“We know that almost half of humanity – that is 3.3 billion men, women and children – live in countries which spend more on debt repayments than education or healthcare for their citizens,” said LWF’s Head of Global Advocacy, Isaiah Toroitich.

“This debt crisis, which is a legacy of unjust financial and economic structures and poor governance, is both crippling and immoral. It has been severely worsened by the ongoing freezing, reduction and redirection of funding meant for development and humanitarian assistance by virtually all donor countries. Therefore, it is important that we are in Seville, to raise our voices and say that no government should have to choose between defaulting on debt payments or defaulting on the needs and rights of people and the planet,” he said.

At the Conference, LWF advocacy experts will be working in partnership with organizations including the Jubilee campaign and leaders of an ecumenical platform known as NIFEA (New International Financial and Economic Architecture). Set up in 2012, the platform includes the LWF, alongside the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the World Methodist Council, the World Council of Churches, the Council for World Mission and United Society Partners in the Gospel.

Vicious cycle of disparity and disempowerment

In a statement to the Seville Conference, released on 27 June 2025, these churches and organizations note that “since 2020, the world’s wealthiest individuals have doubled their wealth, even as an estimated 28.9 percent of the global population – 2.33 billion people – were moderately or severely food insecure.” ” This deepening inequality, the statement says, “has eroded trust in public institutions, weakened democratic systems, enabled corporate influence over state policy and hindered progress on urgent climate action, reinforcing a vicious cycle of disparity and disempowerment.”

Pointing out that the Conference comes at a “pivotal moment,” as the world grapples with a “convergence of unprecedented economic, political, social and environmental crises,” the NIFEA partners call on governments to take urgent action on ending the debt burden on poor countries, working towards a more just tax system to fund poverty alleviation, and introducing reforms for a more inclusive governance of the global economy.

Meaningful momentum towards achieving SDGs

Despite a last-minute decision by the United States government to withdraw from the process, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterrez described the Seville Conference as a “unique opportunity to reform an international financial system that is outdated, dysfunctional and unfair.” The UN leader told participants “I count on all of you to move forward with determination to rescue the 2030 Agenda [for Sustainable Development].”

“LWF has been part of the negotiation process for this Fourth Financing for Development Conference since the first preparatory meeting which was held in Addis Ababa in July 2024,” says Daniel Pieper, Program Director of LWF’s UN office in New York. “As our delegation arrives in Seville, we are optimistic that we can make a difference, while also feeling sobered by the current global political moment.”

Pieper concludes: “The challenges in Seville are many, therefore it will take all people of goodwill – faith based or otherwise – to achieve the ambitious aims of this conference and to see some meaningful momentum towards achieving sustainable development outcomes for our communities and those we serve around the world.”