Each dollar invested in girls’ education reports an average yield of $ 2.80, translating into billions of additional GDP. Likewise, each dollar spent on water and sanitation saves $ 4.30 in health costs.

Simple mathematics, not miracles

These are not miracles – these are measurable results. Mathematics do not recognize sex or infrastructure; It simply reflects the truth in number. And these figures make a convincing case: helping countries with the least resources benefit everyone, including those who have the most.

Even a single dollar, strategically invested, can make a profound difference.

For example, the allowance of only $ 1 per person per year to combat non -transmitted diseases could prevent nearly seven million deaths by 2030. Likewise, each dollar spent on disaster risk reduction can save up to $ 15 in recovery costs.

However, despite such convincing evidence, development aid is often poorly understood – considered by some as a simple charity and by others as a profit vehicle.

Equity, no charity

The latest United Nations Development Program Report on Afghan Entrepreneurs defies skeptics.

This underlines that these women do not seek charity – they require an equitable chance of succeeding. Winning their own income gives them an independence measure, which in turn strengthens the communities in which they live.

Against all expectations, they generate income, create jobs and build more enriching and more enriching lives.

Expand access to public and private financing, guarantee loans, offer preferential conditions on international markets and strengthen support networks can fuel business growth and promote a more prosperous future – whether in Afghanistan Or EcuadorOr anywhere between the two.

FFD4 faces solid -contrary winds

These examples – from education and health to entrepreneurship and resilience to disasters – paint a clear story and data: intelligent investments in development pay dividends for everyone.

This message should be at the center of next time Fourth United Nations Conference on Development Financing which will be held in the Spanish city of Seville, from June 30 to July 3. But the summit, known by its clumsy acronym FFD4, faces opposite winds.

Even if the merchanting countries at the UN headquarters in New York agreed a week ago on a radical result document – which should be adopted at the end of the conference and intended to guide the future of global development aid – some nations are retreating.

In particular, the United States has announced that it would not send delegation at all in Seville.

And even if there are notable exceptions, including Spain, which has increased its budgetary development funding allowances by 12%, the upcoming uncertain landscape has led the UN secretary general Antono Guterres to be deplored that “global collaboration is actively questioned”.

This interrogation is reflected in the annual deficit of $ 4 billions of development in development, as well as in abandoning previous commitments and the delivery of aid by donors to what the Secretary General called “a historic speed and scale”.

In addition, the Sustainable development objectivesSigned by all world leaders only 10 years ago, are far from the track.

What is at stake in Seville?

Success in Seville “will demand that other countries Fill the vacuum cleaner in world leadership And demonstrate a credible commitment to multilateral cooperation, which is essential to our survival, “said Jayati Ghosh, professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

The significant steps must include deep reforms of the international financial system. As it stands, it does not meet the needs of developing countries while firmly protecting the interests of richer nations.

Consider this: developing countries face interest rates at least twice as high as those paid by developed nations. And today, the average rates billed by private creditors at these countries have reached their highest levels in 15 years.

What help gives, debt removes

Developing countries spent a record of $ 1.4 billion in external debt service in 2023, the highest in 20 years.

At the same time, in 2024, more than 1.1 billion people live in developing countries where the external debt service represents more than 20% of government revenues, and almost 2.2 billion live in developing countries where the percentage is greater than 10%.

Payment of interest on this debt hinders development by preventing investments in health and education infrastructure services, to name only two examples.

The restructuring of the debt is therefore essential, because a large part of the hope of development is lost in the context and taking aid and debt.

Promote investments in what works

Eradicating hunger, advancing gender equality, protecting the environment, facing climate change and saving our oceans are not radical ideas.

Despite the affirmations of certain highly ideological points of view according to which the sustainable development objectives represent an extremist program, they are, in fact, a shared reference base – an urgent set of priorities that humanity requires and that the leaders of 193 countries were committed in 2015.

Despite the noise made by those who oppose development and multilateralism, they are a minority, explains the Spanish Secretary of State for International Cooperation.

Ana Granados Galindo considers Seville as “a world solidarity lighthouse”.

Meanwhile, while the world is preparing for FFD4, mathematics, statistics and Afghan women continue to work on their “development magic” of common sense.

The informal meeting on the UN80 initiative also allowed ambassadors to share their opinions on the reform agenda, spear by Secretary General António Guterres In March.

The UN80 is centered on three work components focused on efficiency and improvements, an implementation of the mandate and structural changes and the program’s realignment throughout the United Nations system.

UN improvement

It also aims to strengthen UN capacity to respond to global challenges such as conflicts, travel and climate crisis, while effectively managing external pressures, such as the narrowing of budgets and increasing political divisions.

“” I think that the initiative of the UN80 is often characterized, but I think I think, simply as an exercise in reducing the economy in the economy“Said Guy Ryder, an under-secretary general for the policy and the president of the working group supervising the plan.

“But the secretary general was quite clear by saying that While we must respond to the situation of resources, the overall intention of the initiative is to strengthen and improve the functioning of the United Nations system. »»

Find out why the UN80 counts in the world in our explanator here.

Generalized impact

Mr. Ryder alongside the United Nations Chandramouli Ramanathan controller (who prepares and supervises the budget and manages the organizations of the organization) presented updates on two hollows of work during the morning session of the meeting of a day.

He put the ground with a slideshow describing the background of the UN80 and the circumstances confronted with the UN today.

Over the years, he has adopted some 40,000 mandates delivered by “a constellation of fairly numerous and complex entities”, more than 140.

In 2023, the world organization provided some $ 69 billion in support and services worldwideWith “the lion’s share”, $ 31 billion or approximately 45%, going to humanitarian action.

This was followed by development, $ 21 billion (30%), peace and security, $ 9 billion (13%) and human rights, $ 1 billion or less than one percent.

“We believe that the world’s population, in one way or another … is linked to the United Nations World Agenda,” he said. In addition, some 440 million lives are directly affected by its development work and 140 million people in crisis situations receive support.

Resource reduction

Ryder said that the 69 billion dollars mark two years ago represented “a peak” and that it is estimated that the UN had $ 50 billion in resources available today in the midst of “a significant situation of uncertainty”.

This 30% reduction means: “We are at 380 million people that we are able to reach directly in development work, and we are 110 million to reduce the emergency situations of our humanitarian expenses.”

In the light of this context, “perhaps we can rationalize the way in which we implement the mandates that you put back; Perhaps we can optimize the structures that form this entities archipelago, ”he suggested.

“The success of the UN80 initiative depends on the possibility of increasing the impact that our work in the United Nations system has on the people we are here to serve.”

Proposals to improve efficiency

Mr. Ramanathan informed the workstream One delegates. He said that a working group was created to develop concrete proposals to improve efficiency, reduce duplication, normalize services and move functions to existing service stations, if applicable.

The “exhaustive list” includes measures such as the consolidation of existing human resources, finance and purchases in unified support centers. The process would start in New York and Geneva while they welcome the greatest number of entities and staff members of the secretariat.

Another proposal implies that centralized payroll operations in three global treatment centers, against 10 locations today.

The working group finalizes the proposals to be submitted to the Secretary General and “if they are approved, they will be integrated into the revised estimates for the budget of the program proposed in 2026 for the examination of the General Assembly before September 1,” said Ramanathan.

“Separately from the initiative of the UN80, we examine the program’s budget proposals for 2026 in order to obtain between 15 and 20% reduction for 2026, including a 20% reduction in the workforce, after reduction, but he emphasized the preservation of capacities at entry levels and the reduction of senior positions where it is possible,” he added.

A “universe of mandates”

Mr. Ryder returned in the current work course two, where the first step involved mapping “the universe of mandates” that the UN implements, initially emphasizing the departments and offices of the secretariat, peacekeeping operations, political missions, regional commissions and other bodies.

The Pact for the future And The 2030 agenda for sustainable development were among the most frequently mentioned mandates.

The global “landscape” of mandates means that the secretariat serves some 400 intergovernmental bodies and around 27,000 meetings each year and Processes approximately 2,300 pages of documentation on average each dayRaising around $ 360 million a year.

A register of mandate resources has been produced and a report should be available by the end of July which will shed light on the way.

Concern about the proposed budget cuts

During the session, several representatives expressed their point of view on the UN80, such as the Iraqi ambassador, Dr. Abbas Kadhom Obaid, who spoke on behalf of the 77 -year -old group and China.

He expressed his concerns about the budget reductions of 15 to 20% offered and the 20% reduction in staff, asking for more information on how these figures have been determined.

“This is important because we know that the departments, the divisions, in the funds, programs and agencies of the organization, vary considerably,” he said.

“We must also protect geographic and gender balance in the context of any reduction in staff. As the group has repeatedly reiterated, questions of transparency, responsibility and inclusiveness are essential during this process. ”

Adjustment for the future

The meeting took place a few days before the 80th anniversary of the signing of the Charter of the United Nations June 26, 1945, as President of the General Assembly Phillémon Yang noted in his opening remarks.

He said it was time to “think about the last 80 years and all that this organization has reached, and also for a while to turn to the future”, so that the UN can stay in shape – and ready for the next 80 years.