Blair, Brown promise an extra £540 million to Pakistan, Iraq

November 19, 2006

On Sunday, Prime Minister Blair is expected to pledge to double the UK's development aid for Pakistan to £480m ($960m) during the next three years. Also this weekend, Chancellor Brown promised an extra £100m ($188m) to Iraq to "help rebuild the economy".

Tony Blair expects to meet the President of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to discuss anti-terrorism measures and the radicalisation of youth.

Gordon Brown met some of the 7,000 British troops deployed in the theatre and said he hoped to see troop reduction in the next few months. He also met Iraqi deputy prime minister Barham Saleh and some senior Iraqi ministers and discussed the economy with them.

This is Brown's first visit to Iraq and it is seen as part of a programme to establish his credentials as Blair's successor.