Development benefits all countries because it is linked to other areas of activity and society, including basic security itself. Without that, there is no hope – and no stability.
This is the key message from the director of the United Nations Development Program for the support of policies and the program (Predict),, Marcos NetoTo all the other nations gathered in Seville who have registered in the action plan, which begins immediately.
The Seville agreement is the centerpiece of the 4th International Conference on Development Financing, and it was adopted by 192 of the 193 UN members.
The United States has withdrew from citing fundamental disagreements with many political approaches and are absent from the summit which takes place in the middle of hot temperatures in the southern city of Seville, Spain.
No lack of money
In his interview at the conference, we asked Mr. Neto to explain in a clear language in what Seville’s commitment is.
This interview has been modified for duration and clarity.
Marcos Neto: We are five years from Sustainable development objectives [SDGs]. One of the biggest obstacles to this shared global solidarity program is funding. In other words: where is money? Where will the money come from?
Seville’s commitment is a document that clearly shows that this does not concern a lack of money – it is a question of aligning the flows of public and private capital to these objectives, to the Paris Agreementand towards all other international commitments.
The commitment describes what to do with all types of money – national, international, public and private. It is a roadmap that has been agreed by consensus among the member states of the UN, involving the private sector, civil society and philanthropy.
UN News: one of the main absences of this conference was the United States, which left negotiations on the company. How did the withdrawal of Washington influence the conference?
Marcos Neto: A consensus between 192 countries has been reached and approved here. Now, clearly, the United States is one of the largest economies in the world and has a significant weight. I believe it is crucial to keep the dialogue open and continue to engage all the Member States, each according to their own needs.
For example, development financing is directly linked to security. Without development, you cannot have a stable company – without conflict. What is your level of poverty? What is your level of inequality? Development is a security strategy. Development is hope. A hopeless people is a people in difficulty.
UN news: in conferences like this, documents are adopted, but often people feel that they are only empty words that do not really affect their daily life. How about these citizens to convince them that these decisions really make a difference?
Marcos Neto: I will give you a very clear example. During the last conference on development financing ten years ago in Addis Ababa, there was a sentence that envisaged the creation of what we now call integrated national financing managers (INFFS). We, at UNDP, have developed this concept in 86 countries. This is real: $ 47 billion was aligned and mobilized through this mechanism.
50 billion dividends
So, in practice, I can say that we have helped put more than $ 50 billion in the hands of the countries. We have also helped them reform their national budgetary processes so that money reaches its belt.
Our current commitment is to implement Seville’s commitment. We are committed to delivering it.
From Seville to Belém
UN News: In addition, the Sevilla platform for action will also be used to implement various initiatives …
Marcos Neto: Yes, we direct 11 initiatives under the Seville platform, and I think it was a great decision of the Government of Spain to have created this action platform in Seville to make it the implementation.
It is very similar to what Brazil wants to do at the end of the year at COP30. There is a direct link between Seville and Belém – the host city of the United Nations Climate Change Summit in Brazil later this year. These connections are important.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
