India has contributed $1 million to a fund initiated by India, Brazil, and South Africa, which aims to undertake projects targeting poverty and hunger alleviation.
During a ceremony on February 19, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj presented a cheque of $1 million as a contribution to the India, Brazil, and South Africa Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation Fund (IBSA Fund) to the Director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), Dima Al-Khatib.
Speaking on the occasion, Kamboj said the focus of India's G20 Presidency was the "development of the people, by the people and for the people". Accordingly, "India is committed to supporting the IBSA Fund as we believe that the Fund has made a positive impact on the lives of millions across the Global South and has strengthened the spirit of South-South cooperation," she said.
The IBSA countries, namely India, Brazil, and South Africa, each contribute $1 million annually to the Fund, fostering partnership and backing Southern-led, demand-driven projects in developing nations. Since its inception in 2004, India's cumulative contribution to the IBSA Fund has exceeded $18 million. UNOSSC manages the Fund and serves as its Secretariat.
The IBSA Fund focuses on concrete solidarity-driven projects, ranging from promoting food security to addressing HIV/AIDS and extending access to safe drinking water, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals.
To date, the IBSA Fund has allocated $50.6 million, supporting 45 projects across 37 countries in the Global South. Recently, three new projects have been approved, including initiatives in Southern Belize, South Sudan, and Palestine, aiming to enhance rural electrification, empower women and youth in sustainable agriculture, and invest in agri-business development, respectively.
In Belize, the project will provide renewable energy access to marginalized communities, while in South Sudan, it aims to boost vegetable and fish production to improve nutrition and livelihoods. Similarly, in Palestine, the project will create sustainable job opportunities in agriculture, benefiting farmers, unemployed youth, and engineers through comprehensive training programs and investment in agri-business.
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