The Welsh government confirmed it will terminate its financial support for the charity Size of Wales once the current grant expires in March 2027. Officials maintained the decision was driven by severe resource limitations rather than deficiencies in the project, which successfully planted 25 million trees around Mbale. Conservative and Reform UK politicians celebrated the shift toward funding local schools and hospitals, while the Liberal Democrats strongly condemned the retreat from global environmental commitments.
Key points
Budgetary pressures are forcing Welsh ministers to prioritize domestic spending over inte…: Budgetary pressures are forcing Welsh ministers to prioritize domestic spending over international aid initiatives.
The decision has polarized the Senedd, winning praise from right-wing parties while drawi…: The decision has polarized the Senedd, winning praise from right-wing parties while drawing sharp criticism from left-wing politicians.
Ministers plan to craft a new international strategy focusing strictly on value for money…: Ministers plan to craft a new international strategy focusing strictly on value for money and measurable impacts.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
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The Welsh government will end funding for a tree-planting scheme in Uganda that was branded "woke" by opposition politicians.
Wales had given more than £4m to climate change charity Size of Wales since 2015, including £350,000 during the current financial year, to work with Indigenous communities to promote tree-planting in the African nation.
Ministers said budgetary pressures meant "difficult decisions" had to be made and the charity would lose its grant for the scheme at the end of March 2027.
Right-wing parties in the Senedd welcomed the decision, and left-wing ones criticised it, with the Welsh Liberal Democrats accusing the Plaid Cymru-run government of "out-Reforming Reform".
Size of Wales, external works with Indigenous and local people worldwide to grow trees and protect at least two million hectares of tropical forests - an area the size of Wales.
Previous Welsh governments under Labour had started funding its work, which included the tree-planting scheme around Mbale in the Mount Elgon region of eastern Uganda, with 25 million trees planted as of 2025.
Previous criticism by opponents of the spending had…
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