Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans he has to work with the Multilateral Development Banks to support UK interests in a) Southern Africa and b) the Caribbean.

The UK works closely with multilateral development banks in Southern Africa and the Caribbean to support our development objectives and wider UK interests.

The UK is a significant shareholder in the World Bank Group, African Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Caribbean Development Bank and a major contributor to the concessional funds supporting the poorest and most vulnerable countries e.g. largest donor to the African Development Fund. We are also increasing our investment in IDB Invest to scale up financing for businesses across Latin America and the Caribbean, supporting growth, jobs, clean energy, and greater mobilisation of private capital.

Through these partnerships, the UK supports investment in infrastructure and clean energy, mobilises private capital, strengthens trade and regional integration, and helps countries build more resilient and prosperous economies.