The Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) Facility 2025 Partner Meeting has concluded in Barcelona, Spain, with a renewed commitment to closing the SDG financing gap and supporting country-led financial reforms.
The meeting was hosted by the Government of Spain and the Regional Government of Catalonia and organized by the UNDP. The meeting marked a renewed commitment to the global effort to close the US$4 trillion SDGs financing gap, supporting country-led reforms to financial systems to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Agreement.
Addressing the session, Ethiopia’s State Minister for Finance, Semereta Sewasew, explained that Ethiopia is conducting bold and transformative macroeconomic reforms aimed at fostering sustainable and inclusive growth, with the private sector playing a central role.
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, they are laying the groundwork for a robust and lasting economic transformation.
The meeting brought together 120 stakeholders from over 40 countries to discuss innovations in sustainable financing. The Spanish Secretary of State, Eva Granados, emphasized the significance of country-led integrated national financing frameworks as a driving force for financing development, particularly as Spain is hosting the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) later this year in Seville.
Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP’s Bureau of Policy and Programme Support, Marcos Neto, highlighted UNDP’s role in supporting countries in mobilizing and aligning financing for development. Jaume Duch, Regional Minister for European Union and Foreign Action, Government of Catalonia, underscored the importance of local and regional governments in financing development.
Currently, 86 countries are using the INFF approach to enhance financing for sustainable development. Seventeen national and subnational governments have established operational financing strategies, and over 50 countries are advancing reforms shaped through their INFF. An analysis of reforms in 17 countries since 2021 shows that $16 billion in new financing has been mobilized for sustainable development investments, with $32 billion identified for alignment and greater impact on SDGs.
The Ethiopian Ministry of Finance said on a social media post Friday afternoon that participants at the meeting stressed the need to deepen partnerships to support country-led INFFs, enhance coordination among multilateral development banks, and increase engagement with civil society and the private sector. They also noted that financial innovation can unlock impactful private investment and that scaling up technical assistance can accelerate implementation.
The INFF Facility, launched in 2022, is a joint initiative of several organizations including UNDP, UN DESA, OECD, UNICEF, the European Union, and the Governments of Italy, Spain, and Sweden. It supports countries in developing their INFFs.