Latest news with #FinancingforDevelopmentConference
Scoop
15 hours ago
- Business
- Scoop
Interview: Sevilla ‘A Critical Test' Of Multilateralism
The promises were made at the opening of the Financing for Development Conference (FFD4), currently underway in the Spanish city of Sevilla, when delegates agreed on the Sevilla Commitment. During the conference UN News spoke to Li Junhua, the UN Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs and Secretary-General of the international summit. Li Junhua: The adoption of the Sevilla Agreement was an exceptional moment at an event which has brough together some 60 Heads of State and Government and seen 130 major initiatives announced as part of the Sevilla Platform for Action, which is aiming to implement the outcome document and turbocharge financing for sustainable development. A record number of business leaders from various sectors actively participated in and positively contributed to the entire process and to the outcome of Conference. They all committed to supporting the implementation of the new roadmap. UN News: What benefits do you think vulnerable communities in developing countries can look forward to, as a direct result of the decisions made here in Sevilla? Li Junhua: The Sevilla Commitment firmly recognizes that poverty eradication is indispensable to achieving sustainable development. This is the most essential point for all the developing countries. It proposes a package of actions for a large-scale investment push for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the long run. This includes boosting investment in vital areas such as social protection systems, agrifood systems and inclusive, affordable and quality health systems. Furthermore, it aims to strengthen the global response to crises which affect vulnerable communities the most. For instance, it calls for the implementation of the decision concerning climate finance agreed at the UN Climate Conference in Baku, and also the fund for responding to Loss and Damage. To me, significant steps and commitments have been made to support countries in special situations to close the significant infrastructure gap in critical sectors. The most vulnerable populations can benefit significantly by gaining essential services and employment opportunities generated by, for instance, energy, transport, ICT [information and communication technology], water and sanitation infrastructure development. Last but not least, there is a strong resolve to expand access to financial products and services across society, particularly for women, youth, persons with disabilities, displaced people, migrants and other persons in vulnerable situations. These are very tangible outcomes for vulnerable communities. UN News: In what ways is this conference a real test of multilateralism, at a time when it's under more strain than ever, and with a deeply uncertain global economic outlook? Li Junhua: This conference is a critical test of our ability to solve problems together. We know that, at its core, the sustainable development crisis is a crisis of funding and financing. We need to tackle these challenges to bring the SDGs back on track, but it is far from easy. Commitments on development finance directly impact national budgets, and reforming the international financial architecture will inevitably shift the power dynamics between States. The fact that Member States adopted the Sevilla Agreement by consensus sends a powerful signal that multilateralism can still deliver. Of course, the real challenge now lies in translating these commitments into actions. So I would say that, ultimately, success depends on the collective efforts of all Member States and all stakeholders.
UPI
3 days ago
- Climate
- UPI
Europe swelters under heatwave with record start to summer
People cool down in the fountains of Trocadero, across from the Eiffel Tower, during a heatwave in Paris. Heat warnings were in effect for the first part of the week across 16 regions in France, including Paris which was placed on the country's highest heat alert as temps hit 100 degrees. File Photo by Ian Langsdon/EPA-EFE June 30 (UPI) -- Europe is sweltering under an intense heatwave, as temperatures soar across Spain, Portugal, France and Italy for one of the hottest summer starts ever recorded. Spain is experiencing its hottest June on record. On Saturday, El Granado in Andalusia hit 114 degrees Fahrenheit. In Portugal, the heat registered close to 116 degrees in Mora. "Over the next few days, at least until Thursday, intense heat will continue in much of Spain," said Ruben del Campo, a spokesperson for the national meteorological service AEMET. In Turkey, wildfires burned for a second day, as strong winds fanned the flames near Izmir, and forced the evacuation of more than 50,000 people. Fires also broke out in Croatia and Greece amid extreme temperatures. Heat warnings were in effect in 16 cities in Italy, including Rome and Venice, and across 16 French regions, including Paris. Paris, which is seeing a record number of tourists, was placed on the country's highest "red" heat alert. Other regions remained under an "orange" alert. Nearly 200 schools throughout France are closed or partially closed. Government officials in Italy planned to ban open-air work during the hottest part of the day, as tourists sought refuge in fountains. The heat is also being felt in Germany, where temperatures are expected to top 100 degrees this week. The heatwave is being blamed for lowering water levels on the Rhine River, the country's major shipping route. And heat alerts were issued for England and Wales, where milder temperatures are more common. The United Nation's human rights chief blamed the heat on climate change and warned Monday that heatwaves will become more common if human causes are not reined in. "Rising temperatures, rising seas, floods, droughts and wildfires threaten our rights to life, to health, to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and much more," Volker Turk told the UN's Human Rights Council. Excessive temperatures throughout Europe are typically reserved for summer's hotter months of July and August, as UN Secretary General António Guterres called for "more ambitious Climate Action now," during a UN conference in Seville. "Extreme heat is no longer a rare event -- it has become the new normal," Guterres wrote in a post on X. "I'm experiencing it firsthand in Spain during the Financing for Development Conference," he added. "The planet is getting hotter and more dangerous -- no country is immune."
Egypt Today
13-05-2025
- Business
- Egypt Today
Egypt's Assistant FM presents development priorities to African meeting ahead of UN food systems summits
The African preparatory meeting for the Food Systems Summit assessment conference CAIRO - 13 May 2025: Egyptian Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Multilateral Affairs and International Security, participated as a speaker in the African preparatory meeting for the Food Systems Summit assessment conference at the United Nations headquarters in Nairobi. In his remarks, the Egyptian delegation highlighted the importance of integration between the UN negotiating processes taking place this year, including the Financing for Development Conference scheduled to be held in Spain next June and the World Summit for Social Development scheduled to be held in Doha next November. He further highlighted the importance of dimensions related to financing, encouraging investment, and expanding the use of innovative financing instruments. He also presented the challenges facing the continent as a result of the absence of international food corridors serving the continent's countries, which makes them vulnerable to shocks related to international supply chains. He thus stressed the importance of encouraging grain storage and promoting intra-African trade, taking advantage of the strategic location of the Suez Canal in this regard. Al-Jawi also signaled the importance of achieving integration between the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) 2026-2035 strategy and action plan, the CAADP Kampala Declaration, and food and nutrition systems strategies across the African continent, while taking into account the special needs of net food-importing developing countries and those facing water scarcity.
Zawya
10-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
#G20: Mazzucato appointed as South Africa's strategic planner for global economic growth
President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Professor Mariana Mazzucato as a technical expert for South Africa's G20 Presidency and as his special presidential representative to Taskforce 1, which focuses on inclusive economic growth, industrialisation, employment, and reducing inequality. Mazzucato will also contribute to Taskforce 3: Artificial intelligence, data governance, and innovation for sustainable development. She'll also be helping out with the Sherpa Track's Trade and Investment Working Group, along with the sustainable finance and international financial architecture working groups in the Finance Track. Professor Mazzucato has been a member of President Ramaphosa's Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) since 2019, advising on areas such as green industrial strategy, state capacity, and reform of state-owned enterprises. In 2024, she co-chaired the Group of Experts for Brazil's G20 Task Force for the Global Mobilisation Against Climate Change (TF-CLIMA). This appointment underscores South Africa's commitment to leveraging its leadership in the G20 to shape a more inclusive and sustainable global economy. Mazzucato, internationally recognised for her work on rethinking the state, green growth, mission-oriented innovation and public value creation, brings critical expertise to advancing South Africa's goals on green industrialisation, inclusive growth, and long-term structural transformation. Under Ramaphosa's leadership and the G20 theme of "Solidarity. Equality. Sustainability.', South Africa aims to lead global discussions on these key issues, advocating for policies that foster resilient economic development, particularly in developing countries. South Africa's G20 Presidency is committed to advancing a global economic framework that supports green growth, economic resilience, and social equity, Ramaphosa has said. 2025 marks what Ramaphosa, along with President Lula da Silva of Brazil and Prime Minister Sánchez of Spain, has called 'a pivotal year for multilateralism,' with three major global gatherings – the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, the Financing for Development Conference in Seville, and COP30 in Belém. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
