MOSCOW, February 2 (Sputnik) — A cross-party group of British parliamentarians said in a study that the United Kingdom must continue providing help to rapidly developing countries such as China, India and Brazil, as many of their citizens still live below the poverty line, The Guardian reported Monday.
Although the parliamentarians noted that such countries may no longer require traditional aid due to their increasing wealth, they still need assistance in the areas of finance, tax, arms policy and battling corruption.
Following the British parliament's approval of spending 0.7 percent of the budget on aid, the parliamentarians advised finding new ways to cooperate with the rapidly developing countries, rather focusing only on money.
“The committee is absolutely right to identify that there are many things beyond traditional aid that drive development and help reduce poverty, including trade, tax, conflict, corruption and disease,” a spokesperson for the Department for International Development was quoted as saying by The Guardian.
Financial aid to developing countries such as China and India was criticized by many members of United Kingdom’s Conservative and Ukip parties, who said that financial aid to countries that have their own space exploration programs is unnecessary.
