With sustainable development under threat, Sevilla summit rekindles hope and unity

“The human consequences of rising debt burdens, escalating trade tensions and steep cuts to official development assistance have been brought into sharp relief this week,” she told the closing session of the pivotal gathering, amid sizzling temperatures across southern Spain. Multilateralism at work But against that backdrop, the conference has delivered a strong response – […]

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The Sevilla Commitment: A vital step to rebuild trust in global cooperation

Activists, many from the Global South, attending the talks in Spain, are calling for greater leadership and commitment from wealthier nations to help address long-standing structural inequalities. The 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) carries strong symbolic weight, reflected in the agreed priorities of the Sevilla Commitment. United Cities and Local Governments Paula […]

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United States and Vietnam Reach New Trade Agreement with 20% Tariff

Washington, D.C. — President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the United States has finalized a new trade agreement with Vietnam, imposing a 20% tariff on Vietnamese imports and a 40% tariff on transshipped goods entering the U.S. market. The new tariff regime comes just ahead of the 9 July deadline, which would have triggered […]

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Drowning in debt: New forum in Sevilla offers borrowers chance to rebalance the books

The Borrowers’ Forum is being hailed as a milestone in efforts to reform the international debt architecture, supported by the UN and emerging as a key part of the Sevilla Commitment outcome document. “This is not just talk – this is execution,” said Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr Rania Al-Mashat. “The Borrowers’ […]

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President Trump Signals Imminent U.S.- India Trade Deal as Negotiations Reach Critical Stage

Washington, D.C. — U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled that a trade deal with India is nearing completion, with expectations of significantly reduced tariffs and improved bilateral market access. “I think we are going to have a deal with India. And that is going to be a different kind of a deal. It is going […]

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‘The margins of the budget’: Gender equality in developing countries underfunded by $420 billion annually

“The money simply is not reaching the women and girls who need it most,” UN Women said in a news release issued on Monday.   This estimate comes in the midst of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development underway in Sevilla, Spain. There, world leaders are working to revitalize the international financing structure […]

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Spain and Brazil push global action to tax the super-rich and curb inequality

Presented during the UN’s 4th International Conference on Financing for Development – taking place this week in Sevilla, Spain – the proposal highlights a growing problem: the richest individuals often contribute less to public finances than ordinary taxpayers, thanks to lower effective tax rates and legal loopholes. “Our countries need more and more public revenues […]

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U.S. DoJ Approves HPE’s $14 Billion Acquisition of Juniper Networks with Conditions

28 June 2025 – The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) has approved Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s (HPE) $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks, following a settlement requiring HPE to divest part of its networking business to preserve market competition. Under the agreement, HPE must sell its Instant On wireless LAN (WLAN) campus and branch network switching […]

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After the big development pledges in Seville, UN says action starts now

That’s where the Sevilla Platform for Action (SPA) comes in – a major step to begin implementing the Seville Agreement without delay. It features over 130 concrete actions to support the renewed global financing framework that world leaders just adopted at the international conference. They will help countries mobilise resources for an SDG investment push, build developing […]

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It’s time to finance our future and ‘change course’, Guterres tells world leaders in Sevilla

António Guterres issued his clarion call noting that sustainable development powered by international cooperation, is now facing “massive headwinds.” Addressing the opening session of the 4th Financing for Development Conference (FFD4) in baking hot Sevilla, Spain – basking in record high June temperatures – the Secretary-General noted multilateralism itself is also feeling the heat, while […]

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