Opening Press Conference - 4th International Conference on Financing for Development FFD4 (Sevilla, Spain)
Conferences
Date: 30 June 2025
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/en/asset/k1d/k1dmx0m766
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

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Spain · Prime Minister · Pedro Sanchez [0:03]:

Good afternoon and thank you to the media for coming to this press conference. As I said in the plenary, today in Seville we are opening the fourth conference on financing for development. which is one of the greatest global dates in the whole UN system. As you know, the previous conference was held in Ethiopia in 2015, a year that was a historic landmark for multilateralism. That year, we adopted the 2030 agenda, and we also reached a clear agenda within the OECD to combat tax evasion of great multilaterals and work towards a fairer tax system. In 2015, the majority of countries in the world We're looking back over the miseries that have been suffered since the 20th century. We continue to see the echoes of hunger, suffering, inequality, caused by the two world wars, the economic crises that continued to mark the lives of our fathers, our grandfathers, our grandparents. And however great the differences were, they realized that the best way to relate to each other was to dialogue and have... through a multilateral system based on the principles of solidarity that everybody had to respect, including the most powerful. Only one decade has passed since then, just a blink of an eye, if you allow me to say that. But the world has changed a great deal since then, and we are unfortunately seeing the weakening of multilateralism. Today, we are meeting in Seville, in Spain, with representatives of 70 international organizations and 170 countries to bring humanity further from the horrors of the past, to renew our pact to humanity and to solidarity, and also to look ahead to the future with ambition and hope, and to do so together, because we are convinced that the best moments are still ahead. At this Seville Summit, I'd like to thank the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, and all UN staff who are working here for commitment to the holding of this summit. At this Seville summit, as I was saying, more than 200 official delegations, 70 leaders are meeting to discuss and to work around round tables and 400 events, 400 events. It will therefore be the greatest international, largest international event ever organized in our country, Spain. And I also think that, hope that it will be another landmark in multilateralism. The Seville Commitment, which is what we've called the outcome document, was adopted by consensus in the preparatory meetings and has already been circulated and it will allow for greater financing and more ambition. We will, together with the Secretary General and myself, be also launching the platform for action, a civil platform for action, which will give us a tool allowing the agreement to not just be a piece of paper but actually specific instruments. And on behalf of the Spanish government, we will also be putting forward the Seville plan, which is an ambitious plan to help us to protect, strengthen and renew the multilateral system. On Tuesday, you will see the details of this Seville plan. But I'd like to take the opportunity here of the presence of the Secretary-General to announce some of the key components of that. One of them is basically the opening in Madrid, Spain, of the House of the United Nations. This will be a new headquarters situated in the capital of Spain, which will be home to various teams from UN agencies agencies to continue to work with the security and the recognition that will be given to them by our country. So the House of the United Nations will be a center that will be the home to various teams from UN agencies who continue to work safely with support and with recognition. Because in light of the clear weakening of the multilateral order, countries such as Spain are going to dedicated to doing the very opposite, to defending it and to promoting it. Because we think that at a time like this, we need a strong United Nations, which is able to address the great global challenges that we, that humanity is facing. I know, and I have seen some television programs today that are saying that there are many in the public who view these events with skepticism. They're wondering what they serve for and how are they going to improve the daily lives of people. to them, I want to say that conferences such as that that we are opening in Seville today are important. They're important to their daily lives because without financing, there are no development policies, and without development policies, there will be an even more unequal world. There will be a less equal world. There will be more misery, more austerity, more conflict, and more environmental degradation. So To all of the citizens who are legitimately wondering about what this conference serves for, I would like to say that we cannot move forward if half of the world is left behind. That's why we're here today in Seville welcoming this important conference, which is only held once every 10 years in the UN system. I'd like to close by saying something about this magnificent city of Seville, which for centuries now has been a symbol of the history of our country, of Spain. And today, from now on, I hope it will also be a symbol for multilateralism. Behind every no, there is always a big yes. We are saying no to violence, to the fracture between the North and South, to the thinking of supremacy, which is sometimes very important. We're saying yes to peace, yes to cooperation, and yes to solidarity between peoples. Definitively, we are saying that a better world is possible and that multilateralism is the best tool that we have to be able to build it. That's all and thank you very much. I'll give the floor now to the UN Secretary General. I thank you obviously for all of the trust that you've placed in Spain to be able to host this important summit.


UN · SG · Antonio Guterres [7:30]:

Dear Pedro Sanchez, President of the Spanish Government, Prime Minister, I want to thank you, thank the government and the people of Spain for the outstanding organization of this conference and for the extraordinary hospitality that you've extended to us. Spain is a pillar of multilateralism, a strong partner of the United Nations, and a defender of development, as demonstrated once again by hosting this important conference. Spain is also a world leader for peace and it understands the profound links between development and peace.

We must keep working for peace, for peace in the Middle East, for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of all hostages and any impeded humanitarian access as a first step to achieve the two-state solution. for the ceasefire between Iran and Israel to hold, for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine based on the UN Charter, international law, and UN resolutions, for an end to the horror and bloodshed in Sudan. And we know that sustainable peace requires sustainable development. So, ladies and gentlemen of the media, As I said in opening the conference this morning, development is not just about numbers on a page. It's about food, healthcare, and education. It's about jobs and social protection. It's about infrastructure like water systems, internet access, and climate resilient buildings. It's about providing equal opportunity for girls and women, which moves all societies ahead. It's about easing human suffering and driving progress across every community, large and small. Development is about people. And we have collectively made great strides in development in recent decades. But progress doesn't happen on its own. It takes support and investment. As we meet, the world is falling behind in its commitments to advance the Sustainable Development Goals. Achieving them will take an investment of more than $4 trillion a year. And meanwhile, global growth is slowing, trade barriers are rising, and aid budgets are falling. Developing countries are drowning in debt service payments, which have skyrocketed to 1.4 trillion every year. And the great enabler of development, international cooperation, is being chipped away by geopolitical mistrust and division. Now, this conference is about rebuilding that trust with concrete commitments. With the adoption of the Seville Commitment document, countries are proving their dedication to getting the engine of development reviving again. Through new domestic and global commitments that can channel public and private finance to the areas of greatest needs. By overhauling the world's approach to debt, to make borrowing work in service of sustainable development. By reforming the global financial architecture to reflect today's realities and the urgent needs of developing countries that must have a much stronger voice and participated in the institutions of that financial architecture. The Seville Platform of Action being launched later today will help us move from words to action. It contains dozens of new practical initiatives to accelerate funding for development around the world. And this includes the commitment to establish a Borrowers Forum for countries to learn from one another and coordinate their approach in debt management and restructuring. This is one of 11 immediately actionable proposals to help resolve the debt crisis, backed by my group of experts on debt that will be publishing their report. I look forward to work closely with member states, including in the G20, to bring this forum to life.

Seville is about solutions, and especially solutions at a time of division for the human family. We hope that our collective efforts here in Seville can inspire and motivate countries around the world to work together to resolve other global challenges. Once again, I want to thank the Prime Minister and the Spanish people for welcoming the world here in Seville. Thank you very much. We're going to start the press conference.


Moderator [13:14]:

Secretary General, we are now taking some questions. We will take four in total, so I'm going to ask you to raise your hands and to keep it to one or at most two questions so we can try to give your colleagues the opportunity to ask. Thank you. So let's start.


Journalist [13:39]:

Thank you, Prime Minister, Secretary General. I wanted to ask you specifically regarding the implementation of the Seville commitment, especially for the citizens of the global south. They have seen very many attempts in the past that have been frustrated or truncated, and so what can you tell them to tell them that this new attempt to foster multilateral assistance will take concrete form, will actually be implemented, and will actually be carried through and be effective and lasting.


UN · SG · Antonio Guterres [14:25]:

Let's be clear. This conference takes place in one of the most difficult moments that I have witnessed in my public life. A moment of division, a moment in which we see conflicts multiplying, and we see enormous difficulties for developing countries to overcome the challenges they face. And this is true in relation to debt, it's true in relation to climate, it's true in relation to all the aspects of development. And what is remarkable is that in this moment that is so difficult and where countries are so divided, it was possible to approve a Seville compromise, a Seville commitment that represents one step ahead both of the Addis Ababa Development Conference, and more important than that, one step ahead in relation to the Summit of the Future just one year and a half ago. And so the question is clear. There is a solid will of the bulk of the international community to change the system. in order to allow for developing countries to benefit with the progress and development. And we know that there are resistances. We know that this is essentially a question of power. But I have a clear message to the powerful. It is better for them to lead the reform of the system now than to wait and eventually suffer the resistance later when power relations change. And I believe that the reforms that are proposed in Seville, in line with the work that was done in the Summit of the Future, are reforms that are absolutely needed, both for developing and developed countries.


Spain · Prime Minister · Pedro Sanchez [16:43]:

And I would like to add to what Secretary General, uh, Secretary General said that, uh, besides the compromise of the Sevilla, we have this platform that we will launch, uh, uh, this afternoon, and, uh, I think it's, uh, it's another commitment not only from the public sector, governments, but also civil society and enterprises, where we're gonna translate this, let's say, contents, words into actions. And we were quietly and positively surprised by the fact that there were more than 100 ideas, projects that will take concrete steps across the world, I would say, not only in Africa, but across the world. And this also means, as Secretary-General has said, that there's a solid will among nations, not only from the public sector, but also the private sector, the regional developing banks, and so on and so forth to move forward. So I think these are good news, especially during these very uncertain times that we're living. And this is a positive message of strengthening our multilateral system and the UN system as a whole.


Agencia EFE · Journalist [18:01]:

Agencia EFE. Thank you. Good afternoon for both of you. After the attitude of the United States and the effect that that's had on multilateralism, do you fear that the current debate about defense expenditure might be a reason that other countries would also reduce their cooperation? And to the President of the Government, I'd like to ask you, reiterated yesterday that Spain will be dedicating the amount that it said by 2030, and also the Mr. Ceylan issue. Will this change the situation, and will you change the response? Thank you very much.


Spain · Prime Minister · Pedro Sanchez [18:55]:

Thank you, Antonio. If you don't mind, firstly, on the first question, I'd like to say that indeed there is a debate by some member states, NATO and the EU, on military expenditure. You know the Spanish government's position, we've maintained that. We think that the current message that we should give is the message that we want to strengthen multilateralism. All member states and the EU are actively involved in multilateral debates on gender equality, the climate challenge, inequality, in poverty, in orderly migration. And all of these debates mean that we need to be present. We need to hold very important summits like this and another very relevant issue, which is military spending as well. We continue with our roadmap of 0.7% this week in Brussels and an important event related to COVID-19 and the Gavi initiative. Spain said that it wanted to increase by more than 100%. 130 billion euros, its contribution to vaccines and to preventing diseases that children might face. And we are also fully committed to multilateralism. As I've just announced, tomorrow I'll be presenting the Seville plan, which is a commitment by the Spanish government to multilateralism. And we will be offering, in addition to resources and other issues, a physical space in the capital of Spain for those teams from agencies that wish to be located in Spain to be able to have respect, support, and also the ability to be able to carry out their important work for the whole UN system. So from that perspective, our commitments remain the same. And on the second question, look, from a political position, we take the necessary decisions, we act firmly, and now it's time for justice. Justice will have to decide which responsibilities Senso Sedan will have to take in this regard.


UN · SG · Antonio Guterres [21:17]:

I understand the obligation that.

I understand the responsibility I have regarding the decisions of the Summit for the Future, and very soon I intend to present a report on the impact of the arms race and its expenses on sustainable development. But one comment that I'd like to make is that it's up to each country to determine their needs in the sphere of defense. However, at this conference, a lot has been said, especially with regard to developing countries, on the need to mobilize their own resources. And I believe that it's natural that if a country considers that it has to increase its defense expenditures, it should use its own resources to do this, rather than financing the increase in defense budget by reducing humanitarian assistance to the neediest people in the world. Let's continue with Reuters.


Reuters · Journalist [22:31]:

General Guterres, so in the event that the United States were to pull out from some of the major multilateral development banks, Who do you believe would be able to step in to try and fill that investment gap? And how can the United Nations help the MDB system cope in such a scenario? Thank you.


UN · SG · Antonio Guterres [22:55]:

There is one thing that is clear to me. This is a moment in which we cannot expect increases in official development assistance. But there are ways to multiply the resources available. And one of the things that we have approved here in Sevilla is to triple the lending capacity of multilateral development banks. And the logic is very simple. You have less ODA. Okay. If you use your ODA financing project by project, $1 or one euro has the value of $1 or one euro. If you use that dollar or that euro to increase the capital of a multilateral development bank, it allows the bank to go to the market to find more six or seven or eight, and to increase the funds available to support developing countries. It's a question of political will. There are ways to multiply resources. The same with the special drawing rights. The special drawing rights are created from nothing, let us say. And if you distribute special drawing rights through the IMF, one dollar is one dollar, one euro is one euro. If you do it through multilateral development banks, again, you multiply the resources. So it's time to seriously think about innovative forms of financing, to put a tax on carbon, to create levies in relation to several areas of activity, namely the impacts of maritime transportation in relation to climate change. I mean, there are many ways to multiply the resources available if we have the political will for that. And this can be done with the countries that are willing to do so, of course, to have the United States on board would be excellent, but it can be done in any case by those willing to do so.


Moderator [24:59]:

El Pais.


El Pais · Journalist · Carlos [25:06]:

El Pais. To both of you. United States, which is the main donor in the world, is not here and is reducing all its programs. What message in this conference, given that the United States and other countries are reducing their contributions and other countries are thinking of reducing theirs, regarding political, domestic political Six months ago, you renewed the post of Santos Cerdan, and today the judge decided that he should remain in prison for corruption. How does that impact the image of PSOE and yourself?


Spain [25:53]:

Thank you very much, Carlos. Regarding the first question, everyone should carry whatever weight that is based on their capacities. That is what Spain is doing. offering its services to welcome such important conferences such as this one, Conference on Financing for Sustainable Development, also offering opportunities in this case in the capital of Spain to host teams from the United Nations. also committing resources to policies focused on global health or, as I mentioned earlier, to prevention and vaccination campaigns, as with the announcement that we made last week after the NATO conference in Brussels. As far as from our point of view, the Government of Spain, we want to convey an absolute and powerful message in support of multilateralism and what is represented by the United Nations at a time increasingly we see that there are countries that are not upholding international laws, that are countries that do not take into account the UN Charter and its decisions. Well, at this moment, just when we are... when we're beginning to see a global disorder, that is when we need to be as coherent and committed as possible to the principles of the UN Charter. And this is not simply representing concrete actions or principles, whether it applies to Ukraine or Gaza, but also offering financial resources. Regarding the second question, I insist that the Socialist Party acted very strongly since the first moment, has assumed its responsibilities, and has basically excluded Serdar from the Socialist Party. And now it's up to the judiciary to decide what is his responsibilities in this case. And so obviously we will cooperate as much as possible with the judiciaries. But from a political point of view, I think there is a very clear position by the party that I lead compared to other political parties that have not assumed any political responsibility. Thank you.