Member agencies of the Inter-agency Task Force submitted Policy Briefs as a contribution to the Zero Draft of the FFD4 Outcome Document.
Organization | Brief |
---|---|
![]() ESCAP |
"Addressing Representation Issues of Developing Countries in International Financial Institutions" Summary: Voting right imbalances persist in international financial institutions with respect to the population and size of the economy of their member states. Aiming for greater influence on financing policy decisions impacting developing countries, Asia-Pacific member states should continue on institutional reform discussions. However, strengthening of regional financial institutions in parallel as a complementary approach. Action Areas: Addressing Systemic Issues; International Development Cooperation; Cross-Cutting Issues |
ESCAP |
"Enhancing Synergies Between Global Commitments and Aligning Financial Flows" Summary: This brief focuses on the importance of strengthening the coherence and consistency of the international development system with respect to financing sustainable development and climate ambitions. It highlights the fragmented approaches to financing currently prevalent and underscores the need to integrate international commitments regarding sustainable development and climate ambitions with national investment planning and financing processes. A similar integrated approach is called for at the global level as well. Action Areas: Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; Addressing Systemic Issues; International Development Cooperation |
ESCAP |
"Addressing Public Debt Sustainability Concerns" Summary: Public debt distress has three distinct underlying causes which should be evaluated and addressed differently. Similarly, traditional bilateral, non-traditional bilateral and commercial creditors have shared but differentiated responsibilities in sovereign debt restructuring. Proper resolution of sovereign debt distress should ideally be guided by these two principles/realities, while continuing with pragmatic second-best approaches. Debtor countries should also hold their side of the bargain by ensuring accountable and productive use of borrowed funds and effective public debt management. Action Areas: Debt and Debt Sustainability; Addressing Systemic Issues; Domestic Public Resources |
ESCAP |
"Financing Development through Trade: Harnessing Digital Opportunities" Summary: This policy brief highlights the challenges faced by Asia-Pacific developing economies, in particular LDCs, in tapping the potential of digital trade opportunities to finance sustainable development and discusses some potential policy solutions. It focuses on promoting domestic resource mobilization, fostering international cooperation, and supporting LDCs to participate in digital trade. The key recommendations include closing the digital divide, establishing coordinated digital tax frameworks, strengthening regulatory cooperation, and building digital-trade capacity for MSMEs and marginalized groups. Action Areas: Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; International Trade as an Engine for Development; Science, Technology, Innovation, and Capacity Building |
ESCAP |
"Strengthening Domestic Public Resources" Summary: Asia-Pacific experience suggests a central role of rationalized tax structure, strengthened tax administration, and reduced wasteful tax exemptions in episodes of swift tax revenue enhancement. Nevertheless, to achieve greater and sustained results in the longer term, broader socioeconomic progress and improvements in public governance are equally indispensable. Meanwhile, better exploration of tax potentials of direct income and wealth taxes and of the region’s booming real estate markets will be key for further public revenue enhancement. Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; Addressing Systemic Issues; Cross-Cutting Issues |
ESCAP |
Summary: This brief focuses on the importance of strengthening financial regulations that can accelerate private financing towards the Sustainable Development Goals in the Asia-Pacific region. The brief puts forward actions to deepen banking and capital markets in Asia and the Pacific, as well as outlines a new approach that combines concessional and private finance in the least developed countries in Asia and the Pacific. Action Areas: Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; Debt and Debt Sustainability; Addressing Systemic Issues |
![]() GCF |
"Innovative Approaches to Mobilizing Climate Finance" Summary: This policy brief explores innovative approaches to mobilizing climate finance, focusing on both public and private sector contributions. It highlights the urgent need for scalable finance solutions, given global economic volatility and rising debt levels in developing countries. Key solutions include unlocking alternative funding sources, leveraging debt restructuring, scaling blended finance, and utilizing innovative financial instruments. The Green Climate Fund (GCF) plays a critical role in catalyzing such investments and driving climate action, particularly in support of the most vulnerable. Action Areas: Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; Addressing Systemic Issues; Debt and Debt Sustainability |
GCF |
"Reform of the International Financial Architecture to Tackle Global Challenges" Summary: The global finance landscape remains fragmented, insufficient, and not fit-for-purpose, limiting access for developing countries most in need. Urgent reforms are required to simplify access, scale up concessional finance, and mobilize private sector capital through blended finance mechanisms. Strengthening country ownership and improving transparency across financial flows are key priorities. The Fourth Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) should advocate for these reforms to close the sustainable development finance gap and accelerate progress toward global goals, especially for vulnerable and low-income countries. FFD4 must be the running point that transforms global financing landscape into a truly inclusive, scalable, impactable, fit-for-purpose and sustainable engine for achieving the SDGs, Post-2015 development Agenda, and Paris Agreement goals by 2030. Action Areas: Addressing Systemic Issues; International Development Cooperation; Domestic and International Private Business and Finance |
![]() IATF Gender Cluster |
"Financing for Gender Equality" Action Areas: Cross-Cutting Issues; Domestic Public Resources; Addressing Systemic Issues |
![]() IFAD |
Summary: Reducing poverty, ending hunger and fulfilling the 2030 Agenda is possible by increasing targeted investments where they are needed the most. Increased financing for food systems as key accelerators to achieve the SDGs is needed along with better targeting of vulnerable groups, including rural communities, small-scale producers (especially women and youth) and Indigenous Peoples to leave no one behind. Recommendations include increasing ODA for sustainable food systems, climate adaptation and rural development, strengthening PDBs and MDBs, leveraging remittances, and rechanneling SDRs to mobilize grater investments for sustainable food systems, rural development and climate adaptation. Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; International Development Cooperation; Cross-Cutting Issues |
![]() IFAD-IOM |
"The Role of Remittances and Diaspora Investments in Financing the SDGs" Summary: Remittances and diaspora investments are a major source of external private finance crucial for achieving SDGs, but their full potential remains largely untapped. Member States should acknowledge their potential and renew and expand their commitments to maximize their impact to development, ensuring access to formal, affordable, and secure remittance Action Areas: Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; Cross-Cutting Issues; International Development Cooperation |
![]() IFC |
"The Future of Aid: Scaling Private Sector Investments through Blended Finance" Summary: IFC’s brief outlines some of the necessary conditions for continued growth in the application of blended finance for private sector projects in emerging markets and developing economies to address global challenges like climate, fragility, food security, and gender. Enhanced transparency, new sources of flexible concessional finance, and continued collaboration between stakeholders are identified as key factors in helping the market scale to meet the SDG funding gap. Action Areas: Domestic and International Private Business and Finance |
![]() ILO |
"Financing Inclusive Structural Transformation" Summary: This policy brief emphasizes the need for financing inclusive structural transformation to foster economic growth, create decent jobs, and ensure sustainable development. Developing countries face challenges due to limited financial resources, premature deindustrialization, and a shift towards low-productivity sectors. The brief recommends strengthening national public development banks, forming public-private alliances, and adopting tailored macroeconomic frameworks. These efforts, combined with social partner involvement and multilateral cooperation, are crucial to overcoming financing barriers and supporting long-term, inclusive development. Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; Science, Technology, Innovation and Capacity Building; International Development Cooperation |
ILO |
"FDI for Decent and Productive Jobs" Summary: Investment is necessary but not sufficient for achieving inclusive economic growth and decent work. The ILO MNE Declaration provides an investment framework for coherent and synergistic policies concerning job creation, enterprise development, formalization, skills development and protection of workers’ rights. Consultation with social partners can ensure that decent work is prioritized while also enabling enterprises to grow. And dialogue between host and home countries could lead to better alignment of policies and ODA to support investment facilitation for development. Action Areas: International Trade as an Engine for Development; Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; Science, Technology, Innovation, and Capacity Building |
ILO |
"Closing the Financing Gap for Universal Social Protection" Summary: This brief presents evidence on coverage and financing gaps for universal social protection (USP), offering actionable recommendations for FfD4. The ILO estimates that to ensure at least a social protection floor, low- and middle-income countries require an additional investment of US$ 1.4 trillion (3.3 per cent of the aggregate GDP) of these countries. To close the financing gap countries must increase investment in social protection, raising effective coverage by 2 percentage points annually (SDG indicator 1.3.1). At the international level, debt relief should move at a faster pace and access to international emergency financing must be enhanced to enable regular investment in USP in a climate-volatile world and avoid repeated rounds of austerity. Action Areas: Debt and Debt Sustainability, Domestic Public Resources, Cross-Cutting Issues |
ILO |
"Scaling up the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions" Action Areas: Addressing Systemic Issues; Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; Cross-Cutting Issues |
ILO |
"Aligning Financial Systems with a Just Transition" Summary: Addressing both social and environmental objectives is essential to mitigate risks and seize opportunities related to the low-carbon transition. A just transition requires supportive financial flows and enabling financial systems. Member States can support mobilization of financial resources for a just transition by leveraging public development banks, incentivizing the use of financing instruments that attract private capital, developing comprehensive sustainable finance frameworks that consider social and environmental objectives, and developing capacities within the financial system. Action Areas: Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; Science, Technology, Innovation, and Capacity Building; International Development Cooperation |
![]() IMF, OECD & World Bank Group |
"The Role of Domestic Revenue Mobilization in Achieving the SDGs" Summary: This joint Brief by IMF, OECD and WBG emphasizes the critical role of Domestic Revenue Mobilization (DRM) in addressing the financing gap for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in low-income countries. It highlights the need for comprehensive tax reforms, enhanced compliance, and international cooperation to increase tax revenues. The brief advocates for utilizing the upcoming FFD4 conference to strengthen tax capacity and align policies with sustainable development objectives. Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources, International Development Cooperation |
INFF |
Action Areas: Domestic and International Private Business and Finance, Systemic Issues |
![]() ITU |
Summary: Linked to 70% of the SDG targets, digital infrastructure is a cornerstone for developing digital economies and achieving the SDGs. Yet, with 2.6 billion unconnected people, building the necessary infrastructure to achieve universal connectivity requires significant funding. Closing the investment gap necessitates optimizing traditional investments, while also identifying adequate financing mechanisms to improve project attractiveness and attract new investors. Multi-stakeholder collaboration is crucial for devising innovative strategies to bridge the financing gap, ensuring universal, meaningful connectivity by 2030. Action Areas: Science, Technology, Innovation, and Capacity-Building |
![]() OECD |
"Financing in Contexts Facing Extreme to High Fragility" Action Areas: Addressing Systemic Issues, International Development Cooperation |
![]() OHCHR |
"The Human Rights Case for a Reform of the International Sovereign Debt Architecture" Summary: This policy brief argues that the international financial architecture requires a radical transformation to resume progress and advance on human rights, including the right to development, climate action and the commitments outlined in the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. There is a need for a multilateral legal framework on sovereign debt, grounded in international human rights principles and standards, where all creditors, including private creditors participate on an equal footing to ensure a fair and effective resolution of debt crisis. Action Areas: Debt and Debt Sustainability, International Development Cooperation |
OHCHR |
"Human Rights-based Finance for the Environment" Summary: This policy brief advocates for a human rights enhancing approach to financing for sustainable development, emphasizing environmental action that prioritizes vulnerable communities. It calls for mobilizing resources to address historical inequities, ensuring meaningful participation in financing decisions, and implementing safeguards to prevent human rights violations. It recommends reshaping international financial architecture to prioritize concessional financing for those most affected by environmental harm and establishing mechanisms for direct and equitable access to climate finance. Action Areas: Science, Technology, Innovation, and Capacity-Building, International Development Cooperation |
OHCHR |
Action Areas: Addressing Systemic Issues, International Development Cooperation |
![]() PRI |
"Investing for the Economic Transition: The Case of Whole-of-Government Policy Reform" Summary: This briefing addresses two action areas of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (the outcome document of FfD3): 1) domestic and international private business and finance; and 2) systemic issues. It is based on PRI’s 2023 policy white paper, Investing for the Economic Transition: The Case for Whole-of-Government Policy Reform Action Areas: Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; Systemic Issues |
PRI |
"A Legal Framework for Impact" Summary: This briefing is part of the Financing Policy Brief Series developed by PRI and other members of the Inter-agency Task Force on Financing for Development. The objective of the briefing is to inform the substantive preparations for the Fourth Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4). Action Areas: Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; Systemic Issues |
![]() UN Women |
"Financing for Gender Equality" Summary: The brief highlights the need for Member States to put gender equality at the forefront of macroeconomic and fiscal policies. The brief argues while advanced economies have implemented policies to accelerate economic recovery, developing nations lack adequate financing to do the same, leaving women in precarious positions. Today, many countries are implementing austerity measures that limit government spending on essential services, further harming women's economic security. The brief also highlights that high debt levels in developing countries continue to divert resources away from social programs and initiatives that promote gender equality, hindering progress and potentially reversing gains. Overall, the brief advocates for a comprehensive approach to financing gender equality, recognizing the potential of various policy levers and the need for gender-responsive policymaking, including accelerating the reforms of the international financial architecture. Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources, International Development Cooperation, Cross-Cutting Issues |
![]() UNAIDS |
Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources, International Development Cooperation, Systemic Issues |
![]() UNCTAD |
Summary: The policy brief emphasizes the need for a long-term perspective and a stable investment environment for CETM projects, highlighting the importance of clear government regulations. It advocates expanding the capital base in developing countries through innovative financing mechanisms and lowering borrowing costs via international cooperation. The policy brief also underscores the importance of a holistic approach to financing, promoting value addition and diversification throughout the CETM value chain. Action Areas: Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; International Development Cooperation; Science, Technology, Innovation, and Capacity Building |
UNCTAD |
"Sovereign Debt Workout Mechanisms: The G20 Common Framework and Beyond" Action Areas: Debt and Debt Sustainability, International Development Cooperation |
UNCTAD |
"Bridging the SDG Investment Gap: Mobilizing International Investment for Sustainable Development" Summary: Global FDI flows declined since 2015, hindering progress towards the SDGs. FfD4 should seek to leverage partnerships between investment stakeholders, enhance countries’ readiness to attract investment in SDG, and promote home-country initiatives to channel investment. SWFs and institutional investors possess substantial capital that can be directed toward infrastructure and SDG, while more de-risking initiatives need to be developed. Systematic efforts to advance sustainability standards and address greenwashing is essential to grow sustainable finance. Action Areas: Domestic and International Private Business and Finance, International Development Cooperation |
UNCTAD |
"Tracking Illicit Financial Flows for Effective Action" Summary: Illicit financial flows (IFFs) significantly drain resources, with trade-IFFs alone accounting 5-30% of total goods trade in pilot countries, financing crime, exacerbating inequalities and instability. Effective action requires data-informed analytics, whole-of-government approaches and stronger international cooperation for common tools and technologies. All countries need evidence-based policies to address IFFs, allowing crime prevention rather than costly corrective measures. FfD4 outcome should prioritize these strategies, resourcing data reporting and establishing a platform for collaboration and methods development. Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; International Development Cooperation; Systemic Issues |
UNCTAD |
"Ensuring Trade Inclusivity for Sustainable Development" Summary: Trade is vital for economic growth, but protectionism and unilateralism threaten the global trading system, limiting developing countries' participation. These nations face challenges in competing with developed economies' subsidies for green and digital transitions and struggle to secure financing for infrastructure. To enhance their role in global value chains, developing countries require substantial investment in transportation, energy, and digital infrastructure. A specialized infrastructure fund, supported by multilateral development banks and private capital, is crucial to closing this financing gap. Action Areas: International Trade as an Engine for Development, Domestic Public Resources |
UNCTAD |
"Multilateral Credit: Filling in the Financial Gap?" Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources, International Development Cooperation |
UNCTAD |
"Better Data on Trade in Services for Effective FFD Strategies" Action Areas: International Trade as an Engine for Development, Science, Technology, Innovation |
UNCTAD |
"South-South Data to Inform Development Support and Financing Debates" Summary: The momentum to measure South-South cooperation is growing rapidly, spurred by the endorsement of SDG indicator 17.3.1 and the voluntary ‘Framework to Measure South-South Cooperation’. Developed by the global South, the Framework aims to provide data on South-South cooperation to enable first-ever globally inclusive information on international development support by reflecting the realities of the global South. To unlock its full potential, significant support, technical training, harmonized tools, and targeted assistance, is needed for countries. Action Areas: International Development Cooperation; Cross-Cutting Issues; Science, Technology, Innovation, and Capacity Building |
UNCTAD |
Summary: Integrating Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) into Financing for Development is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While technological advancements offer opportunities, they can disrupt growth pathways and increase inequalities if mismanaged. Key recommendations include directing technology to create middle-class jobs and labour-absorbing sectors, improving access to scientific knowledge and technological innovations through open science and flexible intellectual property regimes, fostering South-South cooperation, and mobilizing development financing, including Official Development Assistance (ODA) to close technological gaps. Action Areas: Science, Technology, Innovation, and Capacity Building; International Development Cooperation; Systemic Issues |
![]() UNESCO |
"Perspectives for the Financing Culture as a Stand-alone Goal in the Post-2030 Agenda" Summary: Culture is now recognized as a key driver of inclusive sustainable development, as recently evidenced in the UN Pact for the Future. However, culture remains sidelined in discussions and policies on the financing of sustainable development. A more systematic integration of culture into financing frameworks – spanning domestic public resources, private sector investments, development cooperation and trade – is fundamental for accelerating the implementation of 2030 Agenda and for advancing sustainable development in the post-2030 agenda, including through culture as a stand-alone goal. Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; International Development Cooperation |
UNESCO |
"Closing the Global SDG4 Financing Gap: Accelerating Sustainable Financing Solutions for Education" Summary: This policy brief explores the urgent need to close the global education financing gap to meet SDG4 targets by 2030. With a shortfall of US$97 billion annually in low- and lower-middle-income countries, the lack of adequate public funding threatens broader development goals like poverty reduction, social stability, and climate action. The brief calls for long-term sustainable financing solutions, including increasing domestic resource mobilization, enhancing international cooperation, addressing debt distress, and further scaling innovative financing, to ensure equitable access to quality education and drive long-term socioeconomic progress. Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; International Development Cooperation; Systemic Issues |
![]() UNFPA |
"Demographic Change and its Implications for the Financing of Development" Summary: Demographic change is one of the most powerful yet largely neglected factors shaping financing for sustainable development. It not only has implications for the expenditure side of public and private budgets, but also for the revenue side, and thus on budgets and debt. This brief makes the case for systematic consideration of demographic change and other megatrends in planning and budget processes of countries. Action Areas: Addressing Systemic Issues, Cross-Cutting Issues |
![]() UNHCR |
"Forced Displacement - Comprehensive Finance for Affected Countries" Action Areas: International Development Cooperation, Cross-Cutting Issues |
![]() UNICEF |
"Financing in Fragile and Humanitarian Settings" Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; International Development Cooperation; Cross-Cutting Issues |
UNICEF |
"Financing Solutions to Protect and Expand Social Sector Investments to Deliver Children's Rights" Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; Systemic Issues; Cross-Cutting Issues |
![]() UNIDO |
"Scaling up Investments in Sustainable Industrialization to close the SDG Financing Gap" Summary: Scaling up public and private investments in sustainable industrialization is a key to closing the SDG financing gap in developing countries. This UNIDO policy brief discusses how modern SDG-oriented industrial policies, complemented by innovative financing mechanisms and capacity-building, can play an important role in directing financing towards strategic investments and sectors, thus accelerating progress towards the SDGs. Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; Science, Technology, Innovation, and Capacity Building |
![]() UNODC |
"Anti-Corruption: Securing the Future of Development Financing" Summary: Corruption is a cross-cutting issue, impacting all aspects of the financing for development agenda. Neglecting to adequately address corruption could jeopardize the entire process. By including and investing in proven anti-corruption measures and strengthening international cooperation in the recovery of proceeds of corruption, we can ensure that financial resources are effectively mobilized and safeguarded for development. Corruption is a cross-cutting issue, impacting all aspects of the financing for development agenda. Neglecting to adequately address corruption could jeopardize the entire process. By including and investing in proven anti-corruption measures and strengthening international cooperation in the recovery of proceeds of corruption, we can ensure that financial resources are effectively mobilized and safeguarded for development. Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; Cross-Cutting Issues |
![]() UNODC, IMF and World Bank |
Summary: To make measurable progress in combatting illicit financial flows related to the proceeds of crime Member States should prioritize preventing money laundering and the financing of terrorism, including in the outcomes of the Fourth Financing for Development Conference and resolutions. Financial crime has direct negative macroeconomic impacts and preventing it is foundational to sustainable development. It can only be addressed through a whole of government approach. Safeguarding payments and remittance flows, developing stable and inclusive financial sectors capable of supporting inclusive economic growth and protecting domestic resource mobilization all require a foundation of financial integrity grounded in effective, risk-based Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) frameworks. Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources, Addressing Systemic Issues |
![]() UNOSSC |
Summary: The global financial system faces critical challenges, particularly for developing countries, including debt crises and financing gaps. Intensified South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTrC) can offer innovative policy solutions. Recommendations include scaling up debt management strategies, upscaling innovative solutions, strengthening regional development banks, and creating regional infrastructure bonds to pool risks and lower borrowing costs. Expanding contingency financing mechanisms and establishing data-sharing platforms are essential for financial stability. FFD4 presents a key opportunity to advance these SSTrC-driven initiatives for sustainable development. Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; International Development Cooperation; Systemic Issues |
![]() UNU WIDER |
"Lifting Each Other Up - Improving Skills and Capacities Across Tax-Policy and Administration" Summary: To realize their domestic revenue potential, countries need research and technical cooperation. International organizations and bilateral donors provide essential training and resources to strengthen tax administrations and skills for policy analysis in government and academia. Governments in the Global South can progress faster towards the SDGs by partnering with experienced institutions. Technical assistance and research collaboration are key, with hands-on learning from experts. Collaborative efforts, including South-South and North-South partnerships, are crucial for establishing robust policy analysis and research infrastructure in the Global South. Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources, Science, Technology, Innovation, and Capacity-Building |
![]() UNU WIDER |
"Raising Revenues to Another Level with Data and Modelling" Summary: By grounding policy decisions in solid evidence, countries can better navigate the complexities of tax reforms and ensure that their strategies effectively support the financing of the SDGs. Administrative data and ex-ante policy modelling, such as tax-benefit microsimulation modelling, are indispensable in providing a full picture to policymakers. Data and modelling infrastructure should be public goods accessible to the government and its agencies, academia, think tanks and CSOs to enable an inclusive debate about the choices governments face when making decisions on tax and benefit policies. Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; Data, Monitoring and Follow-up; Science, Technology, Innovation, and Capacity Building |
![]() USP 2030 |
Summary: This brief highlights the importance of financing social protection to achieve multiple SDGs and realize the right to social protection. It outlines key solutions for financing social protection systems, emphasizing the need to prioritize social protection spending within government budgets and better coordinate and increase international financial support. It provides Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; International Development Cooperation; Cross-Cutting Issues |
![]() WHO |
"Better Monitoring of Health Spending to Advance Toward UHC" Summary: This brief offers a global overview of health spending and highlights the critical role of health expenditure data in shaping policies to achieve the SDG health targets. It calls on countries and global partners to strengthen health expenditure tracking via health accounts to improve policymaking, enhance transparency, and promote accountability. Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; Data, Monitoring and Follow-up; Systemic Issues |
![]() WHO |
"Financing for Sustainable Progress to Universal Health Coverage" Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; Cross-Cutting Issues; International Development Cooperation |
![]() WHO |
"Tobacco and Other Health Taxes for Healthier Population" Summary: This brief argues that taxation policies on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks present a timely and effective strategy for advancing sustainable development while improving public health and well-being. Health taxes not only generate government revenue through higher tax rates but also promote healthier behaviors, leading to improved health outcomes and productivity gains that benefit society as a whole. Over the next five years, increases in tobacco, alcohol, and SSB taxes could generate an additional $3.7 trillion USD in government revenues globally—an average of $740 billion USD per year, equivalent to 12% of global health budgets and 0.75% of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; Systemic Issues; Cross-Cutting Issues |
![]() WHO |
Action Areas: Domestic Public Resources; Science, Technology, Innovation, and Capacity Building; Cross-Cutting Issues |
![]() World Bank |
"The Future of Aid: Rebalancing the Global Aid Architecture to Restore Aid Effectiveness" Summary: This policy brief describes the evolving landscape of the global aid architecture and the critical role of multilateral banks, like IDA, in promoting a more equitable and more effective distribution of resources. It analyzes the need for a rebalancing in the allocation of aid to ensure greater effectiveness and impact. The brief highlights the importance of better funding MDBs, strengthening country ownership, improved collaboration among donors, transparency, and accountability in achieving sustainable development goals. Action Areas: International Development Cooperation; Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; Systemic Issues |
![]() WTO |
Summary: This policy brief explores the challenges of trade fragmentation and inequality in the global economy, focusing on the impact on low- and middle-income countries. It outlines policy solutions to reduce trade costs, invest in infrastructure, promote economic diversification, and strengthen global trade governance. Specific recommendations for the Fourth Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) include financing for trade infrastructure, bridging the digital divide, improving access to finance, and reducing trade barriers to foster inclusive and sustainable development. Action Areas: International Trade as an Engine for Development |
WTO |
"Bridging the Global Trade Finance Gap: Empowering SMEs and Driving Sustainable Growth" Summary: This policy brief addresses the $1.5 trillion global trade finance gap, which disproportionately impacts small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing economies. It outlines key challenges, including high rejection rates and compliance costs, and proposes targeted solutions such as expanding risk-sharing frameworks, strengthening local financial institutions, and promoting climate-friendly trade finance. The brief emphasizes the need for multilateral cooperation to close the gap, promote inclusive growth, and support the transition to a low-carbon global economy. Action Areas: Domestic and International Private Business and Finance; International Development Cooperation; Science, Technology, Innovation, and Capacity Building |