UN SDG Action Campaign

On World Down Syndrome Day, meet Martina Fuga from CoorDown, who are shattering stereotypes about #DownSyndrome through the #AssumeThatICan campaign, which got over 150M views in its first week, sparking widespread discussion and media coverage. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dXt6J57U

Debt crisis: Developing countries’ external debt hits record $11.4 trillion. Soaring interest payments are squeezing budgets, forcing governments to choose between repaying creditors and funding essential services. Full data story: https://ow.ly/9oGQ50Vk288

Debt crises require more than financial solutions—they demand strong legal frameworks to ensure fair and sustainable outcomes. As global debt challenges grow more complex, what legal tools can foster consensus and promote responsible lending and borrowing? At the 14th Debt Management Conference, experts examined how soft law, contractual innovations, and domestic legislation were shaping sovereign debt practices. Penelope Hawkins, Head of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)’s Debt and Development Finance Branch, underscored the organisation’s role in navigating sovereign debt challenges through its Principles on Sovereign Lending and Borrowing — a framework designed to enhance sustainability, transparency, and accountability in international debt transactions. Ms. Hawkins stressed the need to integrate these principles into global financing discussions, including the upcoming Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (#FFD4). UNCTAD is also advancing practical guidelines to help countries implement these principles effectively. Follow the conversation ▶️ https://ow.ly/HF2U50Vgtgm

Debt should be a lever for growth, not a constraint on the future. At the UN Trade and Development's 14th Debt Management Conference, H.E. Rindra Hasimbelo Rabarinirinarison, Minister of Economy and Finance, Madagascar, highlights the country’s dual challenge—being one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world while contributing the least to global emissions. With 57.4% of GDP in debt, Madagascar often faces an impossible choice: borrow to rebuild after climate disasters or borrow for long-term development. To break this cycle, the country is implementing a debt management reform plan and pioneering new financing instruments like green and blue bonds. These tools, alongside debt-for-development swaps, are creating new opportunities to fund biodiversity and resilience projects while reducing fiscal pressures. Follow ▶️ https://ow.ly/HF2U50Vgtgm

Debt management is a matter that weighs heavily on governments worldwide, particularly for developing nations. “Many developing nations are spending more on debt service than they spend on education, health care, and job creation — all of which are vital not just for long-term economic system sustainability but for national stability and, indeed, for people’s well-being,” says Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados. Find out more from UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)'s 14 International Debt Management Conference ▶️ https://ow.ly/fxS650VjhA7

Our Global Director, Marina Ponti, with UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan at the 14th International Debt Management Conference in #Geneva, where practical solutions for resilient debt management are discussed. Follow the conversation ▶️ https://ow.ly/HF2U50Vgtgm

3.3B+ people live in countries that spend more on debt servicing than on health or education. Listen to Peggy Hicks from United Nations Human Rights who calls for a multilateral initiative on debt relief. More from UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)'s 14 Int'l Debt Management Conference: https://ow.ly/HF2U50Vgtgm

UN Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, Mr. Mahmoud Mohieldin highlighted the lack of political will to drive systemic change in the global financial architecture as a key issue at UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)'s 14th International Debt Management Conference. Follow the conversation: https://ow.ly/mfMn50VjesE

Debt pressures continue to mount, forcing many countries to make difficult choices: allocate resources to debt repayment or invest in people, infrastructure, and sustainable development? With financing gaps threatening progress on the #GlobalGoals, finding effective solutions for sovereign debt management is more urgent than ever. At the 14th Debt Management Conference, global leaders are assessing key international initiatives — G20, the Pact for the Future, and the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development — to identify sustainable pathways forward. “No government should have to choose between paying its debt and protecting human lives,” says Christian David Duarte Chavez, Secretary of State of the Office of Finance, Honduras. He calls for fairer financial systems, global tax reforms, and debt justice, as the Global South bears the cost of crises it did not cause. Thirong Pen, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Cambodia, advocates for fairer, more flexible financing for developing nations as Cambodia moves toward net-zero emissions by 2050 and LDC (least developed country) graduation by 2029. Cambodia’s post-pandemic recovery is a success story — but financing climate action and sustainable growth remains a challenge. Rindra Hasimbelo Rabarinirinarison, Minister of Economy and Finance of Madagascar, highlights the country’s dual challenge: being one of the most climate-vulnerable nations in the world while contributing the least to global emissions. “Debt should be a lever for growth, not a constraint on the future,” she emphasizes. xolisa mabhongo, South Africa’s G20 representative, underscores that half of Africa’s population lives in countries that spend more on debt payments than on social development. This imbalance is undermining efforts to achieve sustainable development and economic resilience. “Debt and development must go hand in hand — but for many countries, debt servicing is taking priority over progress,” he adds. Follow ▶️ https://ow.ly/HF2U50Vgtgm Photos ▶️ https://ow.ly/qTvN50ViXzF

“Debt management is about time – drawing resources from future selves to meet urgencies for today.” – Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) At the 14th International Debt Management Conference, global leaders discuss why responsible debt management matters now more than ever. Follow the conversation. ▶️ https://ow.ly/HF2U50Vgtgm