Devex: Aid sector slams DFID partnership with Saudi Arabia
“The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development has come under fire from the aid sector for signing a 100 million British pound ($138.45 million) aid partnership with Saudi Arabia’s development arm. The deal, announced by DFID during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to London last week, was quickly denounced by NGOs and opposition politicians. Kate Osamor, the shadow international development secretary, said the move allowed the Saudi government to ‘whitewash’ its reputation and role in the Yemen war…” (Edwards, 3/12).

The Guardian: ‘A national disgrace’: fury over £100m aid deal between U.K. and Saudi Arabia
“…Penny Mordaunt, the international development secretary, said: ‘The Saudi Fund has a long record of investing in successful development projects around the world.’ … Allan Hogarth, head of policy and government affairs at Amnesty International U.K., also voiced concern over the deal. He said: … ‘It is not good enough for the U.K. to provide humanitarian aid on the one hand and supply the weapons that fuel a humanitarian crisis on the other’ (McVeigh/Summers, 3/9).