Cash-strapped Britain doubles aid to Bangladesh
Mon, 3 Oct 2011 13:40 GMT
DHAKA, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Heavily indebted Britain is going ahead with a plan to double aid to Bangladesh as it tries to head off a confrontation with millions of public sector workers at home over spending cuts and raised taxes.
The British government is cutting state spending by 81 billion pounds over the next four years to help erase a budget deficit that has peaked at more than 10 percent of national output.
"Despite recession, we will double the aid (to Bangladesh) as the government is committed to contribute 0.7 percent of its gross national income to reduce poverty across the world," said Robert Gibson, the newly appointed British High Commissioner.
Bangladesh, one of the poorest countries in the world, will receive 1.0 billion pounds from Britain over the next four years.
Britain is Bangladesh's largest bilateral aid donor and one of the largest investors in the South Asian country.
The United States Agency for International Aid (USAID) on Monday said it would give more than $180 million in development assistance to Bangladesh this year, an increase of over $20 million from 2010.
(Reporting By Serajul Quadir; Editing by Anis Ahmed and Nick Macfie)
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