UK responding to campaigners on conditions

The UK government has announced that it will withhold some money from the World Bank because of the damaging and undemocratic conditions attached to debt cancellation and aid - going a little way towards meeting the demands of campaigners.

[NB For more debt news, including from the World Bank / IMF meetings in Singapore, see our Month of Action debt blog at www.jubileedebt.blogspot.com.]

Photo: Kathryn Hatfield

The UK announcement is that it will continue to hold back 50 million pounds promised to the World Bank until it sees evidence of real progress on reforming conditions. Jubilee Debt Campaign - alongside member organisations including Christian Aid and World Development Movement - has been calling on the UK to withhold funding because of these conditions.

Since January, campaigners from Jubilee Debt Campaign and Jubilee Scotland have sent tens of thousands of cards, letters, emails and petition signatures to Hilary Benn. They have been urging him to put real pressure on the World Bank and IMF over the conditions they use to impose policies on poor countries, in line with the UK government statement last March that "it is inappropriate and ineffective for donors to impose policies." During the global Month of Action on poverty now happening, UK debt campaigners are lobbying their MPs to up the pressure on the World Bank and IMF.

This announcement is a clear response to campaigners' concerns. However, it does not mean it is time to stop lobbying! On the contrary, it shows that pressure is having an impact. But much more is needed. This 50 million pounds is only 3% of the UK government's most recent allocation of funding to the World Bank. Negotiations over the next round of funding start soon. It is important to support this first step, and urge the UK government to follow it up and go further in the coming negotiations.