10 March 2025 - This week, the Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) will come together to discuss global financial architecture reforms and financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ahead of the event, we spoke with Shari Spiegel, Director of UN DESA Financing for Sustainable Development Office, who highlighted the Forum¡¯s significance in shaping international development cooperation and accelerating progress toward the goals.
What role does the Forum play in supporting other significant milestones for 2025?
¡°The DCF is particularly crucial this year as it will inform the and the ¡ªespecially discussions on strengthening global financial architecture reforms and enhancing the means of implementations of the SDGs. More than just a policy dialogue, the 2025 DCF presents a key opportunity to ensure development cooperation delivers real, measurable results in line with country needs and priorities.¡±
What key issues will the Forum address this year?
¡°The 2025 Forum comes at a pivotal moment amid a lively global discourse on the importance of international development cooperation. With 600 million people still projected to live in extreme poverty by 2030 and an SDG financing gap of up to $4 trillion annually, discussions at the Forum will focus on making development cooperation more effective, inclusive, and responsive to country needs and priorities.
On day one, the Forum will explore how development cooperation can better respond to today¡¯s challenges, balancing crisis response with long-term sustainable development. Discussions will also examine how development finance tools and instruments¡ªsuch as grants, loans, and blended finance¡ªcan be adapted to better serve national development strategies. Strengthening country leadership and ownership in directing development efforts will also be a major theme.
On day two, the focus will shift to enhancing coordination among development partners, ensuring that cooperation is driven by national needs and priorities. The Forum will also explore ways to strengthen global and regional cooperation, making development efforts more cohesive and impactful.¡±
How does the Forum help advance the SDGs?
¡°A key discussion in the Forum will be how to ensure we advance all of the SDGs not just a select few, especially by balancing humanitarian aid with long-term development and climate adaptation. Experts will also address the growing fragmentation of development finance and strategies to ensure stronger collaboration across all actors.¡±
Learn more about the Development Cooperation Forum 2025, taking place on 12-13 March under the theme ¡°Transforming International Development Cooperation: From Global Dialogue to Action," .