Hopes were already tempered when over 1,000 civil society representatives arrived in Seville for the United Nations’ once-in-a-decade summit on development financing.
But after four days of limited access and what they see as watered-down commitments, many left feelings excluded, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The summit, designed to address a staggering $4.3 trillion annual financing gap for developing countries, aimed to mobilize resources to tackle growing debt burdens, climate change fallout, and widening structural inequalities. Yet civil society organizations (CSOs) said the event fell far short of its ambitions, especially for voices from the Global South.
“Global South countries are returning home empty-handed,” said Arthur Larok, secretary general of ActionAid. “Meanwhile, Global North governments go home free from responsibility.”
Among the chief grievances voiced by CSO participants was their limited participation in key negotiations and decision-making processes. Many complained of difficulties obtaining accreditation, inaccessibility to sessions, and a lack of engagement from officials.
The frustration culminated in a protest inside the summit venue on its final day, as activists called out what they described as a shrinking space for civic input in global governance.
“We’ve witnessed an unprecedented wave of restrictions and lack of attention to the voice of civil society,” said Oyebisi Babatunde Oluseyi, executive director of the Nigeria Network of NGOs. “We need a new mechanism to ensure our perspectives are heard.”
The summit’s final outcome, the “Seville Commitment,” was criticized by several groups for prioritizing private sector-led solutions and avoiding firm obligations from wealthier nations. While some initiatives, such as a proposed global tax on the ultra-rich and levies on private jet travel, were welcomed, critics say the overall framework lacked ambition.
“The international financial system is deeply unjust,” CSOs wrote in a joint declaration. “We call for its complete overhaul.”
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed acknowledged the concerns raised by civil society during her closing press briefing.
“The UN was built to defend human rights,” she said. “We will work to expand the space for civil society within our processes.”
But activists remain skeptical, warning that if the UN fails to uphold inclusive participation, it risks eroding its legitimacy.
“If the UN cedes to the global trend of shrinking civic space, it will undermine its moral authority,” warned Hernan Saenz of Oxfam International.
Despite the criticism, many CSO representatives reaffirmed their commitment to the UN system, describing it as the only global forum where every country, rich or poor, has a seat at the table.
“Yes, it’s slow and bureaucratic,” said Hirotaka Koike, of the Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation. “But what else do we have?”
The sentiment reflected a broader dilemma for civil society: while deeply disillusioned with the summit’s outcomes, they continue to see the UN as a necessary, if imperfect, platform for advancing global equity and justice.
