Civil Society Meeting: Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond

The COVID-19 pandemic and the social and economic crisis it triggered are threatening the well-being of billions of people and risk derailing the global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and address the growing climate emergency. In some parts of the world, the pandemic is fast turning into a humanitarian crisis, pushing entire populations into a state of acute food deprivation. International cooperation and solidarity among all stakeholders are imperatives to respond to the crisis induced by the pandemic and ensure an inclusive, sustainable and prosperous future.

On May 28, 2020, Canada, Jamaica and the Secretary-General convened a High-Level Event on “Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond” to join forces with Heads of State and Government, international organizations, and other key partners to enable discussions of concrete financing solutions to the COVID-19 health and development emergency, guided by the roadmap set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Six Member States-led Discussion Groups including civil society organizations produced a comprehensive and bold menu of policy options to survive and build back better from this crisis, which were presented to Finance Ministers at a High-Level Meeting on September 8, and to Heads of State and Government at a Leaders’ Meeting at September 29.