LONDON, July 13: Britain on Thursday launched a 100-million-pound ($184-million) fund to fight corruption in the developing world and pledged to boost spending on health and education there.

The announcement was part of a government strategy to meet the challenges addressed at a Group of Eight (G8) summit last year to fight poverty in Africa.

And it came as Prime Minister Tony Blair prepared to jet out to Russia for this year's annual summit of leading world powers.

Fleshing out the details, International Development Secretary Hilary Benn said the new fund would help promote good governance and transparency.

“Aid works -- it saves lives and supports economic growth,” he said.

“But long-term progress in the fight against poverty will only be achieved through effective government, and by people with the voice and confidence to hold their governments to account,” Benn said in a statement.

The government also plans to double its spending on education in the developing world to more than one billion pounds a year.—AFP