Brasília, 14 November 2023 -- UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner concluded a three-day official visit to Brazil during which he engaged in high-level discussions with a range of senior Government officials to discuss the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) support to the country's development priorities in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities, governance and advancing decisive climate action. As Brazil assumes the Presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) in January 2024 -- a gathering of many of the world's largest economies -- Mr. Steiner highlighted Brazil's increasingly vital role on the global stage including to 'unite' the environmental agenda with the economic agenda.
Mr. Steiner held discussions with Brazil's Minister of Finance, Mr. Fernando Haddad, that focused on the country's plan for an ecological transition and its work to drive forward reform of the international financial architecture, which is vital to help developing countries to address current finance for development challenges including the growing debt crisis and their ability to invest in key areas like climate action and invest in a just energy transition.
