Development aid cut leaves poorest nations on edge

The West is moving towards a “seismic shift” in foreign development aid with vital support programmes across the Middle East and North Africa cut from development money, aid workers have warned, according to The National on February 27th.

Britain and France have announced major reductions in their overseas spending and there are growing concerns that Europe’s move to the right will endanger more aid.

With the US axing much of its $43 billion US Agency for International Development (USAID) budget, Germany electing a more right-wing government and the Netherlands considering aid cuts, there are deep concerns that Britain, which is regarded as a global aid leader, might create a domino effect.

The National