“Our commitment is firm, as will be our investment. Portugal will contribute around 10% of the operating cost of the Alliance Support mechanism, 300,000 dollars (around 284 thousand euros), at least until 2030”, said Luís Montenegro.

In a speech at the first working session of the meeting of heads of State and Government of the G20 - which Portugal is joining for the first time as an observer at the invitation of the Brazilian presidency of this international forum -, Montenegro hailed President Lula da Silva for bringing to the centre of discussion of “absolutely essential topics such as the eradication of poverty and hunger”.

“The historic decision to create a Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty will create a new political dynamic and should mobilise all of us to achieve sustainable development goals 1 and 2 [of the United Nations] by 2030,” he said.

The Prime Minister stated, in an intervention to which the media has only had access to the written version (the summit work is taking place without signal transmission to the press), that “breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty is one of Portugal's priorities”.

“It is, therefore, with special satisfaction that we see children and young people at the centre of the concerns reflected in the Alliance’s founding document,” he said.

The Portuguese Prime Minister said he believes that the collective approach of the new Alliance – which the country joined as a founding member – will contribute to sharing knowledge and experiences, mobilising more public and private resources and promoting synergies with other initiatives, namely of the United Nations and the European Union.

Montenegro highlighted that Portugal currently invests, in cooperation policy, more than 50% of its bilateral resources in areas such as infrastructure and social services (Education and Health), together with the areas of food and nutritional security and, geographically, in Less Advanced Countries (PMA's) and most vulnerable, with a focus on Africa.

“And it always does so in a spirit of partnership, ensuring ownership by partner and beneficiary countries. We believe that the effectiveness of the programs is as relevant as their volume”, he said, expressing Portugal's desire to boost opportunities for triangular cooperation within the framework of the Alliance with Africa, Latin America and other regions.

Portugal participated this year in more than 100 G20 meetings at the invitation of Brazil, at ministerial and technical level, culminating in the summit of heads of state and government in Rio de Janeiro.

On December 1, 2023, and until November 30 of this year, Brazil assumed the presidency of the G20 for the first time under the theme “Building a Fair World and a Sustainable Planet”. During his presidency he invited 19 countries, including Portugal, Angola, Mozambique and Spain, and organizations such as the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP).

G20 members – USA, China, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, France, Japan, Italy, India, Brazil, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Indonesia, Mexico, Turkey and, also , the European Union and the African Union – represent the largest economies, around 85% of the world's Gross Domestic Product, more than 75% of world trade and around two thirds of the world's population.