28 June 2007

Welcoming the appointment of Douglas Alexander as the new Secretary of State for International Development, ActionAid said that one of his main tasks will be to get all departments of the Brown government working together to tackle global poverty. The charity identified trade policy and women's rights as priorities for Mr Alexander.

Patrick Watt, policy coordinator at ActionAid said: "ActionAid welcomes Douglas Alexander to the position of Secretary of State for International Development. He must use his close relationship with Gordon Brown to put poverty eradication front and centre of the UK's international policy.

"Tony Blair has left substantial unfinished business on Africa and poverty for his successor. Douglas Alexander will be instrumental in delivering outstanding promises on aid and on HIV."

Belinda Calaguas, policy and campaigns director at ActionAid, said: "One of the major challenges facing the new Secretary of State is to get the whole of Whitehall to work together on tackling global poverty. With a newly expanded brief for both aid and trade, he must start by ensuring that any trade deals with developing countries help rather than hinder the fight against poverty.

"The Department for International Development has begun to recognise the importance of women's rights in the fight against poverty. We believe this should go further. Women should have an absolutely central place in the department's work."