Barcelona, Spain, 23 January 2025. The Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) Facility 2025 Partner Meeting concluded today at the historic Palau Reial de Pedralbes, Barcelona, hosted by the Government of Spain in collaboration with the regional Government of Catalonia and organized by UNDP on behalf of the INFF Facility. The meeting marked a renewed commitment to the global effort to close the US$4 trillion SDG financing gap, supporting country-led reforms to financial systems to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Agreement.
The meeting brought together 120 stakeholders from more than 40 countries to look at how countries are driving innovation in sustainable financing. Highlighting the significance of the event, Eva Granados, the Spanish Secretary of State, said, "As hosts of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville later this year, we recognize country-led integrated national financing frameworks as a driving force of financing for development. The INFF Facility Partner meeting is fostering a commitment to realize the full potential of INFFs through the FfD4 Outcome and beyond.”
Marcos Neto, Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP’s Bureau of Policy and Programme Support, underscored UNDP’s integral role in these efforts. He stated, "UNDP is proud to lead technical support at the country level for the growing momentum behind INFFs, transforming how countries mobilize and align financing for development. Joining hands with the Government of Spain and our INFF Facility partners, we can help countries to advance financing reforms, private investment and fiscal policies to achieve both national and global goals.”
Jaume Duch, Regional Minister for European Union and Foreign Action, Government of Catalonia, emphasized the local and regional government’s leadership in this agenda, stating "Local and regional governments are at the forefront of service delivery and are key investors in sustainable development. We welcome the INFF Facility 2025 Partner Meeting in Barcelona as a key opportunity to reflect on the crucial role of local and regional governments in financing development and to discuss priorities for strengthening commitment to local financing in the outcome of the FfD4 Conference in Seville.“
To date, 86 countries are using the integrated national financing framework approach to enhance financing for sustainable development. Seventeen national and subnational governments have established operational financing strategies, while over 50 countries are advancing reforms shaped through their INFF. An analysis of reforms implemented in 17 of these countries since 2021 reveals that $16 billion in new financing has been mobilized for sustainable development investments, with $32 billion identified for alignment and greater impact on SDGs.
Ethiopia, the host of the last Financing for Development Conference, is pioneering its INFF. H.E. Semereta Sewasew, Ethiopia’s State Minister of Finance for Economic Cooperation, explained how "Ethiopia is conducting bold and transformative macroeconomic reforms aimed at fostering sustainable and inclusive growth, with the private sector playing a central role in this evolution. The Ethiopian Integrated Sustainable Financing Strategy will be crucial in ensuring the success of these reforms. By adopting innovative financing models and prioritizing development initiatives that actively engage the private sector, we are laying the groundwork for a robust and lasting economic transformation."
Progress in implementing INFFs to date has laid a strong foundation for financing for development that can be reinforced by a renewed commitment at FfD4. Looking ahead, participants emphasized the need to deepen partnerships in support of country-led INFFs, connecting country platforms for coordination among multilateral development banks and advancing engagement with civil society, the private sector and others in finance policy dialogues. Financial innovation can help to unlock impactful private investment, strengthen fiscal policies, and enhance transparency and accountability at the national and local level. Scaling up technical assistance to respond to demand from the country level, including bolstering the INFF Facility, can accelerate implementation and support the delivery of the FfD4 Outcome expected to be agreed to later this year.
Editor’s note:
About INFF Facility
Launched in 2022, the INFF Facility is a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the European Union and the Governments of Italy, Spain and Sweden. It responds to the demand for support from countries developing their INFFs.
Media contacts:
- Government of Catalonia: comunicacio.exteriors@gencat.cat
- UNDP: Ms Chen-Wen Cheng, chen-wen.cheng@undp.org
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