Third Plenary Meeting - 4th International Conference on Financing for Development FFD4 (Sevilla, Spain)

Good morning.

I call to order the plenary meeting of the fourth International Conference on Finance for Development. Distinguished heads of government, ministers, ladies and gentlemen, the conference will continue with the general debate on item eight of the program. In line with the organization of the work of the conference, the interventions of the general debate cannot exceed five minutes. I would encourage those who intend to make longer statements to make a shorter version and to send the long form so that it can be published on the website. To help speakers manage their time, there will be a timer. I would urge you to stick to your time limit so that everyone will have time to speak. When the five minute time limit ends, the microphones will switch off after a brief courtesy period. I have the honor of giving the floor to Mr. Javier Espoz Zamora, head of the government of the Principality of Andorra, to take the floor. It is my honor to invite Mr. Mohamed Joudah Jollo.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I warmly express Sierra Leone's deep appreciation First, to His Excellency Pedro Sanchez, President of the Government of Spain, and the people of Spain, for hosting this important conference and for the warm hospitality extended to our delegation in the beautiful city of Seville. We equally commend Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, for his steadfast leadership and bold call for a fairer, more inclusive, and more resilient global financial architecture. Excellencies, we gather at a moment of unprecedented global challenges. Nearly a decade after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, progress on the Sustainable Development Goals is alarmingly off track. The financing gap for development, now estimated at about $4 trillion annually, is widening, particularly for developing countries. Without urgent and transformative action, we risk leaving behind the most vulnerable. In Sierra Leone, the gap between our development aspirations and available resources remains significant. Our national development plan, is anchored on five transformative priorities, our big five game changers, which includes boosting agriculture productivity, expanding energy access, and promoting human capital development. The cost of implementing this plan exceeds $12 billion with a financing gap of over $2 billion despite our strong domestic effort to mobilize resources. We are investing in education, healthcare, energy, and infrastructure, but high debt servicing costs continue to constrain our physical space, limiting our ability to recruit additional teachers, deploy doctors, grow crops, and more importantly, power rural clinics. We reiterate our call for a development-oriented debt architecture that reduces the cost of capital, expand physical space and support long term investment in human capital, infrastructure and climate resilience. Sierra Leone therefore aligns with the Pact for the Future and the Compromisso de Sevilha in emphasizing global financial governance that must be reformed to be more inclusive, equitable, and representative. African countries remain underrepresented in international financial institutions. The global financial system must no longer talk about Africa without Africa. Our voices must shape the rules that govern the system. Inclusion is not just fair, it is essential for legitimacy and, more importantly, for delivering on our shared development goals. Excellencies, we recognize that financing for development must go beyond debt and fiscal measures. the fulfillment of ODA commitment by developing partners, including the longstanding target of 0.7% of GNI to help countries like Sierra Leone address poverty, food insecurity, and human development gaps. Second, enhanced climate financing. We also call for combating illicit financial flows and advocating fair international tax system. investment in gender and support to local valuation and trade integration, including beneficiation. His Excellency, distinguished guests, Sierra Leone welcomes the Compromiso de Sevilla as a bold step towards realigning our global financial system with the priorities of developing countries. But we must leave Sevilla not only with hopeful words, but with concrete time-bound commitments that deliver impact where it matters. Let us act now to ensure that the promise of the 2030 Agenda becomes a reality for all and leaving no one behind. I thank you very much.

I want to thank Mr. Mohamed Julay Jalloh, Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, and I now have the honour of inviting Your Excellency Javier Espoz Zamora, Head of Government of the Principality of Andorra.

Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, first of all, I want to thank my most sincere gratitude to the government of the Kingdom of Spain and the United Nations for organizing this fourth International Conference for Financing for Development. Our presence here today in Seville testifies to the importance that we attach to multilateralism to build a future that is more equitable, sustainable, and integrative. We are at a crucial turning point. The 2030 Agenda is our common framework. However, its implementation requires a renewed and wholehearted commitment by the member states of the United Nations. The fact that we have made progress in implementation to the tune of only 17% in implementing the SDGs, while various forms of inequality continue to be present around the world, is a wake-up call that we must not ignore. With this in mind, the Ibero-American states reached a consensus on a declaration presented in the framework of the preparatory work of this conference. In this common message, we demonstrate that multilateral cooperation can be effective and that in spite of our differences and our various levels of development, we share the same priorities. As I mentioned, the summit for the future last September, it is our responsibility to address with greater determination the global challenges that threaten the well-being of future generations. Climate change continues without a doubt to be one of the most urgent crises of our time and one of the most worrisome global challenges of our time. Andorra is at the part of the Pyrenees Mountains. This is why we have made the sustainability of the mountains one of our main priorities. Indeed, states that are located in the mountains are exposed to environmental upheavals such as melting of glaciers, pressure on natural resources, and threats to biodiversity. This situation merely strengthens the need for collective responses. Ladies and gentlemen, For Andorra, international cooperation is more than simply a choice, it is a necessity. We deeply believe that global challenges will only find a response through collective and coordinated action. On this point, the priorities of my government in the area of development aid are fighting against climate change, education, especially education of girls, gender equality, fighting against discrimination and focus on the most vulnerable populations, in particular children and persons with disabilities. I would like today to reaffirm the attachment of Andorra to its commitments in the area of public development aid. While certain budgetary choices have led to a reduction of this aid, we have opted for continuity. We are convinced that international solidarity remains essential and we will continue to act within our possibilities for the benefit of implementing the SDGs. Guided by this spirit, we believe that it is essential to work together in order to reform the international financial architecture. We fully support the efforts aimed at making global financial institutions more inclusive, more effective, and in particular through an in-depth reflection on their governance. The voices of all states, whether they are small or large, developed or developing, must be heard and taken into account. Equality and inclusion are prerequisites to any credible reform of our global financial system. It is therefore essential that we advance together towards a representative financial governance capable of incorporating the varied realities, the diverse realities of all countries. Ladies and gentlemen, I would also like on behalf of Andorra to reaffirm our commitment in favor of climate financing. In the face of the now clearly tangible consequences of climate change, it is urgent to bolster mechanisms of international solidarity. Within -- at our level, we have established certain tools which demonstrate that all states, independent of their size, can contribute to global climate goals. However, we know that these efforts must be expanded to the international level. Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, much remains to be done. However, our determination is firm. Today, Andorra reaffirms wholeheartedly its commitment to multilateralism that is strong, inclusive, and to a more just global financial governance and international solidarity that will finally bear fruit together through dialogue, cooperation, and coordination, we will build a future that is commensurate to the expectations of our citizens and future generations. Thank you very much for your attention.

I want to thank the head of government of the Principality of Andorra. Now I have the honor of inviting His Excellency Amadou Oury Bah, Prime Minister, head of government of the Republic of Guinea, to take the floor.

Your Excellency, Pedro Sanchez, President of the Conference, Your Excellency, Secretary General of the United Nations, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Heads of State and Government, we welcome fact that Seville, in the heart of Spain and symbol of Euro-African relations as well as cultural cross-pollination, was chosen as the venue for this fourth United Nations Conference on Financing for Development. On behalf of His Excellency, Army General Mamady Doumbouya, President of the Republic of Guinea, I would like to welcome the convening of this important conference. convened in the spirit of responsibility that is collective at a time of deep-seated tensions, overlapping emergencies, and weakened promises. At a time when the global development financing deficit is dangerously rising, we must redefine international solidarity, redefine it not as an abstract moral principle, but as a pragmatic precondition for our common survival. The world will only be able to face up to systemic risks that are piling up, whether that be climate-related debt, armed conflict, food security, or the digital divide. The world will only be able to do this through a thorough renewal of the foundations of multilateralism, in particular financial multilateralism. Ladies and gentlemen, Our region is the living symbol of what could come to pass if we fail to show solidarity. In fact, the crisis in the Sahel demonstrate the worldwide risks and the harmful consequences of climate change. The Republic of Guinea is undergoing transformation. Our country is rich in natural resources, but vulnerable to climatic, economic, and geopolitical shocks. We bring a unique and legitimate voice to this debate. We are facing a complex equation. We must respond to pressing social needs, all the while undergoing an economic transition that is compatible with global goals, in particular climate and economic goals. For this reason, we are calling for differentiated financing instruments. which factor in the specific reality of countries like ours. Development assistance that does not factor in green investment efforts or the climate vulnerabilities we are facing and the concomitant constraints, such development assistance can be neither fair nor inclusive and least of all effective. The Republic of Guinea has initiated an economic transformation drawing on our national levers but also opening up to financial innovation, to strategic partnerships and to bold public governance reforms. The Semandu program, which sets out our diversification strategy and our productive sovereignty strategy, symbolizes this new ambition. It's not simply about building a more robust economy, it's about creating an endogenous and sustainable model which can create jobs as well as value chains and guarantee access to essential services. As part and parcel of this transformation, the Republic of Guinea is continuing its efforts to preserve its national heritage as we face serious challenges, whether they be environmental or otherwise. We have sites that have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. We are working on cross-border cooperation and sustainable development. This attests to our desire to strengthen regional solidarity, especially for landlocked countries. We are staying true to our history and working hand in hand with our neighbors. We'd like to assure you that we are committed to integration, the integration of our territory, our resources, inter alia, for the common good. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, in Seville, we need to move beyond statements of intent. We are calling for an effective reform of the international financial architecture. We're calling for an equitable debt management mechanism and for global tax cooperation that no longer marginalizes the countries of the South. We're also calling for an approach to climate and development financing that is truly partnership-based. The establishment of new financing windows rewarding national efforts, as well as access to concessional resources on the basis of criteria tailored to contemporary reality. all of the above must be prioritized. The Republic of Guinea is not asking for special treatment. What we'd like to see is equitable recognition of our efforts and recognition of the rights of all peoples to chart their own course towards prosperity. Let the SIVIA commitment not just be one more document. We want it to be a concrete turning point in the decisions we take together to finance the future we claim to want to forge. I thank you.

I thank Prime Minister, Head of Government of the Republic of Guinea. I now have the honor of inviting Her Excellency Sara Zafrani Zenzi, Head of Government of the Republic of Tunisia, to take the floor.

In the.

Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, President, Heads of State and Government, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is an honour for me to deliver this statement on behalf of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Tunisia, Kais Saied. I'd like to seize this opportunity to extend our gratitude to the Kingdom of Spain for their very kind invitation, for their warm hospitality in the city of Seville, a city whose history spans many civilizations. I would also like to thank the United Nations and to commend the efforts undertaken to hold this conference, which is being convened during a very trying period for the international system, especially as regards socioeconomic development, technological development, and the environment. This conference also comes as we prepare for celebrations of the United Nations' 80th anniversary, on the 24th of October 1945, the United Nations was founded in San Francisco. It was founded on the basis of principles which live on to this day and which should be put into practice. I'm referring to the principles of collective security. However, we cannot discuss this principle without mentioning the Palestinian cause which remains an open wound we can only talk about Justice or sustainable development sustainable development being uh an objective which remains out of reach we cannot discuss this unless the rights of Palestinian people and especially the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital as long as this state has not been born and this in keeping with the international legal norms peace and development are inextricably linked We can only achieve these if there is justice. And how can this happen when an entire people is being deprived of decent living conditions, of life, including the right to exist? Ladies and gentlemen, over the last few years, we've seen that the international community is not up to task. It is not capable of confronting the economic and social challenges we face, on top of which come the challenges of the pandemic, climate-related challenges, all of which has weakened the ties that bind states. It has also undermined our achievement of the SDGs, an objective set by the United Nations. During the Addis Ababa Conference in 2015, we adopted broad program of action seeking to achieve sustainable development. Nonetheless, the pandemic and successive waves of tensions, as well as geopolitical tensions, not to mention climate challenges, all of the above have meant that states have not been capable of tackling the challenges they face. This has further grown the gap between states. Tunisia is a proud member of both the Arab world and the African continent. We have served as a bridge, a point of contact between different civilizations. However, our efforts hinge on our capacity to achieve justice. Our national strategy is underpinned by an approach that is based on two pillars: first, building a robust economy, and locking in the foundations of a just state. We are endeavoring to build a more resilient order so as to achieve sustainable development, which would allow for economic recovery, paving the way for investment. Moreover, Tunisia is seeking to consolidate its role by creating decent job opportunities for all of our people across all categories, all the while providing particular assistance to the most vulnerable groups. Financing for development is a major challenge, and this requires deep and bold reforms. In Tunisia, we do lack resources. We are seeing a debt burden increase, in part owing to international markets volatility. There are many constraints being placed on our budgets, on our public finances, although education, health, infrastructure, we are undertaking reforms in all these sectors. And all of this is prompting us to ask a very important question, how do we achieve the SDGs at a time when resources are increasingly limited, and at a time when we are tackling numerous challenges, pandemics and wars. Mr. President, the President of the Republic of Tunisia, during his participation in the summit focusing on financing for African economies, called for greater effectiveness of international efforts so as to be able to address the challenges we face and to lessen the debt burden. In addition to achieving restructuring, financing for development compels us to also address the issue of stolen assets. This is the sovereign right of our people. This is the way we view the issue. Nonetheless, all of our efforts have been unsuccessful owing to the circumstances. This is why we are calling for asset recovery today. These are not just figures. This is a way of guaranteeing the future for generations to come. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, we welcome the role played by our partners, both bilateral and multilateral. We call for us to reconsider international cooperation mechanisms. These mechanisms should be underpinned by the principles of sovereignty and the need to take into account country-specific factors. We also emphasize the need to craft our national strategies by drawing on our national resources, our vision, while remaining open to proposals tabled by partners as part of comprehensive cooperation. Speaking from this high rostrum, we call for an overhaul of international financial mechanisms to make them better tailored to the needs of developing countries, as well as to satisfy the needs of these countries in keeping with the following objectives. We need long-term mechanisms which target key sectors, for instance, energy, the energy transition, health, education, the list goes on. When referring to financing for development, which is something we all aspire to, when discussing this we need to factor in the aspirations of states and their national priorities. International financial institutions, IFIs, should adopt policies based on genuine partnerships with developing countries. Tunisia believes that fair, financing to be a sine qua non prerequisite. And we're calling for new policies to be devised based on the following pillars: greater funding for international funds, adequate financing, a review of debt conditions. The speaker has not provided a text. Furthermore, with a view to reducing the consequences of climate change, we must ensure we continue to strike a balance on the African continent so as to allow Africa to secure the financing necessary for implementing its various projects. During the 2023 summit, which was held in Paris, France, An appeal was launched, the objective being to create a genuine partnership which would serve the interests of all of humanity. Furthermore, the President of the Republic of Tunisia reaffirmed that some agreements have become outdated and can no longer be implemented. Against this backdrop, Tunisia has issued an appeal, did this on the sidelines of the last General Assembly, and we called for a new approach to the international financial system to ensure it's restructured so it is better fit for purpose, tailored to the needs of developing countries. So as to achieve various objectives, we need to ensure access to Concessional financing is broadened. We need to combat illicit capital flows, as well as to combat corruption. Tunisia is decisively marching down the path towards development and growth. We are doing this in partnership with regional and international partners, and with a view to meeting the needs of our people. The current global situation compels us to bolster multilateralism so as to be able to implement the courageous, the bold decisions that can pave the way to stability on our planet. By way of conclusion, we'd like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Kingdom of Spain for its stellar hospitality and for hosting this very important conference. Furthermore, we must ensure that there is follow-up to the outcome, the outcomes of the conference, so as to be able to live up to the aspirations of our people, thereby forging a world where peace, stability, and security reign. I thank you.

I thank the head of government of the Republic of Tunisia, and I give the floor to His Excellency. Hussein Mohamed Latif, Vice President of the Republic of Maldives, you have the floor.

Prime Minister of Spain and President of the Conference, His Excellency Mr. Pedro Sanchez, Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Antonio Guterres, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, Lastly, I thank the government and the people of Spain for hosting this important conference and for their warm hospitality in this beautiful city of Seville. Every country aims to improve lives and secure a better future for its people. Sustainable development is central to the ambition. But for developing countries, structural barriers in the global financial system make progress more challenging. That's why development must be purposeful, driven by vision, strategy, and sustained investment despite global challenges. Under the leadership of President Dr. Mohamed Moiz, the Maldives is making that choice. We are taking bold steps to become a developed country by 2040. Yet this is being tested by a global environment marked by geopolitical tensions and division. Conflicts are affecting supply chains, increasing uncertainty and increasing risks. These global challenges highlighted the need to build resilience from within. As such, the Mauritius is investing in expanding the economy to strengthen its foundation for long-term growth. Last year, we began offering international bunkering services and we are also expanding trade partnership to boost value-added fisheries exports. This supports the balance of trade and increases foreign currency reserves. We are building a modern financial system through the Mauritius International Financial Services Authority and developing the Mauritius International Finance Centre as a financial free zone which has already secured up to $8 billion in investment commitments. To support these new reforms, the Development Bank of Mauritius was created to finance long-term social and economic development with domestic resource mobilization as a key strategy. Mauritius values the potential of its young population and is investing in inclusive climate positive enterprise development. We are promoting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. with a focus on empowerment, women, and youth supported by a creative economy strategy that support local talent and strengthen community-driven growth. We are upgrading our infrastructure to support key sectors like tourism. This today, the new terminal at Velana International Airport will open, tripling capacity to seven million passengers every year. tripling capacity to seven million passengers every year and unlocking new economic opportunities. Together, these efforts expand the modest development space and boost resilience among global uncertainty. However, ambition alone is not enough. The international financing system is uneven, outdated, and does not reflect our realities. For many developing countries, especially SIDS, The unsustainable debt is the greatest barrier to progress. We are ineligible for concessional finance to recover from external shocks. We are therefore forced to rely on commercial borrowing for the basic needs of development. The Moors advocates a debt relief for resilience building mechanism, urging creditors to link relief to a country's investment in building resilience. This provides seats to fiscal space to invest in their development without creating new debt. The civil commitment must turn words into action, giving countries the space and tools to achieve sustainable development. Achieving this vision requires courage, cooperation, and reform of a system that too often leaves the most vulnerable behind. The more is a clear path forward. We must invest in national capacity, reform the global financial architecture, enable meaningful debt relief, and act with urgency and purpose. Above all, we must think big. That is the only way to realize the promise of the 2030 Agenda for all countries on their terms. I thank you.

I thank the Vice President of the Republic of Maldives, and it's my honor to invite His Excellency Mohamed Niyazir Larabouy, Prime Minister of the People's Democratic Republic.

Of Algeria, to take the floor.

The name of God, most compassionate, most merciful. Madam Chair, your excellencies, it is my pleasure to convey to you the greetings, to convey to you and to His Majesty the King Felipe VI the greetings of our President Abdel Majid Tebboune and our deep appreciation for the Kingdom of Spain for hosting this very important conference. And it is my pleasure to deliver his statement. In the name of God, most compassionate, most merciful, may your Excellency Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain, your Excellency Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, your Excellency Philemon Young, your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. This conference on international on financing for development is taking place amidst deepening development gap and increasing debt burdens as well as the impacts of climate change and the increasing number of wars and conflicts, including what is happening in the Middle East, namely an occupied Palestine and wounded Gaza, which is facing a war of genocide targeting the Palestinian people, the brotherly Palestinian people that is fighting for its legitimate rights to have its own independent state, having East Jerusalem as its capital amid this, these complex and concerning socio-economic conditions. We look forward to this conference so that it becomes a turning point of a new era of collective action by drafting practical outcomes to re-examine the international financial architecture, which is not capable anymore to accompany the deep transformation that our world is witnessing, nor can it anymore meet the requirements of sustainable development. This Legitimate ambition is justified by the injustice faced by the African continent that is still facing difficult challenges amid… reduced resources to finance development, increasing debt burdens, which is hampering the efficiency of its development efforts, which limits also its capacity to achieve common prosperity. The increasing debts of Africa is one of the main obstacles that is preventing our countries from achieving development, which requires urgent initiatives to find a solution to this problem, Namely by, uh, alleviating the debt burdens, uh, until, um, right of, of debts, we believe that the multilateral system requires, uh, more, uh, reinforcement of the principles of justice and, uh, equality. through a comprehensive reform of the international financial architecture and enabling the developing countries to take part in the governance of international financial institutions. In this context, we support the project to establish an international frame of work to bridge the gaps when it comes to debts and to have practical solutions and urgent solutions regarding the credit. classification of our countries. We need more transparent and more just methods for credit rating. We are welcoming the establishment of an African agency for credit rating. Ladies and gentlemen, imposing standards on the countries that benefit from funding should be a priority. We call for more flexible policies, more realistic policies when channeling the international assistance based on partnership and mutual understanding rather than imposing preconditions on these countries. In the same context, I would like to reiterate once again the importance of promoting cooperation for the sake of development, especially through reactivating the role of relevant international frameworks, given that there are international mechanisms to support development. I should not be remiss to mention that private funding could not compensate for public development funding. That's why relying exclusively on the private sector to fund development should not be sufficient unless it is accompanied by an international strong commitment to support the capacities of these development, these developed countries and poor countries. In this context, We, uh, commend the, uh, allocation of 0.7% of the GDP as, uh, official development assistant to developing countries. Ladies and gentlemen, my country, Algeria, uh… placed sustainable development and international cooperation in the heart of our foreign policy. That's why we have been constantly supporting development efforts in the African continent. We have also been part of the regional continental integration by implementing many projects. We are also working through the Algerian Agency for International Cooperation, working on supporting infrastructure in the field of education, health and energy in many African countries. And we have allocated about $1 billion for this project. Our country has also adopted a financial policy based on relying on our own resources, and we have been able to free ourselves from the debt burden. That's why we can now assist countries that are still facing the debt burden. Finally, I would like to reiterate once the necessity to find solutions that could finance development. And I hope that our conference will be a launching platform to a comprehensive development process that reflects our deep conviction that common prosperity cannot be achieved unless we limit the gaps between the countries and unless we find an international environment that will provide solutions to all the current and contemporary crisis and challenges may God's peace and blessings be upon you all.

I thank the prime minister of the people's Democratic Republic of Algeria and I have the honor of inviting his excellency, His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Al Hussein, Prince of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, to speak.

Madam President, Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, we gather here today as our world continues to face enormous challenges. With only five years left to the sustainable development goal deadline, Much has happened since we set out that deadline. Great progress, but also unfortunately many setbacks. With less than a fifth of the SDGs on track and a $4 trillion financing gap. So we appreciate the efforts of the government of Spain and the United Nations in bringing us together here to engage in a frank dialogue on how we can overcome these challenges. and secure a more sustainable future for all. Global and regional unrest, the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, the refugee crisis have reversed years of progress in poverty reduction, worsening the burden on developing nations. At the same time, official development assistance has not kept pace with these evolving challenges, leaving a significant resource shortfall. Financing has declined, while rising interest rates and borrowing costs have increased the financial burdens on developing countries. Nations like Jordan have been affected by all of this firsthand. As host of over 3.8 million refugees, including 1.3 million Syrians, Our education, healthcare and infrastructure have been severely impacted, whilst our already scarce water resources have been dwindling amid added pressure of climate change. Nevertheless, Jordan, as always, is working to turn challenges into opportunities. We are pressing ahead in our pursuit of the SDGs, with our progress in implementation standing at 63%. And we are steadfastly moving forward in our SDG-inspired economic modernization vision, implementing national strategies that prioritizes inclusive growth, social protection, and serving citizens. we look to robust financial resources and innovative solutions to fuel our progress in vital sectors as we transition to renewable energy, modernize our transportation infrastructure, and enhance digital connectivity. Our vital national desalinization conveyance project is aimed at resolving our water scarcity challenge. It is an example of how important it is for the right innovative financing ingredients, grants, debt swaps, blended and concessional financing, as well as the private sector engagement can come together and pave the way to prosperity. We also remain committed to our bold emission reduction targets in line with the Paris Agreement, with clear plans for mitigation and adaptation. However, again, success depends on accessible finance to translate ambition into action. It is time to move from fragmented aid to coherent country-led financing strategies and to unlock concessional financing for middle-income countries while enhancing financing for development to deliver scale and impact. Concessional, innovative, and predictable financing modalities are urgently needed to fuel development and create momentum for growth. And the global regional cooperation is key, capitalizing on the opportunities in each country for the benefit of all. My friends, sustainable development and peace are deeply interconnected. As a pillar of stability in a conflict-ridden Middle East, Jordan views development as a tool for conflict prevention. The ongoing war in Gaza has inflicted immense human suffering and deepened an already dire developmental crisis. Jordan stands firm in its call for a lasting ceasefire and the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to all civilians. The international community must prioritize Gaza in recovery financing, resilience building, and long-term investment in human dignity. Because, my friends, financing for development is, at its very core, an investment in humanity, in solidarity, innovation, and equitable resource distribution. It is about ensuring fairness and fostering opportunity, Because ultimately, and the only way for us to succeed, is the only way we can truly move forward, is together. Thank you very much.

I thank the Prince of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and I'd like to invite His Excellency, Salem Seyyid Komacit, Deputy Prime Minister of the Laos People's Democratic Republic on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to take the floor.

Madam President, Your.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, it is my pleasure to deliver this statement on behalf of the ASEAN member states.

Strongly committed to multilateralism and the pursuit of sustainable development. ASEAN joins by consensus the Compromisso de Seara as a renewed global financing framework which builds on previous commitments whose aspirations of sustainable of sustainable and inclusive growth are similarly articulated in ASEAN Community Vision 2045. Amid the impact and opportunities of the rapidly evolving global environment, it is imperative that the international community renew its commitments to advance inclusive and sustainable development. Regional organizations such as ASEAN plays a pivotal role in reforming the international financial architecture and advancing economic integration, catalyzing development finance, scaling innovative solutions, and enhancing coherence between national and global efforts to bridge the SDG financing gap. In this context, ASEAN wishes to highlight three key points as follows. First, ASEAN envisions a single and future ready economy for our region, anchor on sustainable growth and good governance, which will continue to narrow development gap and promote inclusive, participatory and equitable access to economic opportunity. To this end, ASEAN agreed to three priority economic deliverables which include catalyzing access to finance for just transition and climate resilient ASEAN, accelerating the growth of a more sustainable, connected and inclusive ASEAN capital markets and fostering inclusive instant payments connectivity in ASEAN. Second, amid global economic and trade uncertainties, ASEAN reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to upholding the multilateral trading system and underscores the importance of a predictable, transparent, inclusive, free, fair, sustainable, rule-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. Third, ASEAN continued to mobilize public and private resources and investment to address its infrastructure development needs, accelerate regional connectivity and development, including through developing the ASEAN power grids and developing new financing facilities such as regional connectivity project, readiness facilities, the ASEAN power grid transmission finance facility and a pilot Islamic Finance Facility. We are also scaling up sustainable finance towards a low carbon future by finalizing the ASEAN taxonomy 3.0 and launching key initiative such as ASEAN transition finance guidance version two and ASEAN sustainable finance support hub. ASEAN views the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership as indispensable in achieving the SDG. Its effective implementation will offer the international community a golden opportunity to foster trust, reinvigorating partnership, unlock transformative finance and ensure that the reform of international financial architecture effectively support the unique and urgent needs of developing countries. ASEAN remains a dedicated partner in this endeavor. Mr. President, allow me to also underline a few key issues in my national capacity as both landlocked and Least developed countries, the Lao PDR continue to face unique multi-faceted challenges, all of which require greater efforts and resources to transform our economy, ensure fair access to trade and develop transit and transport infrastructure. Despite numerous obstacles, the Lao PDR remains committed to graduating from the LDC status and transforming itself from a landlocked into a land-linked country. Towards this end, the government has streamlined the goals and targets stipulated in the Programme of Action on LDCs and LEDCs into its national strategies and plans.

These include, among others.

The adoption of integrated national financing framework and financing strategies to increase access to international financing mechanism. The Lao PDR urges all development partners and international financial institutes to continue providing additional support measures and closely collaborate with graduating countries in formulating integrated, coherent financing approach aligns with national development needs and framework, echoing Secretary General Antonio Guterres' sentiment that, quote, "Graduation must be viewed as a reward, but not a punishment." I reaffirm that the Lao PDR's unwavering commitment to forging global partnership for ensuring equitable, inclusive, and sustainable financing for development. I thank you, Madam President.

I thank the Deputy Prime Minister of Laos People's Democratic Republic, and I now give the floor to His Excellency, Serik Zhumangarin, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan. You have the floor.

Madam Chair, Secretary General, Excellencies, distinguished delegates. Let me begin by expressing Kazakhstan's sincere gratitude to the United Nations and the Government of Spain for hosting this important conference. We gather at a time of unprecedented global challenges, economic fragmentation, climate induced disaster, mounting debt and widening development gaps. These realities make it clear. Reinvigorating international development cooperation is more urgent than ever. The Addis Ababa Action Agenda remains our foundational framework. But today, we must collectively renew our political will and start implementation of Consensus de Sevilla as an outcome document of the UN conference, as a new global agenda on sustainable financing to meet emerging global realities. We believe development financing must be predictable, transparent, and aligned with national priorities. To close the global financing gap, we call for greater coordination among bilateral donors, multilateral institutions, and the private sector, all guided by solidarity and shared responsibility. Kazakhstan also advocates for a more inclusive global financing architecture. Developing landlocked and vulnerable economies must have greater voice and representation in international financial institute. We support reforms of multilateral development banks to ensure better access to concessional financing. As an emerging middle-income donor, Kazakhstan actively promotes digital equity, access to education, and humanitarian cooperation in our region and beyond. Regionally, Kazakhstan is proud to host the United Nations Regional Center for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty. We invite all partners to support its work through finding expertise and cooperation to address the unique challenges of our region. Excellencies, to institutionalize our development cooperation, Kazakhstan established its official development assistance, ODA, agency, KazAid, under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2020. The agency works closely with both traditional and emerging donors, UN agencies and development banks. CASEAID is exploring new financing mechanisms involving the quasi-public and private sectors, aligning with SDG target 17.2 to allocate at least 0.2% of GNI to OAD for least developed countries. In this sense, we strive to synchronize sustainable financial development with the global agenda and have assessed the alignment of our national budget with the sustainable agenda. The results are promising nearly 80% of public spending supports SDG implementation reflecting strong national ownership of the agenda 2030 particular focus is placed on SDG 1 no poverty SDG 3 health SDG 4 education and SDG 9 infrastructure within SDG 9 over 90% of funds target sustainable infrastructure, a clear driver of including economic growth and wellbeing. Our development strategy plays strong emphasis of green transformation. Kazakhstan aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, a goal requiring an estimate USD 650 billion over 40 years. Public funding will be essential to create enabling regulatory, financial and physical infrastructure. In this regard, Kazakhstan pioneered the assurance of green bonds through the AFC Green Finance Centre to catalyse green finance. This was followed by successful ECG bond placement by the IZA Development Bank and Damu. Notably, each dollar spent on subsidizing the first green bonds mobilized USD 175 in subsequent issues, a testament to the power of green bonds.

I apologize, but I thank the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan. And I now give the floor to His Excellency Phuc Hoang Duc, Deputy Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Your Excellency, President of the Kingdom of Spain, and Your Excellency, Secretary General of the United Nations, distinguished leaders, ladies and gentlemen, I am truly delighted to attend the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in the beautiful city of Seville, a place where millennia of unique architecture and rich cultural heritage of the Kingdom of Spain converge. I highly appreciate the role of the host country and firmly believe that the conference will generate strong momentum to guide development financing sources forward during this critical juncture. As you might have known, the global situation continues to witness negative development. For example, geopolitical hotspots, rising tension, escalating conflicts, the reciprocal tariffs and the trade policies see underlying risk. Meanwhile, We do not have much time left to, until the deadline of the sustainable development goals, we are seeing over 80% of the SDGs are at risk of not being achieved on schedule, poorer nations are falling further behind with widening development gaps, public debt is surging particularly in developing countries while concessional financing and development, and climate finance show signs of decline. Vietnam is steadfast in pursuing a growth target of 8% by 2025 and double digit growth for the period of 2026, 2030. We are resolute in implementing our strategic breakthroughs in institutional reform, infrastructure development, human resources development, science and technology development. innovation, digital transformation, and private sector development. At the same time, we are vigorously conducting a revolution in the restructuring of administrative units. We are now merged 63 provinces, and now we're having 34 provinces, and we dissolve the district level authority after more than two decades of implementing development financing commitments. The FFD4 conference is an important continuation convened at a pivotal moment requiring nations to foster solidarity, act responsibly, resolve disputes peacefully and respect international law and the United Nations Charter, work together to vitalize, revitalize multilateralism, uphold Multilateralism for positive causes and join hands to manufacture in development cooperation, international trade. As we're seeing the world is surrounded by volatility, it's time we join hands and translate challenges into opportunities. And with that, I wish to put forth three proposals as follows. First, we need to accelerate the reform of global financial governance institution, starting with multilateral development banks towards greater transparency and greater flexibility to meet the needs of lending countries. especially by simplifying administrative procedures. Second, we need to strengthen corporate to spread the achievements of science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation to create new drivers for growth and support developing countries. Third, we need to unlock financial resources to support the new growth driving sectors like green transition. innovation, digital transformation and circular economy, with priorities given to developing countries by offering concessional interest rates. Countries should fully leverage the potential of traditional financial sources like FDI and ODA while also opening up new financial spaces, including innovative finance, digital finance, tech-based finance and strengthening models of public-private partnerships, South-South cooperation and tri-lateral cooperation. Ladies and gentlemen, Vietnam welcomes the outcome document adopted at this conference and hope that its contents will be implemented resolutely and effectively. We look forward to the United Nations in its central coordinating role and international organizations making even more practical, effective and vigorous contributions in promoting development financing. Only through solidarity and cooperation can we successfully build a peaceful and sustainable world Vietnam affirms its readiness to join hands, join efforts, and unite with partners to overcome difficulties and vigorously fulfill commitments for peace, cooperation, and prosperity globally, as well as in each country and region for the happiness and well-being of all people. Thank you.

I thank the Deputy Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. And I now give the floor to His Excellency Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and Minister of Cooperation and Humanitarian Action of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, a very good morning. Thank you for giving me the floor. If we look at the reality of international cooperation and solidarity, well, I must say this is a conference on a topic which is not particularly popular today. We see most countries taking decisions, well, they're not opting for greater international solidarity, they're growing military spending. So international solidarity is not that popular at the international level nor at the national electoral level. because very often we have our own problems to think about. However, my country has decided to maintain its 1% ODA benchmark. Now, when I refer to international solidarity, we need it more than ever today. There are crises across the world. Now, I'm a European. We see what's happening on our continent, the Russian aggression against Ukraine. And what's important, is to ensure that might does not triumph over right. We see the same going on in Gaza, for instance. What's been happening of late with humanitarian assistance, after all, we're talking about cooperation and humanitarian assistance as part of the assistance we provide. We see people being killed because they're going to get aid, aid that's poorly organized by the Israeli side. We even have a UN agency, UNRWA, which is being deemed a terrorist organization and we're just looking the other way. We're staying silent. So as regards Palestinians and what's happening all over the world today, we have a very uncomfortable silence that reigns. And later we will have to shoulder our responsibility for what's happened. There seems to be a dog that's barking, but the dog has no bite. And the UN has five permanent Security Council members, and they have deemed themselves to be the supreme judicial body. We also have the General Assembly, but we really have a Security Council which makes the decisions, and then we have the administration, which simply toes the line. So at some point, we will need Security Council reform that will address the veto issue. We tried to eradicate poverty. It didn't work. Now we have more limited means at our disposal. I see myself taking decisions, some decisions which aren't popular. And even this morning, we met with a country, we have longstanding cooperative relationships, but we're speaking with the new minister. I'm not asking for votes for fossils. I'm not asking for any of that. I'm asking for no rollbacks on human rights, and then that country Now, I'm saying I don't want any rollback. I'm not even asking for headway. For a long time, Europeans thought they knew better than Africans what was better for Africans, so I'm never going to make the mistake of making that analysis. We need to avoid rollback, we need to avoid retreat. When you look at Afghanistan, women who can't go to school, girls who can't go to school. We see countries where individual human rights are being curtailed. Therefore, we try to incentivize some countries to not rollback rights. That's all I'm asking for. Today, I'm one of very few countries who are imposing prerequisites on human rights. Nonetheless, despite opposition, I'm going to continue doing this. Countries must commit not to curtail the rights of women, minorities, religious groups. I'm not asking for advances, progress. I'm just asking for no rollback. And hopefully we'll be bold enough to ask for that. Today, we also need to figure out how to fund our own agencies. because we keep talking about mobilizing financing for cooperation, but for our agencies, we see multilateralism that's been undermined. I come from a very small country. We do have financial means, but international law, respectful norms, multilateralism, that's part of my country's DNA. We know that we have common problems can only be resolved through common solutions. Therefore, what I would like to see thanks to the various conferences we hold to listen to each other, not just talk over each other, so that in 2025, Madam President, I was prime minister for 10 years, and I said for 10 years, it's sad in '25 that it doesn't matter whether you're Catholic, Jewish, or Muslim, whether you're heterosexual, homosexual, a man, a woman. Depending on the country you're from, that's what's going to determine your life prospects, how far you're going to go. in life. It's sad that that's the situation in 2025. I thank you.

Deputy Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. And I now give the floor to the next speaker, His Excellency Samir Sharifov, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Madam Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I am immensely privileged to represent the Republic of Azerbaijan at this fourth Financing for Development Conference held in the beautiful city of Seville, known for its rich historic and cultural heritage. At the outset, I would like to express appreciation to the United Nations and the government of the Kingdom of Spain for their leadership and dedication to advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and convening this fourth Global Conference on Financing for Development. Excellencies, a decade from the landmark third conference on financing for development in Addis Ababa, the Republic of Azerbaijan deems it essential to reaffirm its enduring commitment to multilateralism and the transformative vision of the 2030 Agenda. Our commitment to sustainable development goals is both strategic and result-driven. We are proud to be one of the five countries around the globe and the first in our region to submit the fourth national voluntary review report on the SDGs implementation. The integrated national financing framework and SDG investment mapping that were introduced to support better alignment of public and private, domestic and international resources with national sustainable development goals resulted in alignment of over 80% of consolidated budget expenditures with national SDGs. Excellencies, this conference convenes at a decisive moment for the international community. With merely five years remaining to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals, the global financing landscape faces unprecedented strain. Increased geopolitical tensions and military conflicts have gravely eroded the development financing base. Post conflict recovery has become another pressing challenge for public budgets. My country has been living through this challenge. For many years, Azerbaijan has had to divert substantial financial resources to combat the military aggression and occupation of 20% of its territories by neighboring Armenia. Since November 20, when Azerbaijan put an end to this 30-year-long occupation and restored its sovereignty and territorial integrity, we have been tackling the devastating consequences of the aggression. By now, the government of Azerbaijan has spent USD 15 billion on implementing the state program for reconstruction and great return, aiming at creating a livable environment for the return of almost half a million forcibly displaced Azerbaijanis back to their native cities and villages. The overall damage inflicted upon Azerbaijan by the aggression and occupation of its territories amounts to US dollar 150 billion, according to the assessment of the commission established by the government of Azerbaijan. US$25 billion, or over 15% of the total damage, falls on landmine and unexploded ordnance contamination. Demining of the territories may take up to 30 years. Given the critical effect of demining on post-conflict recovery and reconstruction, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has decreed to adopt Mine Action as 18th National Sustainable Development Goal in addition to 17 UN recognised SDGs, and encouraged other countries to follow this approach. Distinguished delegates, despite its own challenging national development agenda, Azerbaijan has been actively engaged in international development cooperation, providing development assistance on a bilateral basis as well as through MDBs and international organisations. Particular attention has been attached to supporting small island developing states and African countries. in the last five years this assistance exceeded usd three hundred and fifty million climate finance has become a crucial element of sustainable development in its capacity as cop twenty nine presidency azerbaijan paved the way for the adoption of milestone decisions for climate action including supporting those who are most vulnerable and least equipped to respond in november two thousand and twenty four At the global conference on climate in Baku, after months of hard work and dedication, a long-awaited deal on a new finance goal known as Baku Finance Goal on climate action was struck. This tripled the previous climate finance goal with developed countries pledging to mobilize by 2035 at least 300 billion US dollars per year for climate adaptation and mitigation of the developing countries. This is the largest ever financial goal to come from a UN process. It also set the ambitious target to scale up climate finance up to one to three billion trillion per year. We continue to engage with all relevant parties to ensure implementation of the Baku finance goal, actively contributing to realisation of Baku to Berlin Roadmap. excellencies distinguished delegates looking ahead the republic of azerbaijan commits to strengthening multilateral cooperation for sustainable development including south south and triangular cooperation we endorse establishment of a renewed global framework for financing for development.

I thank the deputy prime minister of the republic of azerbaijan And I now give the floor to His Excellency Gilang Nyembo Mbasa, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Planning and Coordination of Development Aid of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, My delegation and I personally would like to extend our congratulations to the United Nations and to the Government of Spain, as well as to all delegations and stakeholders. So we congratulate you on the convening of this fourth International Conference on Financing for Development. A decade after Addis Ababa, we meet again at a moment both historic and crucial. at a time when the noble ideals which transcend our organization are under threat from a succession of crises and multifaceted challenges, unprecedented both in scope and complexity. These crises are not only putting to the test our collective capacity to respond thereto effectively and sustainably, they're also compelling us to strengthen our commitment to bequeath a better and more resilient world to future generations. Following on from the momentum generated when we adopted the Pact for the Future in New York, this conference calls on us to go above and beyond. This requires an in-depth analysis of the pitfalls and shortcomings of global governance. It requires us to imagine innovative solutions we'll need to adopt in order to revitalize international development cooperation. We want this cooperation to be more transparent. fairer and more equitable for the well-being of our people. This is a historic moment, as I said. My country would like to seize this moment, first and foremost, to reiterate our commitment to the principles of effectiveness promoted by the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, principles set forth in the Accra Action Agenda and the Busan Declaration. We also want to seize this opportunity to ensure the voice of our great African nation with its limitless potential which can also offer solutions to the challenge of climate change to ensure our voice is heard. Although the sound of weapons being fired can be heard in the east of our country, the DRC is undergoing deep transformation thanks to bold reforms in key public sectors. These reforms are enacted by the National Strategic Development Plan, which is in keeping with the SDGs. This calls for large-scale investment in key sectors such as education, health, environment, the agricultural industrial sector, and energy infrastructure. For instance, the Inga III Dam, a hydroelectric complex and a flagship project of the African Union's 2063 agenda, which has just seen its first phase of funding provided by the World Bank, $1 billion. To support these reforms, we're waging a battle to improve governance and shore up public finances. First, we are combating corruption and outflow of capital, leakage from public resources. These efforts have allowed us to grow our national budget fourfold in under six years. Next, we're injecting greater transparency in public-private partnerships. We're doing this by ensuring overseas development aid is well-coordinated and channeled. We're doing this via mechanisms established by consensus. Ladies and gentlemen, like most African countries, this push towards development has revealed certain dysfunction, especially as regards development cooperation. This is why we support international financial architecture reform. Among the dysfunction revealed is the low level of alignment between international financing and national priorities. We deplore the strict conditionality being imposed by some financing mechanisms, which are making our debt service obligations considerably more onerous. Our GDP is estimated at 16.6% growth in 2024. However, we still have a lot of debt, although this is, of course, contingent upon the volatility of mining. revenues and global economic uncertainty. Well aware of the risks linked to debt, our government has adopted a hybrid approach, on the one hand incentivizing greater public investment and on the other hand promoting the use of guarantees and co-financing instruments offered by multilateral donors. Based on this reality, the DRC is calling for more equitable representation of states in global financial governance, especially in the Bretton Woods institutions. We also advocate for more flexible financing instruments with fewer austerity strings attached, as these strings are likely to result in social upheaval. Third, we call for enhanced coordination between donors and prudent allocation of resources to channel them to the real needs determined by the countries themselves. This is necessary to avoid the fragmentation of support and the use of support for projects which do not provide structure. Thus, we support fairer global taxation via the transparency of tax jurisdictions and the taxation of multinationals where they affect the environment and human health. Turning to the climate and climate financing, over 60% of the Congo Basin forests are found in my country. It's the second lung of our planet after the Amazon. We call for carbon credits generated by tropical forests to be recognized and fairly valued on international markets so as to guarantee equitable remuneration for ecosystem services provided to humanity. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, by way of conclusion, I'd like to call for international cooperation to more than ever become a driver of solidarity, innovation and resilience. We need to revitalise international cooperation for development. This is a tall order but absolutely vital if we are to build a resilient future.

I thank the Deputy Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo and I now give the floor to Her Excellency Ines Maria Chapman Vold, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba.

Good morning, Your Excellencies, distinguished delegates and guests. I have the honor of speaking on behalf of the President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Bermudez. We would like to thank the government of Spain for hosting this conference, and we thank Spain for its hospitality. We subscribe to the statement made by Iraq on behalf of G77, China and by Palau on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island Developing States. Ten years after the third, uh, uh, International Conference for Financing for Development. We come to Seville in a very complex international setting characterized by wars and threats of war, where international law and multilateralism are threatened, and where the usefulness of the United Nations is questioned, where an international order that is profoundly unjust prevails, that is anti-democratic, that privileges the rich. and where we're told that official development aid will continue to be diminished in order to finance the arms industry. How can we explain that developed countries spent 2.7 trillion in weapons whereas developing countries are fighting to survive in the midst of unfulfilled pledges? minimum commitments undertaken to implement the 2030 agenda will not be fulfilled due to a lack of financing. How can we conceive that the people of Haiti continues to wait for resources and cooperation for its development that will make it possible for it to address the root causes of its difficult situation? How to understand that that we don't have sufficient financing for the people of Palestine, victims of genocide. This conference must answer these longstanding questions and to make progress in the global financing agenda for development. What is required is determination, commitment, and political determination, especially by developed nations. However, the process to date and specifically the fragile consensus that are mentioned in the final document of this conference demonstrate that in this decade, the positions contrary to true development of the South have become entrenched. This strong opposition to our demands maintain the colonial yoke of external debt and make it difficult to establish multilateral mechanisms to negotiate the sovereign debt, make it possible for a just balanced solution geared towards development. Nor is there progress as required in the reform of international financial institutions. It is time to understand that developing countries are not looking for alms. We simply want an inclusive and fair treatment. We have called for the elimination of unilateral coercive measures that complicate the development of countries that suffer from it, just as the illegal blockade that the United States continues to impose against Cuba for more than 60 years. It is essential that promote concrete actions that lead to the end of these measures that violate the U.N. Charter and international law. Madam Chair, the current context of serious threats to peace and security, and the most recent example of that is the aggression by Israel and the United States against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which we condemn in the strongest terms, undermines gravely the U.N. Charter and international law. while it undermines the efforts at development of our nations, Madam Chair. The resources are sufficient. They're used for bombs to kill children and for a society of consumption that destroys the environment. What is necessary is a true political determination to redistribute with justice the richness, the wealth available on the planet. It is time to act with determination. Thank you very much.

I thank the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba, and I now give the floor to His Excellency Tarek Mitri, Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon.

Madam Chairperson, Excellencies, distinguished participants, it's an honor.

For me to address you on behalf of the Republic of Lebanon and express our deep gratitude to His Majesty.

The King of Spain, the Spanish government and the Spanish people for hosting this conference.

Today, we witness a world plagued by increasing inequality, geopolitical tensions, financial and climate crisis, and food insecurity.

Progress is uneven, global inequalities are growing, and the financial gap is widening. A major threat we face is the structural financial crisis suffered by many countries, where some spend up.

To 20% of their revenues in debt servicing, limiting their ability to invest in human development and social protection.

For its part.

Lebanon continues to face a multidimensional crisis from a severe economic and financial downturn.

To a humanitarian crisis worsened further by recent Israeli attacks that have impacted key economic sectors, caused severe material damage to the population, to the country's infrastructure, healthcare facilities and the private sector. Drawing from this and many other bitter experiences, Lebanon stresses that there cannot be a sustainable development without peace and security. And conversely.

Peace and security cannot be achieved without sustainable development. We also believe in the necessity of a profound restructuring of the international financial system, including first, integrating concessional financing.

Into the international financial architecture and reforming governance mechanisms to be more just and accountable; second, activating the Compromisso de Sevilla, call to reform of the IMF and the World Bank structures to ensure more effective representation of developing countries and review policies on surcharges and expand the role of special drawing rights. Third, improving the global sovereign debt structure through inclusive participation by developing countries.

We are aware that in an increasingly digital world, digital divides must be bridged.

Technology is an opportunity to leapfrog outdated systems, but it requires investment, infrastructure and capacity. What we need is more than pilot projects, We need long-term digital partnerships. We emphasize the importance of public-private cooperation. Greater mobilization of private capital is needed to support developing countries, especially in investments across diverse sectors.

Lebanon.

Which is a middle-income country, continues to rely on support from the UN system, from friendly nations, and financing and developing partners to meet.

Its considerable needs that are the results of wars and invasions.

We reaffirm Lebanon's government's commitment to reform. And we have already adopted new legislation to address the economic, financial and considerable social challenges. Dear friends, let Seville be remembered for its timely declaration, but also for a new phase of engagement where financing SDGs becomes everyone's business and where no country is too small.

Too fragile or too forgotten to be part of our collective efforts.

Muchas gracias.

Muy las gracias al viceprimer ministro.

All right, thank you, Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon. I give the floor to His Excellency, Mustaf Maitaro, Foreign Minister of Palau, on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island.

States Mr. President Excellencies I have the honor to speak on behalf of the 39 members of the Alliance of Small Island States the AOSIS to the government and people of Spain we extend our sincere gratitude for your generous hospitality It is fitting that we meet here in Sevilla, a city once known as a gateway to bold journeys into uncharted waters. From this city, Magellan's fleet set sail to circumnavigate the globe. Today, it is small island developing states, those scattered across every horizon he passed, who are sounding the call for a new global journey, a journey not of conquest, but one for justice equity, and solidarity. Mr. President, over 30 years ago, the international community recognized what we have always known, that small island developing states are a special case for sustainable development. This is not a favor. It is an undeniable truth, a truth that has echoed from Rio de Janeiro to Barbados, from Barbados to Mauritius, from Mauritius to Samoa. And now, through the Antigua and Barbuda agenda for SIDS, it rings louder than ever. Our vulnerabilities are not theoretical. We are on the front lines of a climate crisis we did not create. Hurricanes, typhoons, and rising seas batter our homes and economies. Yet, climate finance promised and pledged remains largely unmet. We call on developing countries to honour their commitments under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. Finance for adaptation, mitigation and loss and damage must be new, additional, predictable and accessible, and remain distinct from development finance. At the same time, ocean finance remains a trickle when it should be a tide. SIDS are stewards of vast marine ecosystems. But stewardship without support is not sustainable. We call on partners to scale up investments in marine protection, fisheries management, and blue economy initiatives. And still, even as SIDS work to protect our future, the international financial system does not see us, let alone serve us. It is a painful paradox. When small island states demonstrate success, we are punished. Malawi, like several of our members who have graduated or are in the process of graduating to high-income status, now face the loss of critical support, stripped of access to grants, concessional financing, and even development cooperation. Let us be honest, income per capita tells you nothing about the resilience of our economies, the cost of importing fuel, food, or medicine, or the exposure to a single storm that can erase years of progress overnight. It tells us nothing about how our economies have difficulties reaching economies of scale, or the difficulty, if not impossibility, of accessing public funds, public markets, public capital. It tells us nothing about the whipsaw of our development from external shocks. This is the failure of a system that prioritizes income, over vulnerability and formulas over fairness. That is why EOSIS calls for the full and immediate integration of the multidimensional vulnerability index, the MVI, into the policies and frameworks of international financial institutions and international organizations. The MVI, Mr. President, is not about favoring SIDS. It is about getting the rules right so that the system values context, complexity and risk. Even when we follow the rules, many of our members face blacklisting or greylisting under compliance regimes. Despite meeting global standards, banks are withdrawing, correspondent relationships are vanishing, legitimate financial flows are delayed or denied. At the same time, the imposition of unilateral coercive measures, particularly against one of our members, only serve to undermine the principles of the United Nations Charter, restrict trade, investment, and further entrench the vulnerabilities that SIDS are striving to overcome. This is not financial integrity, it is financial exclusion, and it must end. In this same spirit, the imposition of unilateral coercive measures, particularly against one of our members, must also end. These measures only undermine the principles of the United States charter, restrict trade and investment, and constitutes a grave impediment to sustainable development, and we are here to reiterate our call for immediate removal. Mr. President, too often our voices are sidelined, our needs traded as peripheral, institutions like IMF and World Bank were built without us at the table. That must change. SIDS demand a seat not as observers, but as equal partners and architects of a financial system that governs all our futures. The underrepresentation of SIDS on the boards of financial institutions weakens the legitimacy and effectiveness of those very institutions. Decisions made without us are often decisions made against us. Nowhere is this injustice more acute than in the realm of debt. Many of our members are trapped by cycles of borrowing, driven by the rising costs of recovery, adaptation, and rebuilding from climate change disasters we did not cause. We are drowning, not just beneath rising seas, but beneath rising debts. We need a new international debt architecture that is development-oriented, structured, predictable, and grounded in equity. The current patchwork of voluntary and creditor-led mechanisms is not fit for purpose. AOSIS calls on the G20 to reform the common framework to include all SIDS. We also call for broad support for the SIDS Debt Sustainability Support Service. This process must be ambitious. It must lead to a system that places people at the center, with a sovereign debt that is fair, inclusive, and responsive to the unique challenges of small island states. Mr. President, in closing, AOSIS welcomes the compromesso de Seville as a shared commitment to close the gap between promise and progress. But let us be clear, adoption is not the end. Implementation will be the true measure of our resolve. Let Seville be remembered once more as a point of departure, this time not in search of new worlds, but to build a better one, a world that embodies justice, equity, and solidarity, a world where we turn promises into progress. Thank you very much.

I thank the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs of Palau. And then I'll give the floor to Her Excellency, Madam Anne Ali, Minister of International Development of Australia, who will speak on behalf of Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

Thank you, co-chairs. Excellencies, colleagues, today I have the honor to deliver two statements. The first statement I deliver for CANS, being Canada, New Zealand, and my own country, Australia. We extend our sincere thanks to Spain for hosting this conference and to the co-facilitators of the Compromiso de Sevilla for guiding us to a shared outcome. Its adoption reaffirms our collective commitment to the 2030 Agenda and reinforces the principles of multilateralism at a time when these principles matter the most. As open and reform-minded countries, Cairns sees this conference as a moment to reset. We have an opportunity, an opportunity to make the global development system more focused, more inclusive, accountable and fit for purpose. With this in mind, we wish to make four points. First, FFD4 must drive real reform of the financing architecture and the broader multilateral system. We must modernize the UN development system to be more coherent, responsive and results driven. We also need to avoid duplication and resist new bureaucracy that dilutes impact. Second, we must use resources more strategically. This includes supporting country-led approaches, strengthening domestic resource mobilization, unlocking private capital, and working in more coordinated and transparent ways to empower local institutions and build long-term resilience. Third, we must prioritize action over process. And we can do this through tools like climate resilient debt clauses, better disaster finance, and endorsing the multidimensional vulnerability index. We need to ensure finance reaches those who need it most. And finally, we reaffirm our commitment to gender equality, to human rights, and inclusive development. These are not optional extras, but rather, They are essential to a safer, fairer, and more stable world. FFD4 is a test of our collective resolve. Canada, New Zealand, and Australia will continue working with partners to translate the Compromiso de Sevilla into meaningful progress, and especially for those at most risk of being left behind. Thank you. Excellencies, colleagues, I now make the following remarks in my national capacity as Australia's Minister for International Development. Australia is honoured to join this once-in-a-decade gathering. We come together this week not just to reflect, but to act. This conference must be more than a checkpoint. We need to chart a shared path forward. The global development financing system is under strain. Inequality is deepening, debt is rising, conflict, climate change, and the aftershocks of COVID have eroded hard-won gains. Yet amid this turbulence, we have reason to hope. Consensus is rare, but we have it here. The Compromisso de Sevilla is a commitment to a more inclusive, resilient and effective financing system. It reaffirms the 2030 Agenda as our collective roadmap and critically, it rebuilds trust in multilateralism. Such as those in the Pacific, these tools are critical for building resilience and avoiding setbacks from shocks. I'm pleased Australia is doing our part to deliver on the Compromisso de Sevilla. This year, we are investing a record $5.1 billion in development assistance. At a time of tightening budgets, Australia has increased our development assistance. We have refocused activities in response to partner priorities and needs, strengthened multilateral institutions, and explored new and innovative ways to finance development. And we remain the Pacific's largest development partner, a partner our friends can rely on. But public and grant-based finance alone is not enough. We need to use scarce concessional resources to unlock broader flows of public and private flows. We call for renewed ambition in domestic resource mobilization so countries can drive their own development. And we must also remember that gender responsive and climate responsive finance is not just smart development, it's also smart economics. Australia welcomes the strong recognition of multidimensional vulnerability. including its role in enabling fairer access to concessional finance for vulnerable countries. If we're serious about leaving no one behind, we must reform outdated systems like ODA eligibility that disadvantage small island developing states. Colleagues, I can't stress enough that this is a pivotal moment to ensure development financing delivers for people and planet. There is momentum, but the onus is on all of us to maintain it. Let us protect hard-won gains on gender, on disability, and on climate. Let us reaffirm the 2030 Agenda as the foundation for our collective efforts. Australia stands ready to work with all partners to share a principled, inclusive, and effective global development finance system that delivers for all. Thank you.

Thank you to the Minister of International Development of Australia, and I give the floor to His Excellency Juan Leng. Special Envoy of President Xi Jinping and Minister of Finance of China.

Madam President, colleagues, On behalf of His Excellency Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, I extend warm congratulations on the convening of this conference. Humanity is a community with a shared future that rises and falls together. As President Xi Jinping has stated, "Amidst the raging torrents of a global crisis, countries are not riding separately in some 190 small boats, but are rather all in a giant ship on which our shared destiny hinges." faced with huge gaps in financing for development. We call upon the international community to take joint action to resolve difficult problems in development together. First, we need to expand channels of financing for development that are coordinated and orderly. We call upon developed countries to fulfill in full their ODA commitments and climate finance obligations. fully leverage the main channel role of North-South cooperation and take South-South cooperation as an important supplement. At the same time, we need to extensively mobilize resources such as multilateral and bilateral development agencies and public and private sectors to form greater synergies. Second, we need to make the system of financing for development more efficient and robust. We need to raise the voice of developing countries in the international financial architecture, reduce mismatches in supply and demand in development financing, and create fairer financing systems. Domestic financial markets should be developed at a faster pace. Tools of local currency financing should be promoted and more diverse financing systems should be built. We need to solidify the global financial safety net, enhance financial resilience and build more robust financing systems. Third, we need to uphold an open and stable environment for financing for development. We should jointly oppose unilateralism and protectionism, firmly promote liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment and advance economic globalization that is universally beneficial and inclusive. Major economies should implement responsive economic policies, reduce negative spillovers and international financial volatility, and create an enabling environment for development. Colleagues. As the biggest developing country, China had experienced poverty and backwardness and feels for other developing countries for the difficulties they are facing. President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Development Initiative precisely for the purpose of contributing to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda. To this end, China has been making positive contributions to the best of its capacity. We actively provide funding support for developing countries. China is the biggest contributor to the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative and the biggest developing donor to the 21st IDA replenishment round. We will also provide African countries with 360 billion yuan of financial support and will provide countries in Latin America and the Caribbean with a credit line of 66 billion yuan. We actively help developing countries improve the capacity for independent development. From hybrid rice to Lu Ban workshops, and from China-Africa cooperation on satellite remote sensing to the China-Laos railway, China's development aid focuses on productive investment and through ways such as technology transfer and digital empowerment helps improve local capacity for self-driven development. We actively open our market to developing countries. Last year, China that it would grant zero tariff treatment on 100% of the tariff lines to all LDCs with diplomatic ties with China, becoming the first major developing country and major economy to implement such a measure, which turns China's big market into big opportunities for developing countries. China stands ready to always be a contributor to global development, promoting the common prosperity and progress of all countries. China is ready to always be a defender of the international order, firmly upholding the authority and status of the United Nations and safeguarding the rules of multilateral trade and the world economic order. I thank you.

I thank the special envoy of President Xi Jinping and Minister of Finance of China. I now give the floor to His Excellency Ville Tavio, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development of Finland.

Mr. Chair, Finland aligns with the statement delivered by the European Union. Let me thank the government of Spain for hosting FFD4 conference and the co-facilitators Mexico, Nepal, Norway and Zambia for their dedicated work during the negotiations. Reaching consensus on the outcome document is remarkable achievement and reaffirms our commitment to multilateralism. Finland is a strong supporter of a rule-based order and effective multilateralism with the UN as its core. To respond to the evolving needs, we are committed to reform of the international financial architecture, which builds the ongoing reforms of the MDBs. Finland is a reliable partner in advancing the sustainable development goals and reforming the global financing framework. This is a joint effort. To close the development financing gaps, we all need to cooperate and use all available sources of financing. Finland's priorities for FFD4 are domestic resource mobilization, leveraging of private capital and digitalization as a cross-cutting theme. Also, gender equality is necessary foundation for a sustainable world. Enhancing domestic resource mobilization in developing countries has a huge potential. Public financing can be improved with efficient and fair tax systems. Drawing from our own experiences, our ambition is to continue to be a suited partner in this work. Private sector investment, both domestic and international, is another one of the keys in reaching the financing needs. Its volume exceeds other forms of financing and its growth potential needs to be harnessed to achieve sustainable growth in developing countries. To deliver on the promise of blended finance, we need to use ODA and other concessional resources more strategically. Finland has already for a decade used part of its ODA as an incentive for private investments and aims to further enhance the use of blended finance instruments. Finland also supports efforts to simplify and standardize blended finance so that it can be scaled up. Our DFI, FinFund, has set a goal of increasing the proportion of private capital in its financing to at least 50% by 2030. FinFund works towards this through sustainable bond issuance, project level syndications and through managing investment funds. For developing countries to attract domestic and foreign investments, it's also necessary to further improve their business environments through reforms that reduce risk, increase transparency and boost investor confidence. Digitalization can significantly support financing for development by improving efficiency, transparency, inclusion and mobilization of resources. Finland is a forerunner in this field. I am confident that we can together create a renewed global financing framework for sustainable development, a framework which effectively supports growing domestic and private investment and enhanced economic activity for the benefit of all. Thank you.

I thank the Minister of Development and Foreign Trade of Finland. I give the floor to His Excellency Gordon Grdic Radman, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia.

Thank you, Madam Chair, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen. Let me begin by thanking the Kingdom of Spain and the United Nations for convening this very, very important conference. Korea is pleased to participate and reaffirms its firm commitment to ending poverty, hunger, inequality and climate change through effective development cooperation. We gather today as equal partners because global challenges demand shared solutions. In an increasingly fragile world, we face the consequences of Russia's aggression on Ukraine, ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and the Sahel, and the weakening of international cooperation. These crises threaten peace, disrupt trade and development, and deepen inequalities. In such a context, strong institutions, the United Nations, WTO, and international financial institutions are indispensable. Today's conference is vital to rebuilding trust and coordinating increasingly limited resources. Closing the $4 million annual gap for sustainable development will require bold commitments and fresh ideas. The 2030 agenda and sustainable development goals remain our shared roadmap. croatia has steadily increased its official development assistance reaching a record high of almost one hundred and sixty five million euros in two thousand and twenty three. 0.21% of gross national income with further growth expected in 2024, according to preliminary OECD DAC data. This progress reflects our own development journey. Croatia's EU accession process provided access to transformative funding for infrastructure and institutions. That support helped us evolve from an aid recipient into a committed donor. Today, we not only provide financial assistance but also share our experience with EU candidate countries, especially in Southeast Europe, guiding them through the complex accession process. We know the value of such support because we have lived it. This year, Croatia co chairs the Western Balkans Investment Framework. the same mechanism that once helped us build much of our infrastructure. Now we contribute politically and financially, both bilaterally and through the EU budget. Under this framework, 3 billion euros of plain 6 billion will go to the new reform and growth facility for the Western Balkans, a powerful example of regional solidarity. Croatia has come a long way thanks to many of you here. As a proud EU member state celebrating on this day 12 years of membership and a future OECD member, we are committed to helping others on their development path. In Southeast Europe, we support projects in green and digital transition and public sector reform. We remain a steadfast partner to Ukraine, having provided 77 million euros in humanitarian assistance, including over 13 million for humanitarian demining, an area in which Croatia has deep expertise. Demining is essential for safe recovery and reconstruction, and we are proud to contribute. Our engagement is growing in Africa as well. where we support digital education and vocational training for women and girls, promoting socio economic empowerment. We remain committed to global health. Just last week, my Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic announced Croatia's sixth million contribution to Gavi, the vaccine alliance for 2025-2030, bringing us closer to vaccinating 500 million children and saving millions of lives by 2030. We value civil society, youth and local actors as essential development partners. Community-based networks are key to lasting impact. However, public resources alone are not enough. Private sector engagement is essential, supported by multilateral development banks offering the right instruments from guarantees to risk sharing to mobilise private capital. Ladies and gentlemen, in these uncertain times, every nation, large or small, has a role in promoting development, peace and resilience. Croatia stands ready to share its lessons peacebuilding, post-conflict recovery and demining. Let us unite in solidarity and shared purpose to build a more peaceful, prosperous and sustainable future for all. Thank you.

I thank the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, and I now give the floor to His Excellency Asmund Graver Aukrust, Minister of International Development of Norway.

Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, let me also start by giving my heartfelt gratitude to the Government of Spain and the UN Secretariat for their tireless efforts in bringing us together in this important moment. The Compromisso de Sevilha sends a clear and timely message. The global community remains steadfast in its commitment to financing the sustainable development goals and upholding international cooperation despite the prevailing global uncertainties. Over a year ago, Norway took the role as co facilitator of the outcome of the documents, recognising the urgent need to advance the finance for development agenda in a world with shrinking aid and rising global challenges. I extend my sincere thanks to the fellow co—facilitators Nepal, Zambia and Mexico, and to the entire UN membership, civil society and diverse range of stakeholders. It is a time marked by profound global challenges, reaching consensus on an ambition and action orientated document was far from guaranteed. Yet, through constructive dialogue and shared commitments, we have succeeded. President, this process has shown the value of the UN as a universal institution and a vital meeting place for all Member States. The Norwegian Government is deeply committed to an effective, inclusive, representative UN and a global world order based on international law and the UN Charter. We welcome the Secretary General's UN 80 initiative and encourage strategic evidence based reform proposals. Excellencies, we are gathered here in Seville with one shared purpose. financing a future that is fair, sustainable and inclusive. To millions of people all around the world, this is not a technical debate. It's about basic rights, access to education, healthcare, clean water and decent livelihoods. This is why this conference matters. International development cooperation remains important for reducing poverty. The Norwegian Government is committed to maintaining official development assistance, ODA, at 1 of our national income. We also actively participate in efforts to reform the development cooperation architecture. However, development assistance alone is not enough, and that is why we also are gathered here in Seville. So friends, I ask you, how do we spell finance for development? FFD, absolutely, but I would also like to add TAX. The Norwegian welfare system is built up on a progressive tax system where people are paying in and get services from the state in back. And this is why supporting building national tax, public finance and strategical systems in other countries is high on our agenda. Since the 2015 Addis Conference, we have doubled our support in this case, and we will increase this support in the years to come. Norway is also actively engaged in the outgoing, in the ongoing international tax negotiations. One other point I would like to make is I will stress the importance of gender equality and realizing the rights of women and girls. It's not only self-evident matter of justice, increasing the proportion of women in the workforce will also contribute to more development. We know that also back from our own history in Norway. To mobilise domestic resources and attract private capital, countries must pursue legal reforms and treat anti corruption as a cross cutting priority, as emphasised in the Compromisso de Sevilha. Let me come to an end and say that I look forward to working with all of you in the years to come. The Compromesa de Sevilla is an important milestone, but the future will judge us on how we are carrying it forward. Let us work together to achieve the world that we promised in 2015 and that we now are confirming again in 2025. Thank you, dear presidents.

I thank the Minister of International Development of Norway, and I give the floor now to His Excellency Carlos Ramiro Martinez Alvarado, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Guatemala.

Good morning, good afternoon, Madam Chairperson, honorable heads of state and government, ministers of foreign affairs, heads of delegation, delegates and special guests, I'd like to convey to you warm greetings from the President of Guatemala, Mr. Bernardo Arrevalo de Leon, and express our gratitude to the people and government of Spain for its hospitality and hosting this event in this historic city of Seville, a bridge between continents, cultures and ideas in the course of the centuries, which today is once again the stage for an essential meeting for the future of global sustainable development We acknowledge the work of the co-facilitators of the final document, Norway, Nepal, Mexico, and Zambia, as well as the leadership of Burundi and Portugal in co-chairing the Preparatory Committee. Their work has been essential to lay sound groundwork for this fourth International Conference on Financing for Development. Guatemala firmly shares the vision of this conference, that is to translate our collective aspirations into concrete decisions and actions. Therefore, we hail the Seville Platform of Action which makes it possible to specifically follow up on the agreements achieved. International cooperation is going through a critical time due to the reduction of official development aid. In this context, International cooperation cannot be seen as simply something optional, but rather as a vital instrument to transform the structures of inequality, to promote resilience and ensure that no one and no country is left behind. We reaffirm the need for developed countries to fulfill the commitment of 0.7 percent of their gross domestic product dedicated to official development aid. More than a target, it is a shared responsibility. As a middle income country, Guatemala insists on rethinking the traditional criteria for assigning economic categories. We support the inclusion of the multidimensional vulnerability index as an additional criteria and reiterate how urgent the urgency for a more just financial global architecture that acknowledges national challenges related to ensuring access to essential development services and that avoids penalizing progress. We'd also like to reiterate that the reform of the international financial architecture can no longer be postponed. The time has come to design mechanisms that do not punish success or turn a blind eye to vulnerability, that facilitate timely access, fair rates, and alleviate the debt linked to commitments to SDGs. We need institutions that are up to the challenge of the world that we hope to build. Now, speaking of financing for development is, in essence, to speak of dignity, equity, and global justice. It is to recognize that progress cannot be the privilege of the few, but rather a shared right sustained by the shared responsibility among nations. May Seville be not only a venue, but rather a turning point in international agreements in the area of financing for development. The Civil commitment must be a path, a living instrument that guides our decisions and our partnerships and demands coherence between words and actions. Guatemala has embraced multilateralism and is ready to walk this path together with those who believe in this global pact of solidarity because development can no longer wait because a just, humane, and sustainable future requires courageous decisions today. Thank you very much.

I thank the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, and I now give the floor to Her Excellency, Minister of State and International Cooperation of United Arab Emirates.

On.

Behalf of God, the Merciful and the Compassionate, Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, at the heart of the 2030 agenda, there is a certain reality, and that is we should leave no one behind. The commitment to make this pledge concrete must be made in spite of the complex challenges that our world faces. As we meet at this conference, there is an undeniable reality that we face, and that is that conflicts are continuing. Crises are multiplying. Global stability is the very basis for shared prosperity, and this requires in-depth cooperation and an honest dialogue. These challenges, while of course being very complex, are not impossible to overcome. Indeed, In every sphere we are working in order to restore trust and to develop innovative solutions through partnerships that must be based on trust and satisfying the needs of the neediest and the most vulnerable. This kind of cooperation, when it's based on accountability and responsibility, can bear fruit. We must adopt innovative approaches and involve the private sector from the technological point of view. The United Arab Emirates attaches priority to supporting the most vulnerable countries. Small island developing states are the states that are the most exposed to climate shocks. And we have granted more than $1 billion to deal with these shocks. In 2026, we will continue to support Senegal. United Arab Emirates is one of the biggest donors in terms of public development aid. We We allocate 0.7 percent of our GDP to this aid. That is over $7 billion have already been granted, donated by the United Arab Emirates for this kind of aid. We are committed to pledging some $15 billion in the next few years to support developing countries and help them implement their national development plans. This is based on our conviction that building our common future is more important today than ever. We need to promote the relationship between humanitarian action, peace and development. Emergency aid should not come at the expense of development because Emergency aid should not be forgotten. There needs to be a close connection between this kind of aid and aid to development. While only five years remains before the 2030 deadline, we need to ask ourselves exactly what we've achieved development must be based on complementarity and it must respond to multiple priorities. We must therefore transcend narrow-minded approaches or short-sighted approaches in favor of approaches that could lead to concrete results. And for this, we need to take full advantage of leading technologies such as artificial intelligence. The Seville Commitment is a clear roadmap, and we welcome the fact that this document is focused on the need to invest in humankind and in the planet. We are committed to building partnerships focused on results, because what we really need is to affect the very much needed change for this purpose. Thank you very much.

International Corporation of the United Arab Emirates. And now I give the floor to His Excellency, Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology, Minister of Pacific People of New Zealand, please.

I greet the earth, I greet the sky, I greet all of you. Good afternoon. Mr. Chair, dignitaries, I'd like firstly to acknowledge His Majesty the King of Spain and the Government of Spain and thank them for hosting us. Thank you. New Zealand is strongly committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While we currently face an array of global challenges, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to progressing sustainable development. New Zealand is pleased by the adoption of the Compromisso de Sevilla. Allow me to briefly illustrate three areas New Zealand is prioritising in taking this commitment forward: support for multilateral cooperation, support for free trade, and support for small island developing states. Multilateral cooperation. Global challenges require global solutions. To address challenges such as ongoing conflicts and global humanitarian crises, we must act collectively, cooperate, and demonstrate solidarity. FFD4 has provided us with a unique opportunity to assess the broad financing for development agenda and consider how we can make it more effective in addressing challenges. The adoption of Compromisso de Sevilha demonstrates that, despite our differences, we can work together to improve shared prosperity. In fact, in many ways, the true test of our shared commitment is yet to come the extent to which we live up to our commitment. We must continue to work together in the coming period to implement the Compromisso de Sevilha. Developed and developing countries, alongside international organisations, must draw on this document to guide our actions over the coming decade. if we are to achieve sustainable development for all. New Zealand is committed to playing our part in this. Trade. Free trade is a cornerstone of prosperity for New Zealand, as it is for many countries. At this time of global economic turmoil, it is important that we commit to protecting the rules-based trading system. This system has provided certainty, transparency, and market access. This is equally important for a trading country like New Zealand, as it is for developed and developing countries around the world. Therefore, New Zealand will continue to advocate for the work of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, to ensure that developing countries benefit fully from the global trading system. In particular, we must urgently reform agricultural trade, including agricultural and fisheries subsidies. These subsidies distort trade and production and are environmentally harmful. Disciplines on fisheries subsidies are especially important to the Pacific, where fisheries are a central part of Pacific economies and livelihoods. New Zealand will also continue to support the sustainable development goals through trade, for example, through implementing the provisions in our trade agreements, such as on trade and labor, trade and gender, and trade and environment. Small island developing states. Advancing the interests of small island developing states is a central part of New Zealand's foreign policy. Our Pacific neighbors, all of whom are SIDS, are among our closest partners and friends. We have consistently heard from our Pacific partners that for development assistance to be effective, it must be tailored to their unique circumstances as SIDS and as large ocean states. It is critical that we recognize the unique vulnerabilities of SIDS, for example, narrow economic bases and exposure to the impacts of climate change, and tailor development solutions to meet their needs. Donor coordination is particularly important in small countries. Donor support will be more effective when we minimise the burden that we place on developing countries. New Zealand delivers a significant portion of our development programme in the Pacific as budget support. This builds Pacific resilience by providing much-needed finance, strengthening government systems, and driving reforms to support economic development and public service delivery. We recognise that high levels of debt and the high cost of debt servicing can limit the ability of governments to provide public services, respond to external shocks, and build the resilience of their economies. Our use of budget support promotes fiscal sustainability. It also provides partner countries' macroeconomic policy settings, including strengthening efforts to sustainably manage debt. Mr. Chair, We must turn our focus towards implementing the Compromiso de Sevilla and to urgently improving progress towards achieving the SDGs. We commit to these goals. Thank you.

I thank the Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology, Minister for Pacific People of New Zealand.

And I now give the floor to Her Excellency Maryam Bat Ali.

Minister for State of International Cooperation of Qatar.

Please.

Thank you, President, ladies and gentlemen, excellencies. At the outset, I'd like to extend our heartfelt greetings to the Kingdom of Spain and the Spanish government for the very warm welcome we've been given. We commend this commitment and align ourselves with the statement delivered by the G77 in China. President, Qatar welcomed the second international conference on financing for development in 2008, and since then we've been actively participating in all UN and regional conferences on financing for development, from Monterrey to Addis Ababa. all the way through to today in Seville. We stand convinced that it is our moral duty to bolster international cooperation and to advance global efforts so as to achieve the 2030 agenda and the SDGs. We are very proud to have co-steered the adoption of the declaration adopted at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in 2023. We also in the adoption of the outcome document of the Summit of the Future. We wholeheartedly support the Seville commitment. We support human development, environmental development, and all efforts aimed at empowering women in our societies. In light of the many challenges we currently face, conflict, war, upsurge in violence, and discrimination, we would like to emphasize the need to strengthen multilateralism and international cooperation in the spirit of solidarity. We must also accelerate the 2030 Agenda's implementation on the basis of international law, the UN Charter, with a view to building sustainable peace. Second, we need to strengthen international financing mechanism, financing for development, especially alleviating the debt burden, bolstering lending. ensuring climate-linked financing options are available, and by enhancing partnerships. Third, new technologies, artificial intelligence, bridging the digital gap. Fourth, we must strengthen the role of the United Nations as regards our efforts to achieve development at the global level. This will allow us And in fact, Qatar is going to continue its support for the UN 80 initiative launched by the UN Secretary General. Against this backdrop, the state of Qatar has a very clear vision it's pursuing. We don't believe that development is a luxury nor a choice. It is a moral duty, a human duty. It requires international collective action and collective action at the national level. His Majesty Al-Tani at the previous international conference on peace clearly stated that our commitments must be translated into plans implemented on the ground. And we were all committed to such a motto. It is incumbent upon us to help the most vulnerable, especially the LDCs. President, we're very proud of our partnerships, especially our partnership close partnership with the United Nations, which is geared towards supporting development efforts. We will be continuing to support LDCs and will be channeling aid to education, especially in conflicts, humanitarian assistance, and assistance for peace purposes. I thank you.

And now I give the floor to His Excellency Kasey Atto Bah.

Worson, Minister of Finance of Ghana. Minister, please.

Mr. President, Your Excellencies, I wish to begin by extending on behalf of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, warm greetings and appreciation to the Republic of Spain for hosting this important gathering. We gather at a defining moment by the urgent imperative to reform the global financial architecture and to accelerate investments for achieving the sustainable development goals. The choices we make here will determine whether we secure a just and inclusive future or perpetuate a system that leaves billions behind. Mr. President, spiraling debt, climate shocks, Deepening poverty and eroding peace are draining the resources needed for sustainable development. But we are not here to lament. We are here to act with resolve and shared responsibility. We must reinvigorate multilateralism and international development cooperation. Financing for development is not a siloed conversation. It is inseparable from broader framework of international development cooperation. And yet, at a time when the world needs are growing more urgent, we have seen a troubling development. Leading donor countries, some of the wealthiest in history, are cutting back on official development assistance, even as conflicts, climate shocks, and economic fragility deepen. Secondly, we call for bold reforms to the global financial architecture. The current system no longer reflects the needs of the world as it is today. It must evolve to be equitable, inclusive, and fit for purpose. We support a comprehensive review of sovereign debt frameworks, expanding access to long-term affordable finance for development, and fairer treatment by credit rating agencies. We welcome continued dialogue on the establishment of a global debt authority and improvements to the G20 framework. Ghana strongly supports a UN framework, framework convention international tax cooperation to end illicit financial flows. Trade is another powerful lever for transformation. Trade among developing nations holds immense potential to accelerate shared prosperity, reduce dependency, and build resilience in the face of external shocks. That's why Ghana is proud to be part of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Climate change is no longer a distant risk. It is a daily reality. Ghana, like many African countries, is already bearing the brunt of climate impacts. We therefore call on developed nations to honor and deliver on their climate finance commitments. Financing for adaptation, mitigation, and green industrialization must be scaled up urgently and delivered with predictability and justice. International development cooperation must be revitalized. ODA remains an indispensable source of support for developing countries. Mr. President, Ghana believes that the outcomes of the fourth international conference must go beyond reaffirming principles. We must commit to action. to reform financial systems, to unlock trade and investment for sustainable development, to build resilience against climate shocks, and to enhance solidarity in development cooperation. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, let us get together in bold solidarity. Let us move from declarations to delivery, from exclusion to equity, and from inertia to impact. Ghana stands ready to play its part in building a global financial system that serves all nations justly, fairly and sustainably. Thank you.

I thank His Excellency the Minister of Finance of Ghana. And now I give the floor to His Excellency Waid Abdullah Bahi, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation of Yemen. Minister, please.

Mr. Chery, excellencies, dear participants, in the name of the Yemeni Republic, I have the honor to take part in this important conference taking place in critical times where humanity is facing multiple and interconnected challenges require concerted international efforts and the real commitment to the principles of multilateral cooperation and international solidarity. Yemen, as one of the LDCs facing exceptional challenges due to the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis, appreciate the efforts under the agenda of Addis Ababa and SDG 2030, and we welcome the new commitment and the severe commitment that we should adopt in this conference. The exceptional situation that Yemen is facing reflects the real need to develop a new global financing framework that takes into account the multi-dimensional challenges that our countries are facing, namely the countries that are witnessing conflicts or post-conflict times. as defined in the Seville commitment. The humanitarian crisis that we are witnessing, one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, requires an inclusive and concerted international response that goes beyond the humanitarian assistance and reaches long-term investment in sustainable development and capacity building. International development cooperation, including ODA, is the lifeline for LDCs and countries going through exceptional circumstances. We appreciate the renewed commitment and the Seville compromise or commitment to, uh, the Paris Agreement. highlight the importance of ODA. We reiterate our inclusive vision that we have called for in previous meetings, namely the vital nexus between humanitarian action, development and peace. In the light of the complex crisis that we are witnessing, we see that an efficient humanitarian response should be complemented with sustainable development efforts, and none of them can be achieved without Laying the foundation of a lasting peace, we reiterate the importance of local ownership and leadership by developing countries in addition to improving and promoting, uh, political stability. policies by our development partners. We call upon our development partners to respond to our strategies and to also engage in multi-year cooperation agreements based on a fair, stable and predictable funding. In terms of local resources. We highlight the importance of transparency and accountability when it comes to public budgeting. We are working on improving our capacities in terms of debt management, improving transparency, and we appreciate the commitments and the commitment of Sevilla when it comes to capacity building of countries by 2030. Private commercial and trade activities, investment and innovation are main incentives to promote sustainable development, inclusive economic growth and job creation. We need to promote local ownership by integrating them in the SDGs. We also are facing challenges in joining the global value chains. Investing in infrastructure is very important for us and we reiterate the importance of a trade system that is multilateral, based on rules and contributing to achieving sustainable development. Debt and debt sustainability is very important for us in Yemen in this transitional period post-conflict. We welcome the need to achieve a framework towards development that is based on managing debt and responsible borrowing. Suspending debt service during conflict and crisis is important for the countries to achieve reconstruction and recovery. Mr. Chair, our call is in line with the global vision of the Seville commitment. Finally, we would like to express our greetings, thanks, and appreciation to Spain, its government, and people for their warm hospitality, and reiterate our readiness to work with all our partners in order to achieve the goals of this conference. Thank you.

I thank the Minister of Planning of International Cooperation of Yemen. And now I give the floor to Her Excellency Maka Chirishvili, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. Minister, please.

Dear President, Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, At the outset, let me warmly thank the Government of the Kingdom of Spain for hosting this important event in this beautiful city of Seville. It is a true honour to represent Georgia at this significant conference, especially at such a critical juncture for the global community. Today, the global financial architecture is facing profound challenges. The lingering impact of the pandemic, ongoing conflicts, growing inequalities, humanitarian crises, and food insecurity and climate change are all impeding the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The conference provides us with a unique opportunity to demonstrate the virtue of multilateralism and to reinvigorate our collective commitment to deliver on the sustainable development goals and ensure that no one is left behind. Dear colleagues, despite the numerous challenges, Georgia has shown resilience. Through prudent economic policies and fiscal discipline, we have kept our economy stable and healthy. This has allowed us to overcome external shocks and achieve impressive progress, reaching double-digit economic growth in 2020. with an average 9.7 over the past four years. Economic growth has been broad based, driven by strong performance in trade, construction, IT, transport and services. Tourism is also bouncing back strongly. Revenues in 2024 exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 35% and growth has continued into 2025. In order to create lasting opportunities for sustainable development, our priority is to invest in key infrastructure and focus on renewable energy, digital transformation and transportation. Georgia stands out for its significant progress and remains an attractive place to invest thanks to its strong legal and business environment. Georgia ranks first in the world for state budget transparency according to the 2023 Open Budget Survey by the International Budget Partnership. The Heritage Foundation's 2025 Index of Economic Freedom ranks Georgia 35th globally, placing it above seven EU member states. The World Bank's Business Ready Index 2024 places Georgia in the top three among 50 countries. All these achievements come despite the security challenges Georgia faces and the ongoing illegal occupation of the Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions by Russia. Georgia is committed to the peaceful resolution of conflict and strengthening of sovereignty and the promotion of regional security and stability. We are committed to continuing our progress in advancing structural reforms, including those related to diversifying trade markets, improving regional trade connectivity, supporting capital market development and enhancing energy security. Over the past years, we have also been sharing our expertise and experience with developing and transition countries, especially in fighting corruption. creating a business-friendly environment, and improving tax and customs systems. Looking ahead, Georgia is ready to work closely with the international community to help build an effective and inclusive global financial system. In conclusion, let me stress that the fourth FFD conference must be more than a stock-taking exercise. It must be a springboard for further actions. Georgia is ready to play its part and cooperate with all stakeholders to ensure that financial system deliver not just growth, but inclusive and sustainable development for all. Thank you very much.

I thank Her Excellency the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Georgia, and I now give the floor to Her Excellency Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance of India. Minister, please.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, at the outset, I would like to thank the government of Spain for hosting the FFD fourth edition in this historic city of Seville. We are meeting here in Seville, the decade after the adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, acknowledging the progress made by nations in navigating complex global landscapes and finding ways to address current challenges that continue to stand in the way of financing global development goals. With many SDG targets off track and a financing gap exceeding $4 trillion annually, for developing countries, the need for urgent and transformative action is clear. India emphasizes the importance of comprehensive, equitable, and development-oriented global financing framework, one that respects country circumstances, preserves policy space, and delivers on the promise of sustainable development for all. In this backdrop, we welcome the adoption of the Compromisso de Seville. India has consistently placed people at the center of its development strategy. Through targeted policy interventions, we have lifted 250 million people out of multidimensional poverty and empowered communities through inclusive digital public infrastructure. However, for robust global growth, national efforts must be complemented by an enabling international environment. We remain committed to South-South and triangular cooperation. We support the call for a reversal in decline of ODA and urge developed countries for enhancing climate finance that is predictable, accessible and concessional, particularly for adaptation in vulnerable countries. In the spirit of India's civilizational ethos, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, that is, world is one family. We must unite in our efforts to drive meaningful change that benefits all. We note that sovereign debt has become a structural barrier to inclusive and sustainable growth for many countries. The Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable launched during India's G20 presidency has played a pivotal role in enhancing debt transparency and comparability of treatment in debt restructuring. Going forward, effective implementation of the G20 common framework coupled with preventive debt management is essential. India supports reforms to the international financial architecture to enhance inclusivity and equity, including MDB reforms. and fairer credit rating systems. MDB lending must be aligned with long-term development goals and backed by robust monitoring frameworks to ensure that funds are used as intended. We support international cooperation to modernize tax systems and curb illicit financial flows. India's comprehensive tax reforms and digital transformation in tax administration have increased revenue and reduced compliance costs. We believe that optimal regulation fosters innovation and stability. The Indian financial system promotes inclusivity through easier credit and lower compliance cost, especially for MSMEs. We have developed a dynamic ecosystem for startups and PPPs in infrastructure. India's progress across all action areas of the Compromisso de Sevilla demonstrates that developing countries can be both beneficiaries and drivers of global development finance. Mr. President, India stands ready to lead by example, share its experiences, and collaborate with partners in advancing this agenda. Let us leave Sevilla with resolve, not just promises, to make financing the foundation for realizing the SDGs and leaving no one behind. Thank you.

I give the floor to the Minister.

Of Finances of India. And I now give the floor to His Excellency Leki Dorji, Minister of Finance of Bhutan.

Mr. President, Excellencies, and distinguished delegates, I have the honor to convey the warm greetings and best wishes of His Majesty the King, the government, and the people of Bhutan. Let me begin by thanking you, Mr. President, as well as the Government and the people of Spain and the UN Secretariat for the excellent arrangements and warm hospitality extended to me and my delegation in the historic city of Seville. Bhutan aligns ourselves with the statement delivered by the Chair of the Group of 77 and China. We welcome the adoption of the outcome document and commend the co facilitators for their inclusive and transparent approach. The outcome document reflects the needs and aspirations of developing countries and will serve as a valuable guide in mobilizing financing for sustainable development amidst a period of profound transformation, escalating geopolitical uncertainty, and systemic risks. Mr. President, financing for development remains crucial for Bhutan, especially as we transition Beyond our 2023 graduation from the least development category, while we take pride in this milestone, we continue to face structural vulnerabilities, particularly from climate change. Bhutan remains firmly committed to environmental conservation. As a carbon negative country, we are determined to sustain our efforts But this would greatly depend on bridging the climate financing gap. The need for increased investment in climate resilient technologies and locally appropriate solutions cannot be overstated. Adequate, predictable and accessible climate finance is essential to empower developing countries and ensure a just and inclusive transition. We urge that the climate financing mechanisms prioritize the countries demonstrating environmental leadership and extend greater support to countries in special situations. Mr. President, official development assistance remains vital, especially in the form of grants and concessional financing. We call for the scale-up of ODA commitments and non-debt creating instruments to support long-term resilience and fiscal stability. Likewise, we also urge multilateral development banks to ease lending terms through longer tenors, lower interest rates and local currency financing, and to strengthen debt relief and restructuring mechanisms. Innovative debt instruments must be part of our toolkit for sustainable development. Remittances are a lifeline for many families in developing countries. Reducing transaction costs to below 3% by 2030 through digital innovation and better regulations will help maximize their impact. Private investment and FDI also play a critical role in advancing the SDGs. Tailored investment support mechanisms and technical assistance must respond to the unique needs of countries like Bhutan. Mr. President, we welcome the outcome document's emphasis on enhancing exports from developing countries. Many of us face significant constraints in processing capacity and compliance with global standards. Targeted support, especially in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and textiles, will be essential to unlocking our export potential and diversifying our economies. Bhutan reaffirms our commitment to accelerating sustainable development and 2030 agenda. We have always prioritized work towards achievement of the SDGs, guided by our development philosophy of Gross National Happiness. In closing, I would like to underscore that Bhutan stands ready to work in partnership with the international community to strengthen the global financing architecture and realize the promise of the 2030 Agenda. Thank you and Tashi Delek.

I thank the Minister of Finance of Bhutan. And I now give the floor to Mr. His Excellency, Special Envoy of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Thank you, Madam Chair. In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, I wish to express our appreciation to the people and government of Spain for their kind hospitality and holding this important conference.

In fact, this meeting is taking place

at a particularly critical moment while we are gathered here to foster cooperation and collaboration among member countries to promote peace, development, and prosperity for all around the world, the Israeli regime is pursuing and implementing It's a strategy of aggression, destruction, genocide, and mass killing in the Middle East and West Asia. On June 13, the Israeli regime, with full support of the United States, launched an unprovoked and large-scale armed aggression against my country, followed by carrying out an armed attack and illegal use of force by the United States. a permanent member of UN Security Council and one of the depositories of the NPT on Iran's safeguarded peaceful nuclear facilities on 22nd June 2025.

This blatant act of aggression not only defies the UN Charter but also breaches

fundamental principles of international law including international humanitarian law. The aggression

The aggressors deliberately targeted civilian population, hospitals, healthcare facilities, media and civilian infrastructure.

The criminal attack by the aggressor resulted in 935 civilian losses of life, including 38 children, the elderly and Women. Also, more than 5,000 civilian injured. The act of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran by U.S. and the Zionist regime have endangered international peace and security and blown up the NPT.

Therefore, It is a moral, political, and legal responsibility for all UN member states, as well as

every civilized nation, to reject categorically and strongly condemn this blatant aggression and brutal attack in violation of international law and UN charter.

Mr. President,

Multilateralism is the cornerstone of successful United Nations. More than ever, we must uphold the principle of multilateral cooperation and strongly reject unilateralism, which poses a grave threat to global peace and development. Unilateral coercive measures of the United States are not limited to illegal military attacks of which there are many examples. For years, the United States, by pursuing its bullying, unilateral principles, unilateral policies and practices, has been hindering other countries from achieving development by resorting to unilateral coercive measures, UCMs, despite the fact that the right to development is a human right and no country should be prevented from achieving the UCMs or opposing access to the basic human right. It is therefore essential that developing countries have access to international and external financial resources without discrimination. The commitment of the developed countries to ODA backs more than five decades ago and has never been fully realized. Developing countries continue to suffer from longstanding challenges arising from global economic, financial, and trade inequities, even within international trade and financial institutions. In conclusion, Madam President, Our world today, more than ever, needs to strengthen international cooperation, solidarity, and multilateralism. I would like to emphasize that the fourth international conference should reinforce those principles by supporting concrete action to effectively address the financing challenges faced by developing countries and by calling for immediate lifting of unilateral coercive

We've heard the last statement in the general debate this session. The general debate will continue in the afternoon starting at 3:00 PM in this room. The meeting is adjourned.