IBSA Promotes Impactful South-South Action at the GSSD Expo 2022
12 September 2022, Bangkok – The India, Brazil and South Africa Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation (IBSA Fund) launched its Exhibition at the GSSD Expo, along with its annual report, and a video featuring its practices and results.
In the presence of the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, the ESCAP Executive Secretary, the Director of the Strategy and Programme Management Division of ESCAP, and the Director General of the Thailand International Cooperation Agency, the four partners in the IBSA Fund outlined their vision for joint South-South action through the United Nations System to accelerate delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals.
H.E. Ms. Luiza Lopes da Silva, Deputy Director of the Brazilian Cooperation Agency celebrated results affirming “Brazil is very proud to be part of the IBSA partnership, which will soon reach 20 years and has been very successful supporting other developing countries. IBSA countries have learnt and evolved our development policy thanks to our joint work in this fund.”
H.E. Ms. Suchitra Durai, Ambassador of India to Thailand and Permanent Representative to UNESCAP complemented the IBSA Fund model stating “it is a special fund focused on the execution of projects related to poverty and hunger eradication, particularly in Least Developed Countries.”
In addition, H.E. Ms Thobeka Dlamini, Chargé d’Affaires of South Africa to Thailand informed “South Africa recognizes the strategic value of the collaborative effort of IBSA, allowing IBSA Member States, particularly South Africa, to extend their global cooperation reach through this financial contribution.”
The interactive audio-visual exhibition shares knowledge from the IBSA Fund project portfolio, which has allocated $42 million to 39 projects in 34 countries across the Global South. The exhibition also highlights recent accomplishments in:
- Bolivia, where 11,416 people gained increased access to water;
- Comoros, where over 1,000 farmers adopted enhanced farming practices;
- Fiji, where 1,530 women acquired news skills and with them built 1,580 energy-efficient stoves;
- Sierra Leone, where 75,209 customers gained access to pro-poor financial products; and
- Malawi and Zambia, where more than 2,000 child-marriage survivors reenrolled in schools through scholarships.
As dignitaries cut the ribbon to open the exhibition, Ms. Xiaojun Grace Wang, UNOSSC Head of Delegation captured the essence of IBSA and its work “As an alliance, IBSA bridges three continents, and takes to the next level the strive for inclusion in the face of inequality, sustainable human development in the face of structural challenges, and cooperation to achieve a better future for all.”