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.
Explosions struck two tankers linked to Russia’s shadow fleet in the Black Sea near Türkiye's Bosphorus Strait on Friday (28 November), causing fir...
Türkiye and Germany are preparing to deepen bilateral cooperation across political, economic, and security fields, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fid...
The 12th meeting of the State Commission on the delimitation of the Azerbaijan–Armenia border, along with the corresponding Armenian commission on b...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced major changes across the country’s political and security institutions, as Kyiv prepares for f...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, has submitted his resignation amid a corruption scandal...
Explosions struck two tankers linked to Russia’s shadow fleet in the Black Sea near Türkiye's Bosphorus Strait on Friday (28 November), causing fires on board and prompting rescue operations, Turkish authorities reported.
Türkiye and Germany are preparing to deepen bilateral cooperation across political, economic, and security fields, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday during an official visit to Berlin.
The 12th meeting of the State Commission on the delimitation of the Azerbaijan–Armenia border, along with the corresponding Armenian commission on border delimitation and security, took place on 28 November in Gabala, Azerbaijan.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced major changes across the country’s political and security institutions, as Kyiv prepares for fresh discussions with the United States aimed at securing what he called a “dignified peace.”
At least 47 people have died and another 21 are reported missing following ten days of heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides across Sri Lanka, local media reported on Thursday (27 November).
Hong Kong fire authorities said they expected to wrap up search and rescue operations on Friday after the city's worst fire in nearly 80 years tore through a massive apartment complex, killing at least 128 people, injuring 79 and leaving around 200 still missing.
Thousands of Bulgarians took to the streets of Sofia on Wednesday to protest against the government’s draft budget for 2026, the first to be prepared in euros ahead of the country’s planned eurozone entry on 1 January 2026.
Netflix crashed on Wednesday for about an hour in the U.S. as it launched season five of "Stranger Things", with the service becoming inaccessible to many subscribers within minutes of the episodes going live at 8 p.m. local time.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited sailors aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the Latin American region on Thursday, amid a military buildup by President Donald Trump’s administration that has heightened tensions with Venezuela.
Explosions struck two tankers linked to Russia’s shadow fleet in the Black Sea near Türkiye's Bosphorus Strait on Friday (28 November), causing fires on board and prompting rescue operations, Turkish authorities reported.
Türkiye and Germany are preparing to deepen bilateral cooperation across political, economic, and security fields, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday during an official visit to Berlin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced major changes across the country’s political and security institutions, as Kyiv prepares for fresh discussions with the United States aimed at securing what he called a “dignified peace.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, has submitted his resignation amid a corruption scandal.
Pope Leo condemned violence in the name of religion on Friday at a landmark event with Christian leaders from across the Middle East, urging them to overcome centuries of heated divisions.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment