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P Kumaran, OSD (ER and DPA), Ministry of External Affairs, led the Indian delegation at the 3rd IBSA Sherpas and Sous-Sherpas Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro under Brazil's chairship on February 19-20.
During the meeting, the entire range of IBSA cooperation was discussed in preparation for the IBSA Foreign Ministers' Meeting on February 22. In a post on X, Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "OSD (ER & DPA) P. Kumaran led the Indian delegation at 3rd IBSA Sherpas and Sous-Sherpas Meeting. The meeting was held in Rio de Janeiro under Brazil's Chairship on Feb 19-20, 2024. The entire range of IBSA cooperation was discussed in preparation for IBSA Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Feb 22." IBSA is a unique forum that brings together India, Brazil and South Africa, three large democracies and major economies from three different continents, facing similar challenges, according to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The grouping was formalized and named the IBSA Dialogue Forum when the foreign ministers of the three countries met in Brasilia on June 6, 2003 and issued the Brasilia Declaration. According to MEA, cooperation in IBSA is on three fronts: first, as a forum for consultation and coordination on global and regional political issues; second, trilateral collaboration on concrete areas/projects, through working groups and people-to-People Forums; and third, assisting other developing countries by taking up projects in the latter through IBSA Fund." Earlier on February 19, India contributed USD One million to the IBSA Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation Fund (IBSA Fund). The cheque was handed over by Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, Permanent Representative of India to Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation. India, Brazil and South Africa each contribute USD One million annually to the IBSA Fund in a spirit of partnership and support for Southern-led, demand-driven, transformational projects in developing countries. India's contribution to the IBSA Fund has cumulatively exceeded USD 18 million since the Fund was established in 2004 and became operational in 2006. UNOSSC serves as the Fund Manager and Secretariat of the IBSA Fund. The IBSA Fund, supports projects that are concrete expressions of solidarity. Their objectives range from promoting food security, to addressing HIV/AIDS, to extending access to safe drinking water - all with the aim of contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. (ANI)
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