Development finance and tax justice

Governments in the global south pay significantly higher interest rates on loans and bonds than governments in the global north. This financial divide is a key cause of disparities in prosperity and development around the world. The price of money determines the extent to which a state can provide goods and services for its citizens like healthcare and education. It also determines how far necessary transformations, such as climate change adaptation, can be financed from domestic resources.

The issue has [...]

Regierungen im globalen Süden zahlen signifikant höhere Zinssätze für Kredite und Anleihen als Regierungen im globalen Norden. Diese finanzielle Spaltung ist eine entscheidende Ursache für die Wohlstands- und Entwicklungsunterschiede. Der Preis des Geldes bestimmt, in welchem Umfang ein Staat öffentliche Güter zur Verfügung stellen kann. Er bestimmt auch, inwiefern nötige Transformationen, wie zum Beispiel Anpassung an den Klimawandel, aus Eigenmitteln finanziert werden können.

Das Thema hat in den letzten Jahren im entwicklungspolitischen Diskurs gehörig an Prominenz gewonnen und bestimmt auch [...]

By Bodo Ellmers

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) is traditionally the key standard-setter and coordination body for official development assistance (ODA) – commonly known as aid. The current situation – where donors are slashing ODA at a record pace and diminishing its effectiveness by using scarce resources to promote national interests – is a challenge for the DAC, whose role includes ensuring accountability vis-à-vis commitments made. 

Political declarations on more and better ODA [...]

By Bodo Ellmers

Creating better institutions for international tax cooperation is considered a key pillar of international financial architecture reform. The first round of negotiations for a comprehensive United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation (FCITC) has just concluded at the UN headquarters in New York City. 

Building on preparations by three working groups, the negotiations lasted for two weeks and dealt with the core Framework Convention, as well as two additional protocols – on taxing cross-border services [...]

We have just launched our four-part weekly podcast series 'Global Finance Rewired', which explores the future of the international finance architecture (IFA). Hosted by our Managing Director Bodo Ellmers, the series features expert voices from the Global South to examine how global finance must change to meet today’s challenges.

Episodes

1. Tax justice and the UN Tax Convention
   Chenai C. Mukumba (Tax Justice Network Africa) offers insights into the new Convention’s potential to curb illicit flows and usher in [...]

In Ländern des Globalen Südens spitzt sich die Schuldenkrise zu und schränkt den Handlungsspielraum für die Verwirklichung sozialer, wirtschaftlicher und politischer Menschenrechte massiv ein. Zugleich gerät die internationale Zusammenarbeit unter Druck: Rechtslibertäre und nationalistische Kräfte gewinnen an Einfluss und stellen das Grundprinzip multilateraler Zusammenarbeit offen infrage. So hat die vierte UN-Entwicklungsfinanzierungskonferenz in Sevilla dieses Jahr einmal mehr gezeigt, dass sich die USA unter Trump ganz explizit gegen inklusive, multilaterale Lösungsansätze im Rahmen der UN stellen. Auch andere Staaten des Globalen [...]

From 30 June to 3 July 2025, the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) took place in Sevilla, Spain. According to the United Nations (UN) Member States, the conference was designed to assess progress and obstacles in implementing the decisions of the three previous conferences in Monterrey (2002), Doha (2008) and Addis Ababa (2015), as well as agreeing on measures and initiatives to overcome the obstacles and address new challenges in light of current global crises. The main [...]

Vom 30. Juni bis 3. Juli 2025 fand im spanischen Sevilla die 4. Internationale Konferenz über Entwicklungsfinanzierung (FfD4) statt. Sie sollte nach den Worten der UN-Mitgliedsstaaten Fortschritte und Hindernisse bei der Umsetzung der Beschlüsse der drei Vorgängerkonferenzen von Monterrey (2002), Doha (2008) und Addis Abeba (2015) bewerten, Maßnahmen und Initiativen zur Überwindung der Hindernisse vereinbaren und sich mit neuen Herausforderungen angesichts der globalen Krisen befassen. Ziel war es dabei vor allem, die Umsetzung der Agenda 2030 und ihrer Ziele für [...]

The following text is a transcript of a video statement by Bodo Ellmers providing an overview of the final day of the FfD4 conference in Sevilla. You can find the video here.

The final day of the conference focused on systemic issues – namely, the reform of the international financial architecture, including institutions like the IMF and World Bank.

A central theme was Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). Many countries from the Global South voiced disappointment that the conference could [...]

The following text is a transcript of a video statement by Bodo Ellmers providing an overview of his third day at the FfD4 conference. You can find the video here.

Day three of the #FfD4 conference in Sevilla centred on two critical and politically charged issues: Trade and debt.

In the wake of renewed tariff disputes, trade featured prominently on the agenda. But as Bodo Ellmers from Global Policy Forum Europe noted, the conference offered no real solutions — [...]