The UK's Minister for International Development Annaliese Dodds
is in Rio de Janeiro representing the UK at the G20 Development
Ministers' Meeting – on the first visit by a member of the new
government to South America.
The government wants to modernise the UK's approach to
international development – with a focus on genuine respect and
partnerships with other countries.
In meetings with Brazil and other key Global South partners,
Minister Dodds is raising shared challenges and common interests,
such as tackling global poverty, instability, and the climate and
nature crisis, accelerating reform of the global financial system
and unlocking economic development and growth.
Today Minister Dodds will also confirm the UK's intention to join
the Global Alliance Against Hunger & Poverty, an initiative
created by Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Minister for International Development, Women and Equalities,
said:
The new UK Government's mission is to create a world free from
poverty on a liveable planet. To tackle global crises and deliver
sustainable growth, we need to draw on the strength which comes
from equal partnerships.
We want to build relationships based on genuine respect,
such as Brazil's Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty with
its focus on action, sharing solutions, exchanging expertise and
unlocking much-needed finance.
Poverty and a lack of opportunities are drivers of vulnerability,
conflicts and uncontrolled migration, a vicious cycle which
breeds more poverty and hunger. We cannot change the past, but we
can change the future. That change starts now.
The Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty builds on Brazil's
internationally renowned successes in tackling poverty and
inequality through support to family farms, and through
programmes like the Bolsa Família, which uses cash-based
transfers to improve access to food, the health of mothers and
children, and school attendance. It has benefited more than 55
million people in total so far.
The UK has contributed its own expertise to the work of the
Global Alliance Taskforce and will offer further support to add
momentum – including our readiness to join the Board of Champions
and bringing in the UK's global network of development, academic
and civil society organisations.
During the two-day visit, the Minister has also visited a
quilombo, a community set up by an Afro-Brazilian community which
plays a key role in environmental preservation, reaffirming that
gender and racial equality will be a domestic and international
priority for the new UK Government.
Note to editors
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The Brazilian presidency of the G20 officially started on 1
December 2023, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as
chair. The theme of the Brazilian presidency is ‘Building a
Just World and a Sustainable Planet'. The presidency will
culminate in the G20 Leaders' Summit, which will take place
in Rio de Janeiro later this year, on 18-19 November.
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