No New Debt: We won't be ignored!

Rosie Rogers and Kirsty Wright, used to be climate justice campaign

Yesterday people from all over the country descended on the Department for International Development (DfID). We were there to ensure that the Secretary of State, Andrew Mitchell and his department didn't ignore our message that we are against countries being forced into deeper poverty with World Bank loans for climate change. As part of WDM and Jubilee Debt Campaign’s (JDC) No New Debt campaign, people have been sending pound coins to DfID, asking for them to be given to the UN Adaptation Fund as grants and calling on the UK government to honour its pre-election promises that it wouldn’t force countries into new unfair debt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCQ1PjON4-8

DfID not only refused to accept our donations, but threatened to send them to ‘a local charity’. They also confirmed that they would be supporting loans through the World Bank, in spite of Andrew Mitchell’s empty words of support for the UN Adaptation Fund to which his government have not given a single pound. Read more about DfID’s response here.

In response, members of WDM and JDC turned up outside DfID’s office in force. Having already spotted the man himself, Andrew Mitchell, enter the building, there was an extra incentive to ensure we made as much noise as possible. In fact, the security guard even commented that it was one of the most colourful and enthusiastic protests he had seen in his time at DfID!

Part way through the demonstration, we saw DfID’s Permanent Secretary, Nemat Shafik going to enter the building. Asked if she had heard about our campaign she replied “Yes, we’ve heard about it” through a slight grimace as she took our leaflet. It seems, finally, DfID have been unable to ignore us.

Later in the day, ahead of a speech about climate finance, Andrew Mitchell took part in a live web conference. The morning’s stunt was mentioned twice, so we clearly got the minister’s attention. Read our press release about Andrew Mitchell’s speech here.

You can also read our latest breifing about World Bank loans for climate change, 'Making Developeing countries pay twice for climate change' here

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