Alan announces £331 million Nepal aid
21 March 2011
The Minister of State for International Development, Alan Duncan, launched the Government’s new operational plan in Kathmandu, Nepal on 9 March 2011.
This plan commits the UK government to working in Nepal over the next four years (2011-2015), with an allocation of £331 million, to:
- Support the peace process, help strengthen governance and improve security and access to justice
- Help poor and excluded people benefit from economic growth
- Help deliver better health and education services
- Help Nepal adapt to climate change
- Reduce risk from disasters, including earthquake
- Improve the lives of women and girls
The plan will create 230,000 jobs; reduce climate vulnerability of 3 million poor people; lift 570,000 people out of poverty through the forestry programme alone; avert 108,200 unintended pregnancies; and provide safe latrines for 110,000 people.
Alan said:
“We recognise that to reduce poverty and vulnerability we need to promote political agreement and stability. Equally, unless our programmes help poor, vulnerable and excluded citizens on the ground, a return to conflict will be more likely. That’s why we are supporting Nepal’s peace process and helping tackle poverty at the same time.”
“Nepal is a priority country for UK development assistance. By 2014/15, we will have increased our aid to Nepal by 91%.”
“Our increased commitment to Nepal means increased accountability to our tax payers. So we want every single penny of the aid budget to make a difference and we will scrutinize how it is spent. Value for money and accountability are our new mantra of how we operate and what we require of our partners.”