Theresa May: UK foreign aid policy should 'unashamedly' benefit Britain as well
1 min read
Theresa May will say she is "unashamed" about British foreign aid being used in the interests of the UK as well as poverty-stricken nations across the globe.
The Prime Minister will declare that the Government's multi-billion pound international development budget must be used to "support our own national interest" by helping to boost trading links for UK firms after Brexit.
She will set out her new approach in a speech in Cape Town, which she is visiting as part of a three-day trip to Africa which will also see her go to Nigeria and Kenya.
Mrs May will say: "I am unashamed about the need to ensure that our aid programme works for the UK.
"So today I am committing that our development spending will not only combat extreme poverty, but at the same time tackle global challenges and support our own national interest.
"This will ensure that our investment in aid benefits us all, and is fully aligned with our wider national security priorities."
The Prime Minister - who will visit Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years - will argue that helping African countries grow their economies will increase trade with Britain and help reduce migration flows to Europe.
Making it easier for UK firms to do business in Africa will also help to unleash that continent's "entrepreneurial spirit," the Prime Minister will say.
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