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20.05.2026

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News - Archive

19.02.2026

Global tax rules at a turning point?

Four insights from the fourth round of UN tax convention negotiations

Sarah Ganter

TEstsummary

10.02.2026

How the UN funding crisis will worsen in 2026

Only 51 UN member states have paid on time, 142 have not

Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

In late January, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres sent a dramatic letter to UN Member States warning about the “imminent financial collapse” of the United Nations Organization. The letter followed earlier warnings that the UN Secretariat might have to reduce expenditure from the regular budget by 15 percent in 2026. This would mean reducing the workforce by about 2,600 staff.

28.01.2026

Why the EU–Mercosur agreement is bad news for global sustainability

Sarah Ganter

By Sarah Ganter

17.12.2025

The year ahead

What’s next for financing for development and international financial architecture reform in 2026?

Bodo Ellmers

The past two years have felt like a marathon of summits. In particular, the United Nations (UN) Summit of the Future in September 2024 and the International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla in July 2025 placed international financial architecture reform firmly at the top of the global agenda.

08.12.2025

Solidarity, equality and sustainability?

A reality check on the G20 after South Africa’s Presidency

Bodo Ellmers

The G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg in late November offered a once-in-20-years opportunity to promote a specific African agenda through the G20. The South African government set high expectations when it chose the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability” for its presidency.

01.12.2025

Tax capacity building for the Global North?

Three takeaways from the third round of negotiations on the UN tax convention in Nairobi

Sarah Ganter

28.10.2025

UNCTAD 16 conference in Geneva: The right conference at the wrong time

Bodo Ellmers

The 16th Ministerial Conference of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD 16) took place last week amid global trade disruptions and a severe funding crisis across the UN system. While these challenges underscore the growing importance of UNCTAD’s role as a heterodox body for trade and other economic policies, they also made it a difficult moment to define the organization’s mandate for the next four years.

21.10.2025

Development Assistance Committee launches review as the sector is at a crossroads

Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

15.09.2025

The welfare state is under pressure: What to expect from the World Social Summit in Doha

Celia Sudhoff

By Celia Sudhoff

For several weeks now, Germany has been engaged in an intense debate about the welfare state. This was triggered by a statement made by Chancellor Merz of the governing Christian Democratic Union (CDU) state party conference at the end of August: “We simply can no longer afford the system we have today.” Specifically, he wants to cut welfare payments and relieve the burden on the pension funds by making it more attractive to work into old age.

19.08.2025

Negotiations on UN Tax Convention pick up speed at the UN

Taxing digital services and dispute settlements high on the agenda

Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

Creating better institutions for international tax cooperation is considered a key pillar of international financial architecture reform. The first round of negotiations for a comprehensive United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation (FCITC) has just concluded at the UN headquarters in New York City.

18.08.2025

Global Finance Rewired: Our new podcast series on reforming the international finance architecture

Reimagining the rules for a fairer future

We have just launched our four-part weekly podcast series 'Global Finance Rewired', which explores the future of the international finance architecture (IFA). Hosted by our Managing Director Bodo Ellmers, the series features expert voices from the Global South to examine how global finance must change to meet today’s challenges.

03.07.2025

Final day 4 recap of the Fourth Financing for Develeopment (#FfD4) conference: Reforming global institutions and credit rating systems

Daily wrap-up by Bodo Ellmers

Bodo Ellmers

The following text is a transcript of a video statement by Bodo Ellmers providing an overview of the final day of the FfD4 conference in Sevilla. You can find the video here.

The final day of the conference focused on systemic issues – namely, the reform of the international financial architecture, including institutions like the IMF and World Bank.

02.07.2025

DAY 3 recap of the Fourth Financing for Develeopment (#FfD4) conference: Unresolved trade issues and first steps toward debt reform

Daily wrap-up by Bodo Ellmers

Bodo Ellmers

The following text is a transcript of a video statement by Bodo Ellmers providing an overview of his third day at the FfD4 conference. You can find the video here.

Day three of the #FfD4 conference in Sevilla centred on two critical and politically charged issues: Trade and debt.

02.07.2025

DAY 2 recap of the Fourth Financing for Develeopment (#FfD4) conference: Aid cuts, private finance and uneven commitments

Daily wrap-up by Bodo Ellmers

Bodo Ellmers

The following text is a transcript of a video statement by Bodo Ellmers in which he gives an overview of his second day at the FfD4 conference. You can find the video here.

01.07.2025

DAY 1 recap of the Fourth Financing for Develeopment (#FfD4) conference: Overcoming the SDG financing gap and proposals on international tax cooperation

Daily wrap-up by Bodo Ellmers

Bodo Ellmers

The following text is a transcript of a video statement by Bodo Ellmers in which he gives an overview of his first day at the FfD4 conference. You can find the video here.

23.06.2025

Compromiso de Sevilla

A digest of key elements of the UN's new global financing framework

By Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

Negotiations on the outcome document of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) came to a sudden close on 17 June 2025, when the UN Preparatory Committee adopted the 'Compromiso de Sevilla' (Seville Commitment).

17.06.2025

Compromiso de Sevilla

Last-minute deletions on the final stretch to the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development

By Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

Negotiations on the outcome document of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) came to a sudden close on 16 June, two weeks before the actual start of the conference in Sevilla.

20.05.2025

World Health Assembly 2025

Ratification of the pandemic treaty postponed again

By Karolin Seitz und Jens Martens

By Karolin Seitz and Jens Martens

From May 19 to 27, 2025, States meet in Geneva for the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA). The central topic on the meeting’s agenda is the pandemic treaty. Governments want to use it to learn lessons from COVID-19 and be better equipped to prevent, prepare for, and respond to future pandemics.

08.05.2025

Hurdles on the way to Sevilla

Unresolved issues on the FfD4 agenda after PrepCom 4

By Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) – due to be held next month in Sevilla– aims to drive forward critical reforms to the international financial architecture and to help close the significant financing gap for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

28.04.2025

2025 Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank: Keep calm and carry on?

By Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

The 2025 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank took place against the backdrop of two new and rather unexpected shocks. The first was the trade shock caused by the USA’s announcement of tariff hikes, which triggered similar actions by US trading partners.

12.03.2025

FfD4 first draft outcome document released

The flame keeps burning but there is still a long way to go on the Road to Sevilla

By Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

On 10 March 2025, the UN circulated the new version of the draft global financing framework that the international community is due to adopt at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Sevilla in early July.

05.03.2025

A rocky start for the South African G20 Presidency

Finance Ministers and Public Development Banks convene in Cape Town

Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

From 26 to 28 February 2025, the first key events of the South African G20 presidency took place as Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors held their inaugural meeting in Cape Town, the country’s coastal metropolis. The fifth edition of the Finance in Common Summit, the world’s major gathering of public development banks, took place at the same time, attracting around 2,000 delegates.

24.02.2025

UN Preparatory Committee expands the vision for financing for development

What was new at PrepCom3?

by Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

The third session of the Preparatory Committee for the International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) took place at the United Nations (UN) headquarters from 10-14 February 2025.

22.01.2025

FfD4 Conference in Sevilla: Highs and lows of the zero draft outcome document

Blog article by Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

The international community has made significant strides on the road to the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4). On 17 January 2025, the UN released the draft outcome document for the upcoming Sevilla Conference.

12.12.2024

UN Preparatory Committee charts course for 4th Financing for Development Conference

Blog article by Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

The international community gathered at the United Nations (UN) headquarters from 3-6 December for the second Preparatory Committee meeting for the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), which is set to take place in Sevilla, Spain, in late June 2025.

25.11.2024

UN launches FfD4 Elements Paper: A Top 10 list of policy reforms

Blog article by Bodo Ellmers

Bodo Ellmers

The UN has launched the "Elements Paper" for next year's Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Sevilla, Spain.

20.11.2024

G20 summit in Rio promotes wealth taxes, MDB and UN reform

Blog article by Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

Brazil’s first G20 presidency culminated in the summit in Rio de Janeiro from 18-19 November. The main highlight is that the taxation of high net worth individuals was put on the international policy agenda. The ongoing process of reforming the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) received further impetus with the adoption of a new roadmap. The Brazilian government sought to better link G20 policy-making with the United Nations and established new formats for stakeholder engagement, notably the G20 Social Summit.

28.10.2024

2024 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank: Continuing disconnect between IFI and UN agendas

Blog article by Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

30.09.2024

International financial architecture reform at the UN Summit of the Future: Small steps on a long journey

Blog article by Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

The United Nations has concluded tough negotiations on the Pact for the Future. The comprehensive multilateral agreement was adopted on 22 September at the opening session of the Summit of the Future. Under the heading ‘Transforming Global Governance’, the Pact contains a list of policy measures to reform the international financial architecture. This area has been a priority for developing countries, which are marginalised in the current institutional framework for global economic governance. The UN Secretary-General has been a strong advocate for reform.

25.09.2024

Change of dates for 10th session of UN-Treaty negotiations announced - civil society protests!

-- Update 10/30/2024: Protest remains unsuccessful. Change of date confirmed, the 10th round of negotiations will take place from 16 to 20 December 2024 --

On Friday, the 20th of September, the Chair of the open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights published a letter announcing the postponement of the 10th session.

As a reaction civil society sent a letter to the Mission of Ecuador, rejecting this decision:

Geneva, 24 September 2024

20.08.2024

Breakthrough in New York: UN Committee paves way for new UN Tax Convention

Bodo Ellmers

Tax dodging and harmful tax competition remain major challenges to mobilising sufficient resources for development and public services. A landmark agreement reached in New York on 16 August 2024 could finally provide the international community with an effective tool to tackle these problems.

01.08.2024

End of the Addis Ababa era: UN meeting takes stock of nearly a decade in development finance

Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

From 22 to 26 June 2024, the international community gathered in Addis Ababa for the first session of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) for the UN's Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4). The well-attended meeting took place against the backdrop that time is running out to close the financing gap for the SDGs. At the same time, high debt levels in many developing countries are making it increasingly difficult to find suitable financing instruments.

01.07.2024

“Enhancing the support capacities to advance the process of the open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations & other business enterprises with respect to human rights (OEIGWG), est. by Human Rights Council resolution 26/9"

56th Session of the Human Rights Council – Geneva

Public Statement of Civil Society, Social Movements, trade unions and Indigenous Peoples on the Procedural Decision

56th Session of the Human Rights Council – Geneva, 25.06.2024

We, the organizations, movements, trade unions, and Indigenous Peoples members of the Treaty Alliance, the Global Campaign to Reclaim Peoples Sovereignty, Dismantle Corporate Power and Stop Impunity, the Feminists for the Binding Treaty, the ESCR-Net and the Young Friends of the Treaty, remind the Member States of the Human Rights Council of the systematic violence that communities a

05.06.2024

Bridgetown Initiative 3.0 released: What´s the news?

By Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

When the Bridgetown Initiative for the Reform of the International Financial Architecture (IFA) was released in autumn 2022, it caused quite a stir, especially in the climate finance community.

30.04.2024

International financial architecture reform at the 2024 Spring Meetings of IMF and World Bank: High ambitions meet piecemeal results

By Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

As the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) celebrate their 80th anniversaries, the pressure is mounting to reform these two central pillars of the international financial architecture (IFA). In debates at the UN, such as the 2023 SDG Summit, emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) in particular have reiterated their calls for a major overhaul of the IFA.

29.04.2024

2024 UN Financing for Development Forum outlines path to FfD4 Conference

On the Road to FfD4 - GPF blog series #4

By Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

Debt, taxes and geopolitics took centre stage in this year´s UN Financing for Development (FfD) Forum. The debates and negotiations took place as the preparatory process for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) was already underway.

29.02.2024

Reform of the international financial architecture and climate finance: What will the year 2024 bring?

by Bodo Ellmers, Global Policy Forum and Ute Straub, Brot für die Welt

By Bodo Ellmers, Global Policy Forum and Ute Straub, Brot für die Welt

(Article first published on www.germanclimatefinance.de)

05.02.2024

The UN Pact for the Future

What does it offer for the reform of the international financial architecture?

By Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

International financial architecture (IFA) reform has been a hot topic lately. Numerous expert groups have made policy recommendations, and the developing countries among the UN member states in particular are calling for faster and more fundamental reforms.

17.10.2023

Piecemeal reform plan for the World Bank, stalemate at the IMF

Round up of World Bank and IMF Meetings in Marrakesh

Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

The recent 2023 Annual Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Marrakesh received a lot of attention. It was only the second time that the two Bretton Woods Institutions met in Africa – the continent that is most dependent on their loans. Africa is also perhaps the continent that has suffered most from the policy conditionality and structural adjustment programmes associated with these loans.

12.10.2023

Ahead of the 2023 World Health Summit

Lessons from the Corona pandemic for the future health architecture

Karolin Seitz

From October 15-17, it’s time once again for the "who's who" of global health experts to meet in Berlin for the World Health Summit. More than 6,000 participants are expected over three days. But will the right lessons be learned from the experience of the Corona pandemic to build a sustainable global health architecture?

16.08.2023

Creating effective institutions for international tax cooperation - New recommendations from the UN Secretary-General

By Bodo Ellmers

Countries around the world continue to lose almost US$ 500 billion every year to tax dodging and global tax abuse. At the request of United Nations Member States, the UN Secretary-General has now presented his report on “Promotion of inclusive and effective international tax cooperation at the United Nations”. The report recommends a major upgrade of the international tax architecture.

07.08.2023

Entering the second half of the 2030 Agenda with a “Big Push”? Unpacking the United Nations’ SDG Stimulus Package

By Bodo Ellmers

10.07.2023

The quest for more and better development finance: A week in Paris

On the Road to FfD4 - GPF blog series #3

By Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

The much-hyped Summit for a New Global Financing Pact took place in Paris during the third week of June. Convened by French President Macron in loose cooperation with Mia Mottley – the Prime Minister of Barbados and the mother of the “Bridgetown Initiative to reform the International Financial Architecture” – the objective was to find new ways to fill the mounting gaps in cross-border development and climate finance.

13.06.2023

Reforming the international financial architecture: UN Secretary-General suggests comprehensive reform package

On the Road to FfD4 - GPF blog series #2

By Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

A fundamental reform of the international financial architecture is crucial for effective development financing and the fight against climate change.

13.04.2023

United Nations begins negotiations on international tax cooperation

By Bodo Ellmers

In November 2023, the UN passed a landmark resolution on international tax cooperation. It opens an intergovernmental negotiation process that many hope will lead to a UN tax convention of universal application. The special session of the UN Economic and Social Council on March 31, 2023, was the first diplomatic probing of the negotiating groups.

01.03.2023

Last Exit Doha - The Fifth UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries is a chance not to be missed

By Bodo Ellmers

In the first week of March, the international community will gather for the 5th UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) in Doha. The conference takes place in the context of multiple crises that have hit LDCs far harder than richer and more resilient countries. It coincides with the SDG midterm, and by definition, no group of countries is as far from SDG achievement as LDCs. The conference presents a significant opportunity to mobilize more and more effective support for LDCs.

23.02.2023

The Bridgetown Initiative to reform the international financial architecture

On the Road to FfD4 - GPF blog series #1

By Bodo Ellmers

15.11.2022

Not if, but when - Commentary on the 8th round of negotiations on the UN treaty on business and human rights

By Karolin Seitz

Since 2014, an intergovernmental working group at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council in Geneva has been negotiating an international binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises - also known as the UN Treaty. The eighth of the responsible intergovernmental working group took place from October 24 to 28, 2022. From the countries of the global South to the major industrialized nations, all states were present.

24.10.2022

Statement by Treaty Alliance Germany at the opening of the 8th negotiation round on the UN Treaty on Business and Human Rights

Thank you Mr. Chair!

I am speaking on behalf of Brot für die Welt, FIAN Germany, MISEREOR, Women Engage for a Common Future and Global Policy Forum and as coordinator of the Treaty Alliance Germany, an alliance of twenty-eight civil society organizations in Germany.

20.07.2022

Financing for Development at the 2022 UN HLPF on Sustainable Development

Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

The implementation of the 2030 Agenda has fallen massively behind. Insufficient development finance is a major reason for this, as the slowly subsiding COVID-19 crisis had led to a simultaneous collapse of all sources of finance. This year's UN High Level Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) should have been dedicated to building back better after the crisis. The title did retain the "building back better." De facto, however, the HLPF was overshadowed by a new wave of crises.

18.07.2022

Feminist foreign policy?

Gabriele Köhler

By Gabriele Koehler

“Feminism needs tectonic plates to shift, not a trendy make-over” (Bernardine Evaristo)

09.07.2022

The G7 Summit in Elmau 2022. Intensified geopolitics overshadow the development agenda

By Bodo Ellmers

20.05.2022

Of fiscal space and the great finance divide

Analysis and recommendations from the UN Financing for Sustainable Development Report

Bodo Ellmers

By Bodo Ellmers

12.05.2022

2022 EU Investing in Sustainable Development Report

A review by Bodo Ellmers

An unintentionally honest report on the state of EU development finance

10.05.2022

UN Financing for Development Forum 2022

After two years of virtual WhatsApp diplomacy, the United Nations Financing for Development (FfD) Forum was held again this year in-person and in the presence of the public at UN Headquarters in New York. The stakes were high. While the world´s countries are slowly and unevenly recovering from the COVID-19 crisis, new challenges have emerged, such as interest rate shocks and massive price increases for energy and food, which are having a particularly devastating impact in countries of the Global South.

16.02.2022

Civil Society Open Letter to the WTO Director General

More than 200 CSOs sign open letter on TRIPS WAIVER

Billions of people around the world are waiting for the WTO to deliver a bold outcome on the TRIPS waiver proposal that will effectively and concretely contribute to enabling production in and expanding supply options towards realizing equitable access which is the key to socioeconomic recovery.

Read the open letter

28.01.2022

Global Health & Private Sector Partnerships at the UN: The COVID-19 Private Sector Global Facility

By Elena Marmo

The COVID-19 crisis continues to have profound consequences across all sectors of society. Following the initial worldwide shutdown and resulting economic crisis, governments were forced to respond quickly to the virus, while also addressing the profound socioeconomic impacts—widespread job loss, inadequate social protection systems, and industries on the brink of collapse.

29.10.2021

World Health Summit - More Rhetoric than Representation

By Timo Dziggel

From October 24 to 26 health experts from around the globe gathered in Berlin for this year’s World Health Summit. Approximately 6000 participants – both virtually and on-site – discussed current trends and challenges in global health. Obviously, the main theme was the ongoing pandemic health crisis. While there was a lot of talk in a lessons learned fashion, the pandemic is far from over. As many attendants including WHO Director-General Tedros underscored, the number one global health priority remains to vaccinate the world.

29.09.2021

Open Letter to G20 Finance Ministers, Central Bank Governors and the IMF: Civil Society Organizations Call for Principles for Fair Channeling of Special Drawing Rights

As the pandemic exacerbates multiple crises in developing countries, Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) are a crucial option to help finance the COVID response and hasten an equitable and inclusive economic recovery. With the SDR distribution being proportional to IMF countries’ quotas, the new allocation of US$650 billion does not ensure sufficient SDRs go to developing countries.

06.08.2021

Debriefing of 2021 HLPF side event: “Voluntary National Reports on the 2030 Agenda: What can we learn for a post-pandemic world?”

On 12 July, Social Watch and Global Policy Forum co-organized together with the Secretariat of the Committee for Development Policy (CDP) and the New School, the HLPF virtual side event “National Reports on the 2030 Agenda: What can we learn for a post-pandemic world?” to launch the CDP Background Paper “What did the 2020 Voluntary National Review (VNR) reports still not tell us?”.

14.06.2021

Special Drawing Rights: Saving the global economy and bolstering recovery in pandemic times

By Bhumika Mucchala (Senior Policy Researcher, Third World Network), and Christopher Hope (Policy Officer, Bretton Woods Project).

A summary of key issues emerging from recent high-level event on SDR recycling mechanisms, funds, and vehicles.

06.04.2021

Financing for Sustainable Development Report 2021: The yawning gap between development finance needs and political ambition

By Bodo Ellmers

In the lead-up to the UN’s Financing for Development Forum that takes place virtually from April 12-15, the 2021 edition of the Financing for Sustainable Development Report has been released.

08.03.2021

Corporate accountability: What’s gender got to do with it?

A gendered approach to the upcoming EU corporate accountability law will help protect women's rights in global supply chains of European companies. Here’s how.

25.02.2021

Barbara Adams (GPF): "The public sector is essential for gender equality & women's rights."

Barbara Adams (GPF) interviewed by IWRAW Asia Pacific

Watch the interview of Barbara Adams (GPF) by International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW Asia Pacific) here.

15.02.2021

INVITATION: Virtual Panel Discussion on the FACTI Report

Effective in the fight for transparency - against global tax fraud and illicit financial flows

Proposals from the UN-FACTI panel

March 1, 2021, 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. (CET)

REGISTER NOW!

12.02.2021

Women’s Major Group Position Paper on the HLPF Review

By Elena Marmo

As the global community coalesced to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations in September 2020 under the shadow of COVID-19, Member States in their Declaration A/RES/75/1, made commitments to strengthen the multilateral system and set forth plans to “build back better”. Among the tools to do so, as recognized by UN leadership and Member States, are the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

02.02.2021

"Where the rubber meets the road"

Survey on CSOs perceptions about UN reform is being launched today

How inclusive is UNDS reform?
Views from CSOs - An independent survey prepared by: Global Policy Forum & Social Watch

The Survey on CSOs perceptions about UN reform is being launched today with the title "Where the rubber meets the road".
The survey, which was enriched by the contributions of many "watchers", is published just in time for the meeting of the Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS (from today until February 4).

18.01.2021

Open letter to the Biden administration on the need for a pandemic pivot

Global Policy Forum among signatories.

Read the open letter to the Biden administration on the website of Foreign Policy in Focus.

24.11.2020

The Pandemic Pivot - A Report from the Institute for Policy Studies, The Transnational Institute, and Focus on the Global South

Experts from the frontlines of global policy tackle the implications of COVID-19

Transformative change can come out of the COVID-19 crisis, which has exposed everything that's wrong with decades of the world's governments betting on militarism, competition and wealth creation. A return to sanity and humane governance is still possible. We need a pandemic pivot.

24.11.2020

Spotlight on Sustainable Development 2020

Pushing the reset button will not change the game

18 SEPTEMBER| GLOBAL POLICY FORUM ET AL.

The COVID-19 crisis and the worldwide measures to tackle it have deeply affected communities, societies and economies around the globe. The implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has been put at high risk in many countries. COVID-19 is a global wake-up call for enhanced international cooperation and solidarity.

25.09.2020

Recording: Launching Event of the 2020 Spotlight Report

The virtual launching event of the Spotlight on Susainable Development 2020 took place on Friday, 18 September 2020.

If you missed it, you can watch the recording on youtube now. The details are below.

Roberto Bissio (Coordinator of Social Watch), Ziad Abdel Samad (Executive Director of the Arab NGO Network for Development – ANND)Vanita Mukherjee (Member of the Executive Committee of Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era – DAWN) shared brief snapshots.

24.09.2020

World in Progress: Five Years of SDGs - little progress so far

"Deutsche Welle"-Interview with Jens Martens (GPF)

In September 2015, all countries decided to reach 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030. Five years into the agenda, there's little to celebrate and lots to do. Real political commitment to transformation is still lacking, while many push for change around the globe, says economist Jens Martens (GPF).

24.09.2020

Five years of SDGs - Little progress so far

Bonn, 24. September 2020

Jens Martens of GPF was interviewed by Deutsche Welle on the progress of the SDGs.

Listen to the full interview here.

22.09.2020

No Business as usual - Patents kill: For the suspension patent protection on all essential medicines

For the production of medical knowledge as a public good

The world has become a patient. The new corona virus is a global medical riddle that governments, pharmaceutical companies and international organizations are trying to decipher in a unity rarely seen before. The level of cross-border exchange of data, research methods and evidence underlines the crucial role played by transnational communities of scientists* and experts*. With the development and the clinical testing of a vaccine, many hope that the virus will be all but contained, the rest a matter of logistics.

11.09.2020

US Leveraging its money in global and regional fora

Barbara Adams and Roberto Bissio

By Barbara Adams and Roberto Bissio

versión en español

There is widespread speculation that if/when US President Trump addresses the UN General Assembly on 22 September — probably the only head of state to do so in person– he may warn of major cuts in financial contributions or even threaten to pull out of the UN.

22.07.2020

False Promises: The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)

22 JULY| ROSA LUXEMBURGSTIFTUNG ET AL.

An international study published by the Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung, Biba, Bread for the World, FIAN Germany, Forum on Environment and Development, INKOTA-netzwerk, IRPAD, PELUM Zambia, Tabio, and TOAM documents the dramatic negative impacts of the Alliance for a Green Revolution (AGRA) on small-scale food producers in the 13 African countries the initiative focuses on.

More information and download here

04.06.2020

UN75 Political Declaration: Perspectives on the lynchpin role of UN financing

Barbara Adams

versión en español

23.04.2020

Corona: Curse or Opportunity?

Ziad Abdel Samad

Guest blog by Ziad Abdel Samad

Ziad Abdel Samad of the Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND) offers a critical analysis of the far-reaching impacts of the coronavirus and its role in exposing fault lines, from social safety nets to global trade and financial systems. In this guest blog, which highlights the experience of Arab States, he also explores the importance and impact of the state and interstate dynamics in protecting humanity a human rights.

30.03.2020

WHO-business joint COVID-19 letter to G-20 raises concerns

A joint letter from the World Health Organization and private business to the G-20 leaders on the response to COVID 19 and its economic fallout raises concerns.

27.03.2020

Don’t say nobody warned us

Roberto Bissio

*By Roberto Bissio**

versión en español.

20.12.2019

ODA: Can the players also be scorekeepers?

Roberto Bissio

By Roberto Bissio

The numbers provided by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) about the assistance contributed by its members to developing countries are “inflated”, include “fictional figures”, suffer from “fundamental flaws of overcounting, incoherence and premature implementation of an unfinished system” and have therefore “become incoherent as a statistical quantity”, argues Simon Scott, former head of the statistical division of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) in an

12.12.2019

Characteristics of the UN General Assembly Second Committee

Elena Marmo

By Elena Marmo

The ways of working and tensions within the Second Committee are not unique to its agenda and delegates, but rather manifestations of greater challenges across Committees, and UN organs. The Committee’s Bureau consists of Member State Representatives from all UN regions. This year’s 74th Session was chaired by Cheikh Niang, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Senegal to the United Nations, supported by Vice-Chairs Ahmad Saif Al-Kuwari of Qatar, Yuliana Angelova of Bulgaria, and Anat Fisher-Tsin of Israel and Rapporteur David Mulet of Guatemala.

18.09.2019

When one session closes, another one opens: Looking ahead to the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly

Elena Marmo

By Elena Marmo

With the focus firmly on preparations for the UN General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Week (23-27 September), the Presidents of the General Assembly (PGAs) and the UN Secretary-General expressed their concerns and ambitions in closing the 73rd Session and opening the 74th Session.

23.07.2019

VNRs, National “Spotlight” Reports and the Future of the HLPF

Elena Marmo

By Elena Marmo

Every year since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda in 2015, governments are invited to present Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) on their progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) of the UN. This process is heralded by some as a great opportunity to hold governments accountable to their actions and by others as a beauty contest riddled with misrepresentation and power imbalances.

17.07.2019

Reshaping Governance for Sustainability: 2019 “Spotlight” Report Launched at the UN HLPF

Elena Marmo and Sophia McCarron

By Elena Marmo and Sophia McCarron

“There needs to be an examination of the hardware of the 2030 Agenda, rather than an upgrade of its software” concludes the 2019 Spotlight Report launched on Thursday, 11 July during the High Level Political Forum that reviews the United Nations 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. The meeting was co-sponsored by Global Policy Watch, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES).

03.07.2019

BS/SDG Index: Can progress on sustainable development be reduced to a single number?

By Roberto Bissio

English version

Versión en español

Deutsche Version

19.06.2019

SDG indicators: Half-filling an empty glass?

The UN Secretary-General’s progress report on the SDGs shows that many will be left behind by 2030, but omits any mention to the responsibilities of the rich.

By Roberto Bissio

versión en español

UN progress reports on almost any issue on which the secretariat is asked to inform Member States tend to follow the classic glass-half-full formula: We are moving, but much remains to be done.

25.03.2019

Decoupling is the glue that holds “sustainable” and “development” together, material footprint is its indicator

Roberto Bissio

By Roberto Bissio (1)

“Development” is usually understood as a synonym of “economic growth” and it is universally measured by per capita gross domestic product (GPD). “Sustainable” is usually understood as “within planetary boundaries” or “in harmony with Nature” or “respecting the rights of future generations and it is measured… well, the problem is that the world cannot agree on how to measure it and thus “sustainable development” is an unbalanced promise.

08.11.2018

Misleading road signs in the World Bank’s “SDG Atlas”

Robert Bissio

by Roberto Bissio, Coordinator, Social Watch

On the eve of a global meeting of experts from UN agencies and national statistical offices aimed at improving the sustainable development indicators, the World Bank launched its own “Atlas of Sustainable Development Goals 2018” in early November.

14.01.2018

“Market discourse has captured the development agenda to a point that may be incompatible with UN mandates”

CIVICUS speaks with Barbara Adams, senior policy analyst at the Global Policy Forum (GPF), an independent policy watchdog that monitors the work of the United Nations and scrutinises global policy-making. Founded in 1993 by a group of progressive scholars and activists, GPF promotes accountability and citizen participation in decisions on peace and security, social justice and international law.

14.01.2018

Trading away the SDGs?

Roberto Bissio

By Roberto Bissio

Less than two years after having committed themselves to implement the 2030 Agenda, the same governments that unanimously adopted an ambitious set of sustainable development goals (SDGs) at the UN have failed to translate those promises into action at the ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) held mid-December in Buenos Aires.

04.01.2018

Member States call for commitments to overcome crisis in multilateralism

Sarah Dayringer

By Sarah Dayringer

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his 25 September 2018 address to the General Assembly, painted a bleak and commonly held perspective on our times:

10.11.2017

Preventing Future Conflicts: The Case of Climate Change

Sarah Dayringer & Jasmine Elshear

By Sarah Dayringer & Jasmine Elshear

With climate change front and center as the United Nations Climate Change Conference / COP23 opened in Bonn, Germany, the Australian Mission to the UN hosted a meeting in New York focusing on the impact of climate change. This meeting was part of a series organized jointly with the United Nations University on Preventing Tomorrow Conflicts.

27.05.2017

Which Finances for Whose Development?

The ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development (FfD Forum) met four days at the UN headquarters in New York to review the promises made at the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and its predecessors (the 2002 Monterrey Consensus and the 2008 Doha Declaration on Financing for Development). The FdD Forum is also the place for diplomats to discuss the means of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, but civil society is disappointed by the scarce results and the excessive confidence on the private sector filling in the funding gap.

22.04.2017

CSW highlights importance of public sector and tax justice

Sarah Dayringer and Karen Judd

By Sarah Dayringer and Karen Judd

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres challenged participants at the 61st Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 61) in March 2017: “Do not let us at the UN off the hook. Keep our feet to the fire.” Many civil society organizations (CSOs) are doing just that – calling for more from the CSW.

20.04.2017

Harmonization of ECOSOC and the General Assembly for the 2030 Agenda

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is driving discussions on reforming UN working methods. Consultations are being held at the UN headquarters, which aim to enhance synergies and coherence, and to reduce overlap between the agendas of the UN General Assembly (GA) and the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), including in the high-level political forum on sustainable development (HLPF).

01.03.2017

The 48th Session of the UN Statistical Commission

A Quantitative UN Commission faces a Qualitative dialogue on the SDG global indicator framework

Karen Judd and Sarah Dayringer

The 48th session of the UN Statistical Commission takes place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 7-10 March 2017. Thus far, there are 36 reports for the Commission to consider, 85 side events, an exhibition planned to celebrate the 70 years of work of the Commission, with presentations from the UN World Data Forum.

25.01.2017

In the 2017 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development: Civil Society plays key role in voluntary national reviews and coherence

Sarah Dayringer

By Sarah Dayringer

Civil society organisations (CSOs) are using United Nation’s processes to hold governments accountable for their commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including processes such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, and the Climate Change agenda. The annual High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is the main forum by which CSOs can hold governments and others accountable at the global level.

12.01.2017

Turning the Tide on Sustainable Development - The High-Level UN Conference to Support the Implementation of SDG 14

Sarah Dayringer

By Sarah Dayringer

President of the General Assembly (PGA) Peter Thomson, announced the 2017 High-Level United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of SDG 14 at the 22nd Conference of Parties (COP22) for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), saying “we must ensure we have a global plan for the successful implementation of SDG 14”.

20.12.2016

Observer Status for the International Chamber of Commerce

World's largest business association gets direct voice in UN decision making

By Svenja Brunkhorst and Jens Martens, Global Policy Forum

In an unprecedented and historic move, the Sixth Committee of the UN General Assembly recently granted observer status to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The resolution was submitted by France, Albania, Colombia, the Netherlands and Tunisia and was adopted during the seventy-first session of the General Assembly. The resolution sets out the ICC’s position as observer in the General Assembly from 1 January 2017 on.

14.12.2016

Measuring sustainable development — status update on the global indicators for the Sustainable Development Goals

By Sarah Dayringer

By Sarah Dayringer

The Inter-agency and Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDGs) was established by the UN Statistical Commission in 2015 to develop an indicator framework for the monitoring of the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the global level, and to support i

27.09.2016

The Diplomatic (and Economic) Struggle over Microbes

Barbara Adams and Sarah Dayringer

By Barbara Adams and Sarah Dayringer

It may sound like an issue for health specialists, but at the UN high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) ministers and heads of state from around the world made clear that it is more than that it appears.

21.09.2016

Spotlighting the 2030 Agenda — one-year after

Heads of state and government leaders from around the globe have descended on the United Nations in New York for the 71st United Nations General Assembly. Their “general debate” on 20 September will focus on the theme: The Sustainable Development Goals: a universal push to transform our world.

To push forward with implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the incoming President of the General Assembly, Peter Thomson of Fiji, has created a special advisory group on the Sustainable Development Goals.

02.08.2016

2030 Agenda demands UN reform

By Sarah Dayringer

The United Nations, like many institutions, is buffeted by the challenges of globalization, inequalities and an unsustainable growth pathway for the planet. It has not been shaped to deliver the demands of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its universal action plan, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Member States have the opportunity to close the institutional gaps in the UN development system, in the upcoming Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) negotiations beginning in October 2016.

26.04.2016

Obstacles to Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

During “The way ahead: Successful frameworks and strategies for financing the Sustainable Development Goals and the paradigm shift towards low carbon societies” panel discussion on “Financing poverty eradication and sustainable development” at the President of the General Assembly’s High-Level Thematic Debate on Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals held at the UN in New York on Thursday, 21 April 2016, Barbara Adams from Global Policy Forum pointed out governments on one hand are signing the Paris Agreement and on the other hand signing certain bilateral trade treaties.

13.04.2016

Mind the Gap – from CSW to FfD

Barbara Adams and Sarah Dayringer

By Barbara Adams and Sarah Dayringer

Less than one month ago the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) adopted its “ agreed conclusions” on “Women’s empowerment and the link to sustainable development.”

From 18-20 April, the Financing for Development Forum (FfD Forum) will provide an early test on the commitment and ability of Member States and the UN system to finance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and address structural obstacles to development.

The CSW Agreed Conclusions state:

05.04.2016

Accountability and transparency of multi-stakeholder partnerships at the UN

During the session on “accountability and transparency of multi-stakeholder partnerships” held in the framework of the Partnership Forum at the UN, Barbara Adams from Global Policy Forum and Social Watch said that partnerships are based in a win-win dynamic but there is a need to understand of what is “win-win”.

Would be beneficiaries of such initiatives have to be included, she argued. “We need to look and see how the contribution of partnerships has benefits. We need a more systemic approach when we are looking at the win-win approach”.

16.03.2016

UN Statistical Commission takes up Global Indicators for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Sarah Dayringer

By Sarah Dayringer

The UN Statistical Commission (UNSC) is comprised of Chief Statisticians from National Statistical Offices (NSOs) and has a working method of decision by majority vote, rather than by consensus. “Data needs are vast and the Data Revolution is reshaping the landscape quickly,” John Pullinger, former chair of the UNSC said in his opening remarks of the 47th session of the Commission.

11.03.2016

SDG Indicators: Cross Threading and Classifying

By Karen Judd and Sarah Dayringer

Throughout the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is the commitment to the integrated nature of sustainable development. The challenge of how to capture this has shown some interesting dynamics, most recently in regard to the global indicators. Statisticians have sought to integrate their work across indicators on decent work and social protection, which can be found in SDGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 16. Similarly indicators on gender equality go across many of the same goals. This cross-cutting dynamic should help to do more rather than less.

11.03.2016

Obstacles to Women’s Rights and to the SDGs

During the United Nations observance of International Women’s Day 2016, Barbara Adams from Global Policy Forum and Social Watch addresses the obstacles to Women’s Rights: the unfair global trade and investment system and the lack of a debt workout mechanism deviate the resources that should ensure an universal social protection floor.

See the video here.

26.02.2016

What can we expect from the 47th Session of the UN Statistical Commission?

Sarah Dayringer

By Sarah Dayringer

On 8-11 March 2016, the 47th Session of the United Nations Statistical Commission will be held at the UN Headquarters in New York. A major item on their agenda will be the consideration of the global SDGs indicator framework, by which to measure progress on achieving the 169 far-reaching SDGs targets generated by the Interagency and Expert Group on SDGs (IAEG-SDGs). After several rounds of consultation led by IAEG-SDGs co-chairs Enrique Ordaz (Mexico) and Lisa Bersales (Philippines), 231 indicators have now been agreed upon by the IAEG-SDGs.

18.02.2016

The UN development system: important, yet inconspicuous to Civil Society

Sarah Dayringer

By Sarah Dayringer

The United Nations – a 70-year-old institution – has reached an inflection point and like other institutions, is facing challenges in rapidly demanding times, challenges to which it must adapt in order to survive. Some Member States are asking if this important institution will maintain its relevance and credibility. They’re asking whether the UN development system will be able to be country-led and to deliver to all countries, and in particular demonstrate its commitment to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

15.02.2016

Technology and SDGs

One of the concrete commitments from the Addis Ababa Action Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 ASD) is the Technology Facilitation Mechanism (TFM). Spearheaded by Brazil and France, the development of the TFM has been described by Sérgio Rodrigues dos Santos of Brazil, as a “testimony to the strength of multilateralism through collective action.”

01.02.2016

Where next for the United Nations Development System?

By Barbara Adams and Sarah Dayringer

The UN has released the advance unedited version of its report of the UN Development System (UNDS), lightly entitled the “Implementation of General Assembly Resolution 67/226 on the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review [QCPR] of operational activities for development of the United Nations system.” The UNDS comprises the activities of some 30 agencies – coordinated by the UN Development Group – and the i

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