UK announces £119m aid package to combat threat of coronavirus and famine

The UK will commit a new £119 million aid package to tackle the combined threat of coronavirus and famines, which is expected to help alleviate extreme hunger for over 6 million people in Yemen, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Somalia, Central African Republic, the Sahel, South Sudan and Sudan.

As the new Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is inaugurated today, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab pledged to use the UK's diplomatic levers and aid expertise to build a stronger international consensus to fight back against the devastating impacts of coronavirus, conflict and climate change. 
 
Alongside the aid package, Dominic Raab has appointed Nick Dyer as the UK's first Special Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs to work in partnership with other donors, UN agencies, NGOs and foundations to help prevent catastrophic famine.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said, "Coronavirus and famine threaten millions in some of the world's poorest countries, and give rise to direct problems that affect the UK, including terrorism and migration flows.
 
"Global Britain, as a force for good in the world, is leading by example and bringing the international community together to tackle these deadly threats, because it's the right thing to do and it protects British interests.
 
"We can only tackle these global challenges by combining our diplomatic strength with our world-leading aid expertise."
 
As the UK takes on the presidencies of the G7 and COP26, the Foreign Secretary will urge other countries to step up and help the developing world, as it faces a series of devastating challenges.