Telegraph: UK PM Sunak could freeze foreign aid for two more years
October 29, 2022, 7:58 am

Telegraph: UK PM Sunak could freeze foreign aid for two more years

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

New British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is considering freezing the country's foreign aid budget for an additional two years, the Telegraph reported on Friday, citing sources.

Britain's spending on foreign aid is set at 0.5% of national income. The government had cut its foreign aid spending two years ago as the country faced a huge hit to public finances due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sunak, who was finance minister at the time, had said last year that foreign spending should return to 0.7% of economic output by 2024-2025.

However, according to the Telegraph report, officials are considering extending the foreign aid spending cut by another two years to 2026-2027.

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The report added there was scope for deeper cuts alongwith an option to peg foreign aid spending to inflation for three years in the future.

The report comes as the government draws up spending cuts and cancels tax cuts as the rising cost of mortgages, food, fuel and heating squeezes many household budgets.

UK's Treasury department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Source: anews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”