A new report has highlighted how crucial a role UK military personnel played in several UK programmes in the 2017 financial year.
The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) manages the UK’s support to countries which are at risk of conflict or instability. Its strategic direction is set by the National Security Council.
“Whether it’s contributing to the destruction of Daesh or rapidly responding to natural disasters, our world class Armed Forces are always ready to help make the world more secure”
Gavin Williamson on the CSSF report
In its ‘Annual Report 2017/18‘, the CSSF praised the defence contribution to the Hurricane Irma relief effort, the training provided to the African Union Mission to Somalia, and the UK support to the Lebanese military.
Irma
The CSSF distributed £57 million responding to Hurricane Irma. 59% of that money was used by the MoD for their response.
The MoD worked alongside other government bodies to ensure the re-electrification of Anguilla within three months of Hurricane Irma passing in September 2017.
Lebanon
Over the past year, Lebanon has taken in over 1.5 million refugees from Syria. CSSF funds have helped support the Lebanese education and municipal systems, while the MoD have supported the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
The LAF have secured an additional 30% of the Lebanese-Syrian border, securing the border for the first time. This is in large part due to the UK’s support. As a result, some farmers are reportedly now returning to land they have not had access to for 50 years.
The Lebanon is the only nation – and the LAF the only army – to have successfully repelled an invasion from Da’esh.
Iraq
‘One of the CSSF’s longest running programmes
is funding the UK’s contribution to the Global Coalition’s Communications Cell which reduces Daesh’s capability to recruit, incite attacks and inspire support by tackling its propaganda’
In 2017/18, the CSSF spent £28.85 million on their ‘Iraq Programme’.
CSSF funding specifically paid for the rehabilitation of a water plant serving over 300,000 people in Mosul, and also repaired over 2,000 homes in the city. This was done in partnership with The Global Coalition, and the MoD.
They didn’t specify where £9.12m of that amount was spent ‘in the interests of national security, and so one can assume that money was MoD spent.
Somalia
The CSSF also operate their ‘Somalia Early Recovery Stabilisation in Newly Recovered Areas Programme’. £1.1m was spent on this, all by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the MoD.
Indeed, the MoD received £244m from the CSSF in 2017/18, the 2nd largest recipient of CSSF money behind the FCO. £79.5m of that went to Op TORAL, the contribution to security in Afghanistan as part of NATO’s Resolute Support mission.
Cue people asking if this comes out of the foreign aid budget in
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The answer would be no.
does this come out of the foreign aid budget?
I was wondering…. does this money come from the foreign aid budget?
Remember, the more the UK does the more difficult it will be to take a nonchalant knife to such budgets. This means the RN and affiliates retain their ships, which can’t be bad….can it?
Don’t worry.
When Corbyn gets in being a pacifist and opposed to oversees operations except feeding the starving that wipes out much of the military at a stroke.
So that won’t stop him in the slightest.
I may get pulled up by our learned left leaning friends on UKDJ and I would be delighted to be wrong. However I remain to be convinced and fear the worst.