Government to give £5.6m aid package to help small Commonwealth islands develop maritime economies

David Cameron is to allocate overseas aid money to the likes of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Guyana

David Cameron introduced the e-petition initiative after entering Downing Street in 2010

The Government has unveiled a £5.6m package of support for small islands in the Commonwealth to help them protect and develop the maritime economies on which they are dependent.

At the Commonwealth summit in Malta, Prime Minister David Cameron allocated overseas aid money to the likes of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Guyana. Technical experts from British agencies will help them locate maritime opportunities, protect shipping routes,develop coastal infrastructure, manage fisheries, and mitigate pollution.

A further £15m has been given to extend an insurance fund that helps the Pacific Islands recover from disasters such as drought. Another £5m will be used to give low income countries technical expertise to put disaster contingency plans in place, while the Commonwealth will set up a working group to figure out how to get more private investment for environmentally friendly projects.

Mr Cameron has offered this money ahead of next week's international climate change talks in Paris.

He said: “Britain is firmly committed to helping these countries deal with the effects of climate change and that’s why we’re announcing new support today to help protect them from the risks of climate change and to make the most of their natural maritime advantages which are so vital to their economies.”