After the 5% controversy, Sánchez asserts that “the best investment in security and defense is that which creates development”

Eduardo González The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, presented the Seville Plan for multilateralism on Tuesday and warned, within the framework of the United Nations Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) and in the midst of an international standoff with the US and NATO over their refusal to raise the military budget to 5% of GDP, that “the best investment in security and defense is that which creates well-being, development, and opportunities.” The multilateral system is being challenged, and therefore, it is necessary “to emerge from the Seville Conference with a renewed multilateralism that can withstand the shocks of the current moment,” declared Pedro Sánchez during the presentation of the Plan, which took place at the Conference and Exhibition Center (FIBES) in Seville, during the special event “Investing in Global Solidarity: A New Vision of Development Cooperation.” Spain's contribution in this regard will be the Seville Plan for Multilateralism, which is built around "three axes of action: refuge, reinforcement, and reform," he continued during his speech at the event, which was also attended by the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Rebeca Grynspan; the Secretary-General of the OECD, Mathias Cormann; the President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye; and the President of the European Investment Bank, Nadia Calviño, among other figures. Pedro Sánchez also stated that Spain will allocate 0.7% of its gross national income to development aid by 2030 and that, to this end, it will gradually increase its current contribution starting next year. This increase, he specified, will entail reorienting contributions to those sectors most affected by the withdrawal of funds by other donors. In this regard, the Prime Minister reported that the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) will allocate €315 million to global health, €500 million to climate change, and €725 million to human rights and humanitarian action between 2025 and 2027, "because we know that the best investment in security and defense is that which creates well-being, development, and opportunities." Last week, Pedro Sánchez distanced himself from the obligation to allocate 5% of GDP to defense spending, after the final declaration of the NATO Summit in The Hague showed the "allies'" commitment to "invest 5% of annual GDP" by 2035, despite pressure from US President Donald Trump. According to the President of the Government, the 2.1 percent budget is sufficient to meet the capabilities agreed upon within NATO and is "compatible with our social model and the welfare state we want to defend." Platform for the Transformation of Multilateralism Regarding the reform of the multilateral system, the Prime Minister announced in Seville that Spain will coordinate a platform of leaders, institutions, and key civil society actors to chart the path and drive action to profoundly transform the architecture of global governance. "We defend a more inclusive and representative global governance, where all voices—including those of the Global South, youth, science, and civil society—have a seat at the table," he declared. “In the face of the withdrawal of some, Spain offers refuge. In the face of cutbacks, Spain offers reinforcement, and in the face of blockage, Spain offers reform of the multilateral system,” because “if there was ever a time to renew our multilateral pact, that time is now, and if there was ever a place to do it, that place is here, in Spain and in Seville,” he concluded.

Related Content

An American diplomat in the Sevillian Holy Week of the 19th century

17th century Madrid's Holy Week in the eyes of a Muslim Ambassador

The Holy Week in Baroque Madrid told by a French aristocrat

EU Member States give green light to Gibraltar agreement with the United Kingdom

Rubio calls the closure of Spanish airspace “disappointing,” and Albares asserts that he “fears absolutely nothing” from the US