Ethiopia urges global community to build on Addis Ababa Action Agenda through Seville Commitment
Addis Ababa, July 1, 2025 (FMC) – Ethiopia has called on the international community to honor and build upon the commitments made under the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA), through the newly adopted Seville Commitment, at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), held in Seville, Spain.
Delivering Ethiopia’s national statement as head of delegation, Minister of Agriculture Girma Amente emphasized that the Seville Commitment must serve as a timely and necessary continuation of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, which was adopted at the third Financing for Development conference hosted by Ethiopia a decade ago.
He stressed the importance of leveraging the achievements of the AAAA, while also addressing the implementation gaps that have hindered progress over the past ten years. “We must not allow the Addis Ababa Action Agenda to become another unmet promise,” he cautioned.
Highlighting the stark global shortfall, the Minister pointed to the $4 trillion SDG financing gap as evidence of the world’s failure to translate commitments into concrete action.
He warned that this persistent shortfall continues to saddle developing countries with unsustainable debt, dwindling development finance, and growing vulnerabilities driven by climate change and geopolitical tensions.
To address these challenges, Minister Girma advocated for urgent reforms in global financial governance.
He called for the advancement of fair international taxation frameworks—particularly on multinational corporations—and the creation of a sovereign debt resolution mechanism under the auspices of the United Nations.
He further urged the expansion of grant-based and highly concessional financing mechanisms, aligned with national development priorities and tailored to the specific needs of developing countries.
Minister Girma also underscored the need for dedicated global instruments to support countries facing external shocks, in order to prevent abrupt financing disruptions and preserve developmental gains.
Reiterating Africa’s untapped demographic potential, he called for the swift unlocking and disbursement of available development and climate finance, with a focus on infrastructure investment and decent job creation.
Describing the Seville Commitment as a pivotal opportunity to recalibrate global development efforts, Minister Girma reaffirmed Ethiopia’s strong support for multilateral cooperation.
He expressed hope that future global platforms will shift from rhetoric to results, with measurable progress that reflects the ambition set out in international agendas.
In addition to addressing the plenary session, Ethiopia also participated in a high-level ministerial meeting held in parallel, under the theme “Revitalizing International Development Cooperation.”
In his remarks at the session, Minister Girma reiterated that enhanced international cooperation remains the only viable pathway to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
He urged the global community to uphold the principles of shared responsibility and solidarity in tackling today’s multifaceted development challenges.