Zambia Endorses Seville Commitment at FFD4, Urges Inclusive and Urgent Financial Reforms
Zambia has welcomed the adoption of the Seville Commitment, the landmark outcome of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4), calling for its swift and inclusive implementation to unlock the urgent financing needed for sustainable development.
Speaking during the General Debate in Seville, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Mulambo Haimbe, S.C., MP, emphasized the critical importance of the newly adopted framework in removing financial barriers to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Zambia served as a co-facilitator of the process alongside Mexico, Nepal, and Norway.
“The Seville Commitment must move quickly from words to action,” said Hon. Haimbe, stressing the need for accountability, empowered national institutions, and focused efforts on key sectors such as job creation, food systems, infrastructure, innovation, and human development.
The Minister reiterated Zambia’s long-standing position that the international financial system must undergo comprehensive reform to become more equitable and inclusive. He pointed to the high cost of capital, limited access to affordable finance, and the underrepresentation of developing nations in global financial decision-making as persistent injustices that must be addressed.
Hon. Haimbe also called for strengthened international tax cooperation, increased efforts to combat illicit financial flows, and scaling up private sector investment and development cooperation aligned with country-led priorities.
“Africa is not a problem to be solved, but a partner to be embraced,” he affirmed, highlighting the continent’s vast potential in human capital, innovation, and natural resources.
Domestically, Zambia is undertaking economic reforms focused on renewable energy, agriculture, fiscal stability, and macroeconomic resilience. Hon. Haimbe stressed that trade—not aid—should underpin transformation, urging global partners to support value addition, industrialisation, and integration into regional and global value chains.
The Minister further called on donor nations to fulfill Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitments, especially to Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and to enhance development effectiveness.
In closing, Hon. Haimbe urged the global community to rebuild trust in the face of growing inequality, climate instability, and debt stress, and recognized the Global South’s leadership and resilience in charting a sustainable, self-determined future.
