The presidents of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva; South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa; and Spain, Pedro Sánchez, assert that the international meetings scheduled for 2025 cannot be “just more of the same” and must deliver “real progress” in addressing global challenges. The three leaders co-signed a letter published on Thursday (Mar. 6) in various media outlets, including O Globo, Al Jazeera, and Le Grand Continent.
For the presidents, 2025 will be a decisive year for multilateralism. They highlighted key meetings set to take place in their respective countries: the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain; the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil; and the G20 Summit (group of the world's 20 largest economies), in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“The challenges we face—rising inequalities, climate change, and the financing gap for sustainable development—are urgent and interconnected. We must respond with coordinated and bold action, not retreat into isolation, unilateralism, or division,” the letter states.
Multilateralism refers to the cooperation of multiple countries around shared interests. Since beginning his third term, President Lula has criticized the weakening of multilateral institutions and called for reforms in global governance. In 2024, this issue was a key priority for Brazil during its G20 presidency, which has now passed to South Africa.
"Confidence in multilateralism is under strain, yet the need for dialogue and global cooperation has never been greater," said Lula, Sánchez, and Ramaphosa.
The presidents see the G20, COP30, and FfD4 as milestones for renewing commitments to inclusion, sustainable development, and shared prosperity. “This will require strong political will, the full participation of all relevant actors, a creative mindset, and the ability to understand the constraints and priorities of all economies,” they added.
Lula, Sánchez, and Ramaphosa warn about the high debt levels in developing countries and the widening income gap, both within and between nations. “Many developing countries face unsustainable debt burdens, limited fiscal space, and barriers to fair access to capital. Basic services such as healthcare and education must compete with rising interest rates. This is not just a moral failure but an economic risk for all,” they emphasize.
They argue that the global financial architecture must be reformed to “give greater voice and representation to Global South countries, as well as ensure fairer and more predictable access to resources.”
“We need to advance debt relief initiatives, promote innovative financing mechanisms, and identify and address the causes of the high cost of capital for most developing countries,” say the presidents.
The expectation for COP30 in Brazil is that countries will present more ambitious commitments to curb global temperature rise and secure climate finance for developing nations, aiming for at least $1.3 trillion annually by 2025.
“We need to significantly increase funding for climate adaptation, leverage private sector investments, and ensure that multilateral development banks play a greater role in climate finance. The Seville conference will complement these efforts by ensuring that climate finance does not undermine development,” they argue.
In the letter, the three countries commit to collaborating in Seville to mobilize both public and private capital for sustainable development, acknowledging the inseparable link between financial stability and climate action. “In Johannesburg, the G20 will reaffirm the importance of inclusive economic growth. And in Belém, we will stand united to protect our planet,” the presidents added.