More than a 1,000 civil society representatives gathered in Seville this week for a major United Nations conference on development financing, but many said they left feeling side lined and frustrated, with expectations already low before the event began.
The four-day summit aimed to mobilise funding to help developing countries close a $4.3 trillion gap needed to address debt, climate challenges, and inequality. However, wealthy nations’ growing focus on defence spending and shrinking aid contributions cast doubt on the feasibility of the summit’s goals.
Civil society organisations (CSOs) criticised the final 'Seville Commitment' as diluted by richer countries unwilling to commit fully, and many objected to the emphasis on private sector-led solutions. ActionAid’s secretary general, Arthur Larok, said that Global South nations were leaving with nothing, while Global North governments avoided accountability.
Some proposals, such as a global wealth tax and levies on luxury travel, were welcomed by CSOs. Still, many were frustrated by limited access to the event, reporting difficulties with accreditation and exclusion from key talks. This led to a protest by civil society delegates on the summit’s final day.
Oyebisi Babatunde Oluseyi of the Nigeria Network of NGOs said civil society voices were systematically ignored and called for a new system to ensure their input. U.N. Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed acknowledged these concerns and promised efforts to widen their participation.
Oxfam’s Hernan Saenz warned that if the U.N. continues to restrict civic space, it risks losing its credibility. In a joint declaration, CSOs called the global financial system unjust and demanded a complete overhaul.
Despite the disillusionment, all interviewed CSO delegates affirmed their belief in the U.N., with Hirotaka Koike of Japan’s NGO Center for International Cooperation stating that, despite its flaws, it remains the only platform where all nations have equal standing.
Türkiye on Sunday denied reports that a Turkish Airlines passenger flight diverted from Libya due to fears of retaliation following a Libyan military...
Gaziantep’s Panorama 25 December Museum, which commemorates the city’s resistance during Türkiye’s War of Independence, continues to attract st...
Armenia will start construction work on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project in the second half of 2026, Foreign Min...
Armenia is considering the possibility of exporting goods to Azerbaijan, as discussions between the two countries continue over potential trade suppli...
The fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has become one of the most contentious issues in U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan ...
Türkiye on Sunday denied reports that a Turkish Airlines passenger flight diverted from Libya due to fears of retaliation following a Libyan military delegation plane crash near Ankara.
Gaziantep’s Panorama 25 December Museum, which commemorates the city’s resistance during Türkiye’s War of Independence, continues to attract strong public interest, with nearly 1.5 million visitors recorded in the five years since it opened.
Armenia will start construction work on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project in the second half of 2026, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Sunday, as economic dialogue with Azerbaijan advances.
Armenia is considering the possibility of exporting goods to Azerbaijan, as discussions between the two countries continue over potential trade supplies, officials said.
New York placed the state under emergency measures on Friday as a powerful winter storm brought the heaviest snowfall since 2022, disrupting travel across the north-east of the United States.
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck offshore near Taiwan’s north-eastern county of Yilan late on Saturday, shaking buildings across the island, including in the capital Taipei, authorities said.
Brigitte Bardot, the French actress whose barefoot mambo in And God Created Woman propelled her to international fame and reshaped female sexuality on screen, has died at the age of 91, her foundation said on Sunday.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in the United States ahead of talks with President Donald Trump aimed at ending the war, as Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine overnight on Saturday, killing at least two people and injuring more than 40.
Iran is engaged in a “comprehensive war” with the United States, Israel, and Europe, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated on Saturday.
Türkiye on Sunday denied reports that a Turkish Airlines passenger flight diverted from Libya due to fears of retaliation following a Libyan military delegation plane crash near Ankara.
Gaziantep’s Panorama 25 December Museum, which commemorates the city’s resistance during Türkiye’s War of Independence, continues to attract strong public interest, with nearly 1.5 million visitors recorded in the five years since it opened.
Armenia will start construction work on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project in the second half of 2026, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Sunday, as economic dialogue with Azerbaijan advances.
One person was killed and another critically injured on Sunday after two helicopters collided mid-air in the U.S. state of New Jersey, authorities said.
The fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has become one of the most contentious issues in U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan to end the war in Ukraine, underscoring the complex mix of security, sovereignty and energy concerns surrounding Europe’s largest nuclear facility.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment