UN Chief Urges Urgent Aid Boost Amid Global Crises

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UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday called for a dramatic increase in global development aid, warning that the world is being shaken by deepening inequalities, climate chaos, and escalating conflicts.

Speaking at the opening of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, Spain, Guterres urged world leaders to “rev up the engine of development” and address the “massive headwinds” threatening progress in vulnerable nations.

“From slowing economies and rising trade tensions to slashed aid budgets, we are seeing a reversal in gains made in health, education, and humanitarian support,” he said. Many developing countries, already burdened with debt, now face the risk of falling further behind.

Guterres noted that two-thirds of the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals are lagging and that more than $4 trillion in annual investment is required to meet them. “Children are going unvaccinated, girls are leaving school, and families are going hungry,” he warned, calling for a global shift in priorities.

The Seville summit, running from June 30 to July 3, brings together dozens of world leaders for the most significant talks on development financing in a decade. Participants aim to reaffirm commitments to eradicating poverty and hunger, advancing gender equality, and reforming global tax and financial systems.

However, the absence of the United States—the largest donor of foreign aid—casts a shadow over the talks, as Washington has opted to skip the event amid shifting budget priorities.