UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday called on the global community to increase development aid efforts in a world destabilized by inequality, climate disruption, and widespread conflict.
Speaking at the opening of a UN aid conference in Spain, Guterres highlighted that major donor countries, particularly the United States, have reduced or plan to cut back on aid spending due to shifting priorities caused by ongoing conflicts and economic challenges.
He warned that these reductions could reverse critical progress in health, education, and humanitarian aid across developing nations, many of which are already burdened by significant debt.
Guterres urged delegates to “repair and rev up the engine of development” in the face of mounting obstacles such as a slowing global economy, rising trade tensions, and shrinking aid budgets.
He noted that two-thirds of the international development goals for 2030 are currently off track, and achieving them would require over $4 trillion in annual investment. The current crisis, he added, results in unvaccinated children, girls leaving school, and families facing hunger—stressing the urgent need for a global course correction.
The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, taking place from June 30 to July 3 in Seville, has drawn dozens of world leaders. The conference aims to reaffirm global commitments to ending poverty and hunger, advancing gender equality, and reforming tax systems and international financial institutions.
However, the United States, historically the largest donor of foreign aid, has chosen not to participate in the gathering.
