Rwanda Reflects on Sevilla Outcomes: Moving from Global Frameworks to Local Financing Action

Kigali, 2 October 2025 — Ambassadors and High Commissioners accredited in Rwanda, Cooperation Partners, and senior Government officials convened to reflect on the implications of the outcomes of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) for Rwanda’s next phase of economic transformation.

Organized by the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, the briefing explored how the Sevilla Commitment — adopted in Spain earlier this year — can be translated into practical measures for mobilizing finance, managing debt, and strengthening cooperation at the national level.

A New Global Compact

Opening the dialogue, UN Resident Coordinator Ozonnia Ojielo described the Sevilla conference as a pivotal moment for rebuilding trust in multilateralism and collective problem-solving.

“FFD4 marked a turning point for multilateralism and global cooperation,” he said. “The Sevilla Commitment provides a roadmap for a fairer, more inclusive financial system — one that can deliver financing at scale for sustainable development. For Rwanda, the message from Sevilla is clear: the time for commitments has passed; we must move from frameworks to financing, from vision to action.”

The conference in Sevilla brought together more than 15,000 participants — including 48 Heads of State and 224 ministers — to address the persistent global financing gap for the Sustainable Development Goals, estimated at $4 trillion annually.

Rwanda’s Take: Turning Global Lessons -- Local Strategy

Grace Nyinawumuntu, Director General for Europe, Americas & International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MINAFFET), emphasized how the outcomes of Sevilla resonate strongly with Rwanda’s development priorities.

“In Sevilla, the global community faced a tough reality — how to achieve the SDGs with such a vast financing gap,” she noted. “The conference concluded with two major outcomes: the Sevilla Commitment and the Sevilla Platform for Action which stand as the most significant global financing framework since Addis Ababa in 2015.”

She also underscored Rwanda’s support for global efforts on debt sustainability: 

“Rwanda has consistently advocated for addressing the heavy debt burden confronting developing countries. Debt relief is essential — but it must be transparent, accountable, and anchored in a sustainable financing framework. This is critical to ensure long-term stability and real progress on development.”

Shari Spiegel, Director of the Financing for Sustainable Development Office (UN-DESA), commended Rwanda’s leadership:

“Rwanda’s readiness to move from commitment to concrete action is a strong example of how global agreements can drive real progress on the ground.”

Financing the National Transformation

Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN), Gerald Mugabe outlined how Rwanda plans to align its national strategy with the FFD4 outcomes.

“This comes as Rwanda enters the second year of our National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) on the journey to Vision 2050. FFD4 reinforces the importance of building domestic revenue capacities — increasing tax efficiency and broadening the tax base,” he said. He added that Rwanda is focusing on developing local capital markets to reduce dependence on aid:

“We are investing in developing capital markets to mobilize resources locally and internationally. This enables both public and private sectors to channel financing into our NST2 priorities.”

Mugabe also stressed the need for scale and coherence and coordinated projects with visible results.

“We want to focus on big, integrated flagship projects with measurable impact, not small, fragmented initiatives,” he said. “Although ODA is declining, it remains vital as a catalyst — to blend and unlock financing for large-scale investments.”

He further called for reforms of the global financial system that make borrowing more expensive for developing economies.

“The international financial system is structurally unfair. Where some countries borrow at 1%, we often face 8–10%. Reform is essential to ensure developing economies can access finance on equitable terms.”

Partners Call for Action

Participants agreed that the Sevilla outcome should serve as a springboard for real action.

The Sevilla Commitment stands out because it reaffirms multilateralism at a time when trust is scarce. It shows that global cooperation is still possible when nations come together with a shared purpose. The challenge now is not adoption, but acceleration — ensuring that what was agreed in Sevilla becomes reality in our countries.

The briefing closed on a practical note: while FFD4 may have been negotiated in Sevilla, its success will depend on how countries like Rwanda turn commitments into action — through stronger partnerships, smarter financing, and sustained dedication to national transformation.