Brown's victory as EU aid is doubled.

GORDON Brown yesterday hailed a breakthrough deal by EU leaders to almost double aid to the world's poorest countries by 2010.

It means in five years, the EU will be giving pounds 44.3billion, up from pounds 22.4billion last year.

Africa is expected to get about half of the money.

The 15 richest EU nations promised to spend 0.51 per cent of their national income by 2010 in a move that will ratchet up pressure on the US.

PM Tony Blair flies to Washington soon to try to overcome president George Bush's resistance to boosting aid to eliminate poverty.

The agreement comes as Britain prepares to host the G8 summit - where debt will be a priority.

The deal was praised by Make Poverty History campaigners Adrian Lovett, of Oxfam, said: 'The Europeans have thrown down the gauntlet to the Americans.'

Japan and Canada will also come under pressure to give more at Gleneagles in July.

The Chancellor said yesterday: 'I believe we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

'If the countries meeting in Gleneagles in a few weeks can agree a package, that will mean debt relief, aid, trade justice.

'We will never relax our efforts to help the world's children.'

The newest 10 EU members, most of them relatively poor, agreed a target of 0.17 per cent.

But the Lib Dems said the targets were not enough. They fall short of the UN's target of 0.7 per cent by 2015.

And there were warnings that there must be new safeguards against corruption

CAPTION(S):

DEAL: Gordon Brown