Campaign to write off Haiti's debt

More than 15,000 signatures, were handed to the Treasury yesterday, asking Chancellor Alistair Darling to call on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to cancel Haiti's $890m (560m) international debt.

Haiti was already one of the world's poorest nations before the devastating earthquake struck on January 12.

Up to 200,000 people died in the quake, which measured 7.0 on the Richter scale, including more than 30 UN workers. Thousands of others were left injured and homeless.

The cost of rebuilding the country's battered infrastructure is expected to run into billions of pounds.

The petition was launched two weeks ago and has become Christian Aid's largest and fastest growing online campaign action.

Yesterday, the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) said public donations to the UK appeal to help earthquake survivors had reached 70m.