Financing for Social Progress: From Sevilla to Doha

Submitted by the President of the General Assembly to the United Nations, the “Sevilla Commitment” draft resolution was adopted, promising Member States progress on development finance. The momentous document is the outcome of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) held in Sevilla, Spain, from 30 June to 3 July 2025. The resolution, officially titled Compromiso de Sevilla, was adopted by consensus by 192 of the 193 UN member states, with the United States not joining the consensus.

The purpose of the Commitment is to establish a new global framework for addressing the pressing financing challenges that hinder the development of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It aims to close an estimated annual financing gap of $4 trillion required for sustainable development, mostly in developing countries.

Key provisions and themes of the Sevilla Commitment include:

• Reforming the international financial architecture: The resolution calls for a more inclusive and effective financial system for developing countries, enhancing their voice and influence in global debt structures
• Debt alleviation: It outlines mechanisms to ease the debt burden on vulnerable countries, including a "Debt Pause Clause" that would allow for temporary pauses in debt payments during crises
• Mobilizing resources: The commitment urges expanding the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, leveraging private investment for job creation, and curbing illicit financial flows
• Fairer taxation: It advocates for more progressive and efficient tax systems and calls for greater transparency and accountability in fiscal systems
• Strengthening development cooperation: The document reaffirms commitments to official development assistance (ODA) targets and calls for a transition from an aid-driven model to a more egalitarian, country-led investment model

The resolution is complemented by the Sevilla Platform for Action, which includes over 130 specific initiatives and partnerships launched by governments, the private sector, and civil society to implement the commitments. While the commitment is a non-binding political document, it is viewed as a significant step in re-orienting global economic governance towards human rights, climate justice, and development.

This coming September, the Biennial Summit between the United Nations and the International Financial Institutions will take place at the UN Headquarters in New York to explore the themes covered in the Sevilla Commit and to establish more systemic links between the UN and these institutions. On 24 September, the First Biennial Summit for a Sustainable, Inclusive, and Resilient Global Economy will take place, reviewing ways to implement commitments on financing development.

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