July 3, 2025

PRESS RELEASE: Civil Society Calls for Global Economic Justice at FfD4 Conference

Global South proposals, debt cancellation, and calls for economic justice take center stage in peaceful action inside UN conference venue.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Seville, Spain — July 3, 2025 — Over 100 members of civil society organizations (CSOs), trade unions, movements and networks from around the world gathered inside the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) official venue for a peaceful action. Global movements demanding an overhaul of the international financial architecture shared critical perspectives on what is at stake for the future of economic justice following the “Compromiso de Sevilla.”

 The action held inside one of the Conference halls also comes as an attempt to make civil society’s presence felt despite ongoing hurdles to meaningfully engage in the process. Participants called out the failure of the outcome document to rise to the level of ambition needed to address the interconnected and systemic crises the world currently faces, denouncing the lack of political will to embrace bold reforms, particularly by Global North countries, which continue to protect undemocratic institutions where they hold the decision-making power. A diverse lineup of speakers from different regions chanted slogans such as “Cancel the Debt Now!” and “Climate Justice Now!”. Conference volunteers and other participants, initially onlookers, joined the collective chants in solidarity.   

 Civil society echoed support for proposals from Global South countries, including the UN Tax Convention and the UN Debt Convention. A core part of these calls is a demand for democratization of global economic governance and financial reparations for historical and continuing injustices inflicted by the Global North on the peoples of the Global South. These demands also reflected discussions held right before the FfD4 official conference, when over 1000 members of civil society convened a CSO Forum. The Forum’s political declaration expressed both a reaction to the “Compromiso de Sevilla” and shared recommendations to UN Member States and the international community on the ambitious responses needed moving forward.  

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For media inquiries or more information, please contact:
Marisol Ruiz
marisolruiz@sidint.org

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