Over 200 civil society organisations and individuals have sent a letter urging European leaders to commit to a transformative and ambitious agenda of financial architecture reform at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development.
We, the undersigned civil society organisations and individuals, urge European leaders to commit to a transformative and ambitious agenda of financial architecture reform at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), taking place in Sevilla, Spain in mid-2025.
FfD4 is a pivotal moment for Europe to commit to equitable global economic governance and reforms that are needed to tackle the deep inequality and environmental crises which drive and exacerbate grave problems today and tomorrow. The consequences of the current system are felt across generations.
Critical reforms include how countries deal with the vicious circle of sovereign debt; the development of a fair and inclusive system of international tax cooperation; and the strengthening of development cooperation. Public finance continues to have a proven and distinct role in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the eradication of hunger and poverty, in gender equality and the fight against climate change.
The Financing for Development conference is the only space where global economic and financial matters are discussed in a transparent and inclusive manner and where all countries participate on an equal footing. FfD4, therefore, has the potential to bring fairness and justice into global economic governance.
It is also the first time an FfD conference has taken place on European soil. This gives Europe the opportunity to play a role in reinvigorating trust and cooperation into a rulesbased multilateral order. The success of the conference is a matter of Europe’s reputation and a test of its value-driven approach to engaging with the rest of the world.
In January 2025, a civil society letter addressed to European leaders provided a list of key policy demands regarding FfD4. We welcome the openness to dialogue that has been demonstrated in meetings with civil society ever since. We also welcome the reiteration of European support for the Financing for Development process, demonstrated during the meeting of the European Council and the UN Secretary General on 20 March in Brussels.
At the same time, we are concerned by the lack of visible positive change in the European position in the negotiations of the Conference’s outcome. Instead of backing proposals for more democratic decision-making on global economic issues, European countries have so far opposed any meaningful reform, defending an unfair and dysfunctional status quo and limiting the European offer to using scarce public resources to leverage private finance. Indeed, the official EU position and conduct in the negotiations on the road to Sevilla are highly problematic. While the EU supports ambitious development goals and stands for gender equity and human rights, it blocks the actual means of implementation that are needed to achieve these goals.
In a world where only 17 per cent of the SDGs have been achieved, with only five years to their deadline, this cannot be the European approach to accelerate action. The Sevilla conference is the last chance to fill the SDG financing gap through meaningful structural reforms. It must not be wasted.
Europe must play its part in a multilateral system that contributes to fair and democratic global economic governance. This would reflect the poverty eradication objective of Article 208 of the Lisbon Treaty.
Aligning with progressive voices calling for meaningful reforms to global economic governance in the negotiations leading up to Sevilla is not only the right thing to do. It will also strengthen Europe’s geopolitical standing. It is an unprecedented strategic opportunity and we call on you - European leaders - to seize it.
Signatories
International organisations: 187
- Society for International Development
- Oxfam
- ActionAid International
- Care International
Europe - ACT Alliance EU
- Africa-Europe Faith & Justice Network
- Caritas Europa
- Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe
- Counter Balance
- Debt4Climate
- Eurodad
- Fern
- Recourse
- Save the Children
- SDG Watch Europe
- SOLIDAR
Austria - AG Globale Verantwortung
- KOO - Co-ordination office of the Austrian Bishops‘ Conference for international development and mission
- SDG Watch Austria
- VIDC
Bangladesh - Centre for Environment, Human Rights & Development Forum (CEHRDF)
- COAST Foundation
Barbados - Caribbean Policy Development Centre
Belgium - 11.11.11
- ACV-CSC
- BOS+
- Broederlijk Delen
- CNCD-11.11.11
- Entraide et Fraternité
- FOS - Socialistische Solidariteit
- Join For Water
- Monetary Diversity
- Rikolto
- Solidagro
- UCOS
- Viva Salud
Botswana - Success Capital Africa
Brazil - Brazilian Campaign for the Right to Education
- Gestos
Bulgaria - BulgariaCVS
- Obshtestven Center za Okolna Sreda i Ustoichivo Razvitie
- Za Zemiata
Congo - ONG CONSTRUISONS ENSEMBLE LE MONDE
- Plateforme dette et developpement
Croatia - Croatian Platform for International Citizen Solidarity (CROSOL)
Czechia - FoRS - Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
Denmark - Civil Society in Development
- Global Focus
- The People’s Fund for Global Health and Development
Ecuador - Mujeres Luna Creciente
Estonia - Estonian Roundtable for Development Cooperation
Ethiopia - East Action Organization
France - CCFD-Terre Solidaire
- Coordination SUD
- Global Health Advocates (GHA)
- Plateforme Francaise Dette et Developpement
Germany - Brot für die Welt
- erlassjahr.de
- German NGO Forum on Environment & Development
- Germanwatch
- Global Policy Forum Europe
- Netzwerk Steuergerechtigkeit / Wem gehört die Stadt
- SocDevJustice
- Urgewald
- WEED - World Economy, Ecology & Development
Ghana - Abibinsroma Foundation
Haiti - Groupe de Réflexion et d'Initiative pour l'Avancement de la Grand'Anse (GRIAG)
- UNASCAD (Union des Amis So io Culturels d'Action en Developpement)
Hungary - Barn Owl Foundation
- BODROG EGYESÜLET
- Consultants for Sustainable Development
- CSEMETE Association of Nature and Environmental Protection
- E-misszió Environmental Association
- Ecological Studio Foundation
- Éghajlatvédelmi Szövetség / Hungarian Climate Alliance
- Green Action Association
- HAND Association
- HELYES Association (Association for Supporting Local Energies)
- Hungarian Society for Environmental Education (HSEE)
- Inspi-Ráció
- Közép-magyarországi Zöld Kör
- Magyar Természetvédők Szövetsége - Friends of the Earth Hungary
- Mozgalom az Egészséges Város Környezetéért Civil Társaság
- Pécsi Zöld Kör
- Planetrise Foundation
- Reflex Environmental Association
- Towards Sustainability Association
India - Nadi Ghati Morcha- India Indonesia
Indonesia - Solidaritas Perempuan (Women's Solidarity for Human Right)
Ireland - Financial Justice Ireland
- Trócaire
Italy - ECCO think tank
- Focsiv
Kenya - Good Health Community Programmes
- Women In Democracy And Governance
- Global Public Investment Network
Kyrgyzstan - Nash Vek PF
Liberia - Liberian Women Empowerment Network
Lithuania - Lithuanian NGDO Platform
- Vartotoju aljansas (Lithuanian Consumers Alliance)
Malta - Kopin
- SKOP (The National Platform for Maltese NGDOs)
Mexico - DECA, EQUIPO PUEBLO
- Equidad de Género
Morocco - Espace Associatif pour le développement participatif
Nepal - LDC Watch
- National Campaign for Sustainable Development Nepal
- Rural Area Development Programme (RADP)
Nicaragua - RENICC
Nigeria - Village Farmers Initiative (VFI)
Norway - Debt Justice Norway
- The Norwegian Forum for Development and Environment (ForUM)
Pakistan - Alternative Law Collective
Peru - Chirapaq/ECMIA President
Philippines - Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research
- IBON International
- Reality of Aid - Asia Pacific
Portugal - ACEP
- CIDAC
- Plataforma Portuguesa das ONGD
Senegal - Organisation d’Appui aux Jeunes Opérateurs Économiques pour la Gouvernance Locale
Serbia - CEKOR- Center for Ecology and Sustainable Development
Sierra Leone - RESCUE THE EARTH INTERNATIONAL
Somalia - Somali Youth Development Foundation
South Africa - ISIZIBA Community Based Organizations of South Africa NPC
Spain - ACCIÓN VERAPAZ
- Action Against Hunger
- Alianza por la Solidaridad - ActionAid Spain
- Amadecul, SCA
- Amani-Laicos Combonianos por el Sur
- Anesvad Foundation
- APDHA-Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de Andalucía
- ARCORES International
- ASOCIACIÓN PARA LA SOLIDARIDAD
- Bosco Global
- Centro de Estudios e Investigación sobre Mujeres
- Coordinadora Andaluza de ONGD
- Enlázate por la Justicia
- Entreculturas
- Federación de Asociaciones Medicus Mundi en España
- FETS - Finançament ètic i solidari
- Fundación Proclade
- Fundación Savia por el Compromiso y los Valores
- Futuro en Común
- INCIDEM
- JPIC-IBVM Spain
- JUAN CIUDAD ONGD
- Karit, solidarios por la paz
- La Coordinadora de Organizaciones para el Desarrollo
- Lafede.cat - Organitzacions per a la Justícia Global
- Movimiento Por la Paz - MPDL
- Mujeres en Zona de Conflicto
- Observatori del Deute en la Globalització
- Observatorio UCM 2030
- Oscarte
- PROYDE
- Red Entidades para el Desarrollo Solidario
- REEDES
- SEDRA-Federación de Planificación Familiar
Sri Lanka - Institute of Political Economy
Sweden - Act Church of Sweden
- Afrikagrupperna
- Diakonia
- PMU
Switzerland - Alliance Sud
- Global Social Justice
The Netherlands - Oil Change International
- Wemos
Togo - Amis des etrangers au Togo: ADET
- ITUC-AFRICA
UK - Amnesty International
- Bond
- Center for Economic and Social Rights
- Debt Justice UK
- The Freedom Fund
- Christian Aid
USA - The Society for Children Orphaned By AIDS Inc. (SOCOBA)
- WEDO
- Women and Youth Advancement Inc.
Uganda - DISABILITY PEOPLES FORUMUGANDA
- Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information Negotiations Institute
- Uganda Debt Network
- Uganda Peace Foundation
- Voice Life Health Organization (VLHO)
Yemen - National Forum for Human Rights
Zambia - Civil Society SDGs Campaign GCAP Zambia
- Climate Action Network (CAN) Zambia
Individual signatories: 47