BANGKOK — 16 October 2026, Protesters opposing the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) ended their rally, after issuing six demands calling for debt cancellation, greater public oversight of government borrowing and economic policies that prioritise people and the environment.
The People’s Network Against World Bank-IMF read out a statement outlining the demands from the Assembly of the Poor, coinciding with the United Nations’ World Food Day, observed annually on 16 October.
The statement criticised what the group described as the harmful roles of the World Bank and IMF in undermining food sovereignty and reinforcing structures of neo-colonialism.
The six demands were:
1. Cancel the debts of low- and middle-income countries facing debt crises.
2. Allow public scrutiny of foreign debt incurred by governments.
3. End subsidies for large corporations and redirect public funding towards agroecological farming, while shifting investment in food, agriculture and climate away from corporate-dominated supply chains.
4. Increase government revenue through progressive taxation, including appropriate taxes on corporate profits and wealth taxes on the ultra-rich.
5. Make central banks democratic, transparent and accountable to the public, ensuring they protect workers’ interests rather than those of big business.
6. Put people and the planet at the centre of economic policymaking.
The group said the demands were intended to address the effects of international financial policies on communities, food systems and economic sovereignty.
After reading the statement, the protesters announced the immediate end of the gathering.
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