UN Chief urges increased global aid to restart development amid crises

Amid escalating climate disruptions and widespread conflicts, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on donor countries to boost global aid and help revive stalled development efforts worldwide.

Speaking at the Fourth International Conference on Development Finance in Seville on Monday, Guterres warned that reduced funding from key donor nations is threatening the global fight against poverty and climate change.

“We must accelerate cooperation to repair the engine of development,” Guterres said. “In a world shaken by inequality, climate chaos, and violence, sustainable progress is impossible unless we change course.”

The three-day conference, which runs through July 3, has drawn more than 4,000 participants, including heads of state, business leaders, civil society representatives, and financial institutions. Its primary aim is to find solutions to revitalize poverty alleviation, sustainable development, and climate resilience projects that have stalled due to funding shortages.

Guterres highlighted that two-thirds of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are currently off track to be met by 2030. Achieving them, he noted, would require over $4 trillion in annual investment.

He also criticized the decline in aid from traditional donors. “Following the Trump administration, the U.S. slashed USAID budgets for many countries. Germany, the UK, and France have also redirected funds from aid to defense,” he said.

The impact is stark: children are missing vaccines, girls are dropping out of school, and families are going hungry. Aid cuts, according to the UN, are reversing decades of development gains.

Oxfam reports that the current reduction in global aid is the largest since the 1960s. The World Bank estimates over 800 million people now live on less than $3 a day, with Sub-Saharan Africa bearing the brunt.

The Secretary-General’s plea comes at a critical time, as the world grapples with rising inequality, worsening climate shocks, and increasing humanitarian needs.