Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
The 22nd session of the Africa Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction was held from 15 to 17 April 2025 in Kampala under the theme “Moving from commitments to action: delivering on priorities in the Windhoek Declaration”.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development,
3rd & 4th Meetings (AM & PM)
Heads of State and Government, ministers and other senior officials from around the world will address the Conference as its general debate continues.
…
For information media. Not an official record.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
The Conference holds its second multi-stakeholder round table this morning on “Leveraging private business and finance”.
Co-Chaired by Muhammad Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue of Pakistan, and Christopher MacLennan, Deputy Minister for International Development of Canada, it will feature a keynote address by Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, African Union Commission Chairperson.
Antonio H. Pinheiro Silveira, Vice-President for the Private Sector, CAF, will moderate the discussion.
Panellists will include: Neal Rijkenberg Minister for Finance of Eswatini; Retselisitsoe Matlanyane, Minister for Finance and Development Planning of Lesotho; Situmbeko Musokotwane, Minister for Finance and National Planning of Zambia; and Boris Titov, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Relations with International Organizations for Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, of the Russian Federation.
Mary Beth Goodman, Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and Eric Pelofsky, Vice-President of the Rockefeller Foundation, will be the discussants.
…
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the launch of the Sevilla Platform for Action, in Sevilla, Spain, today:
Thank you for joining this launch of the Sevilla Platform for Action.
Respected President of the Government of Spain, I commend you and your Government for your vision and leadership as hosts of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development.
We are all here to respond to a global development crisis that threatens people and planet alike. Our road map to a better future — the Sustainable Development Goals — is in danger. Two thirds of the targets are not progressing fast enough — or at all.
Solutions depend on financing. Developing countries need over $4 trillion a year to deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. But, they are being battered by limited fiscal space, slowing growth, crushing debt burdens and growing systemic risks.
The Sevilla Commitment document represents a bold plan to get the engine of development revving again: through new domestic and global commitments that can channel public and private finance to the areas of greatest need; by overhauling the world’s approach to debt to make borrowing work in service of sustainable development; and by reforming the global financial architecture to reflect today’s realities and the urgent needs of developing countries.
But, we need all hands on deck. And that’s why the Sevilla Platform for Action is so critical — and so significant.
In the midst of a world of division, conflict and economic uncertainty, this Platform contains more than 130 specific initiatives that demonstrate what we can achieve by working together.
Governments, private sector partners, international institutions and civil society groups all together are teaming up to launch high-impact initiatives to bring the Sevilla Commitment to life.
This includes a global hub for debt swaps at the World Bank as part of a broader facility aimed at relieving liquidity constraints and lowering the cost of borrowing. A debt pause alliance to help countries in times of crisis. A global coalition to scale up pre-arranged finance that can be readily deployed when disasters strike. A blended finance platform to bring public and private finance together in a new and expanded way. A new tool for multilateral development banks to manage currency risks. And a commission to explore the future of development cooperation.
In December 2024, I appointed a group of experts on debt who today are announcing 11 immediately actionable proposals to help resolve the debt crisis. This includes the commitment to establish a borrowers forum for countries to learn from one another and coordinate their approaches in debt management and restructuring. I look forward to working closely with Member States — including the G20 — to bring this forum to life, to empower borrower countries and create a fairer system.
The Sevilla Platform for Action offers an ambitious, action-oriented response to the global financing challenge. It provides a springboard towards a more just, inclusive and sustainable world for all countries. And above all, it proves that progress and change are possible if we work together.
I hope the Platform inspires countries to work as one to tackle other challenges facing our world today. I thank Spain Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and all of you for your leadership.
Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Geneva/Valletta, 1 July 2025 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Bolt, a leading European platform for ride-hailing and food delivery services, have signed a global agreement aimed at providing integration support for migrants working in the mobility and delivery sectors. The partnership, Bridging the Gap – Integrating Migrants, will start with a pilot project in Malta that will serve as a scalable model for other countries.
“Migration is a reality that shapes our economies and our lives,” said Catalina Devandas, IOM Senior Director of Partnerships. “It is both a resource and an opportunity for people and economies alike. This partnership with Bolt shows what can happen when the private sector steps up to create fair, safe, and dignified migration pathways that meet real market needs and protect workers’ rights.”
With operations in over 600 cities across more than 50 countries, including in Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia and the Americas, Bolt’s broad geographic footprint strengthens the potential of the partnership to create lasting impact across diverse labour markets.
The project aims to empower migrant workers to better integrate into the local economy by working closely with private sector actors, developing tools and training for fleet employers, and providing targeted support. The partnership also seeks to foster social and labour market cohesion by ensuring migrant workers are fairly treated and supported by fleet partners.
“The success of several economic sectors increasingly relies on a diverse workforce,” said Eirini Zafeiratou, Vice President of Policy and Regulatory Affairs at Bolt. “Bolt’s platform enables earning opportunities for many individuals. With the support of IOM, we will make further efforts to foster better integration of migrant workers in the countries where we operate.”
In Malta, the pilot will offer concrete assistance to employers and workers alike, from developing tools and training that promote fair working conditions to providing practical support and integration pathways tailored to the ride-hailing and food delivery sector.
The project will also engage with a broad range of stakeholders, including public authorities, to ensure that it aligns with national labour market needs, policies, and priorities. In parallel, it will generate evidence to inform future policies on labour mobility at both the national and international levels.
By bringing together IOM’s global migration expertise and Bolt’s operational reach, the partnership aims to create a more responsible model for labour mobility – one that addresses market needs while protecting the rights, safety, and dignity of migrant workers.
Bolt is supporting the project through the Bolt Urban Fund, a social impact programme designed to enhance the social and economic impact of shared mobility and delivery services worldwide.
For more information, please visit IOM’s Media Centre
Or contact Bolt Sugandha Bhandari, Regional PR Manager, at sugandha.bhandari@bolt.eu.
Source: United Nations secretary general
The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Alar Karis, President of the Republic of Estonia, on the margins of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development held in Sevilla, Spain. The Secretary-General and the President discussed the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.
The Secretary-General commended Estonia’s engagement with the UN to advance the international financing for development agenda.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
The Security Council today renewed the sanctions regime concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo until 1 July 2026 and extended the mandate of the corresponding Group of Experts until 1 August 2026.
Unanimously adopting resolution 2783 (2025) (to be issued as document S/RES/2783(2025)) under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, the Council decided to renew measures relating to arms, finances and travel relating to the Democratic Republic of the Congo until 1 July 2026.
The representative of France, whose delegation submitted the text, thanked all Council members for their engagement and said the sanctions regime and Group of Experts are central tools in combating violence and destabilization in the eastern part of the country. He noted the 27 June Council meeting, during which Council members marked the signing of a draft peace agreement by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, under the auspice of the United States Government. “What we are doing shows that improvement in the Great Lakes region can occur,” he said. “We must do all that we can to support peace and security in the region.”
The resolution reiterated that the armed and security forces of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are exempt from the embargo on the supply of military equipment and assistance, as agreed on 2 May 2024, and from any notification procedure, as set out in paragraphs 1 and 2 of the resolution.
By other terms of the text, the Council decided to extend until 1 August 2026 the mandate of the Group of Experts, as set forth in paragraph 6 of resolution 2360 (2017), and expressed its intention to review the mandate and take appropriate action regarding further extension no later than 1 July 2026. It also requests the Group of Experts to provide the Council, after discussion with the Committee, a mid-term report no later than 30 December 2025 and a final report not later than 15 June 2026, as well as monthly updates.
The resolution also recalled the Secretary-General’s commitment that the United Nations will do everything possible to ensure that the perpetrators of the killing of the two members of the Group of Experts and the four Congolese nationals accompanying them are brought to justice and stressed the importance of a follow-up in assisting the Democratic Republic of the Congo with the national investigation, within existing resources.
The representative of Guyana, President of the Council for June, speaking in her national capacity, noted her delegation’s appreciation to all Council members and the Secretariat staff for their support, which let the Council rally to consensus on several important issues. She extended her best wishes to the incoming Council President from Pakistan.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for World Population Day, observed on 11 July:
On this World Population Day, we celebrate the potential and promise of the largest youth generation ever.
They are not only shaping our future; they are demanding one that is just, inclusive, and sustainable.
The theme — “Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world” — reaffirms the promise of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development: that every person has the right to make informed choices about their lives and futures.
Many young people today face economic uncertainty, gender inequality, health challenges, the climate crisis and conflict.
Still, they are leading — with courage, conscience and clarity. And they are calling for systems that uphold their rights and support their choices.
I urge countries to invest in policies that ensure education, healthcare, decent work, and the full protection of their reproductive rights.
Let us stand with young people and build a future where every person can shape their destiny in a world that is fair, peaceful and full of hope.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the opening of the International Business Forum at the Conference on Financial Development, in Sevilla, Spain, today:
This Forum reflects a fundamental fact. Development is everyone’s business. And the private sector is an essential partner in helping countries climb the development ladder and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Businesses are not just engines of jobs and economic growth. They help propel the innovation, technology and investment that development demands.
We are here to boost support for initiatives that benefit people and planet. We meet against the backdrop of an incredibly challenging global environment. As we gather in Sevilla, trade barriers and macroeconomic risks are rising. Major aid cuts are making a bad situation even worse.
Mistrust and geopolitical divisions are blocking effective global solutions. And the financing gap for the Sustainable Development Goals has ballooned to $4 trillion.
When the world came together for this conference 10 years ago in Addis Ababa, countries recognized that achieving the Goals was impossible without mobilizing private capital at scale.
One decade later, we continue to fall short. Last year, investment in infrastructure in developing countries dropped by 35 per cent — including in key sectors like renewable energy, water and sanitation.
And foreign direct investment has declined two years in a row, with investment flows largely bypassing Least Developed Countries altogether. We need to create the conditions to change course. And that begins here in Spain.
The Sevilla Commitment document includes important steps to get the engine of development revving again: Through new domestic and global commitments that can channel public and private finance to the areas of greatest need […] By overhauling the world’s approach to debt to make borrowing work in service of sustainable development […] And by reforming the global financial architecture to reflect today’s realities and the urgent needs of developing countries.
The Sevilla Commitment also puts forward a number of specific actions to unlock private sector investment in sustainable development. This includes steps to strengthen the way we blend public and private capital together to maximize the use of public money in crowding-in private funds. It includes new approaches to manage currency risk that prevent otherwise promising investment opportunities from securing the capital required.
And it includes a call to review financial regulations to ensure that risk weightings are well-designed, and help — not hinder — institutional investors from embracing projects in frontier markets.
These are significant steps, informed by lessons learned over the past 10 years. When one looks at today’s world, the crises in the official development assistance (ODA), the crises in the global funds available, it is absolutely evident that we need to be able to multiply the resources available for investments.
And the main obligation, in my opinion, of public development banks, most national and international, should be today concentrated, not essentially, in their operations, and I understand the pressure of any bureaucracy to do their own things, but those public funds available in developing banks, should be more and more put to work to multiply resources through de-risking private finances and private investments.
Giving guaranties, stablishing coalitions in which they are the first risk takers and creating the conditions to massively increase the massive private finance and private investment in countries in which, without the necessary de-risking, it is practically impossible to see enough development.
This is a new mentality that we need to guaranty in the investment banks, the public investment banks, both national and international.
Throughout, we are counting on the leadership and vision of all of you to carry forward the spirit of collaboration and bold solutions. By uniting public and private sector leaders, regulators and development banks, we can ensure that this conference is not an end, but rather a beginning.
The beginning of a new era of action and collaboration on some of the most urgent issues facing our world today. And a new dawn for how we finance development progress around the world.
Thank you all for being part of this important effort. I hope that the joint participation of the public and private sectors can multiply the resources we have.
Knowing that much more investment is needed in today’s world, but that there are mechanisms that allow available public funds to mobilize much more private financing and investment than today.
Source: United Nations 4
Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the graduation ceremony for the Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences Po, in Paris today:
Let me begin with the most important word of all: congratulations.
You now join a long line of Sciences Po alumni who have shaped our world — including some of whom are doing it every day at the United Nations as they work in my office supporting the Secretary-General.
Let’s also take a moment to recognize your families, friends and loved ones — who have been with you every step of the way. They deserve a round of applause.
Students representing more than 120 nationalities come here to learn how the world works, and how it can work better. That spirit of global curiosity and purpose has also carried me through every chapter of my own journey: designing schools and hospitals in my home country of Nigeria; advising four Presidents on poverty reduction, development policy planning and public sector reform; supporting Member States to lead the process that transformed global aspirations into the Sustainable Development Goals; and now as the longest-serving Deputy Secretary-General in United Nations history, supporting the Secretary-General on some of the most complex situations in our history, from COVID to Ukraine to Sudan and Gaza and today’s continuing crisis in the Middle East.
Today, I want to reflect on the lessons I have learned along the way.
First, don’t agonize, organize. We live in a world of hurt. A world that is messy, complicated and often overwhelming. And I know it might be easy to feel paralysed by the scale and hopelessness of today’s challenges. Don’t. Because more than ever, those challenges are connected — and we solve them by seeing those connections and coming together.
When I served as Nigeria’s Minister for Environment, my job was never just about the environment. When Lake Chad was drying up, it wasn’t just an ecological crisis — it was a security crisis. Boko Haram was born and abducted 200 schoolgirls. When we faced population and urban sprawl and tensions rose between farmers and herders, it wasn’t just about water access — it was about food systems and growing cities. When I met girls walking hours to fetch water, missing school every day — it wasn’t just about resources — it was about gender equality.
We didn’t work in siloes. We built coalitions across sectors — civil society, young people, traditional leaders, the private sector — to find real solutions. We didn’t agonize, we organized. And, yes, there’s plenty to agonize about today — especially when multilateralism is under attack and international cooperation is on the back foot. But I have seen what’s possible when we find common ground and forge ahead.
Just look at the last two months at the UN.: a landmark Pandemic Treaty approved at the World Health Organization; major new protections for our oceans at the World Ocean Conference in Nice; and from Paris, I head to Sevilla — where the world is coming together to commit to better finance sustainable development.
So, when the problems seem larger than life, too tangled, too tough — don’t agonize. Organize. Mobilize. And help realize the change our world so urgently needs. Remember you did not fail for want of trying.
The second lesson — keep learning and delivering.
Graduation isn’t the end of learning. In many ways, it’s just the start of your lifelong journey.
When I joined the UN, I was not steeped in the intricacies of international diplomacy. Throughout my career, I have had to learn fast — and deliver even faster. So will you.
Even now, I am learning every day — about artificial intelligence (AI), about geothermal energy, space debris, biotechnology, cybersecurity. You will face even more change, even faster, especially in the new era of super technologies. Regardless of the task that is put in front of you, get ahead of it. Learn more. Do more. Show your stuff and deliver. Performance opens doors. Yes, some of life is luck and privilege. But I guarantee: the harder you work, the luckier you will get.
Third, make hope your most powerful asset. The world is a cynical place. And international affairs is not for the faint of heart. There will be setbacks and critics. There will be many days when the problems seem too big, and the politics too small. When anxieties grip you like a fever. Just look around: war in Ukraine, atrocities in Sudan, catastrophe in Gaza, climate chaos everywhere.
But never forget, hope is not a four-letter word. Hope is the courage to build when others are tearing down. Hope is the decision to get up one more time, to negotiate one more deal, even when the odds are against you.
I have sat with young girls who survived the worst horrors of war and sexual violence. And in their eyes, I saw not just pain — but power. The power to heal, to lead, to hope, to survive and thrive.
Hope is not the absence of fear. It is the refusal to be defined by it. So, carry it with you. Guard it fiercely. Because hope is not just a feeling. It’s a force.
Fourth, hold onto your moral compass.
Your degree will open doors. But your integrity will tell you which ones are worth walking through. And in today’s world — where the global moral compass is spinning — that clarity matters more than ever.
We live in a world where military spending is soaring, while development budgets shrink. Where fossil fuel subsidies dwarf investments in climate action. Where conflict and hardship has forced more people from their homes than at any time since the Second World War.
In this world, your role as changemakers is not just to make the right deals. It is to draw the right lines. There will be pressure to stay silent. There will be moments when abandoning principles may seem an easier choice. But integrity matters most.
As Deputy Secretary-General, I have had to tell hard truths to powerful people. To remind leaders of the many promises they made — and the people they made them to. It is never easy to challenge power. But we don’t serve power. We serve people. And if we truly serve people, we must use our superpower and stand for justice, dignity and solidarity.
As we mark Beijing+30, we cannot talk about a future and leave women and girls behind. Gender equality is not charity. It powers our agency. And human rights. And everyone wins when we leave no one behind. But let’s be honest, we are not there yet. So, to the men here today, I say: don’t stand in the way. Don’t walk ahead. Walk with. Stand with. And speak up. For the other half of your society, women.
The final lesson is this: invest time in what truly sustains you.
Your career will have highs and lows. Plans change. Titles come and go. But what will carry you through are the people who know you beyond your résumé. Friends, families, mentors, partners. Protect those bonds. Nurture them. Because in the toughest moments, those relationships will remind you of who you are, why you started and why you must keep going. So, no matter how far you go, or how fast — never lose sight of what, and who, matters most.
Today, you are not just stepping into the world. You are inheriting its unfinished business, and its boundless possibilities. As I look out, I see the next generation of climate champions, human rights defenders and world class diplomats. And I am filled with hope. Whatever path you choose, walk it with courage and conviction.
Congratulations, Class of 2025. The world is waiting. And I, for one, can’t wait to see what you will do.
Source: United Nations secretary general
The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Daniel Noboa Azín, President of the Republic of Ecuador. The Secretary-General recognized with appreciation Ecuador’s commitment to multilateralism. The Secretary-General and the President agreed on the need for ambitious action on financing for development and to achieve the SDGs. They also discussed the significant threats posed by transnational organized crime. The Secretary General reiterated the United Nations readiness to continue supporting Ecuador’s efforts to find comprehensive and sustainable solutions for its ongoing challenges.
*****
El Secretario General se reunió con el Excelentísimo señor Daniel Noboa Azín, Presidente de la República del Ecuador. El Secretario General reconoció con aprecio el compromiso del Ecuador con el multilateralismo. El Secretario General y el Presidente coincidieron en la necesidad de una acción ambiciosa en materia de financiamiento para el desarrollo y para alcanzar los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS). También abordaron las importantes amenazas que representa la delincuencia organizada transnacional. El Secretario General reiteró la disposición de las Naciones Unidas de seguir apoyando los esfuerzos del Ecuador para encontrar soluciones integrales y sostenibles a los desafíos que enfrenta.
Source: United Nations secretary general
This Forum reflects a fundamental fact.
Development is everyone’s business.
And the private sector is an essential partner in helping countries climb the development ladder, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Businesses are not just engines of jobs and economic growth.
They help propel the innovation, technology and investment that development demands.
We are here to boost support for initiatives that benefit people and planet.
We meet against the backdrop of an incredibly challenging global environment.
As we gather in Sevilla, trade barriers and macroeconomic risks are rising.
Major aid cuts are making a bad situation even worse.
Mistrust and geopolitical divisions are blocking effective global solutions.
And the financing gap for the Sustainable Development Goals has ballooned to $4 trillion.
When the world came together for this conference 10 years ago in Addis Ababa, countries recognized that achieving the Goals was impossible without mobilizing private capital at scale.
One decade later, we continue to fall short.
Last year, investment in infrastructure in developing countries dropped by 35 per cent — including in key sectors like renewable energy, water and sanitation.
And foreign direct investment has declined two years in a row, with investment flows largely bypassing Least Developed Countries altogether.
We need to create the conditions to change course.
And that begins here in Spain.
The Sevilla Commitment document includes important steps to get the engine of development revving again:
Through new domestic and global commitments that can channel public and private finance to the areas of greatest need…
By overhauling the world’s approach to debt to make borrowing work in service of sustainable development…
And by reforming the global financial architecture to reflect today’s realities and the urgent needs of developing countries.
The Sevilla Commitment also puts forward a number of specific actions to unlock private sector investment in sustainable development.
This includes steps to strengthen the way we blend public and private capital together to maximize the use of public money in crowding-in private funds.
It includes new approaches to manage currency risk that prevent otherwise promising investment opportunities from securing the capital required.
And it includes a call to review financial regulations to ensure that risk weightings are well-designed, and help — not hinder — institutional investors from embracing projects in frontier markets.
These are significant steps, informed by lessons learned over the past 10 years.
When, one looks at today’s world, the crises in the ODA, the crises in the global funds available, it is absolutely evident that we need to be able to multiply the resources available for investments.
And the main obligation, in my opinion, of public development banks, most national and international, should be today concentrated, not essentially, in their operations, and I understand the pressure of any bureaucracy to do their own things, but those public funds available in developing banks, should be more and more put to work to multiply resources through the risking private finances and private investments.
Giving guaranties, stablishing coalitions, in which they are the first risk takers, and creating the conditions to massively increase the massive private finance and private investment in countries in which without the necessary derisking it is practically impossible to see enough development.
This is a new mentally that we need to guaranty in the investment banks, the pubic investment banks, both national and international.
Señoras y senõres,
En todo momento, contamos con el liderazgo y la visión de todos ustedes para llevar adelante el espíritu de colaboración y adoptar soluciones audaces.
Al reunir a los líderes de los sectores público y privado, a los reguladores y a los bancos de desarrollo, podemos garantizar que esta conferencia no es un final, sino un principio.
El comienzo de una nueva era de acción y colaboración en algunos de los problemas más urgentes a los que se enfrenta hoy nuestro mundo.
Y un nuevo amanecer para la manera en que se financia el progreso del desarrollo en todo el mundo.
Gracias a todos ustedes por participar en este importante esfuerzo. Espero que la participación conjunta de los sectores público y privado pueda multiplicar los recursos que tenemos.
Sabiendo que mucha más inversión es necesaria en el mundo de hoy, pero que hay mecanismos que permiten que los fondos públicos disponibles movilicen muchísimo más que hoy la financiación y la inversión privada.
*****
[All-English]
This Forum reflects a fundamental fact.
Development is everyone’s business.
And the private sector is an essential partner in helping countries climb the development ladder, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Businesses are not just engines of jobs and economic growth.
They help propel the innovation, technology and investment that development demands.
We are here to boost support for initiatives that benefit people and planet.
We meet against the backdrop of an incredibly challenging global environment.
As we gather in Sevilla, trade barriers and macroeconomic risks are rising.
Major aid cuts are making a bad situation even worse.
Mistrust and geopolitical divisions are blocking effective global solutions.
And the financing gap for the Sustainable Development Goals has ballooned to $4 trillion.
When the world came together for this conference 10 years ago in Addis Ababa, countries recognized that achieving the Goals was impossible without mobilizing private capital at scale.
One decade later, we continue to fall short.
Last year, investment in infrastructure in developing countries dropped by 35 per cent — including in key sectors like renewable energy, water and sanitation.
And foreign direct investment has declined two years in a row, with investment flows largely bypassing Least Developed Countries altogether.
We need to create the conditions to change course.
And that begins here in Spain.
The Sevilla Commitment document includes important steps to get the engine of development revving again:
Through new domestic and global commitments that can channel public and private finance to the areas of greatest need…
By overhauling the world’s approach to debt to make borrowing work in service of sustainable development…
And by reforming the global financial architecture to reflect today’s realities and the urgent needs of developing countries.
The Sevilla Commitment also puts forward a number of specific actions to unlock private sector investment in sustainable development.
This includes steps to strengthen the way we blend public and private capital together to maximize the use of public money in crowding-in private funds.
It includes new approaches to manage currency risk that prevent otherwise promising investment opportunities from securing the capital required.
And it includes a call to review financial regulations to ensure that risk weightings are well-designed, and help — not hinder — institutional investors from embracing projects in frontier markets.
These are significant steps, informed by lessons learned over the past 10 years.
When, one looks at today’s world, the crises in the ODA, the crises in the global funds available, it is absolutely evident that we need to be able to multiply the resources available for investments.
And the main obligation, in my opinion, of public development banks, most national and international, should be today concentrated, not essentially, in their operations, and I understand the pressure of any bureaucracy to do their own things, but those public funds available in developing banks, should be more and more put to work to multiply resources through the risking private finances and private investments.
Giving guaranties, stablishing coalitions, in which they are the first risk takers, and creating the conditions to massively increase the massive private finance and private investment in countries in which without the necessary derisking it is practically impossible to see enough development.
This is a new mentally that we need to guaranty in the investment banks, the pubic investment banks, both national and international.
Ladies and gentleman,
Throughout, we are counting on the leadership and vision of all of you to carry forward the spirit of collaboration and bold solutions.
By uniting public and private sector leaders, regulators and development banks, we can ensure that this conference is not an end, but rather a beginning.
The beginning of a new era of action and collaboration on some of the most urgent issues facing our world today.
And a new dawn for how we finance development progress around the world.
Thank you all for being part of this important effort. I hope that the joint participation of the public and private sectors can multiply the resources we have.
Knowing that much more investment is needed in today’s world, but that there are mechanisms that allow available public funds to mobilize much more private financing and investment than today.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly in Porto, Portugal today:
Dear Parliamentarians, it is a privilege to address this OSCE Parliamentary Assembly as you meet in the beautiful city of Porto.
You gather as our world faces great and grave challenges — from raging conflicts, to rising inequalities, to the out-of-control climate crisis.
Trust is breaking down. But you are standing up for something different. By encouraging dialogue between Parliaments, you have helped strengthen democracy, advance cooperation and promote comprehensive security.
Your leadership in observing elections has helped make them fairer and more trustworthy. And your efforts played a critical role in inspiring important initiatives such as the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media.
Fifty years after the Helsinki Accords, the principles of the OSCE are more important than ever.
As the world’s largest regional security organization, you face rising security threats, especially with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Your role in protecting human rights, strengthening democracy and promoting sustainable development is essential.
We at the United Nations look forward to continuing that critical work together to guide the region and our world towards a more peaceful future.
Thank you.
Source: United Nations secretary general
This Forum reflects a fundamental fact.
Development is everyone’s business.
And the private sector is an essential partner in helping countries climb the development ladder, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Businesses are not just engines of jobs and economic growth.
They help propel the innovation, technology and investment that development demands.
We are here to boost support for initiatives that benefit people and planet.
We meet against the backdrop of an incredibly challenging global environment.
As we gather in Sevilla, trade barriers and macroeconomic risks are rising.
Major aid cuts are making a bad situation even worse.
Mistrust and geopolitical divisions are blocking effective global solutions.
And the financing gap for the Sustainable Development Goals has ballooned to $4 trillion.
When the world came together for this conference 10 years ago in Addis Ababa, countries recognized that achieving the Goals was impossible without mobilizing private capital at scale.
One decade later, we continue to fall short.
Last year, investment in infrastructure in developing countries dropped by 35 per cent — including in key sectors like renewable energy, water and sanitation.
And foreign direct investment has declined two years in a row, with investment flows largely bypassing Least Developed Countries altogether.
We need to create the conditions to change course.
And that begins here in Spain.
The Sevilla Commitment document includes important steps to get the engine of development revving again:
Through new domestic and global commitments that can channel public and private finance to the areas of greatest need…
By overhauling the world’s approach to debt to make borrowing work in service of sustainable development…
And by reforming the global financial architecture to reflect today’s realities and the urgent needs of developing countries.
The Sevilla Commitment also puts forward a number of specific actions to unlock private sector investment in sustainable development.
This includes steps to strengthen the way we blend public and private capital together to maximize the use of public money in crowding-in private funds.
It includes new approaches to manage currency risk that prevent otherwise promising investment opportunities from securing the capital required.
And it includes a call to review financial regulations to ensure that risk weightings are well-designed, and help — not hinder — institutional investors from embracing projects in frontier markets.
These are significant steps, informed by lessons learned over the past 10 years.
When, one looks at today’s world, the crises in the ODA, the crises in the global funds available, it is absolutely evident that we need to be able to multiply the resources available for investments.
And the main obligation, in my opinion, of public development banks, most national and international, should be today concentrated, not essentially, in their operations, and I understand the pressure of any bureaucracy to do their own things, but those public funds available in developing banks, should be more and more put to work to multiply resources through the risking private finances and private investments.
Giving guaranties, stablishing coalitions, in which they are the first risk takers, and creating the conditions to massively increase the massive private finance and private investment in countries in which without the necessary derisking it is practically impossible to see enough development.
This is a new mentally that we need to guaranty in the investment banks, the pubic investment banks, both national and international.
Señoras y senõres,
En todo momento, contamos con el liderazgo y la visión de todos ustedes para llevar adelante el espíritu de colaboración y adoptar soluciones audaces.
Al reunir a los líderes de los sectores público y privado, a los reguladores y a los bancos de desarrollo, podemos garantizar que esta conferencia no es un final, sino un principio.
El comienzo de una nueva era de acción y colaboración en algunos de los problemas más urgentes a los que se enfrenta hoy nuestro mundo.
Y un nuevo amanecer para la manera en que se financia el progreso del desarrollo en todo el mundo.
Gracias a todos ustedes por participar en este importante esfuerzo. Espero que la participación conjunta de los sectores público y privado pueda multiplicar los recursos que tenemos.
Sabiendo que mucha más inversión es necesaria en el mundo de hoy, pero que hay mecanismos que permiten que los fondos públicos disponibles movilicen muchísimo más que hoy la financiación y la inversión privada.
*****
[All-English]
This Forum reflects a fundamental fact.
Development is everyone’s business.
And the private sector is an essential partner in helping countries climb the development ladder, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Businesses are not just engines of jobs and economic growth.
They help propel the innovation, technology and investment that development demands.
We are here to boost support for initiatives that benefit people and planet.
We meet against the backdrop of an incredibly challenging global environment.
As we gather in Sevilla, trade barriers and macroeconomic risks are rising.
Major aid cuts are making a bad situation even worse.
Mistrust and geopolitical divisions are blocking effective global solutions.
And the financing gap for the Sustainable Development Goals has ballooned to $4 trillion.
When the world came together for this conference 10 years ago in Addis Ababa, countries recognized that achieving the Goals was impossible without mobilizing private capital at scale.
One decade later, we continue to fall short.
Last year, investment in infrastructure in developing countries dropped by 35 per cent — including in key sectors like renewable energy, water and sanitation.
And foreign direct investment has declined two years in a row, with investment flows largely bypassing Least Developed Countries altogether.
We need to create the conditions to change course.
And that begins here in Spain.
The Sevilla Commitment document includes important steps to get the engine of development revving again:
Through new domestic and global commitments that can channel public and private finance to the areas of greatest need…
By overhauling the world’s approach to debt to make borrowing work in service of sustainable development…
And by reforming the global financial architecture to reflect today’s realities and the urgent needs of developing countries.
The Sevilla Commitment also puts forward a number of specific actions to unlock private sector investment in sustainable development.
This includes steps to strengthen the way we blend public and private capital together to maximize the use of public money in crowding-in private funds.
It includes new approaches to manage currency risk that prevent otherwise promising investment opportunities from securing the capital required.
And it includes a call to review financial regulations to ensure that risk weightings are well-designed, and help — not hinder — institutional investors from embracing projects in frontier markets.
These are significant steps, informed by lessons learned over the past 10 years.
When, one looks at today’s world, the crises in the ODA, the crises in the global funds available, it is absolutely evident that we need to be able to multiply the resources available for investments.
And the main obligation, in my opinion, of public development banks, most national and international, should be today concentrated, not essentially, in their operations, and I understand the pressure of any bureaucracy to do their own things, but those public funds available in developing banks, should be more and more put to work to multiply resources through the risking private finances and private investments.
Giving guaranties, stablishing coalitions, in which they are the first risk takers, and creating the conditions to massively increase the massive private finance and private investment in countries in which without the necessary derisking it is practically impossible to see enough development.
This is a new mentally that we need to guaranty in the investment banks, the pubic investment banks, both national and international.
Ladies and gentleman,
Throughout, we are counting on the leadership and vision of all of you to carry forward the spirit of collaboration and bold solutions.
By uniting public and private sector leaders, regulators and development banks, we can ensure that this conference is not an end, but rather a beginning.
The beginning of a new era of action and collaboration on some of the most urgent issues facing our world today.
And a new dawn for how we finance development progress around the world.
Thank you all for being part of this important effort. I hope that the joint participation of the public and private sectors can multiply the resources we have.
Knowing that much more investment is needed in today’s world, but that there are mechanisms that allow available public funds to mobilize much more private financing and investment than today.
Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
The 12th European Urban Resilience Forum (EURESFO), held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands from 25-27 June 2025, provided an important platform for urban resilience practitioners to reinforce their commitment to accelerating local action on resilience, climate adaptation, and disaster risk reduction in the context of growing urban challenges.
As urban areas in Europe and beyond face cascading risks-from heatwaves and floods to geopolitical instability and infrastructure stress-UNDRR used the platform to underscore the critical role of local governments in driving meaningful disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation.
In a video message to the Forum’s opening plenary, Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, emphasized three global priorities: strengthening local implementation of DRR strategies, unlocking resilience financing, and scaling up community-driven innovation.
“If we do not reduce risk at the local level, we will not succeed in reducing losses at the global level,” he stated, calling for stronger investment and partnerships to translate plans into action.
UNDRR’s active engagement throughout the Forum showcased its commitment to supporting cities through the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) initiative. Yigyeong Oh, MCR2030 Regional Focal Point for Europe and Central Asia, spoke in multiple sessions, including the opening plenary “Resilience in Crisis: Accelerating Action for a Just Future” and the panel discussion “Building Urban Resilience in an Era of Polycrisis: The Holistic Agenda.” She highlighted how MCR2030 has grown into a global movement of over 1,850 cities, supporting local governments with risk-informed governance, resilience assessments, and stakeholder collaboration.
“In a time of polycrisis, resilience is not a siloed agenda,” Oh noted. “Cities are facing overlapping challenges-climate shocks, economic pressures, and social inequality-and MCR2030 enables them to plan holistically, act collectively, and learn globally.”
UNDRR also co-moderated the workshop “Local Action to Address Extreme Heat – CitiesHitRefresh,” which addressed one of the fastest growing disaster risks in Europe. Zdravko Maxomovic from Kraljevo, an MCR2030 city from Serbia, shared its practical experiences in managing heat risks and contributing to the upcoming second edition of UNDRR’s Flames of Change report, a knowledge product documenting inclusive urban resilience solutions.
Nature-based solutions were another key theme. UNDRR supported the session “Collaborate, Educate, Transform: Building the Future of Nature-Based Solutions in Cities,” where Małgorzata Bartyna-Zielińska from the City of Wrocław, an MCR2030 Resilience Hub, presented its award-winning LifeCOOLCity project. The session underscored the power of peer learning through networks like MCR2030.
Beyond technical sessions, UNDRR joined ICLEI and other partners for a side meeting with Ukrainian cities, including Lviv, an MCR2030 Resilience Hub, focused on the Ukraine Recovery Roadmap and aligning international support with local resilience priorities.
UNDRR also pitched the MCR2030 Climate Resilience Addendum to the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities during the pitch session, offering cities a practical tool to assess and enhance resilience to climate-related risks.
As the Forum concluded, a common message resonated across sessions: Europe has a unique role in shaping standards, fostering multilevel governance, and investing in long-term resilience. UNDRR reaffirmed its commitment to advancing these goals by supporting local governments with tools, knowledge, and partnerships through MCR2030 and other initiatives. With the urgency of accelerating resilience action, the Forum reinforced the need for collective action-local leadership supported by global collaboration-to ensure no city is left behind.
Source: United Nations secretary general
Señor Presidente del Gobierno, querido Pedro Sánchez, Excelencias, señoras y señores:
Gracias por unirse a este lanzamiento de la Plataforma de Acción de Sevilla.
Estimado Presidente: felicito a usted y a su Gobierno por su visión y liderazgo como anfitriones de la Cuarta Conferencia Internacional sobre la Financiación para el Desarrollo.
We are all here to respond to a global development crisis that threatens people and planet alike.
Our roadmap to a better future — the Sustainable Development Goals — is in danger.
Two-thirds of the targets are not progressing fast enough — or at all.
Solutions depend on financing.
Developing countries need over $4 trillion a year to deliver on the 2030 Agenda.
But they are being battered by limited fiscal space, slowing growth, crushing debt burdens and growing systemic risks.
The Sevilla Commitment document represents a bold plan to get the engine of development revving again:
Through new domestic and global commitments that can channel public and private finance to the areas of greatest need…
By overhauling the world’s approach to debt to make borrowing work in service of sustainable development…
And by reforming the global financial architecture to reflect today’s realities and the urgent needs of developing countries.
But we need all hands on deck.
And that’s why the Sevilla Platform for Action is so critical — and so significant.
In the midst of a world of division, conflict and economic uncertainty, this Platform contains more than 130 specific initiatives that demonstrate what we can achieve by working together.
Governments, private sector partners, international institutions, and civil society groups all together teaming up to launch high-impact initiatives to bring the Sevilla Commitment to life.
This includes a global hub for debt swaps at the World Bank as part of a broader facility aimed at relieving liquidity constraints and lowering the cost of borrowing.
A debt pause alliance to help countries in times of crisis.
A global coalition to scale-up pre-arranged finance that can be readily deployed when disasters strike.
A blended finance platform to bring public and private finance together in a new and expanded way.
A new tool for Multilateral Development Banks to manage currency risks.
And a commission to explore the future of development cooperation.
In December, I appointed a group of experts on debt who today are announcing 11 immediately actionable proposals to help resolve the debt crisis.
This includes the commitment to establish a borrowers forum for countries to learn from one another and coordinate their approaches in debt management and restructuring.
I look forward to working closely with Member States — including the G20 — to bring this forum to life, to empower borrower countries, and create a fairer system.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
The Sevilla Platform for Action offers an ambitious, action-oriented response to the global financing challenge.
It provides a springboard toward a more just, inclusive, and sustainable world for all countries.
And above all, it proves that progress and change are possible if we work together.
I hope the Platform inspires countries to work as one to tackle other challenges facing our world today.
Y una vez más, agradezco al Presidente del Gobierno y a todos ustedes por su liderazgo.
Muchas gracias.
*****
[all-English]
Mr. President of the Government of Spain, dear Pedro Sánchez,
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you for joining this launch of the Sevilla Platform for Action.
Respected President of the Government of Spain — I commend you and your government for your vision and leadership as hosts of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development.
We are all here to respond to a global development crisis that threatens people and planet alike.
Our roadmap to a better future — the Sustainable Development Goals — is in danger.
Two-thirds of the targets are not progressing fast enough — or at all.
Solutions depend on financing.
Developing countries need over $4 trillion a year to deliver on the 2030 Agenda.
But they are being battered by limited fiscal space, slowing growth, crushing debt burdens and growing systemic risks.
The Sevilla Commitment document represents a bold plan to get the engine of development revving again:
Through new domestic and global commitments that can channel public and private finance to the areas of greatest need…
By overhauling the world’s approach to debt to make borrowing work in service of sustainable development…
And by reforming the global financial architecture to reflect today’s realities and the urgent needs of developing countries.
But we need all hands on deck.
And that’s why the Sevilla Platform for Action is so critical — and so significant.
In the midst of a world of division, conflict and economic uncertainty, this Platform contains more than 130 specific initiatives that demonstrate what we can achieve by working together.
Governments, private sector partners, international institutions, and civil society groups all together are teaming up to launch high-impact initiatives to bring the Sevilla Commitment to life.
This includes a global hub for debt swaps at the World Bank as part of a broader facility aimed at relieving liquidity constraints and lowering the cost of borrowing.
A debt pause alliance to help countries in times of crisis.
A global coalition to scale-up pre-arranged finance that can be readily deployed when disasters strike.
A blended finance platform to bring public and private finance together in a new and expanded way.
A new tool for Multilateral Development Banks to manage currency risks.
And a commission to explore the future of development cooperation.
In December, I appointed a group of experts on debt who today are announcing 11 immediately actionable proposals to help resolve the debt crisis.
This includes the commitment to establish a borrowers forum for countries to learn from one another and coordinate their approaches in debt management and restructuring.
I look forward to working closely with Member States — including the G20 — to bring this forum to life, to empower borrower countries, and create a fairer system.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
The Sevilla Platform for Action offers an ambitious, action-oriented response to the global financing challenge.
It provides a springboard toward a more just, inclusive, and sustainable world for all countries.
And above all, it proves that progress and change are possible if we work together.
I hope the Platform inspires countries to work as one to tackle other challenges facing our world today.
Once again, I thank Prime Minister Sánchez and all of you for your leadership.
Thank you.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
9951st Meeting (PM)
The Council votes on a draft resolution renewing the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1533 (2004) concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo until 1 July 2026, and the mandate of its Group of Experts until 1 August 2026.
For information media. Not an official record.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
The IAEA and The World Bank announced a partnership today to support the safe, secure and responsible use of nuclear energy in developing countries.
This partnership agreement, signed by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, marks the World Bank Group’s first concrete step to reengage with nuclear power in decades.
Our organizations will work together in three key areas:
➡️ Expand the World Bank Group’s understanding of nuclear
➡️ Extend the lifespan of existing nuclear power plants
➡️ Accelerate the development of small modular reactors With electricity demand in developing countries expected to more than double by 2030, this collaboration will support nuclear as part of a clean energy future.
With electricity demand in developing countries expected to more than double by 2030, this collaboration will support nuclear as part of a clean energy future.
Source: United Nations secretary general
Querido Pedro Sánchez, Presidente del Gobierno de España quiero agradecerte y agradecer al Gobierno y al pueblo de España por la magnífica organización de esta Conferencia y por la extraordinaria hospitalidad que estamos recibiendo.
España es un pilar del multilateralismo, un socio firme de las Naciones Unidas y un defensor del desarrollo – como demuestra, una vez más, al acoger esta importante conferencia.
España es también una voz líder mundial por la paz – y comprende los profundos vínculos entre el desarrollo y la paz.
At a time of profound global turmoil, we must keep working for peace, for peace in the Middle East.
For an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of all hostages, and unimpeded humanitarian access as a first step to achieve the two-State solution.
For the ceasefire between Iran and Israel to hold.
For a just and lasting peace in Ukraine based on the UN Charter, international law and UN resolutions.
For an end to the horror and bloodshed in Sudan.
We know that sustainable peace requires sustainable development.
Ladies and gentlemen of the media.
As I said in opening the Conference this morning, development is not just about numbers on a page.
It’s about food, health care and education.
It’s about jobs and social protection.
It’s about infrastructure like water systems, internet access and climate-resilient buildings.
It’s about providing equal opportunity for girls and women which moves all societies ahead.
It’s about easing human suffering, and driving progress across every community, large and small.
Development is about people.
And we have collectively made great strides in development in recent decades.
But progress doesn’t happen on its own.
It takes support and investment.
As we meet, the world is falling behind in its commitments to advance the Sustainable Development Goals.
Achieving them will take an investment of more than $4 trillion a year.
And meanwhile, global growth is slowing, trade barriers are rising, and aid budgets are falling.
Developing countries are drowning in debt service payments, which have skyrocketed to $1.4 trillion every year.
And the great enabler of development — international cooperation — is being chipped away by geopolitical mistrust and division.
Now, this Conference is about rebuilding that trust with concrete commitments.
With the adoption of the Sevilla Commitment document, countries are proving their dedication to getting the engine of development revving again:
Through new domestic and global commitments that can channel public and private finance to the areas of greatest need…
By overhauling the world’s approach to debt to make borrowing work in service of sustainable development…
And by reforming the global financial architecture to reflect today’s realities and the urgent needs of developing countries, that must have a much stronger voice and participation in the institutions of this financial architecture.
The Sevilla Platform of Action being launched later today will help us move from words to action.
It contains dozens of new practical initiatives to accelerate funding for development around the world.
This includes the commitment to establish a borrowers forum for countries to learn from one another and coordinate their approaches in debt management and restructuring.
This is one of 11 immediately actionable proposals to help resolve the debt crisis, backed by my group of experts on debt that will be publishing their report.
I look forward to working closely with Member States — including the G20 — to bring this forum to life.
Por encima de todo, Sevilla va de soluciones.
Y de encontrar esas soluciones en un momento de dificultades y división para la familia humana.
Espero que nuestros esfuerzos colectivos aquí en Sevilla puedan inspirar y motivar a los países del mundo a trabajar unidos para resolver otros desafíos globales.
Y una vez más, quiero agradecer al Presidente del Gobierno y al pueblo español por dar la bienvenida al mundo aquí en Sevilla.
Muchas gracias.
****
[all-English]
Prime Minister Sánchez, my thanks to you and the government and people of Spain for your tremendous hospitality.
Dear Pedro Sánchez, President of the Government of Spain, I would like to thank you and the Government and people of Spain for the magnificent organization of this Conference and for the extraordinary hospitality we are receiving.
Spain is a pillar of multilateralism, a steadfast partner of the United Nations, and a champion of development as we see once again in your hosting of this major conference.
Spain is also a leading global voice for peace — and understands the deep linkages between development and peace.
At a time of profound global turmoil, we must keep working for peace, for peace in the Middle East.
For an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of all hostages, and unimpeded humanitarian access as a first step to achieve the two-State solution.
For the ceasefire between Iran and Israel to hold.
For a just and lasting peace in Ukraine based on the UN Charter, international law and UN resolutions.
For an end to the horror and bloodshed in Sudan.
We know that sustainable peace requires sustainable development.
Ladies and gentlemen of the media.
As I said in opening the Conference this morning, development is not just about numbers on a page.
It’s about food, health care and education.
It’s about jobs and social protection.
It’s about infrastructure like water systems, internet access and climate-resilient buildings.
It’s about providing equal opportunity for girls and women which moves all societies ahead.
It’s about easing human suffering, and driving progress across every community, large and small.
Development is about people.
And we have collectively made great strides in development in recent decades.
But progress doesn’t happen on its own.
It takes support and investment.
As we meet, the world is falling behind in its commitments to advance the Sustainable Development Goals.
Achieving them will take an investment of more than $4 trillion a year.
Meanwhile, global growth is slowing, trade barriers are rising, and aid budgets are falling.
Developing countries are drowning in debt service payments, which have skyrocketed to $1.4 trillion every year.
And the great enabler of development — international cooperation — is being chipped away by geopolitical mistrust and division.
This Conference is about rebuilding that trust with concrete commitments.
With the adoption of the Sevilla Commitment document, countries are proving their dedication to getting the engine of development revving again:
Through new domestic and global commitments that can channel public and private finance to the areas of greatest need…
By overhauling the world’s approach to debt to make borrowing work in service of sustainable development…
And by reforming the global financial architecture to reflect today’s realities and the urgent needs of developing countries, that must have a much stronger voice and participation in the institutions of this financial architecture.
The Sevilla Platform of Action being launched later today will help us move from words to action.
It contains dozens of new practical initiatives to accelerate funding for development around the world.
This includes the commitment to establish a borrowers forum for countries to learn from one another and coordinate their approaches in debt management and restructuring.
This is one of 11 immediately actionable proposals to help resolve the debt crisis, backed by my group of experts on debt that will be publishing their report.
I look forward to working closely with Member States — including the G20 — to bring this forum to life.
Above all, Sevilla is about solutions.
And finding these solutions at a divided and difficult moment for the human family.
It is my hope that our collective efforts here in Sevilla can inspire and motivate the countries of the world to work as one to solve other global challenges.
Once again, I’d like to thank Prime Minister Sánchez and the people of Spain for welcoming the world to Sevilla.
Thank you.
*****
[all-Spanish]
Querido Pedro Sánchez, Presidente del Gobierno de España quiero agradecerte y agradecer al Gobierno y al pueblo de España por la magnífica organización de esta Conferencia y por la extraordinaria hospitalidad que estamos recibiendo.
España es un pilar del multilateralismo, un socio firme de las Naciones Unidas y un defensor del desarrollo – como lo demuestra, una vez más, al acoger esta importante conferencia.
España es también una voz líder mundial por la paz – y comprende los profundos vínculos entre el desarrollo y la paz.
En estos momentos de profunda agitación mundial, debemos seguir trabajando por la paz, por la paz en Oriente Medio.
Por un alto el fuego inmediato en Gaza, la liberación inmediata de todos los rehenes y un acceso humanitario sin trabas – como primer paso para lograr la solución de dos Estados.
Por el mantenimiento del alto el fuego entre Irán e Israel.
Por una paz justa y duradera en Ucrania, basada en la Carta de las Naciones Unidas, el derecho internacional y las resoluciones de la ONU.
Por el fin del horror y el derramamiento de sangre en Sudán.
Sabemos que una paz sostenible requiere un desarrollo sostenible.
Señoras y señores de los medios,
Como he dicho esta mañana al inaugurar la Conferencia, el desarrollo no es solo números en un papel.
El desarrollo tiene que ver con la alimentación, la atención sanitaria y la educación.
Con los empleos y la protección social.
Con las infraestructuras, como los sistemas de abastecimiento de agua, el acceso a Internet y los edificios resistentes al clima.
Se trata de ofrecer igualdad de oportunidades a las niñas y las mujeres, que tan a menudo son las primeras a quienes se deja atrás.
Se trata de aliviar el sufrimiento humano e impulsar el progreso en todas las comunidades, tanto grandes como pequeñas.
El desarrollo se trata de las personas.
Y colectivamente hemos hecho grandes progresos en materia de desarrollo en las últimas décadas.
Pero los progresos no se producen por sí solos.
Se necesita apoyo e inversión.
Mientras nos reunimos, el mundo se está quedando a la zaga en sus compromisos de impulsar los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible.
Para alcanzarlos, hará falta una inversión de más de 4 billones de dólares al año.
Y mientras tanto, el crecimiento mundial se ralentiza, las barreras comerciales aumentan, y disminuyen los presupuestos para ayuda.
Los países en desarrollo están ahogados por los pagos de servicio de la deuda, que se han disparado hasta los 1,4 billones de dólares anuales.
Y la desconfianza y la división geopolíticas están minando el gran motor del desarrollo, que es la cooperación internacional.
Esta Conferencia trata de reconstruir esa confianza con compromisos concretos.
Con la adopción del documento del Compromiso de Sevilla, los países están demostrando que quieren volver a acelerar el motor del desarrollo:
Con nuevos compromisos nacionales y globales que dirijan la financiación pública y privada a las esferas donde es más necesaria…
Revisando el enfoque global de la deuda para hacer que el endeudamiento esté al servicio del desarrollo sostenible…
Y reformando la arquitectura financiera mundial para que refleje las realidades actuales y las necesidades urgentes de los países en desarrollo que deben tener una voz y una participación mucho más fuertes en las instituciones de esta arquitectura financiera.
La Plataforma de Acción de Sevilla, que se pondrá en marcha hoy, nos ayudará a pasar de las palabras a los hechos.
Contiene docenas de nuevas iniciativas prácticas para acelerar la financiación del desarrollo en todo el mundo.
Este incluye el compromiso de establecer un foro de prestatarios para que los países aprendan unos de otros y coordinen sus planteamientos en la gestión de la deuda y la reestructuración.
Esta es una de las 11 propuestas de acción inmediata para ayudar a resolver la crisis de la deuda, respaldadas por mi grupo de expertos en deuda que publicará su informe.
Espero trabajar en estrecha colaboración con los Estados miembros -incluido el G20 – para dar vida a este foro.
Por encima de todo, Sevilla va de soluciones.
Y de encontrar esas soluciones en un momento de dificultades y división para la familia humana.
Espero que nuestros esfuerzos colectivos aquí en Sevilla puedan inspirar y motivar a los países del mundo a trabajar unidos para resolver otros desafíos globales.
Y una vez más, quiero agradecer al Presidente del Gobierno y al pueblo español por dar la bienvenida al mundo aquí en Sevilla.
Muchas gracias.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the opening of the fourth Financing for Development Conference, in Sevilla, Spain, today:
I thank the Government and people of Spain for welcoming us to Sevilla for this important conference.
For decades, the mission of sustainable development has united countries large and small, developed and developing. Together, we achieved progress: reducing global poverty and hunger; saving lives with stronger healthcare systems; getting more children into school; expanding opportunities for women and girls; and strengthening social safety nets.
But, today, development and its great enabler — international cooperation — are facing massive headwinds. We are living in a world where trust is fraying and multilateralism is strained. A world with a slowing economy, rising trade tensions and decimated aid budgets. A world shaken by inequalities, climate chaos and raging conflicts.
The link between peace and development is clear. Nine of the 10 countries with the lowest Human Development Indicators are currently in a state of conflict.
Financing is the engine of development. And right now, this engine is sputtering. As we meet, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — our global promise to transform our world for a better, fairer future — is in danger. Two thirds of the Sustainable Development Goals targets are lagging. Achieving them requires an investment of more than $4 trillion a year.
But, this is not just a crisis of numbers. It’s a crisis of people. Of families going hungry. Of children going unvaccinated. Of girls forced to drop out of school.
We are here in Sevilla to change course; to repair and rev up the engine of development to accelerate investment at the scale and speed required; and to restore a measure of fairness and justice for all.
The Sevilla Commitment document is a global promise to fix how the world supports countries as they climb the development ladder. I see three areas of action.
First — we must get resources flowing. Fast. Countries must lead by mobilizing domestic resources and investing in areas of greatest impact: schools, healthcare, social protection, decent work and renewable energy.
Unlocking these investments requires strengthening tax systems, and tackling illicit financial flows and tax evasion. And helping developing countries dedicate a greater share of their tax revenues to the systems people need.
The Sevilla Commitment’s call on developed countries to double their aid dedicated to domestic resource mobilization to support this. Multilateral and national development banks must unite to finance major investments.
This includes tripling the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks — and rechanneling special drawing rights that can unlock lending capacity and help developing countries boost investment.
We also need innovative funding solutions to unlock private capital. Solutions that mitigate currency risks; that combine public and private finance more effectively, and ensure the risks and rewards of development projects are shared by both the public and private sectors; And that ensure financial regulations assess risk appropriately and support investments in frontier markets.
Second — we must fix the global debt system which is unsustainable, unfair and unaffordable. With annual debt service at $1.4 trillion, countries need — and deserve — a system that lowers borrowing costs, enables fair and timely debt-restructuring, and prevents debt crises in the first place.
The Sevilla Commitment lays the groundwork, with other aspects, by also creating a single debt registry for transparency, and promoting responsible lending and borrowing; by lowering the cost of capital through debt swaps and debt management support; and through debt-service pauses in times of emergency
And third — we must increase the participation of developing countries in the institutions of the global financial architecture. The present major shareholders have a role to play recognizing the importance of correcting injustices and adapting to a changing world.
A new borrowers forum will give voice to borrowers for fairer debt resolution and can foster transparency, shared learning and coordinated debt action. And we need a fairer global tax system shaped by all, not just a few.
This conference is not about charity. It’s about restoring justice and lives of dignity. This conference is not about money. It’s about investing in the future we want to build, together. Thank you all for being part of this important and ambitious effort.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:
I welcome the signing of a peace agreement on 27 June in Washington, D.C., by the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda, facilitated by the United States.
This agreement is a significant step towards de-escalation, peace and stability in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region. I commend the United States for its leadership in facilitating this process, in coordination with the State of Qatar and the African Union Mediator, Faure Gnassingbé of Togo. I acknowledge the contributions of the five co-facilitators designated by the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
I urge the parties to honour in full the commitments they have undertaken in the peace agreement and pursuant to Security Council resolution 2773 (2025), including the cessation of hostilities and all other agreed measures.
The United Nations, including through the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), remains fully committed to supporting the implementation of the agreement, in close coordination with the African Union, regional and international partners.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the Civil Society Forum at the fourth Financing for Development Conference, in Sevilla, Spain, today:
The fourth Financing for Development Conference is about fixing how the world invests in sustainable development.
At a time of rising conflict, a burning planet and growing division, it is about showing how international cooperation can and must deliver for people.
Thank you for your voice and relentless activism. You are the conscience of this process — and your calls for justice for the most vulnerable are being heard. To mobilize the funding to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. To ease the crushing debt burden on developing countries. And to reform the global financial architecture for good.
You know change is possible. I urge you to keep pushing. Keep demanding that Governments live up to their promises. The leadership of civil society can inspire change for all of society. I am proud to stand with you in this fight for justice. Thank you.
Source: World Health Organisation
Today, Suriname became the first country in the Amazon region to receive malaria-free certification from the World Health Organization (WHO). This historic milestone follows nearly 70 years of commitment by the government and people of Suriname to eliminate the disease across its vast rainforests and diverse communities.
“WHO congratulates Suriname on this remarkable achievement,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This certification is a powerful affirmation of the principle that everyone—regardless of nationality, background, or migration status—deserves universal access to malaria diagnosis and treatment. Suriname’s steadfast commitment to health equity serves as an inspiration to all countries striving for a malaria-free future.”
With today’s announcement, a total of 46 countries and 1 territory have been certified as malaria-free by WHO, including 12 countries in the Region of the Americas.
“Suriname did what was needed to eliminate malaria—detecting and treating every case quickly, investigating to prevent spread, and engaging communities,” said Dr Jarbas Barbosa, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), WHO’s regional office for the Americas. “This certification reflects years of sustained effort, especially reaching remote areas. It means future generations can grow up free from this potentially deadly disease.”
Certification of malaria elimination is granted by WHO when a country has proven, beyond reasonable doubt, that the chain of indigenous transmission has been interrupted nationwide for at least the previous three consecutive years.
Dr Amar Ramadhin, Minister of Health of Suriname, stated: “Being malaria-free means that our population is no longer at risk from malaria. Furthermore, eliminating malaria will have positive effects on our healthcare sector, boost the economy, and enhance tourism.
“At the same time, we recognize that maintaining this status requires ongoing vigilance. We must continue to take the necessary measures to prevent the reintroduction of malaria. We are proud that our communities are now protected, and we look forward to welcoming more visitors to our beautiful Suriname—while remaining fully committed to safeguarding these hard-won gains.”
Suriname’s malaria control efforts began in 1950s in the country’s densely-populated coastal areas, relying heavily on indoor spraying with the pesticide DDT and antimalarial treatment. By the 1960s, the coastal areas had become malaria-free and attention turned towards the country’s forested interior, home to diverse indigenous and tribal communities.
Although indoor spraying was successful in coastal areas, its impact was limited in the country’s interior due to the prevalence of traditional open-style homes that offer minimal protection against mosquitoes. In 1974 malaria control in the interior was decentralized to Medische Zending, Suriname’s primary health care service, which recruited and trained healthcare workers from the local communities to provide early diagnosis and treatment.
The surge in mining activities, particularly gold mining which often involves travel between malaria-endemic areas, led to increases in malaria, reaching a peak of more than 15 000 cases in 2001, the highest transmission rates of malaria in the Americas.
Since 2005, with support from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the capacity to provide diagnosis was greatly expanded with both improvements in microscopy and the use of rapid diagnostic tests, particularly among mobile groups. Artemisinin-based treatments with primaquine were introduced in Suriname and neighboring countries through PAHO-led studies under the Amazon Malaria Initiative (AMI-RAVREDA), supported by the United States. Prevention among high-risk groups was also strengthened through the distribution of insecticide-treated nets funded by the Global Fund.
By 2006, malaria had drastically decreased among the indigenous populations, prompting Suriname to shift its focus to high-risk mobile populations in remote mining areas. To reach these groups—many of whom were migrants from neighboring endemic countries—the country established a network of Malaria Service Deliverers, recruited directly from the mining communities. These trained and supervised community workers provide free malaria diagnosis, treatment, and prevention services, playing a vital role in closing access gaps in hard-to-reach regions.
Through ensuring universal access to diagnosis and treatment regardless of legal status, deploying an extensive network of community health workers, and implementing nationwide malaria screening, including at border crossings, Suriname successfully eliminated malaria. The last locally transmitted case of Plasmodium falciparum malaria was recorded in 2018, followed by the final Plasmodium vivax case in 2021.
The government of Suriname has shown strong commitment to malaria elimination, including through the National Malaria Elimination Taskforce, Malaria Program, Malaria Elimination Fund, and cross-border collaboration with Brazil, Guyana and French Guiana. For many years PAHO/WHO, with the support of the U.S. Government, has provided technical cooperation throughout Suriname’s anti-malaria campaign. Since 2016 Suriname also participated in the “Elimination 2025” initiative – a group of countries identified by WHO as having the potential to eliminate malaria by 2025.
This success in Suriname is a demonstration that malaria elimination is possible in challenging contexts in the Amazon basin and in tropical continental countries. The country’s malaria-free certification plays a critical role in advancing PAHO’s Disease Elimination Initiative which aims to eliminate more than 30 communicable diseases, including malaria, in countries of the Americas by 2030.
WHO malaria-free certification
The final decision on awarding a malaria-free certification is made by the WHO Director-General, based on a recommendation by the Technical Advisory Group on Malaria Elimination and Certification and validation from the Malaria Policy Advisory Group. For more on WHO’s malaria-free certification process, visit this link.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
The Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2745 (2024) held informal consultations on 11 June 2025 to consider the midterm and final reports of its Panel of Experts, submitted in accordance with paragraph 7 of the same resolution.
The Coordinator of the Panel, joined by the other experts, presented an overview of the principal findings contained in the midterm and final reports after which Committee members engaged in an interactive discussion with the members of the Panel. The Committee members thanked the Panel for its rigorous work under challenging conditions and reiterated their commitment to supporting peace and stability in the Central African Republic and the wider region.
Following the Panel’s submission of its midterm and final reports to the Security Council no later than 15 June 2025, the reports will be issued as documents of the Security Council, and they will be available in all official languages on the 2745 Committee’s webpage: https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/sanctions/2745/panel-of-experts/reports.
For information media. Not an official record.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
9949th Meeting (AM)
The Security Council is expected to adopt a text renewing the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) for a period of six months, until 31 December 2025, and request the Secretary-General to ensure that UNDOF has the required capacity and resources to fulfil its mandate in a safe and secure way.
UNDOF is a peacekeeping mission established in 1974 by the United Nations to supervise the ceasefire and disengagement of forces between Israel and Syria in the Golan Heights.
For information media. Not an official record.
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
9950th Meeting (AM)
The Security Council will today discuss Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, pursuant to resolution 2334 (2016), which requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council every three months on the implementation of the resolution’s provisions. Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, is expected to brief the Council on the Secretary-General’s latest report. However, speakers are also likely to address broader issues affecting the region, including aid delivery, military operations in Gaza, and regional spillover effects.
For information media. Not an official record.
Source: World Health Organisation
On 8-9 May 2025, a core team from the DPR Korea Ministry of Public Health participated in a two-day virtual workshop. The workshop included a mini-simulation exercise and was organized by WHO SEARO in collaboration with WHO’s Preparedness and Resilience to Emerging Threats (PRET) Secretariat at WHO Headquarters and the WHO Country Office for DPR Korea.
Adapted from WHO’s Exercise panPRET-1, the simulation focused on a fictional influenza outbreak to test national systems for surveillance, risk assessment and response coordination. The exercise highlighted both strengths and areas for improvement in DPR Korea’s preparedness planning.
Key outcomes of this exercise included:
Building on the experience from an in-person regional simulation exercise held in 2024, this event highlighted the value of knowledge sharing and developing practical skills through virtual engagement to build a sustainable, country-led response.
The existing NIPPP was updated in 2019, with the inputs from in-country workshop supported by experts from all levels of WHO. Looking ahead, DPR Korea plans to conduct a national multisectoral workshop and simulation exercise later in 2025, led by newly trained facilitators. These efforts will directly support the ongoing revision of the current NIPPP into broader PRET based plan and contribute to stronger national health security.
Source: World Health Organisation
On 8-9 May 2025, a core team from the DPR Korea Ministry of Public Health participated in a two-day virtual workshop. The workshop included a mini-simulation exercise and was organized by WHO SEARO in collaboration with WHO’s Preparedness and Resilience to Emerging Threats (PRET) Secretariat at WHO Headquarters and the WHO Country Office for DPR Korea.
Adapted from WHO’s Exercise panPRET-1, the simulation focused on a fictional influenza outbreak to test national systems for surveillance, risk assessment and response coordination. The exercise highlighted both strengths and areas for improvement in DPR Korea’s preparedness planning.
Key outcomes of this exercise included:
Building on the experience from an in-person regional simulation exercise held in 2024, this event highlighted the value of knowledge sharing and developing practical skills through virtual engagement to build a sustainable, country-led response.
The existing NIPPP was updated in 2019, with the inputs from in-country workshop supported by experts from all levels of WHO. Looking ahead, DPR Korea plans to conduct a national multisectoral workshop and simulation exercise later in 2025, led by newly trained facilitators. These efforts will directly support the ongoing revision of the current NIPPP into broader PRET based plan and contribute to stronger national health security.
Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Geneva/Nairobi, 30 June 2025 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) welcomes the signing of a peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda, brokered by the United States, the African Union, and the State of Qatar. The agreement represents a critical step toward ending decades of violence and displacement in the region and comes at a symbolic moment as the DRC marks 65 years of independence.
“This agreement offers a rare and vital opportunity to chart a new course for peace and security in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “But peace must be felt on the ground. It must mean safety for families who have fled their homes, support for communities that have opened their doors to the displaced, and a future for young people who have known nothing but conflict. We call on the international community to seize this moment not just to support the political process, but to invest in the humanitarian and recovery efforts that will make peace real for millions of people.”
Across the Democratic Republic of the Congo, millions continue to bear the brunt of one of the world’s most persistent and complex crises. In the eastern provinces alone, more than 700,000 people have been displaced since the start of 2024, forced to flee their homes as violence intensifies. Families have been uprooted multiple times, often with little more than what they can carry, seeking safety in overcrowded shelters, informal sites, or host communities that are already under strain.
IOM teams have been delivering lifesaving assistance across the country, providing emergency shelter, health care, protection services, and mental health and psychosocial support to those most affected by the violence. Support is also being extended to host communities, many of whom are facing immense pressure as they take in those who have been forced to flee.
While the peace agreement marks a hopeful turning point, the road to lasting stability will be long and complex. Years of conflict have left deep scars and humanitarian needs remain staggering. The peace agreement must now be matched by meaningful action on the ground.
IOM reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Organization stands ready to work alongside national authorities, regional bodies, and international partners to ensure that this agreement translates into real and lasting progress, restoring dignity, rebuilding lives, and helping communities recover from the impacts of violence and displacement.
For more information, please visit IOM’s Media Centre.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Cancer can affect anyone. Whether you survive for not, often depends on your access to treatment. And this varies, depending on where you live in the world. Through its Rays of Hope initiative, the IAEA is giving more cancer patients access to life-saving care in low- and middle-income countries where the need is greatest. Three years since its launch, Rays of Hope is providing tangible support to people in all regions of the world.