23 April 2026
Mr. President,
My Delegation welcomes the convening of this year’s Forum, the first since the Sevilla Commitment was adopted last July. That document acknowledges that the current model of financing for development is falling short and that more ambitious and equitable approaches are urgently required.
The core of financing for development, as affirmed by the Sevilla Commitment, is to “put people at the centre of all our actions and reaffirm the path to a brighter future for all of humanity.”[1] Consequently, when discussing the technical elements of global financing, people must be at the heart of development. Frameworks and financial tools are merely means to an end. Ultimately, their value must be measured by their ability to uphold the inherent God-given dignity of each person, and to promote the wellbeing of all, especially the poorest and most in need.
Of particular concern is the widening gap between the commitments made in international frameworks and the lived realities of billions of people, particularly in least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing States. Debt burdens are stifling public investment in healthcare, education, and social protection. Aid commitments are either not being met or are being broken while spending on arms is increasing. Those in vulnerable situations continue to bear the greatest costs of crises they did not cause. This is not only a policy failure, but also a moral one.
Mr. President,
The follow-up to Sevilla is not only a technical exercise, but also an act of solidarity. This encourages wealthier nations to honour their official development assistance commitments. It calls for debt relief mechanisms to be made more accessible, more transparent and more responsive to human need. It urges private financing to be oriented not solely towards return on investment, but towards the common good. It also calls on indebted countries to be more accountable for their spending and ensure that funds are spent on development.
Mr. President,
Allow me to conclude with the word of Pope Leo XIV who affirms that “if we acknowledge that all human beings have the same dignity, independent of their place of birth, the immense differences existing between countries and regions must not be ignored.”[2]
I thank you.
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[1] A/RES/79/323
[2] Pope Leo XIV, Dilexi Te, 13.
