International budget to focus on Africa

Britain's overseas aid budget was boosted by £1.5bn yesterday to help tackle deprivation in the world's poorest countries, particularly those in Africa.

Clare Short, the Secretary of State for International Development, said she was "pleased" with the increase, the biggest in a UK aid budget.

The department's budget, which includes a £1bn annual programme for Africa, will increase to £4.9bn per year by 2005-06.

The money will be spent on conflict prevention, paying for primary education and basic health services and teaching war-torn nations about good governance.

Ms Short said that by 2005-06 the extra money would enable Britain to allocate 0.4 per cent of national income to overseas aid.

"Since 1997, the Government has worked to focus the international community on halving world poverty by 2015," she said.

"The UK programme has increased in size, effectiveness and poverty focus. This increase in UK assistance enables us to increase our contribution to the reduction of poverty and to help increase the number of children in school and the access of the poor to health care."

But charities are concerned that the cash is insufficient to enable Britain to meet its long-term target of allocating 0.7 per cent of national income to overseas aid.

Christian Aid welcomed the money but warned that other countries would have to match spending to make a difference to the world's poor.