Evidence-based Financial Pathways for Decarbonisation and Climate Neutrality, Launch of the SDSN Global Climate Hub Report on National Climate Neutrality Commitments, 1 July 2025 

Moderator: Ashaki Goodwin

Panellists:

• Professor Phoebe Koundouri, President, European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (EAERE); Professor, Athens University of Economics and Business; Director, Sustainable Development Unit, Athena Research Center.

• H.E. Va’inga Tone, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Tonga to the United Nations.

• H.E. Gene Leon, President, Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

• H.E. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Former President of the Republic of Mauritius; Biodiversity Scientist.

• Mr Ketan Patel, Chairman and CEO, Greater Pacific Capital.

• Ms Maria Cortés Puch, Director, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Networks Program.

• Professor Yannis Ioannidis, President, ACM (Association for Computing Machinery); Professor of Informatics and Telecommunications, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.This panel involved a presentation of Phoebe and UNSDSN, A4ERIA’s  SDSN Global Climate Hub report.

Prof. Phoebe Koundouri presented a detailed framework of pathways to address climate change across the European Union and across the world.  Her statement on the importance of scientific thinking to how the way ahead in addressing fundamental planetary and human issues. The panel spoke about the challenges and the opportunities.

Beyond Projects, Towards Prosperity: Financing for a New Era, 2nd July 2025

Within the framework of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4), the UN Joint SDG Fund and PVBLIC Foundation, through the Development Bank for Resilient Prosperity (DBRP), invited participants to this high-level breakfast dialogue exploring how innovative financing mechanisms are reshaping global cooperation and mobilizing investments toward prosperity and resilience.

Moderator:

• Mr Imran Richards, Director of Finance, Government of Saint Lucia.

Speakers:

• H.E. Va’inga Tone,  Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Tonga to the United Nations.

• H.E. Ambassador Aubrey Webson,  Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations.

• Dr. Gene Leon,  Executive Director, Development Bank for Resilient Prosperity (DBRP) and Ambassador at Large, Government of Saint Lucia.

• Mr Tumasie Blair,  Senior Director, Global Citizens.

• Ms Ritu Bharadwaj,  Director, Climate Resilience, Finance, and Loss and Damage, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).

• Mr Ratu Fillimone,  Coordinator, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.

• Mr Simon Reid-Henry,  Peace Research Institute Oslo and Global Public Investment Network.

• Mrs Ruth Spencer,   Advisory Board Member, UN Women’s Civil Society Advisory Group for the Caribbean.

• Mr Torsten Thiele,  Founder, Global Ocean Trust.

• Mr Ketan Patel,  Force for Good.

• Professor Phoebe Koundouri,   President, European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (EAERE); Professor, Athens University of Economics and Business; Director, Sustainable Development Unit, Athena Research Center.

This session explored a shift from fragmented, project-based finance toward systemic, integrated solutions for resilient, equitable development. Discussion topics included the role of diplomacy in development, new multilateral pathways for inclusive finance, and the contribution of emerging actors such as private capital and technology. Participants examined practical actions to move beyond managing poverty to genuinely financing prosperity.

Nutrition as an Economic Multiplier: Financing Better Food Systems for Sustainable Development, 2 July 2025

This side event frames nutrition as a powerful catalyst for inclusive and sustainable economic development, aligning with the broader financing goals of the FFD4 agenda. It explores how innovative financing mechanisms and partnerships can mobilize the capital needed to transform food systems through systemic change and ecosystem strengthening, moving beyond product endorsement to enable enduring impact. This panel examined the SDGs, particularly Goals 1 (No Poverty), 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and their link to the quality and accessibility of nutrition.

Speakers:

• Matthew Anderson,  Executive Director, PhytoTeq, United States.

• Mr Deodat Maharaj,  Managing Director, UN Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries.

• Professor Lise Korsten,  President, African Academy of Sciences, Africa.

• Dr Conrad Rein, Global Flagship Initiative on Food Security, Crop Trust, Germany.

• Dr Thandi Mgwebi, Group Executive: Business Advancement, National Research Foundation of South Africa.

• Professor Raul Rosales,  Imperial College London, United Kingdom.

• Mei Lin Fung,  Co-founder with Vint Cerf of the People-Centred Internet; Chair, IEEE Sustainability Technical Committee (TC), SSIT; IEEE-USA Liaison for Industry Engagement; ACM Delegate to FFD4, Singapore.

• Professor Litha Magingxa,  Agricultural Research Council, South Africa.

• Declan Kirrane,  Chair and Managing Director, Science Summit at UNGA80.

• Mr Ketan Patel,  Force for Good.

This session will highlight the critical role of nutrition as a foundation for human capital development, emphasising that poor nutrition impairs education, lowers productivity, increases healthcare costs, and weakens resilience to shocks. In contrast, targeted investments in nutrition can yield up to $16 in economic returns for every dollar spent. The discussion will explore how to mobilise and structure innovative financing to achieve systemic, large-scale transformation of food systems in Africa and India.

Transforming Societies through Investment in Technology and Digital Public Goods and Infrastructure, 3 July 2025, Official Side Event, Investment Roundtable

This high-level event was organised by UNDESA and FFD4, with Force for Good as the partner moderating a session focused on solutions to meet the SDGs using technology. The event was an intensely paced presentation of various country representatives presenting investment cases and private sector innovators. The Investment Roundtable will showcase public-private partnerships and innovative financing and business models designed to deliver transformational social impact. Its aim was to build more equal, resilient, skilled, and productive societies through strategic investment in technology and digital public goods and infrastructure.

The roundtable will focus on advancing digitalization and fintech, including digital financial services; strengthening ICT and telecommunications to expand connectivity; investing in AI, data centers, and e-trade; enhancing healthcare through advanced technology and e-health solutions; supporting the care economy; promoting EdTech for education and skills development; and developing RegTech for improved compliance and public services.

Moderator:

• Opening Remarks by Moderator: Ketan Patel, Founder and Chair, Force for Good.

Programme:

• Input by UNCTAD:  Nan Collins, Director, Division of Enterprise and Investment, UNCTAD.

• Input by Nokia:  Mathilde Maury, Director, Global Policy and International Affairs, Nokia.

• Input by Asian Development Bank:  Stephanie K Chung, Director General, ITD, Asian Development Bank.

• Investment Presentation by Ethiopia:  Meleket Sahlu, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Ethiopian Investment Holdings; Dagmawi Meshesha Balkew, Investment Director, Ethiopian Investment Holdings.

• Input by DHIRA Inc.: Group  Dilip Hanumara, Founder & CEO, DHIRA Inc.

• Investment Presentation by Zambia:  Mudenda Collins, Assistant Director, Project Development and Promotions, Public Private Partnership Office, Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Zambia.

• Investment Presentation by Papua New Guinea:   Michael Kumung, Deputy Secretary, Department of National Planning and Monitoring, Papua New Guinea.

• Investment Presentation by Pakistan:  Kashmala Kakakhel, Climate Resourcing Coordination Center, Pakistan.

• Input by Trendyol Group:   Erman Öztürk, Lead of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Trendyol Group Public Affairs, Communication & Sustainability.

• Input by Aciesnova:   Armand Capart, Co-Founder, Aciesnova.

Closing Remarks:

• Force for Good and UN-DESA, concluding the 10th SDG Investment Fair.

This session was structured to enable an open, practical exchange of ideas, showcasing country-led investment opportunities and solutions from private sector partners. By focusing on technology and digital public goods, the roundtable supports transformative, system-level change to meet the SDGs through practical solutions that can be financed.

Seville Official Outcomes – Launch of a New Development Bank: Reimagining Development Finance: A New Architecture for Vulnerable Economies using Natural Capital, 3 July 2025

This initiative was selected as an official outcome of the Seville FFD4conference to be presented at the closing in its own special event. Pvblic hosted the development bank (DBRP) and Force for Good has supported the initiative in its development of its expansion strategy and participated in the panel launching the bank at FFD4. The bank begins as serving the SIDs and LDCs and will expand to be more Global South if possible. It is designed to be differentiated through a focus on natural capital. 

Programme Agenda:

• Opening & Welcome.

• Remarks by Mr. Sergio Fernández de Córdova:  Chairman, PVBLIC Foundation. PVBLIC’s role in catalysing global partnerships and supporting the design and advocacy of the DBRP; why this initiative matters for vulnerable economies today.

• Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Va'inga Tone:  Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Tonga to the United Nations. The significance of the DBRP from the perspective of a founding government; how Small Island Developing States (SIDS) can shape new financial instruments to reflect their realities and assets.

• Remarks by Mr. Nicolas Picchiottino: Secretary General of IDFC and Head of Public Development Banks at AFD. The role of the DBRP in advancing the Finance in Common agenda; how public development banks can collectively transform the financial architecture.

• Remarks by Dr. Ruth Kattumuri:  Senior Director, Economic, Youth and Sustainable Development Directorate, Commonwealth Secretariat (commonwealth.int). The Commonwealth’s approach to supporting member states in mobilising natural capital finance; opportunities for shared learning and collective action across vulnerable economies.

• Remarks by Mr. Ketan Patel:   Chair, Force for Good Initiative. The importance of aligning private capital with system-wide resilience; how global investors and philanthropies can support the DBRP’s paradigm shift toward long-term sustainability and inclusive prosperity.

• Feature Presentation by H.E. Dr. Hyginus “Gene” Leon:  Executive Director, Development Bank for Resilient Prosperity (DBRP). Keynote presentation outlining the DBRP’s four innovation pillars; the paradigm shift from GDP-based growth to resilient prosperity; and the importance of monetising nature-based assets in a new interoperable financial ecosystem.

• Q&A and Media Exchange:  Moderated discussion with accredited press and audience members.

• Closing:  Summary and next steps; invitation to join the initiative.

The launch outlined an innovation for scaling and an invitation for participants to join the Development Bank for Resilient Prosperity initiative and collaborate on designing a new financial architecture that values natural capital, fosters system-wide resilience, and delivers sustainable, inclusive prosperity for vulnerable economies.