18 hours ago
Civil society leaves UN development summit feeling unheard
When more than 1,000 civil society representatives flocked to Seville this week for a UN conference on development financing, their expectations were already low — but the four-day event left many frustrated and feeling their voices were stifled.
The once-in-a-decade summit promised to marshall resources that could narrow the estimated $4.3-trillion (R75.79-trillion) financing gap needed to help developing countries overcome mounting debt distress, the ravages of climate change or structural inequality, among other hurdles.
However, the world's richest governments have been slashing aid and bilateral lending while increasingly prioritising defence spending as geopolitical tensions escalate, raising doubts that the cautious optimism expressed by most officials in attendance was realistic.
Several civil society organisations (CSOs) were critical of the measures outlined in a final document, the "Seville Commitment", which they said was watered down by wealthier nations unwilling to walk the talk.
Others lambasted what they described as a private sector-first approach to development.
Arthur Larok, secretary general of ActionAid, said Global South countries were "returning home empty-handed" while Global North governments did so "free from responsibility".
