With the global development agenda under mounting strain, world leaders, diplomats, and representatives from business and civil society have convened in Seville, France, for the fourth International Conference on Financing for Development. The high-level meeting, held from 30 June to 3 July, aims to revive momentum behind the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), even as the world’s wealthiest nations scale back aid.
Conspicuously absent is the United States, historically the largest single contributor to UN development programmes. The Biden administration’s successor, under President Donald Trump, has announced fresh aid cuts that development experts warn will severely impact efforts to fight hunger, disease, and climate change in the Global South.
Adding to the list of absentees is South Africa, which, amid ongoing political flux, has opted to skip the annual gathering citing domestic reasons.
Over 4,000 delegates from governments, private finance, humanitarian organisations, and development institutions are attending the conference. The gathering seeks to galvanise political will and unlock alternative financing models to close the ballooning global funding gap, now estimated at $4 trillion annually, according to the United Nations.
French President Emmanuel Macron, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and Kenyan President William Ruto are among the nearly 50 world leaders expected to headline the conference.
Also read: Global aid ‘in triage’ as UN slashes humanitarian plan
The gravity of the situation was cited by a recent statement from Oxfam International, which called the current development aid reductions “the largest since 1960.” The retreat of traditional donors, combined with rising military expenditures, has left developing countries increasingly vulnerable.
“U.S. President Donald Trump’s inconsistent behaviour and deviation from traditional policies have created immense problems for global politics, especially in the developing north, where countries funded the UN programs without facing difficulties,” a UN source said on condition of anonymity.
Critics say that the Trump administration’s demands for increased defence spending have diverted European and NATO resources away from global development priorities, effectively sidelining poverty alleviation and environmental resilience efforts.
Meanwhile, the World Bank estimates that nearly one billion people are now living on less than $3 per day. Extreme poverty is again on the rise, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where successive climate disasters and prolonged conflict continue to devastate fragile economies.
The Seville summit is expected to issue a symbolic declaration, dubbed the “Seville Commitment”, although officials confirm it will carry no binding legal force.
Nonetheless, many see the conference as a litmus test for international cooperation at a time when multilateralism faces growing pressure from nationalism, protectionism, and donor fatigue.
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