António Guterres Calls for Renewed Development Efforts at International Finance Conference in Seville
Sevilla, Spain: On June 30th, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged the international community to “restart the development engine” at the fourth international conference on development financing held in Spain. Guterres, speaking at the four-day event in Seville, highlighted a world grappling with eroding trust, strained multilateralism, and escalating inequalities, climate chaos, and devastating conflicts.
Guterres’ Plea for Development Investments
In this challenging context, Guterres emphasized the necessity to “repair and restart the development engine,” calling for mobilizing resources and investing in essential sectors such as education, healthcare, social protection, decent work, and renewable energy.
US AID Cuts Cast a Shadow Over Development Assistance
The conference comes at a particularly worrying time for development assistance, as the decision by US President Donald Trump to cut 83% of funds for foreign programs from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has significantly impacted numerous agencies and NGOs. With the US previously providing $63 billion in public aid by 2024, it was the leading donor for many organizations. Now, other capitals like Paris, London, and Berlin have also reduced their aid contributions.
European Leaders’ Responses
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez stressed the importance of stepping up commitments amidst shrinking donor communities. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron denounced the “aberration” of reintroducing trade wars and tariffs, without explicitly naming the United States.
Global Participation and Mexico’s Low Profile
At least 50 heads of state and government participated in the conference, known as FfD4, from June 30th to July 4th. Leaders from Latin America, including Ecuador, Colombia, and Uruguay, attended. Mexico represented by its undersecretary, Enrique Javier Ochoa Martínez, maintained a relatively low profile at the event.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is António Guterres? He is the current Secretary-General of the United Nations, elected in 2017.
- Why is his message relevant? Guterres’ warnings come at a critical time when the US has drastically reduced its development assistance, impacting numerous organizations worldwide.
- What is the significance of the FfD4 conference? It brings together global leaders to discuss and address challenges in international development financing.
- Which countries have reduced their aid contributions? Besides the US, other major donors like France, Germany, and the UK have also cut their development assistance.
- What is Macron’s stance on trade wars? The French President strongly opposes reintroducing trade wars and tariffs, considering it an “aberration” in the current global context.
