By Javier Surasky
Now that the presentations by country representatives at the Fourth United Nations Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), still underway in Seville, have concluded, we can’t help but feel somewhat concerned about the mental health of some of the leaders who spoke on behalf of their countries.
In
psychiatry, schizophrenia
can be defined as “a mental disorder that makes it difficult to distinguish
what is real from what is not. It also interferes with clear thinking,
normal emotional responses, and typical social behavior.”
Since a
complete overview would exceed the scope of this space (and my abilities), I
will limit myself to highlighting some elements from the statements made by the
host country and by those members of the OECD Development Assistance Committee
that, according to the organization’s data, saw drops of over 10% in their
Official Development Assistance (ODA) between 2023 and 2024, as official data
for this year is not yet available.
Let us
begin with the host country, Spain, and focus solely on its
participation in the “country round” — excluding, therefore, the speech given
by its president at the opening session of the Conference.
Represented
by José Manuel Álvarez Bueno, its Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union
and Cooperation, Spain stressed that “mobilizing more and better resources for
sustainable development is not only a necessary task—it is urgent”, both to
support the most vulnerable and to reinforce trust in multilateralism. He
emphasized that Spain is committed to ODA and called on all countries to meet
the target of allocating 0.7% of GNI to ODA, also noting the need for a
follow-up mechanism to ensure accountability and implementation of the
commitments reflected in the Sevilla
Commitment, the final document adopted by the Conference.
Spain’s ODA in 2024 was 17% lower than in 2023, with an ODA/GNI ratio of
0.24.
France, represented by its president, Emmanuel
Macron, who explained that development financing is essentially about
increasing our capacity to live together on this planet, as poverty “generates
conflict and despair.” He acknowledged that the international context has
become more complex since the Addis Ababa conference. He emphasized that for
him, international cooperation is truly “international solidarity,” adding that
“finding lasting financing with greater collective effectiveness benefits
everyone.”
France’s ODA in 2024 was 11% lower than in 2023, with an ODA/GNI ratio
of 0.50.
Slovenia followed, with Deputy Minister of
Foreign and European Affairs and Minister of Development Melita Gabrich issuing
an “urgent and necessary” call to mobilize resources and reform the
international financial system, urging increases in both public and private,
national and international, financing. She called for ensuring adequate and
predictable financing for countries in special situations and concluded by
stating that “this conference, on the 80th anniversary of the UN, offers a
crucial opportunity to show that cooperation can deliver real results.”
Slovenia’s ODA in 2024 was 14% lower than in 2023, with an ODA/GNI ratio
of 0.24.
Italy’s representative argued that while
increasing aid resources is essential, it is even more critical to enhance the quality
and systemic impact of public resources. He emphasized that the true power of
public finance lies in its capacity to mobilize private capital and foster
sustainable and inclusive partnerships with developing countries. He concluded
that boosting partner countries’ capacities to mobilize domestic resources,
manage public debt responsibly, and promote a strong investment climate is
essential for achieving sustainable development outcomes.
Italy’s ODA in 2024 was 15% lower than in 2023, with an ODA/GNI ratio of
0.27.
Yiannis
Loverdos, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Hellenic Expatriates, spoke on
behalf of Greece and recalled that the annual development financing gap
to meet the needs of the Global South now exceeds USD 4 trillion, a “human cost
we cannot afford.” He described the Seville Commitment as a political message
reaffirming international commitment to closing the financing gap through real
action, stressing that this is a time to increase, not decrease, ODA.
Greece’s ODA in 2024 was 17% lower than in 2023, with an ODA/GNI ratio
of 0.14.
Lithuania shared its positions through Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigitas Smitkus, who highlighted the link between
peace and development. He stated that, in today’s context, it is essential to
allocate “adequate, sustainable, and inclusive financing to implement the
SDGs.”
Lithuania’s ODA in 2024 was 29% lower than in 2023, with an ODA/GNI
ratio of 0.28.
Hungary opened by recalling that only a
third of the SDG targets are currently on track and that millions of people
will continue to suffer from hunger and poverty unless progress accelerates.
Hungary reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring no one is left behind, adopting
an “active and compassionate” approach to assisting countries in need, rather
than allowing problems to “cross our borders.” It argued that “people must be
supported to stay in their homes by creating living conditions that make it
unnecessary to leave—and allow those who have already left to return.”
Hungary’s ODA in 2024 was 31% lower than in 2023, with an ODA/GNI ratio
of 0.15.
The
Czech Republic did
not attend the Seville Conference—perhaps assuming that its presence would be
problematic after a year-on-year drop of 34% in
its ODA between 2023 and 2024.
Andrzej
Duda, President of the Republic of Poland, spoke on behalf of his
country. He acknowledged that the world is at a turning point, with widening
inequalities. In this context, he said, “development financing is becoming one
of the most important tools” for building resilient and just societies and
implementing the 2030 Agenda. Therefore, he continued, Poland has increased its
commitment to development cooperation and called on the international community
to ensure stable and predictable development financing.
Poland’s ODA in 2024 was 36% lower than in 2023, with an ODA/GNI ratio
of 0.34.
Alar Karis,
President of the Republic of Estonia, delivered a brief address, noting
that the development landscape has undergone significant changes in the ten
years since the previous Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa. A
growing number of challenges is reducing the availability of resources for
development. He called for greater awareness of the importance of sustainable
development and its financing, arguing that investing in sustainable
development requires “innovation, collaboration, and commitment” and that only wise
and responsible investments will build a better future. He committed to Estonia
remaining a reliable donor.
Estonia’s ODA in 2024 was 51% lower than in 2023, with an ODA/GNI ratio
of 0.28.
To make
matters worse, the Sevilla
Commitment, which essentially repeats the Addis Ababa Action Agenda,
with a few additions (such as issues related to AI), has also omitted key
issues, such as references to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies or
explicit mention of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. But
that is a topic for a future blog entry.