UK Sport has pledged to help paralympic sport in developing countries through a four-year agreement with the International Paralympic Committee.

The initiative will work with selected National Paralympic Committees (NPCs), focusing on improving organisational development, such as leadership, administration and strategic planning. Initial countries the partnership will work with include Burundi, Lesotho, Namibia, Palestine and Papua New Guinea.

UK Sport will give both strategic and financial support; linking work with NPCs to its existing programmes, such as IDEALS, which is an exchange programme focussing on youth development and coach education.

UK Sport’s chief executive, John Steele, says: “The signing of this latest agreement, during the Next Step conference, is a fitting way to highlight our long-term strategic commitment to both human development and Paralympic sport.”