Bangladesh against climate aid via World Bank – one of the most affected countries by climate change in the world
DHAKA, 16 February 2010 (IRIN): Bangladesh has voiced strong opposition to plans by the UK Department for International Develop-ment (DFID = det britiske Danida) to provide 94 million US dollar (500 mio. DKR) in climate change aid – because of its delivery through the World Bank.
– We are strongly against the World Bank’s involvement in handling the climate fund. DFID should give the money straight to the Bangladesh government rather than giving it to the World Bank to disburse it, Food and Disaster Management Minister Abdur Razzaque told IRIN.
– It should be a country-led programme rather than a World Bank-led one, he said, adding that there were expectations the Bank would attach “unacceptable strings and conditions to its programme”.
His comments come one day after 21 civil society organi-zations, including campaigners from the European Action Group on Climate Change Bangladesh, the World Develop-ment Movement and the Jubilee Debt Campaign, protested against the UK decision outside the DFID office in Dhaka.
They insisted that DFID withdraw all conditions on the 94 million dollar grant being offered to Bangladesh to cope with the impact of climate change.
DFID should give the money straight to the Bangladesh government rather than giving it to the World Bank to disburse it. But the British High Commission in Dhaka said how the funds were given out was not an issue.
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