President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova addressed the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, which is being held in Seville under the auspices of the UN.
In her address, she stressed the importance of multilateralism and joint global efforts to tackle poverty, climate change, inequality and social injustice.
Siljanovska-Davkova warned that there are serious geopolitical and economic risks that undermine the achievements made so far, expressing faith in the possibility of a better and more sustainable world.
According to her, access to fair financing is vital for success and trustworthy partnerships. In the new Pact for the Future, the President recognizes a renewed global social contract. She pointed to the need for shared responsibility of all stakeholders.
Emphasizing that almost two-thirds of the Sustainable Development Goals are related to European Union reforms, the President informed that our National Development Strategy 2024-2044 is aligned with the latest UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.
Siljanovska-Davkova thanked the UN, the EU and development agencies from several countries, as well as international financial institutions – EBRD, World Bank, EIB and the Western Balkans Investment Fund – for their essential support through projects in the areas of green transition, health, education and infrastructure.
The following is the integral speech of President Siljanovska-Davkova:
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlmen,
I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our Spanish hosts, for organizing this Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville.
Eighty years ago, the United Nations rose from the ruins of World War II to prevent future wars, end colonialism, uphold human rights, advance justice and international law, and unite nations behind global efforts like the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Eighty years on, many of these achievements are, unfortunately, being undermined by geopolitical rivalry, economic fragmentation, and systemic risks. The multilateral efforts to implement the SDGs and address the pressing global challenges of poverty, inequality, climate change and injustice are often being considered a Don Quixotic mission. Just as Don Quixote faces misunderstanding and resistance, the sustainable development movement encounters geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges.
Despite these setbacks, we believe that a better world is possible, even if the path is difficult. To revitalize the UN and strengthen its multilateral system, we adopted the Pact for the Future as a new global Rousseauan social contract. At the core of every social contract lies a fundamental truth that all parties share a responsibility not just to uphold their rights, but also their duty to care for the system. A social contract is not a passive agreement but a living commitment.
Financing for development must unite strategy, capital, and multilateral support in a coherent ecosystem.
As a small European country, we are committed to integrating the Sustainable Development Goals into our strategic documents. Nearly two-thirds of the SDGs are linked to European Union reforms. The latest UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework aligns with our National Development Strategy 2024-2044.
To bridge the gap between ambition and reality, we need access to fair finance and cooperative partnerships. On our journey toward a better future, trusted partners like UN agencies, and the development agencies of countries like Austria, Germany, Japan, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, UK, and others walk with us. They bring experience, resources, and support to strengthen our communities by helping ensure that every project truly reaches the people.
At the same time, investment banks are helping us turn ideas into tangible progress. Through the Green Finance Facility, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development promotes just energy transition and supports us address air pollution and climate change. The World Bank focuses on poverty reduction, healthcare, and education. The European Investment Bank invests in sustainable infrastructure and climate initiatives, contributing to innovation and climate action goals.
The Western Balkans Investment Facility coordinates investments from the EU, financial institutions, donors and beneficiaries.
Together, these partners help align Macedonian development with global sustainability targets, boosting resilience, economic growth, and environmental protection. There is another reason why these partnerships are so important. When money rules, we tend to remember the price of things and forget the value of things, and that is dangerous. Investment banks, development institutions and international donors remind our national institutions of the value behind every loan and donation.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It might seem that we are fighting the windmills of our times, but, despite the obstacles, we must continue on our quest for a better, more sustainable world. Being a responsible party of the global social contract, we support the “Seville Commitment” on financing for development. As the second Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjöld once said, “The pursuit of peace and progress cannot end in a few years in either victory or defeat. The pursuit of peace and progress, with its trials and its errors, its successes and its setbacks, can never be relaxed and never abandoned.”
Thank you.
