The British government has caused outrage after signing a $138m (£100m) aid deal with Saudi Arabia.
The deal, which coincided with the controversial Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the U.K., will see the U.K. and Saudi Arabia work together to improve infrastructure in drought and conflict-stricken areas.
Many in the U.K. have highlighted Saudi Arabia’s bloody campaign in Yemen as a reason not to cooperate with the kingdom on development projects, noting that Saudi Arabia is attempting to whitewash its horrific human rights record and its role in the deaths of tens of thousands of Yemeni civilians.
The $138m aid deal will result in the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID) working alongside the Saudi Fund for Development.
Others have pointed towards Saudi Arabia’s vast wealth as another reason not to use British government funds to cooperate with the oil-rich kingdom in aid efforts.
Saudi’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, reportedly spent $450m on a Leonardo da Vinci painting, as well as $320m on a luxury French house.
He is also reported to have been the buyer of a $620m superyacht.
Fury over £100m aid deal between UK and Saudi Arabia. Not only are they nasty in Yemen they have vast oil wealth and princely billionaires https://t.co/877RFmmkzx
— Angus Jenkinson (@angusjenkinson) March 10, 2018
@jeremycorbyn have the @Conservatives been keeping this magic money tree to themselves all along? £1bn to the DUP and a £100 million to one of the richest countries in the World.https://t.co/egpCxx5ghF
— Not a sheep (@Not1oftheSheep) March 11, 2018
