UNDP Launches Sevilla Platform at FFD4 to Finance SDGs and Tackle Inequality

This week, world leaders, development experts, and financial strategists convene in Seville, Spain for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4). The meeting, hailed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a "once-in-a-decade opportunity," aims to forge consensus on unlocking the vast financial resources required to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

In a world grappling with a debt crisis, widening inequality, and declining development aid, FFD4 arrives at a pivotal moment. With the SDGs projected to cost US$4.3 trillion annually, unlocking even 1% of the world’s US$450 trillion in total wealth could transform global development outcomes—lifting millions out of poverty and securing a more equitable, sustainable future for all.

The FFD4 Outcome: A Global Compact for Development Finance

The international community has already endorsed the FFD4 Outcome, a comprehensive framework designed to foster multilateral alliances and national ownership over development financing. It calls for joint efforts among governments, donors, private sector actors, and international institutions to address structural barriers, reduce crippling debt burdens, reform financial systems, and mobilize both public and private capital for sustainable investments.

“This is a pivotal moment, a realistic and rare opportunity to get it right,” said Haoliang Xu, UNDP Acting Administrator.

“Despite the immense challenges of a deeply polarized world, this global agreement demonstrates that we can come together to create solutions. The next step is clear: we must turn these commitments into action and bring FFD4 decisions to life.”

Launch of the Sevilla Platform for Action: 11 Initiatives to Accelerate SDG Financing

As part of its leadership role, UNDP introduced the Sevilla Platform for Action, a portfolio of 11 transformative initiatives selected for their potential to catalyze sustainable development financing. These initiatives are built on the foundation of country ownership and are meant to support immediate implementation in key areas like:

• Financial system reform

• Debt reduction strategies

• Public-private investment in sustainable infrastructure

• Green and SDG-aligned bond markets

• Private capital mobilization and inclusive finance

At the core of this strategy lies the Integrated National Financing Frameworks (INFFs)—a flexible planning tool that enables governments to align their revenue, spending, and borrowing with national development objectives. INFFs are already being implemented in over 80 countries, helping policymakers prioritize SDG-related investments and streamline fiscal planning.

The INFF Facility—a joint effort of UNDP, UN DESA, the OECD, the European Union, and the governments of Italy, Spain, and Sweden—provides technical assistance, capacity-building, and coordination support to enable countries to take charge of their development pathways.

UNDP's Proven Tools for Financing the Future

UNDP’s portfolio includes a growing suite of financial tools and services aimed at bridging the gap between aspirations and results:

• INFFs: Strengthen national planning, policy coherence, and financing strategies.

• Innovative debt instruments: Including green bonds, sustainability-linked bonds, and SDG bonds to tie borrowing to positive social and environmental outcomes.

• Domestic resource mobilization: Help countries expand their tax base and improve fiscal management.

• Private-sector engagement: Unlock investments from corporations, funds, and impact investors.

Between 2022 and 2024, these efforts helped unlock US$870 billion in SDG-aligned investments. UNDP now targets a milestone of US$1 trillion mobilized by 2025, highlighting its commitment to scaling impact rapidly.

A Country-Led, Globally-Aligned Approach to Transformation

What sets the Sevilla Platform apart is its country-driven model. Rather than top-down prescriptions, the platform allows each nation to define its development path, aligning global best practices with national realities. UNDP plays a supporting role, helping nations design policies, attract financing, and execute sustainable strategies suited to local contexts.

“The Sevilla Platform for Action is more than a commitment; it is a call for countries to begin immediate action on tangible priorities,” said Marcos Neto, UNDP Assistant Administrator.

“UNDP stands ready as a critical partner to support countries on this transition.”

This approach ensures that the development journey remains inclusive, equitable, and locally relevant, while still contributing to global progress on the SDGs.

Seizing the Moment

FFD4 is more than a conference—it is a global inflection point. With mounting debt, stagnating aid, and rising urgency around climate, health, and food security, the stakes have never been higher. But so too is the potential.

By turning political will into practical action and leveraging existing wealth creatively, the world can deliver on its shared promise of the SDGs—a planet free of poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation.

As the FFD4 conference unfolds, the Sevilla Platform stands as a bold blueprint for financing the future—and a clear reminder that with the right tools, partnerships, and resolve, development goals are not just aspirational, but achievable.