David Miliband

Foreign Secretary

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Wednesday 15 October, 2008

Blog Action Day 2008

All across the blogosphere people are coming together today to blog on "poverty" for Blog Action Day.  I would like people to think about the challenge facing the people and government of the Bangladesh Delta, who I visited earlier this year. Their houses have been raised above flood levels by UK aid; but I was struck by the sad fact that global carbon emissions mean even this may be insufficient to prevent their new houses being swept away by  the effects of climate change. They had no schools or healthcare. Employment was the smallest of small scale farming . When people talk of 'sustainable development' their greatest test is in places like these. Greening aid programmes is right; poverty won't be tackled without it; but it is about more than aid.

Posted at 12:45 15 October 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[11]

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Indeed it is about more than aid. As I was explaining to the FCO representative in Moscow, we've blogged about poverty for 11 years. Pioneering work on microfinance in Siberia began in 1999 to pave the way for the Russian Microfinance Centre and for the last 4 years as a UK based social enterprise, we've focussed our profit and attention on poverty in Ukraine in the 'Marshall Plan'

Posted by Jeff Mowatt on October 15, 2008 at 06:21 PM BST #

Doing my part for Blog action Day in Alaska. Donated by microcredit through Kiva.org. Its still the 15th here in the Anchorage. Cordially yours, William

Posted by William Theuer on October 15, 2008 at 09:01 PM BST #

interesting post. for my part, i turn to sites like freerice rice donation, kiva microfinance, and goodsearch donation per search, as ways to help alleviate poverty online. i also put up their banners on my blog. : saw this post via the blog action day site. it's great that you're participating. :

Posted by kouji haiku on October 15, 2008 at 09:02 PM BST #

As a former Beatles worshipper, George Harrison's song 'Bangladesh' highlighted suffering and the lack of an International Body to help countries faced with catastrophe. In 3 months of blogging I've found over 120 occasions to give news of another natural disaster. Mitigating disaster, by tree planting or pontoon building design, would also seem to be one of the ways forward or back to paradise..

Posted by 53north on October 16, 2008 at 02:08 AM BST #

It´s indeed very admirable to notice your concern and engagements to international awareness on different issues - as this time on Blog Action Day about poverty. Keep up the good work!!

Posted by Best of Mankind on October 16, 2008 at 01:28 PM BST #

I was delighted to hear Douglas Alexander this lunchtime confirming the UK's support for crisis relief measures in the Horn of Africa. The Horn of Africa has been desperately badly hit by a combination of factors including conflict and rising food prices, but climate change is the factor that undermines the basic situation of the rural poor. The people of the Bangladesh delta chors are vulnerable because of basic poverty, no permanent land rights, etc. Programmes the UK has assisted like shelter platforms and radio warning systems have been very helpful. But the combination of sea level rise and more violent weather events in the Bay of Bengal like Cyclone Sidr will wipe out all those achievements. Please push for real achievements on effective carbon capping by 2020, with near-term and home-based targets.

Posted by Owen on October 16, 2008 at 01:30 PM BST #

Climate change, sustainability, rising sea levels etc etc etc etc. The people of England have had enough of this claptrap.

Posted by Nick Wood on October 16, 2008 at 01:35 PM BST #

Sir, I am Chen Mengwei, a student from Beijng, now studying in Beijing Foreign Study University, or "Bei Wai" as it is known by foreign friends. I am just informed that you are coming to our city and having a meeting with some of us students' representatives. Luckily, I am one of them. I am writing to you for affirmation. If it is TRUE, then I would be really looking forward to see you next Friday. It would be a great honor for me if you could reply, sooner or later. Thank you all the same. Best wishes!

Posted by Chen Mengwei on October 16, 2008 at 04:25 PM BST #

thanks for being part of Blog Action Day, and for keeping that link between aid and climate change in mind.

Posted by Jeremy on October 23, 2008 at 09:19 AM BST #

Dear David Please please do something NOW about the Israeli attacks on GAZA and stop this atrocity.I have created a group on facebook Break the worlds silence on the atrocities in GAZA I have a very good friend there who I am very worried for and his family.We spoke last night and he is so worried that soon he is goin to die ..is there anything else I can do please let me know but I implore you to use all your power to intervene and make other countries intervene before any more innocent lives are lost ...

Posted by francine carragher on December 29, 2008 at 06:29 PM GMT #

Just wanted to say I'm really proud of everything you're doing. Here is the video I did for the young lions competition in hopes of encouraging people to add their names and help Oxfam by joining the movement to encourage world leaders to vote for change at the summit in Copenhagen in December. Hope you enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ0nlJ9Ythc

Posted by spencer black on May 19, 2009 at 05:39 PM BST #

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