The UK has axed around a dozen crucial programmes to combat terror and extremism threats as a result of cuts to the aid budget, with experts warning the move will increase the risk of attacks on British soil.
Senior defence figures and those working in the aid sector warned cancelling projects in Africa, the Middle East and Asia would “undermine national security” and lead to more problems “washing up on our shores”.
The move comes after ministers announced swingeing cuts to the international aid budget last week as the Government aims to use the money to increase defence spending.
Projects that have had their funding stopped include those in Sudan, Somalia and Tunisia and were previously described by the Foreign Office (FCDO) as being “essential” to counter the rise of violence and extremism.
Among those being scrapped is a programme in Jordan which official documents said was designed to combat “escalating and internal threats, including Iranian-backed militias“.
Former defence minister Tobias Ellwood described the cuts as “very short-sighted”.
“There’s an absence of understanding as to how important soft power is and Britain’s historical role in its leadership,” Ellwood told The i Paper. “There is a difference between hard power and soft-power programmes, because soft-power programmes tackle extremism.
“More tanks, more ships, more planes, of course are welcome, but they don’t tackle extremism. They’re not going to push Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram or al-Qaeda back into their box, nor support the locals and prevent them from being indoctrinated.”
He added: “The less you spend on aid, the more you spend in the long term on hard power.”
The i Paper has previously reported how Iran is believed to have drawn up a blueprint for terror attacks involving sleeper cells and proxy groups in Britain.
Last year, MI5 warned that Iran had been behind 20 potentially lethal plots on UK soil in the previous 12 months, with the Israeli embassy in London believed to have been one of the targets.
According to the FCDO, the £10.8m Jordan Shared Security and Stability Programme strengthens Jordan’s ability to tackle international organised crime and violent extremist groups by enhancing “border security against smuggling and hybrid threats” and its “capacity to counter cyber attacks and violent extremism”.
The official summary of the scheme adds: “By integrating military, intelligence and diplomatic efforts, and coordinating with international partners, the UK delivers catalytic benefits that reinforce Jordan’s stability while safeguarding shared regional and global security interests.”
Another project being wound up this month is the £14m East Africa Threats Programme, which was established to guard against the “rising threats” from terror groups Al-Shabaab and Islamic State affiliates.
The FCDO said the scheme “provides advisory support, research and targeted training in counter insurgency, counter-terrorist finance and strategic communications, integrating development and security efforts” but will now be cancelled.
Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, told the House of Commons last week that the reduction in aid funding “inevitably leads to hard choices and unavoidable trade-offs”, adding that the Government was focusing aid on “the people and places that need it most”.
As part of the cutbacks, the FCDO has slashed spending on the Integrated Security Fund (ISF), a cross-government pot of money tackling the “highest priority threats to national security”, both in the UK and abroad.
The ISF is losing 43 per cent of its aid budget funding, meaning spending on conflict-prevention work and peacebuilding efforts will come down from £343m in 2024/25, to £194m in 2026/27.
Jonathan Cohen, executive director of Conciliation Resources, said: “Tackling the root causes of instability and conflict should be part of an integrated approach to national security. Narrowing the scope of the ISF activities is short-sighted. Experience tells us that sustained peacebuilding efforts reduce insecurity. It is a false economy to remove them from the UK’s response to global threats.”
The comments were echoed by Shelagh Daley, policy team lead at Saferworld, an international organisation which works to prevent violent conflict. She said: “It is concerning that a funding mechanism that used to be called the ‘conflict pool’ now has such scant focus on preventing conflict.
“The Government has chosen to cut ISF funding in conflict-affected regions like the Middle East just as conflict is rapidly escalating. Too narrow a focus on ‘national security’ is likely to actually undermine it by missing opportunities to address the root causes of violence, insecurity and instability.”
The FCDO has been approached for comment.
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