The below is attributable to Spokesperson Rebecca Chalif:
On May 18, Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman met with G7 members and invited guests on the margins of the G7 Development Ministerial in Berlin, Germany.
The Deputy Administrator met with German State Secretary Jochen Flasbarth and thanked him for Germany’s G7 leadership, and for elevating global food security and nutrition to mitigate the impacts of Russia’s brutal war on Ukraine. They also discussed shared concerns about Afghanistan and urgency around meeting basic human needs and supporting and advancing human rights in the country. Finally, she thanked the Government of Germany for co-hosting the second Global COVID-19 Summit, and for its critical confirmed support of the Global Fund.
In a meeting with the United Kingdom’s Minister of State for Europe and North America James Cleverly, Minister Cleverly provided an update on the United Kingdom’s newly-released International Development Strategy. The Deputy Administrator encouraged the United Kingdom to continue its strong global health financing, especially for global health security and pandemic preparedness.
The Deputy Administrator also met with the European Commission’s Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen. Deputy Administrator Coleman recognized the U.S.-European Union (EU) joint statement released at the second Global COVID-19 Summit and thanked the EU for its $450 million commitment to the proposed World Bank Financial Intermediary Fund focused on global health security and pandemic preparedness. They also discussed the need for a collective donor approach to support girls’ education and women’s participation in Afghanistan, and to address other needs in the country, as well as Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Deputy Administrator Coleman met with Senegal’s Minister of Economy, Planning and International Cooperation Amadou Hott. They discussed the U.S. global infrastructure initiative, in particular potentially expanded vaccine manufacturing in West Africa.
Deputy Administrator Coleman met with the United Nations Development Programme’s Administrator Achim Steiner, and exchanged updates on the U.S. Government’s support for Ukraine and the UNDP’s assistance to Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced persons. They also discussed ongoing programs in Afghanistan and the need for careful coordination between humanitarian and development actors to support the education sector and agriculture and livelihood programs in the future.
Deputy Administrator Coleman also met with Dammu Ravi, India’s Secretary of Economic Relations. They discussed ways to improve global food security and the potential for increased cooperation within the Quad framework.