Azam’s poem uncovers corruption in Cop28’s climate funding deal—blood money—exposing banks, leaders, and nations that profit from the crisis—exclusively for Different truths.

$400 million bowled in Blood Money
After decades of bleeding, the needy
Not enough to lick the spit
Damn, they don't have the grit
 
To walk the walk 
But throw a fistful and talk 
Headlines yell that poor countries are winners
Nah, not them; the winners are the sinners
 
Yet, the grand-standing end-users 
Are the leaders with grubby paws
Of the recipient countries, howling and drowning
With offshore accounts fattening and growling
 
And the dodgy banks offshore
Real owners of grants galore
With blow-dried hair, high-tech pimps
On filling their coffers, they do not skimp
  
The spidery network of a money bed
Semantic altruism on its head
They process grants and own the companies
Which get development contracts for their cronies
 
Bribe the crooks running their countries
Who pocketed smoothly all these monies
Which find their way back off-shore
Lying in wait for their overthrow
 
Lean, hungry and villainous
Casius’ eyes are so jealous
Yet somewhere, sometimes a hand-pump awaits
For the end user, the trickle of Blood Money’s fate.

Picture design by Anumita Roy

Dr Azam Gill

Dr Azam Gill, novelist, analyst, and retired Lecturer from Toulouse University, France, has authored nine books, including four thrillers: Blood Money, Flight to Pakistan, and Blasphemy and JADINY. He also writes for The Express Tribune and The International Association of Thriller Writers and blogs. He served in the French Foreign Legion, French Navy, and Punjab Regiment. His latest thriller is JADINY: Just Another Day in New York, a historical, counter-factual thriller about the 9/11 Twin Tower attacks.