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Selon une étude, les recours et oppositions sont des freins majeurs à la construction de nouveaux logements.

Les listes provisoires des candidatures validées et rejetées dans le cadre du concours de recrutement de 172 fonctionnaires de l'État au profit du ministère de l'économie et des Finances sont disponibles. Elles peuvent être consultées sur le portail web du ministère du Travail et de la fonction publique : www.travail.gouv.bj. Le communiqué du ministère du Travail renseigne aussi sur les centres de compositions retenus pour les candidats qui seront autorisés à composer.

All eyes are on the impact of EU-US trade talks, with European retaliatory tariffs likely to be inflationary.

L'année 2026 sera marquée au Bénin par l'organisation des élections législatives, communales et présidentielle. Le chronogramme des activités électorales a été rendu public par la Commission électorale nationale autonome (CENA).

OHRLLS Office Banner. Credit: OHRLLS

By Rabab Fatima
UNITED NATIONS, Jul 1 2025 (IPS)

Five years from the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we face a development emergency. The promise to eradicate poverty, combat climate change, and build a sustainable future for all is slipping away. The SDG financing gap has ballooned to over $4 trillion annually—a crisis compounded by declining aid, rising trade barriers, and a fragile global economy.

At the heart of this crisis is a systemic failure: the world’s most vulnerable nations—Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS)—are being left behind. The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in Seville is a historic chance to correct course.

We must seize it.

LDCs: Progress Stalled, Financing Denied

Three years into the Doha Programme of Action, LDCs are lagging precariously. Growth averages just 4.1%, far below the 7% target. FDI remains stagnant at a meager 2.5% of global flows, while ODA to LDCs fell by 3% in 2024. Worse, 29 LDCs now spend more on debt than health, and eight spend more on debt than education.

USG Rabab Fatima

These numbers demand action: scaled-up concessional finance, deep debt relief, and innovative tools like blended finance to unlock private investment. Without urgent measures, the 2030 Agenda will fail its most marginalized beneficiaries.

LLDCs: Trapped by Geography, Strangled by Finances

Six months after adopting the ambitious Awaza Programme of Action, LLDCs remain hamstrung by structural barriers. Despite hosting 7% of the world’s people, they account for just 1.2% of global trade, with export costs 74% higher than coastal nations. FDI has plummeted from $36 billion in 2011 to $23 billion in 2024, while ODA continues its downward spiral. Official Development Assistance (ODA) has also declined significantly from $38.1 billion in 2020 to $32 billion in 2023, with projections indicating continued downward trends.

The Awaza Programme outlines solutions—trade facilitation, infrastructure, and resilience—but these will remain empty promises without financing. FFD4 must align with its priorities, ensuring LLDCs get the investment they need to transform their economies.

I seize the opportunity to warmly invite all of you to continue these critical discussions at the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3), to be held in Awaza, Turkmenistan, from 5 to 8 August 2025 under the theme “Driving Progress through Partnerships”.

SIDS: Debt, Disasters, and a Broken System

For SIDS, the crisis is existential. Over 40% are in or near debt distress; 70% exceed sustainable debt thresholds. Between 2016 and 2020, they paid 18 times more in debt servicing than they received in climate finance. This is unconscionable. Countries on the frontlines of the climate crisis should not be left on the margins of global finance. Nations drowning in rising sea level – which they did not contribute to – should not be drowning in debt.

We can continue patching over cracks in a broken system. Or we can build a more equitable foundation for sustainable development, and for that addressing debt sustainability is not only an economic necessity, but also a development imperative. No country should be forced to choose between servicing debt and protecting its future.

The Way Forward: Solidarity in Action

FFD4 must deliver:

1. Debt relief and restructuring for LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS to free up resources for development.
2. Scaling up concessional finance and honoring ODA commitments.
3. Mobilizing private capital through de-risking instruments and blended finance.
4. Climate finance justice, ensuring SIDS and LDCs receive grants and concessional finance, not loans, to build resilience.

The moral case is clear, but so is the strategic one: A world where billions are left in poverty and instability, should be a world of shared risks and responsibilities. FFD4 must be the moment we choose a different path—one of equity, urgency, and action. The time for excuses is over. The agreement on the Compromiso de Sevilla is the start – the real test will be its implementation.

As we move forward on those important responsibilities s and necessary actions, my Office, UN-OHRLLS, is with you every step of the way.

Rabab Fatima, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Selon le rapport annuel du SECO, les ressortissants de l’UE complètent la main-d’œuvre indigène sans la remplacer.

A büntetőeljárás során az előkészítő ülés egy kulcsfontosságú esemény, amely jelentősen meghatározza a további jogi folyamatokat. 

Ez az a pont a bírósági szakaszban, ahol a vádlott dönt arról, hogy bevallja-e a bűncselekményt, amellyel vádolják, vagy sem. 

Az ülés célja, hogy tiszta képet adjon a felek számára a várható eljárási lépésekről, és ezzel megnyissa az utat a tárgyalási szakasznak. A védőügyvéd itt hozhatja meg azon stratégiai döntéseket, amelyek az eljárás sikerét meghatározhatják.

Mit takar az előkészítő ülés?

Amikor az ügyészség vádemelést kezdeményez, a bíróság kitűzi az előkészítő ülés időpontját. Az ülésen a vádlott lehetőséget kap arra, hogy állást foglaljon az ellene felhozott vádakkal kapcsolatban. 

Az ügyvédek ekkor teszik meg a szükséges jogi indítványokat, és ismertetik álláspontjukat a vádiratról. 

A vádlott dilemmája: beismerés vagy tagadás?

Az előkészítő ülésen a vádlott szembesül azzal a dilemmával, hogy beismeri-e a vádiratban szereplő bűncselekményeket vagy sem. Ha úgy dönt, hogy bevallja, az ügyész javaslatot tehet a büntetés mértékére. 

Ez a mértékes indítványként ismert lehetőség csak az ülés időtartama alatt él és célja, hogy csökkentse a peres eljárás időtartamát. Beismerés esetén a bíróság a javaslatnál enyhébb ítéletet is hozhat, de súlyosabbat nem.

Hogyan segít egy tapasztalt védőügyvéd?

A beismerés vagy tagadás kérdése nem könnyű döntés. A védőügyvédek szakértelme itt válik igazán fontossá, hiszen ők segítenek a vádlottaknak jól megítélni a jogi helyzetüket. 

Gondolta volna, hogy a mértékes indítvány tartalma és a büntetés mértéke között néha csekély különbség lehet? Egy ügyes ügyvéd azonban tisztán lát, és segíthet abban, hogy a vádlott a lehető legjobb döntést hozza meg.

Az előkészítő ülés hosszú távú következményei

Az ülésen tett beismerés korlátozza a vádlott fellebbezési lehetőségeit, ezért alapos megfontolást igényel. A be nem ismerés mellett döntő vádlottak védője sakkban tarthatja a vádat új bizonyítékok bemutatásával és a vádirat hiányosságainak felmutatásával. Tévesen járt el a hatóság bizonyítékgyűjtés közben? Ezt és az ilyen helyzeteket is segít feltárni egy jó védőügyvéd.

Így válik világossá, hogy az előkészítő ülés nem csupán egy procedurális állomás, hanem egy valódi mérföldkő a büntetőeljárás folyamatában. A döntések megalapozása és a stratégiák kiválasztása a védőügyvéd közreműködésével jelentős befolyással bír az eljárás kimenetelére. Az alapos előkészület többszörösen megtérülhet a bírósági szakasz előrehaladtával.

The post Mit érdemes tudni a büntetőeljárás előkészítő üléséről? appeared first on Biztonságpiac.

L’entreprise publique doit économiser 16,5 millions de francs d’ici à 2026. Une vingtaine d’employés pourraient perdre leur emploi dans cette restructuration.

Près d’un million de Suisses subissent des niveaux sonores dangereux pour leur santé. Notre outil vous permet de découvrir l’intensité du bruit à proximité de votre domicile, de jour et de nuit.

Women protesting against gender-based violence on International Women’s Day in Liberia. Credit: UN Photo/Eric Kanalstein

By Juliana White
UNITED NATIONS, Jul 1 2025 (IPS)

In 2023, approximately 612 million women and girls lived within 50 kilometers of a conflict zone, more than 50 percent higher than a decade ago. During war, they disproportionately suffer from gender-based and sexual violence.

It is estimated that over 120 countries are currently involved in armed conflict, displacing around 117.3 million people. Women and girls account for nearly half of the forcibly displaced population and represent a large majority of the world’s refugees.

UN Women found that the number of women killed in armed conflicts doubled from 2022 to 2023, making up 40 percent of all deaths in war.

During conflict women and girls experience horrific abuse, including torture, rape, sexual slavery, trafficking, torture, malnutrition, and a lack of access to vital care. Such violence is rampant in countries like Sudan, Nigeria, Palestine, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The Report of the United Nations Secretary-General on conflict-related sexual violence documented 3,688 verified cases in 2023. Women and girls account for 95 percent of reports, a striking 50 percent increase compared to findings from the previous year.

Even after surviving brutal sexual attacks, warring countries provide limited care options. Hospitals are one of the few places sanctioned as safe havens during conflict. However, many are destroyed or badly damaged during attacks, forcing them to shut down.

The United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) says that the disruption of sexual and reproductive health services puts women and girls at risk. They are more likely to experience unplanned pregnancy, maternal mortality, severe sexual and reproductive injuries, and contract infections.

UN Women also found that around 500 women and girls die daily from pregnancy and childbirth complications in countries affected by conflict.

Hospitals are not the only supposed haven sites impacted by war. Many schools in warring countries have had to close due to military takeover or destruction.

The Education under Attack 2024 report, released by the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA), said that there were about 6,000 attacks on education between 2022 and 2023.

Attacks on schools included death, injuries, rape, abduction and significant damage to buildings. The GCPEA also reported that girls affected by these attacks had a harder time resuming learning activities.

“Education is an absolute necessity, not just for the children themselves but also for global peace, stability and prosperity for all. Schools should be treated as sanctuaries, and it is our common responsibility to ensure that every child has access to an education, even at times of conflict,” said Ms. Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, during the Arria Formula Meeting on the issue of attacks on schools in 2017.

Despite rampant oppressive inequality by men during conflict, women are the solution for peace. Studies show that when women are involved in peace negotiations, there is a higher rate of implementation. Agreements also last significantly longer than those made only by men.

Last year, Oct. 15, 2024, marked eight years of the implementation of Colombia’s Peace Agreement, which included women in the creation process. While Colombia’s peace process set new standards for the inclusion of women in peace processes, they are still significantly underrepresented.

Between 2020 and 2023, 8 in 10 peace talks and 7 in 10 mediation efforts had no women involved. Despite proven impact, women remain shut out of peace processes.

To improve the representation of women in peace operations, human rights organizations like the UN actively advocate for women’s rights. They hold countries accountable for creating an inclusive environment.

However, more parties to conflict, negotiators and other actors must uphold global commitments to fulfill equal and meaningful participation of women in processes. But a lack of funding and military and political powers dominated by men still create significant setbacks.

“Women continue to pay the price of the wars of men,” said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous. “This is happening in the context of a larger war on women. The deliberate targeting of women’s rights is not unique to conflict-affected countries but is even more lethal in those settings. We are witnessing the weaponization of gender equality on many fronts; if we do not stand up and demand change, the consequences will be felt for decades, and peace will remain elusive.”

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Trois structures ont reçu les Trophées RSE / ODD 2025 lors de la Septième édition des Rencontres de la RSE (Responsabilité sociétale des Entreprise) organisée par le Cabinet MINDO CONSULTANTS dans les locaux de l'entreprise Concentrix- Bénin à Akpakpa.

Pour cette édition, les organisateurs ont mis un accent sur le thème « le développement durable est-il rentable dans le secteur du BTP ? » lors d'un panel qui a réuni Kassa I. MOUNOU SAMBIENI, Directeur Général de la Société Nationale d'Essais et de Recherches des Travaux Publics (SNERTP), Roméo HOUSSOU de SCACU SARL et Odile NIVARD, Responsable des Partenariats et du développement de la Fondation LOKO José Dominique. Les discussions ont porté sur la rentabilité des actions durables dans le secteur du BTP, mettant en lumière des retours d'expérience concrets et des modèles innovants d'intégration de la RSE dans les projets de construction.

La 7ème édition des Rencontres de la RSE Trophée RSE/ODD 2025 s'est conclue par la remise de trophées RSE aux entreprises les plus engagées, Concentrix Bénin, AFG Assurances Vie et l'ONG RSEEO Bénin, suivie d'un cocktail convivial propice au réseautage et à la poursuite des échanges.

Cette édition des Rencontres de la RSE a réaffirmé l'importance stratégique de la responsabilité sociétale des entreprises au Bénin entre retours d'expérience, apports méthodologiques et valorisation des bonnes pratiques, cette rencontre a marqué une étape supplémentaire dans l'ancrage de la RSE comme levier de performance durable. Il est prévu très bientôt, des formations RSE en septembre pour les managers et octobre pour les salariés.

A noter que cette édition des Rencontres de la RSE a été également marquée par La masterclass animée par M. Léon Anjorin KOBOUDE, PDG de MinDo Consultants. À travers une intervention didactique, il a abordé les fondements de la communication RSE : la RSE ne se résume pas aux dons ou actions ponctuelles, mais à une stratégie globale intégrée à la mission de l'entreprise.

Il a mis en garde contre le Greenwashing et encouragé pour une communication authentique et transparente des managers d'entreprise.

Il a insisté sur l'importance de mobiliser les parties prenantes, notamment les collaborateurs, partenaires, consommateurs et communautés locales. Enfin, il a rappelé qu'une bonne communication RSE repose sur un plan d'action clair, construit autour des piliers économiques, social et environnemental.

Quelques images

Le commissaire européen Maroš Šefčovič entame mardi 1er juillet une mission à Washington pour tenter de désamorcer les tensions avec les États-Unis, à quelques jours de l’entrée en vigueur des droits de douane de 50 % sur les produits européens.

The post Le commissaire au Commerce aux États-Unis, alors que pèse sur Bruxelles la menace de droits de douane de 50 % appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Harriet Okech, a scientist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), briefing visitors to CGIAR Science Week on the work of the IITA. Credit: Busani Bafana/IPS

By Busani Bafana
NAIROBI, Jul 1 2025 (IPS)

Despite delivering life-saving medicines, more nutritious crops, and transformative technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), science remains widely misunderstood, polarizing, and underappreciated. Much of this, experts say, comes down to one persistent issue: poor communication.

Science doesn’t reach the people it’s meant to serve—not because it lacks value, but because it is locked behind technical jargon and inaccessible language. “Science is often misunderstood because it’s poorly communicated,” says Harriet Okech, a biotechnologist on a mission to demystify science and protect it from distortion in an era of rampant misinformation.

Okech, a scientist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Kenya, believes that science must be made understandable and relatable—especially for farmers and policymakers, who are critical in translating research into real-world impact.

“Science should not stay in journals or labs. It must reach the people who need it most,” Okech told IPS.

Keen to improve the accessibility and relevance of its science research to decision-makers, the CGIAR published a report, Insight to Impact: A Decision-Maker’s Guide to Navigating Food System Science, which recognized that the CGIAR’s research was not consistently being used. The report designed for leaders, policymakers and researchers, focuses on translating science into action by simplifying scientific findings into practical, understandable and relevant information with links to tools and real-world applications.

“One of the main barriers is the gap in communication between the scientist and the private sector, including the farmer who is supposed to be the key beneficiary of the materials and innovations the scientists are coming up with,” said Grace Mijiga Mhango, President of the Grain Traders and Processors Association of Malawi, one of several stakeholders consulting in the development of the report.

Commenting on the report, Lindiwe Sibanda, Chair of the CGIAR Integrated Partnership Board, highlighted that policymakers need more support to navigate food systems science.

“The most powerful scaling of agricultural research that I have experienced is through policy, where a policy environment is created in a way that is conducive for CGIAR technologies to be taken up. Yet not all researchers, not all scientists, are comfortable in the science-policy interface. This report marks a step towards bridging this gap.”

Unjamming the Jargon, Plain Speak

To make science relatable, it must first be understandable.

“Scientists and journalists must work together to unpack complex research. Otherwise, the message gets lost—or worse, misinterpreted,” said Okech.

Often, journalists simply reproduce scientific jargon without fully understanding it, leading to confusion and public distrust. “Scientists need to own their narratives and communicate their work clearly—without causing panic or watering it down,” she explained.

Through science communication training programs for researchers and journalists, Okech is helping build this critical skill set.

The biotechnology sector, in particular, has been a frequent casualty of misinformation.

“There’s a lot of fear around biotech because people don’t understand what it is,” Okech noted.

She recalled explaining the basics of GM technology to an Uber driver following Kenya’s decision to lift its ban on genetically modified crops.

“He thought GMOs were just oversized vegetables injected with chemicals. That moment reminded me how important it is to engage beyond the lab.”

Today, Okech writes science-based opinion pieces for the media and creates video content on platforms like YouTube to explain innovations in biotechnology and genome editing in a simple, visual, and engaging way. Her work spans key crops like cassava and ensete—a vital food crop in Ethiopia related to bananas—where she focuses on improving traits for disease resistance and resilience through genetic transformation and gene editing.

As the world works to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), science information must be accessible and inclusive in helping tackle development challenges, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Through its Open Science initiative, UNESCO has championed the need to simplify science communication to promote public understanding and engagement.

Science in Her Cells

Having transitioned from the lab to the front line of science communication, Okech sees herself as a bridge between researchers and the public.

“When I worked in the lab, my dream was to help others understand science, especially those without a scientific background,” she said.

Under the mentorship of Dr. Leena Tripathi—Director of the Eastern Africa Hub and Head of the Biotechnology Program at IITA—Okech has led communications efforts for the institute’s biotechnology and cassava seed systems programs.

Science, for Okech, is more than a career. It is a calling.

“It’s in my DNA,” she chuckled. “But what good is science if no one understands it?”

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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L’accord migratoire entre l’Italie et l’Albanie traverse sa plus grave zone de turbulence depuis sa signature, après la publication d’un rapport critique de la Cour suprême de cassation, le plus haut organe judiciaire italien.

The post Italie : l’accord migratoire avec l’Albanie sévèrement critiqué par la Cour de cassation appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Le Danemark prend la présidence du Conseil de l’Union européenne mardi 1er juillet avec la sécurité du continent comme priorité, et en particulier la mise en œuvre de l’accélération des hausses de dépenses de défense.

The post La sécurité du continent européen, priorité de la présidence danoise de l’UE appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Credit: ICAN/Tim Wright

By Jacqueline Cabasso
OAKLAND, California, USA, Jul 1 2025 (IPS)

July 16, 2025, will mark the 80th anniversary of “Trinity,” the first nuclear test detonation, at Alamagordo, New Mexico, and August 6 and 9 will mark the 80th anniversaries of the United States atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Rather than commemorating those somber anniversaries as a grim reminder of the past, this year they serve as a foreboding warning of what may be to come.

The Russian Federation’s nuclear threats in its war on Ukraine have made clear that the dangers of nuclear war are real and present. Tensions around the world, including between the United States and China over Taiwan and the South China Sea, and the chronic security crises on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East, constitute other potential nuclear flashpoints.

The recent armed clashes between India and Pakistan have demonstrated that the near-term risks of nuclear war are multifaceted and global.

Reflecting the urgency of this moment, on June 20, the day before the United States bombed Iran’s nuclear technology infrastructure, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) International Affairs Standing Committee unanimously adopted a timely new resolution, “Urging the United States to Lead the World Back From the Brink of Nuclear War and Halt and Reverse the Nuclear Arms Race.” It was officially adopted at the closing session of the USCM’s 93rd Annual Meeting in Tampa, Florida, on June 22.

During the committee meeting, Acting Chair, Mayor Martha Guerrero, of West Sacramento, California, one of the resolution’s cosponsors, noted, “In an increasingly interconnected world, mayors are stepping into the role of diplomats…. U.S. and international mayors are shaping foreign policy from the ground up.” This is the twentieth consecutive year that the USCM has adopted a resolution submitted by U.S. members of Mayors for Peace.

The USCM is the official nonpartisan association of more than 1,400 American cities with populations over 30,000. Resolutions adopted at its annual meetings become USCM official policy that guide the organization’s advocacy efforts for the coming year.

The new Mayors for Peace resolution points out that world military expenditures rose to $2718 billion in 2024, and that the U.S. accounted for 37% of global military spending, more than the next nine countries combined, more than three times as much as China, and nearly seven times as much as Russia.

It notes that the Congressional Budget Office has projected that, if carried out, U.S. plans to operate, sustain, and modernize its strategic and tactical nuclear delivery systems and the weapons they carry would cost a total of $946 billion over the 2025–2034 period, an average of about $95 billion a year, an amount 25 percent ($190 billion) larger than its 2023 estimate of $756 billion for the 2023–2032 period.

In response to these escalating nuclear dangers and spiraling costs, the USCM “calls on the President to lead a global effort to move the world back from the nuclear brink, halt and reverse a global nuclear arms race, and prevent nuclear war, by engaging in good faith negotiations with the other eight nuclear armed states, in particular the Russian Federation and China, to halt any further buildup of nuclear arsenals and to verifiably reduce and eliminate nuclear arsenals according to negotiated timetables; seeking the renunciation by all nuclear-armed states of the option of using nuclear weapons.

First; implementing effective checks and balances on the Commander in Chief’s sole authority to order the use of U.S. nuclear weapons; ending the Cold War-era ‘hair-trigger alert’ posture; ending plans to produce and deploy new nuclear warheads and delivery systems; and maintaining the de facto global moratorium on nuclear explosive testing.”

Second, the USCM also “calls on the President to protect communities and workers affected by nuclear weapons by fully remediating the deadly legacy of environmental contamination from past and current nuclear weapons testing, development, production, storage, and maintenance activities, and by providing health monitoring, compensation, and medical care to those who have and will be harmed by nuclear weapons research, testing, and production, including through an expanded Radiation Exposure Compensation Act program.”

Third, the USCM also “calls on the President to actively plan a just economic transition for the civilian and military workforce involved in the development, testing, production, management, and dismantlement of nuclear weapons and for the communities that are economically dependent on nuclear weapons laboratories, production facilities, and military bases.”

And it urges Congress to pass H. Res. 317, “Urging the United States to Lead the World Back From the Brink of Nuclear War and Halt and Reverse the Nuclear Arms Race,” which encompasses the above points, introduced by Representative Jim McGovern (MA) on April 9, 2025.

Finally, the resolution calls on the Administration and Congress to cut increases in military and nuclear weapons spending and to restore funding for programs that are critical to American cities, including the Community Development Block Grant Program and the HOME Investment Partnership Program, and to preserve and strengthen Medicaid as a matter of public safety.

The resolution’s lead sponsor, Mayor Quentin Hart of Waterloo, Iowa, commented, “As an elected official and original sponsor, I recognize the value of human life and our duty as leaders to leave a better world for future generations. In this heightened hour of conflict and division this resolution rings as a reminder that we have so much work to do”.

“It is essential to examine how we use nuclear weapons and to foster meaningful global dialogue to prevent nuclear conflict and promote peace. I am honored to stand alongside fellow mayors worldwide as a member of Mayors for Peace, advocating for a safer, more peaceful future.”

As recognized in the resolution, Mayors for Peace, led by the Mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, is working for a world without nuclear weapons, safe and resilient cities, and a culture of peace. As of June 1, 2025, Mayors for Peace has grown to 8,487 cities in 166 countries and territories, with 230 U.S. members.

The USCM has once again charted a responsible path. It’s long past time for the federal government to listen to the elected representatives who are closest to the people. This resolution could not be timelier – or more urgent.

The shared common-sense commitment of mayors across the country and around the world to the global elimination of nuclear weapons is a beacon of hope in these dark times.

The 2025 USCM Mayors for Peace resolution was sponsored by Mayor Quentin Hart, of Waterloo, Iowa, and cosponsored by Mayor Lacey Beaty, of Beaverton, Oregon; Mayor LaToya Cantrell, of New Orleans, Louisiana; Mayor Brad Cavanagh, of Dubuque, Iowa; Mayor Joy Cooper, of Hallandale Beach, Florida; Mayor Malik Evans, of Rochester, New York; Mayor Martha Guerrero, of West Sacramento, California; Mayor Adena Ishii, of Berkeley, California; Mayor Elizabeth Kautz, of Burnsville, Minnesota; Mayor Kim Norton, of Rochester, Minnesota; Mayor Andy Schor, of Lansing, Michigan; Mayor Matt Tuerk, of Allentown, Pennsylvania; Mayor Ellen Kamei, of Mountain View, California; Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson, of Riverside, California; Mayor Joshua Garcia, of Holyoke, Massachusetts; and Mayor S.M. Fazlul Kabir, of College Park, Maryland.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Excerpt:

Jacqueline Cabasso is Executive Director, Western States Legal Foundation and Mayors for Peace, North American Coordinator

Près de 200 signataires, dont les entreprises Nokia, EDF et Allianz, ont appelé à ne pas détricoter les textes européens sur le devoir de vigilance et les obligations de durabilité des entreprises après un nouveau recul de la Commission européenne.

The post Devoir de vigilance : des entreprises plaident contre le détricotage par l’UE appeared first on Euractiv FR.

The 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), began 30 June and will conclude 3 July 2025 in FIBES Sevilla Exhibition and Conference Centre, Spain.
 
According to the UN, FFD4 aspires to build a renewed global financing framework that will unlock greater volumes of capital at a lower cost. In Sevilla, and through a renewed global financing framework, leaders are taking action to deliver an SDG investment push and to reform the international financial architecture to enable the transformative change that the world urgently needs.

By Michael Jarvis
WASHINGTON DC, Jul 1 2025 (IPS)

As the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) kicks off in Sevilla, Spain, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

At a moment when much of the world is distracted by geopolitical rivalries, battles over tax and spending, and declining aid, FfD4 is quietly assembling nearly every government on earth to discuss how we fund the future.

Behind the formal speeches and policy jargon is a rare and vital opportunity to rethink the global financial system in a way that is fairer, more inclusive, and better equipped to serve both people and planet.

This isn’t just another international summit. It’s the first such meeting in a decade, and it comes at a time when development finance systems are under unprecedented strain. Climate shocks, austerity measures, and widening inequality are colliding with falling aid budgets and a debt crisis affecting over 50 countries. For many in the Global South, the question isn’t how to accelerate progress, it’s how to avoid collapse.

And yet, amid all this, 193 countries will show up. They’ve come not just to debate, but to negotiate, align, and hopefully act. That, in itself, is worth noting. Multilateralism isn’t dead. Leadership is coming from new sources and the Compromiso de Sevilla demonstrates that agreement is still possible.

From Global Goals to Ground-Level Gaps

The world has made bold promises, such as meeting the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, but we are falling far behind. Financing gaps are widening, and trust in international institutions is eroding. But FfD4 offers a chance to restore some of that trust by showing that global cooperation can still deliver practical, people-centered solutions.

This week, governments will be pressed to move from vague commitments to concrete steps. That means scaling up fair tax systems that generate domestic revenue without deepening inequality. It means reimagining the way sovereign debt is taken on and managed so that countries aren’t forced to choose between paying creditors and paying teachers.

And it means strengthening the transparency and accountability mechanisms that ensure resources reach the people who need them most.

Quiet Achievements, Real Stakes

It’s easy to dismiss global conferences as talk shops. But in a fractured world, dialogue is essential. Even before the conference began, diplomats reached consensus on a shared outcome document. It won’t satisfy every stakeholder, and it’s far from revolutionary, but it affirms something many feared lost: a willingness to work together.

The document supports stronger domestic resource mobilization, enhanced transparency in fiscal systems, more equitable tax cooperation, and steps toward reforming the debt architecture. These are not minor tweaks, they’re foundational issues that will determine whether countries can invest in health, education, and climate resilience.

The real test, of course, begins after Sevilla. Commitments on paper mean little without follow-through. That’s why the implementation phase must include robust accountability, and why funders and civil society have a critical role to play in sustaining momentum.

Where Philanthropy Comes In

One glaring omission in both the lead-up to this conference and the outcome document itself is the role of philanthropy. Mentioned only once in the official document and only as a potential contributor to pooled capital, there has been little consideration of the role of philanthropy in future development finance.

That’s a mistake.

Philanthropy isn’t a substitute for public finance, but it is a powerful complement. It can take risks governments can’t. It can move resources quickly. And it can help ensure that the most marginalized voices, often excluded from elite negotiating tables, are heard and heeded.

At the Trust, Accountability and Inclusion Collaborative, we’ve seen how funders can drive progress by supporting more inclusive decision making and helping watchdogs, media and open government champions help shine a light on how money is spent and whether it’s truly serving the public interest.

Philanthropy can also help Global South governments navigate the technical and political complexities of international tax and debt processes, ensuring they’re not just at the table, but empowered to lead.

And critically, funders can support civil society organizations that encourage civic participation, monitor progress, demand results, and build public trust. In an age of growing authoritarianism and civic space closures, this kind of support is more important than ever.

A Moment to Build On

Sevilla will not solve the world’s financing challenges in four days. But it can mark a turning point. It can begin to restore trust in a multilateral system that too often feels distant, slow, or captured by narrow interests. It can elevate issues like financial integrity, equitable taxation, and debt justice that are too often buried in technical discussions.

And it can create space for new actors, especially from philanthropy and civil society, to step up and help turn ambition into action.

We are not powerless in the face of global fragmentation. Progress is still possible. FfD4 reminds us that the machinery of cooperation still exists. The question is whether we are willing to use it.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Excerpt:

Michael Jarvis is Executive Director, Trust, Accountability and Inclusion Collaborative (TAI)

In today’s edition of The Capitals, read about Brussels' gentle approach to the US, the new trade deal with Ukraine, and the Italy-Albania migration protocol facing recent major roadblocks.

By Jomo Kwame Sundaram
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Jul 1 2025 (IPS)

President Trump’s tariffs have exposed neoliberal trade ideology and undermined corporate lobbying in the name of free trade. But his rhetoric has also exposed the fallacies of his own economic strategy.

Ideological shift?
To be sure, there has never really been an era of truly free trade in centuries. International trade has typically been partially and unevenly free and, more often than not, regulated.

Jomo Kwame Sundaram

Most supposed neoliberals have never consistently promoted free trade regardless of circumstances, but only when it seemed to serve their national and corporate interests well, e.g., via unequal exchange.

Trump’s tariffs claim to revive manufacturing jobs, which the US has lost to cheaper imports. But employment lost to automation will be almost impossible to regain. Worse, his tariffs will regressively tax US consumers.

Free trade does not help selective investment and technology promotion. Biden sought to promote new industries, often at high cost, with his Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS and Science Act, and other industrial policy measures.

However, these have been undermined by Trump’s insistence on repudiating earlier administrations’ initiatives and cutting non-military government spending even when they serve his ostensible strategic ends.

With tariffs, his main policy weapon in his bullying transactional approach to exclusively bilateral bargaining, Trump’s reindustrialisation ambitions may only partially succeed.

His refusal to bargain collectively enhances the US advantage in such asymmetric negotiations. Others anxious to curry favour have already conceded excessive concessions, even exceeding Washington’s expectations!

The fates of the worst-off thus only worsen, generating widespread resentment and antagonism. But few tangible gains are likely from the weakest, except for mineral concessions.

Bretton Woods over
In the 1960s, French President Charles de Gaulle complained the 1944 Bretton Woods agreement (BWA) had given the US an ‘exorbitant privilege’. The price of an ounce of gold was set at $35.

This peg allowed the US to borrow cheaply from those who needed US dollars. Selling US Treasury bonds to the world thus closed both its current account (trade) and fiscal deficits.

Pressure on the greenback rose over the 1960s, especially with sharply rising Vietnam War spending. France then led others to demand gold instead of holding dollars.

In August 1971, President Nixon unilaterally repudiated the US’s BW obligation to redeem gold at the promised dollar price. But this did not end the US’s exorbitant privilege.

The US allowed the Saudi-led OPEC to raise the oil price if payments were in dollars. The petroleum price hike also set back its emerging European and Japanese industrial rivals.

Since 1971, US dollar acceptance has relied on the belief that it will continue as the international reserve currency. Thus, exorbitant privilege has become a matter of faith.

Ironically, while Eurodollars had undermined the BWA, petrodollars saved the dollar’s reserve currency status and exorbitant privilege, with oil becoming the ‘new gold’.

Neoliberal trade myths
Half a century of neoliberal trade rhetoric has claimed ‘trade liberalisation’ benefits all, e.g., free trade lifts all boats, its leading myth.

Although this has not even been true of the Global North, it has not deterred economic policy pundits from advocating free trade agreements with the US as the solution to Trump’s tariffs!

But even trade mahaguru Jagdish Bhagwati insists that only an equitable multilateral trade agreement can lift all boats. He denounced bilateral, regional, and other plurilateral agreements as termites detracting from it.

The most popular computable general equilibrium (CGE)-based trade simulations assume unchanging full employment, trade, and fiscal balances.

Such estimates of free trade gains are misleading, as their methodologies typically ignore trade liberalisation’s significant problematic effects, such as output and job losses and trade and fiscal imbalances.

Unsurprisingly, cost-benefit studies by the World Bank and others projected net losses for most of the Global South from the 2001 Doha Round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations.

False narratives
Trump’s ‘shock and awe’ Liberation Day announcement brought much of the world to heel in one fell swoop. As the president bragged, scores of governments rushed to “kiss his arse”.

However, Trump’s priorities, especially his proposed tax cuts, the changing world political economy, and the diverse nature of US interests, will erode public support for his agenda.

Trump’s policy narrative is unashamedly incoherent and self-contradictory. The Financial Times noted, “The US president wants both to protect domestic manufacturing and hold the dollar as the reserve currency.”

Self-servingly dismissive of received conventional wisdom, his jingoistic rhetoric and self-congratulatory style successfully target his faithful with cherry-picked evidence and half-truths.

Even if Trump’s tariffs fail on his own terms, he can still claim to have tried to make America great again. He will continue to blame opposition within and without to secure his jingoist MAGA base.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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