UN Development Conference Held in Spain After Ten Years — Concerns Over Funding Amid U.S. Absence

UN Development Conference Held in Spain After Ten Years — Concerns Over Funding Amid U.S. Absence
[Seville, Spain — June 30, 2025]

The once-in-a-decade United Nations conference on development financing began on Monday in Seville, a city in southern Spain. At least 50 world leaders have participated. The agenda includes issues such as hunger, poverty, climate change, healthcare, and future frameworks for supporting peacebuilding.

This four-day conference is expected to feature in-depth discussions on global economic inequality, especially in light of significant cuts in the United States’ USAID funding.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Kenyan President William Ruto, among others, are attending the event.

Additionally, more than 4,000 representatives from business sectors, civil society, and financial institutions are participating in the fourth edition of this conference.

Concerns Over U.S. Absence and Aid Cuts
However, one of the key partners, the United States, is not attending. Shortly after taking office in January, President Donald Trump canceled over 80% of USAID assistance. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced this decision in March.

Germany, the United Kingdom, and France are also reducing their development aid, as Trump pressures NATO members to increase defense spending. This has forced them to cut development budgets to balance their defense expenditures.

International charity organization Oxfam International stated that these aid cuts are the largest since 1960 and will severely impact global development initiatives.

The UN has indicated that there is now a $4 trillion annual shortfall in development financing, posing a major obstacle to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

‘Seville Commitment’ and the Future of SDGs
According to the conference organizers, the main goal this year is to restructure the financial framework needed to meet the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015. Although these goals are targeted to be achieved by 2030, current funding shortages make this challenging.

A joint declaration adopted at preparatory talks held earlier this month in New York will be signed in Seville. The declaration includes commitments to gender equality, reforms of international financial institutions, and increasing development aid.

Chola Milambo, Zambia’s permanent representative to the UN, said,
“This declaration proves that the world can collectively tackle financial challenges and that multilateralism remains effective.”

However, Oxfam criticized the document, saying it lacks the necessary ambition and commitments.

The organization stated,
“It places the interests of the wealthy above all else and does not respond to the needs of the global common people.”