackle high youth unemployment that helped to fuel unrest.

The funding would come out of existing budgets in Britain where the Conservative-led coalition has embarked on an austerity programme, officials said. Overseas development is one area that has been spared the sharp cuts in public spending.

Some critics have questioned the wisdom of protecting spending on overseas aid at a time when areas such as defence are facing budget cuts.

Prime Minister David Cameron said it was in Britain’s interest to reinforce moves towards greater democracy in the Middle East and North Africa.

“There is a real case for saying if you can secure greater democracy and freedom in countries like Egypt and Tunisia, that is good for us back at home,” Cameron told reporters.

“That will mean less extremism, it will mean more peace and prosperity, it will mean there will not be the pressure on immigration that may otherwise face our country,” he added.

The sums involved are relatively small when compared with 81 billion pounds of spending cuts which the government plans by 2015.

Egypt and Tunisia would be the initial focus for the funds, officials said, and countries like Jordan and Morocco could also benefit. Libya was not a likely recipient at this stage.