UN Secretary-General calls for increased International aid amid climate crises, global conflicts

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Monday, June 30th, 2025

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Madrid, June 30 (QNA) – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today called on the international community to scale up international aid in the face of what he described as “climate chaos” and ongoing global conflicts.
In a speech delivered at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, currently taking place in the Spanish city of Seville and set to run for four days, Guterres said: “Today, development, and its driving force, international cooperation, is facing enormous headwinds amid a decline in development assistance, particularly from the United States, which is absent from this gathering.”
He added, “We are living in a world where trust is eroding, multilateralism is under severe strain, economic slowdown is unfolding, trade tensions are rising, and aid budgets are shrinking dramatically. A world shaken by inequality, climate chaos, and intensifying conflicts.”
The Secretary-General stressed the need to “accelerate investments, reform, and reignite the engine of development,” noting that “two-thirds of the Sustainable Development Goals” set by the international community are behind schedule.
The conference aims to identify solutions for countries of the Global South, which, according to the United Nations, are facing an annual financing gap of approximately USD 4 trillion to meet Sustainable Development Goals.
It is being held under challenging circumstances for development aid, particularly following major budget cuts implemented by the United States after President Donald Trump’s return to the White House. His administration eliminated 83 percent of funding for international programs previously administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
With USD 63 billion in aid provided in 2024, the United States had been the largest donor to many UN agencies and non-governmental organizations, which are now facing significant difficulties, especially as other countries, including France and the United Kingdom, have also reduced their aid contributions.
The Seville conference also seeks to review the global financial architecture, particularly by expanding the role of countries from the Global South in major financial institutions and by advocating for enhanced cooperation to combat tax evasion.