Kathmandu, July 26:

The British government has announced increases to the financial resources available to Nepal under the DFID bilateral development programme and the British Government’s Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP).

Planned bilateral expenditure by DFID in the UK financial year will increase by 10 per cent to Rs 4.29 billion, according to a press release issued by the Department for International Development (DFID) here today.

The decision by DFID ministers to increase resources for Nepal comes in response to the changed political context in the country. The hike in aid flow to aid flow is in contrast to the decline in support throughout 2005 and 2006.

Bob Smith, the acting head of DFID in Nepal said, “The additional funds will be used to support priorities agreed with the government and will be focused on programmes aimed at supporting peace, democratic change and basic services for the poorest and excluded.”

The British government’s GCPP funding for Nepal will more than double this financial year from British Pound 1.5 million to British Pound 3.4 million, according to the release.

The GCPP is jointly funded by the foreign and commonwealth office, the ministry of defence and DFID.