In early July, the city of Sevilla, Spain became a stage for global ambition, as countries gathered to rethink how development is financed in a world of economic uncertainty, rising debt, accelerating disruptions, and growing pressure on ecosystems.  

FFD4 concluded with the adoption of the Compromiso de Sevilla, a set of actionable solutions agreed upon by Member States and informed by input from other stakeholders to put development at the heart of global finance, with a consensus among 192 countries. The text reaffirmed global commitment to the United Nations and multilateral cooperation as the backbone of sustainable development financing. 

The Seville Platform for Action (SPA), launched during the conference, now serves as the operational arm of this commitment and includes over 130 initiatives. The SPA aims to close the $4 trillion global SDG financing gap, with an emphasis on debt relief, fiscal space, and innovative financial instruments, including thematic bonds and blended finance. 

Latin America and the Caribbean’s leadership 

Latin American and Caribbean countries are demonstrating bold leadership by advancing solutions rooted in their own national priorities. A defining feature of this leadership is the recognition of the climate-nature nexus as central to sustainable development. By aligning environmental policies with national development goals, countries are showing that investing in nature is not an add-on to development – it is foundational to it. This integrated approach is reflected in emerging regulatory frameworks and policies that position the region as a global reference for how environmental action can drive long-term resilience.  

This vision extends to the region’s broader financial proposals. Countries advocated for the rechanneling of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) - international reserve assets that countries can use like emergency currency - toward climate and social investments; regional liquidity mechanisms, including discussions around a Latin American stabilization fund; and reforms to public banking to better align national development banks with long-term SDG financing. 

This reinforces the current momentum for countries in the region to lead with their own priorities and solutions, especially as traditional sources of external finance such as Official Development Assistance (ODA) continue to decline. The Outcome Document highlights that developing countries themselves are the main financiers of the 2030 Agenda, making their leadership in mobilizing domestic resources indispensable. 

The UNDP LAC Facility, a regional engine for resilience 

One of the most concrete outcomes for the region was the launch of the UNDP LAC Facility for Financing Resilient Human Development. Now formally anchored in the Outcome Document, the Facility provides a practical regional platform for implementation. 

Led by UNDP through its Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (RBLAC), the LAC Facility brings together governments, development banks, private sector actors, and civil society to accelerate investment in resilience and responses to interconnected crises. Local governments and authorities are equally vital partners for materializing the SDGs on the ground, which is why the Basque Government, as host of the Localizing 2030 Secretariat, is also a key partner for the Facility.  

The Facility supports countries in designing tailored investment portfolios while reducing fragmentation and aligning incentives. With governments at the center, the Facility promotes domestic leadership, peer learning, and regional cooperation to co-invest and co-deliver sustainable development outcomes. Crucially, it shifts the focus toward unlocking available domestic financial resources – which hold significant potential to advance development priorities.  

Demystifying investment in LAC 

One thing that we heard repeatedly in conversations throughout FFD4 was the need to move past outdated perceptions of LAC as a risky place to invest. Instead, there was a strong sense of confidence in the region’s potential – with many pointing to the high returns and strategic opportunities that LAC offers. The Facility is designed to help build investor confidence and align capital with national priorities. 

The Facility’s three pillars 

The Facility’s approach is structured around three interconnected pillars to ensure that resilience efforts are country-driven, well-financed, and supported by a robust ecosystem of knowledge and collaboration: 

1. Empowering local leadership: National and subnational governments are placed at the forefront, shaping their own resilience strategies, sharing successes, and engaging in global dialogue through South-South and Triangular cooperation.
2. Unlocking strategic investments: By aligning funding with national priorities and facilitating partnerships across public and private actors, the Facility mobilizes investments in key sectors like infrastructure and climate finance.
3. Fostering regional expertise: A regional network of experts bridges institutional knowledge gaps, enabling a shared understanding and toolkit for resilience-focused investments.  

What’s next 

Latin America and the Caribbean is navigating a convergence of challenges: climate shocks, debt stress, persistent inequality, and a deep decline in ODA. For LAC, the commitments made in Sevilla and the tools available through the UNDP LAC Facility offer a blueprint for translating commitments into concrete action. The region must act boldly, collaboratively and urgently to turn this vision into reality.