Spain and UNDP Bring Global Finance Talks to Madrid to Turn SDG Pledges Into Action

The meeting builds on the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, hosted by Spain in Sevilla in 2025, which produced the Sevilla Commitment, a global agreement on development financing.

Spain and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have opened the Financing the SDGs Dialogue 2026 in Madrid, bringing together leaders and development partners to discuss how countries can finance their sustainable development priorities. Running from 27 to 29 October, the gathering includes ministers and senior representatives from governments, international financial institutions, development organisations, businesses and civil society. Discussions focus on strengthening country leadership and organising public, private and international finance around national needs.

Eva Granados, Spain's State Secretary for International Cooperation, opened the Dialogue alongside Marcos Neto, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support. The opening day examined the global financing outlook and how partners can support the reforms and investments governments consider most important. Participants are considering approaches that reflect differences in countries' priorities, financial constraints and institutional settings.

The meeting builds on the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, hosted by Spain in Sevilla in 2025, which produced the Sevilla Commitment, a global agreement on development financing. That conference also launched the Sevilla Platform for Action to turn commitments into practical initiatives supported by governments and their partners. The Madrid discussions examine how those agreements can translate into national policies, financing decisions and implementation.

Turning global agreements into national action

Granados stressed that political commitment, strong institutions, adequate funding and effective international cooperation must come together to improve people's lives, describing the Sevilla Platform for Action as a way to develop policies suited to each country. Spain already supports the Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) Facility, which helps countries develop and implement financing strategies aligned with their national priorities. Its cooperation with UNDP also includes the Recovery and Resilience Financing Platform, launched through the Sevilla Platform for Action to expand access to finance for recovery and resilience.

Examining reforms, investments and financing tools

Technical sessions on 28 October cover country financing strategies, public finance reforms, investment pipelines and approaches connected to development priorities, drawing on national experience to explore practical solutions. Sessions on 29 October will examine instruments that help governments mobilise resources, manage risk and expand fiscal space, giving countries greater financial room to address their needs. Neto emphasised that financing systems should reflect countries' own priorities and institutions, with partners supporting the reforms and investments that can deliver results and connecting global commitments with practical implementation.

Building on country experience and identifying next steps

Ninety countries are using the INFF approach, with more than 70 implementing reforms informed by their frameworks, providing a substantial base of experience for the discussions. Across a subset of countries, these reforms have mobilised US$56 billion in new financing and aligned another US$49 billion with national SDG priorities; since 2022, UNDP-supported work has aligned or leveraged more than US$920 billion in public and private finance for the Sustainable Development Goals. The Dialogue will close on 29 October by identifying national financing priorities, implementation gaps and opportunities for partner coalitions to provide technical assistance, improve coordination and accelerate delivery through the Sevilla Platform for Action.