The UK government announced on Wednesday allocation of GBP four million from the existing aid budget to address irregular migration at source and support vulnerable communities. The funding aims to support programmes across the globe, including those which aim to reduce migration flows upstream as well as protecting migrants from being exploited by criminal smuggling gangs, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in a statement. The funding will be channeled to the UN's Migration Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MMPTF), which was launched in 2019 to help implement the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. The MMPTF has to date funded 24 programmes around the world in collaboration with 16 UN organisations, including initiatives which tackle organised immigration crime, such as by training border authorities and security officials in efforts in Guinea and Liberia. Others are aimed at supporting migrant communities globally, and in doing so support our work to tackle criminal smugglin g gangs. This includes providing health and housing support to migrant street children in Ethiopia and supporting migrants in Ecuador to build skills and find employment opportunities. Today's announcement follows a commitment made by the Prime Minister during this year's European Political Conference (EPC) to work with international partners, including countries across the Global South, to tackle the migration crisis. The Prime Minister announced an up to GBP 84 million funding package for projects across Africa and the Middle East to address the factors that drive people into small boats. Source: Kuwait News Agency