Minister of Economy and Planning Concludes Participation in G20 Development Ministerial Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Minister of Economy and Planning, Faisal F. Alibrahim, concluded his participation in the G20 Development Ministerial Meeting held on July 22-24 in Rio de Janeiro, under the Brazilian Presidency.
Alibrahim participated in several Development Working Group sessions addressing challenges hindering sustainable progress. He also held bilateral meetings with senior officials from G20 countries to discuss topics of common interest, including enhancing collaboration in various fields.
During a session titled 'Fighting Inequalities and Trilateral Cooperation', Alibrahim said: "Half of the world's population lacks access to essential healthcare services and social protection, and ensuring accessibility to vital public goods is the cornerstone of human capital development, including healthcare, education, housing, social protection and digital connectivity."
He added: "Inequality is the core of the challenges we face within the framework of sustainable development, as the gap in opportunities between individuals represents the main challenge in improving health care and education and addressing the most prominent social challenges facing the world today."
In a session titled 'Ensuring Access to Water and Sanitation,' the Minister of Economy and Planning noted that a lack of available freshwater resources and sanitation services hinders human capital development by causing severe health risks, including waterborne illnesses, dehydration, and malnutrition. "Water inaccessibility also places significant constraints on agriculture, impacting global food security and leading to increased human conflict due to scarcity in resources."
He emphasized that "this is not merely a policy concern. It is a basic human right that reflects the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals. Our current efforts to address water accessibility are impeded by fragmented and isolated initiatives."
Alibrahim highlighted the Kingdom's establishment of the Riyadh-headquartered Global Water Organization (GWO), which was announced by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
"The organization will serve as the much-needed platform for global collaboration, leveraging our collective strengths to support one another better. It will facilitate knowledge exchange and technical assistance so that best practices are not confined to specific regions but can promptly be disseminated to those who need it most. It will promote public and private partnerships, better-aligning government policies with innovative solutions," he said.
During the G20 Meeting under the Brazilian Presidency, Alibrahim also participated in the launch of the Task Force for a Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty by the G20 Brazilian Presidency, which aims to accelerate and align global efforts addressing the eradication of poverty and hunger.
Established in 2010, the Development Working Group sets the G20's agenda for development and poverty reduction, prioritizing engagement with developing countries, primarily low-income nations.
Since 2016, the Development Working Group has served as the primary coordinator for all G20 actions towards sustainable development through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to which the Kingdom has been committed since its launch in 2015.
