“We’re here in Sevilla to change course,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told world leaders on Monday, as he called for urgent action to close a $4 trillion financing gap that threatens the global effort to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Addressing the opening session of the 4th Financing for Development Conference (FFD4) in Sevilla, Spain, amid scorching June heat, Guterres said that sustainable development—powered by international cooperation—is facing massive headwinds, with multilateralism also under strain as trust between nations erodes.
“The world is on fire, shaken by inequalities, climate chaos and raging conflicts. Financing is the engine of development and right now, this engine is sputtering,” he told the gathering, which included close to 60 world leaders, delegates from over 150 nations, and approximately 15,000 participants.
Guterres warned that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development—a global pact made in 2015 to create a better and fairer future—is “in danger,” with two-thirds of SDG targets significantly off track.
“We are here in Sevilla to change course. To repair and rev up the engine of development to accelerate investment at the scale and speed required,” he stressed.
As a key outcome of the summit, leaders adopted the Sevilla Commitment, a new pact aimed at mobilising resources to assist low-income nations climb the development ladder. However, the United States withdrew from the process earlier this month, making it one of the few major absentees from the final agreement.
Guterres called the Sevilla Commitment a “global promise”, urging the international community to restore multilateral trust and commit to fairer, more resilient global systems that prioritise inclusive growth, environmental sustainability, and social justice.