The U.K. is to stop sending official development assistance (ODA) to relatively affluent developing countries, including Vietnam, as the European country’s government focuses resources on countries with the highest levels of poverty. A review of £8.4 billion international development budget will herald the end of aid to Russia, Serbia, China, Cambodia and Moldova, Lao dong newspaper cited The Guardian newswire as saying. The changes will be announced by Andrew Mitchell, the international development secretary, who established separate reviews into Britain's bilateral and multilateral aid budgets after the general election. The European country will end direct aid for Vietnam after 2016, Fiona Lappin from U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) said, adding that her government will continue pledging aid for Vietnam next five years, however. The U.K. provided £250 for Vietnam in first five years of its bilateral cooperation, Lappin noted, revealing that two countries will gather to discuss on Vietnam’s demands next years. The aids will focus on improving education quality for ethnic students, rural transport, fresh water, environment and HIV/AIDS prevention. (Lao dong Mar 01 p6, www.guardian.co.uk [1] Feb 27)
