US skips global UN meeting aimed at raising trillions of dollars to combat poverty
More than 70 world leaders and other delegates unanimously adopted the so-called Seville Commitment — named for the host city — which had previously been hammered out in the run-up to the meet, without changes. It said delegates have agreed to launch 'an ambitious package of reforms and actions to close the financing gap with urgency.'
The gathering was held while many countries face escalating debt burdens, declining investments, decreasing international aid and increasing trade barriers. Still, there is hope that the world can address one of the most important global challenges: ensuring all people have access to food, health care, education and water.
'Financing is the engine of development. And right now, this engine is sputtering,' United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his opening comments at the four-day Financing for Development meeting being co-hosted by the U.N. and Spain.
The hosts said the meeting was an opportunity to close the staggering $4 trillion annual financing gap to promote development, bring millions of people out of poverty and help achieve the U.N.'s badly lagging Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.
Along with heads of state and government, representatives of international financial institutions, development banks, philanthropic organizations, the private sector and civil society also attended.
The summit is an opportunity "for us to raise our voice in the face of those who seek to convince us that rivalry and competition will set the tone for humanity and for its future," Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez told delegates.
'Collective mobilisation'
At the last preparatory meeting on June 17, the United States rejected the outcome document that had been negotiated for months by the U.N.'s 193 member nations and announced its withdrawal from the process and the Seville conference.
U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed last week called the U.S. withdrawal from the conference 'unfortunate,' adding that after Seville, 'we will engage again with the U.S. and hope that we can make the case that they be part of the success of pulling millions of people out of poverty.'
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