Source: European Commission (video statements)
On 1 July 2025, Denmark takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Over the next six months, we’ll work closely on the priorities of Denmark’s EU presidency:
A Secure, Competitive and Green Europe.
Source: European Central Bank (video statements)
The ECB Forum on Central Banking – the Sintra Forum – is an annual event organised by the European Central Bank and is held in Sintra, Portugal.
It brings together central bank governors, academics, financial market representatives, journalists and others to exchange views on current policy issues and discuss the Forum’s key topic from a longer-term perspective.
Source: World Trade Organization – WTO (video statements)
On 27 June, the Informal Working Group on Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) marked MSME Day, announcing two new Small Business Champions: SilaiWali (India) and NetZero Pallets (Viet Nam).
Source: United Nations (video statements)
The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development adopted the Compromiso de Sevilla as well as a Platform for Action laying the foundation for a renewed global framework to close the $4 trillion financing gap for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), address the debt crises, and make the international financial system fairer and more transparent.
#ffd4 #sustainabledevelopment
Source: United Nations (video statements)
One Day, I Will is an ongoing series by photographer Vincent Tremeau, capturing children in crisis-affected settings as they dress up as who they want to become in the future.
In 2025, one year after a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Japan’s Noto Peninsula on New Year’s Day, Vincent brought the project to local schools, inviting children to share their dreams, fears, and hopes in the wake of disaster.
These portraits and testimonies are more than dress-up — they reveal resilience, imagination, and the enduring strength of children who continue to dream, despite difficult circumstances. Each of them reminds us: hope can grow even from the most challenging places. “One Day I Will” is one of the exhibits in the UN Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai.
The project was made available by OCHA (UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) with support from KUMON, a global after-school math and reading programme.
Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand (video statements)
Visit https://dcs.govt.nz/ to learn more
Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)
The Justice Department announced the results of its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals, in 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices across the United States, for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss. The Takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represents an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit patients and taxpayers.
Related: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/national-health-care-fraud-takedown-results-324-defendants-charged-connection-over-146
https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/supervisory-official-matthew-r-galeotti-delivers-remarks-regarding-health-care-fraud
Source: United Nations (video statements)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Secretary-General/Conference on Financing for Development
Deputy Secretary-General/FfD4
Gender Equality
Gaza
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Security Council
An Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
Syria
Ukraine
Sudan
DRC/Rwanda
Afghanistan Refugees
International Days
Financial Contribution
UNGA80
Programming Note
SECRETARY-GENERAL/CONFERENCE ON FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT
The Secretary-General is in Sevilla, Spain, where he is attending the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development. This morning, at the opening of the Conference, he said that financing is the engine of development, and right now, this engine is sputtering.
“As we meet,” the Secretary-General pointed out, “the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, our global promise to transform our world for a better, fairer future, is in danger. He stressed that the conference is not about charity, it’s about restoring justice and lives of dignity.”
The Secretary-General also added that the conference is not about money, it’s about investing in the future we want to build, together.
In the afternoon, at the launch of the Sevilla Platform for Action, the Secretary-General highlighted that the Platform offers an ambitious, action-oriented response to the global financing challenge.
Soon after, at the opening of the International Business Forum, the Secretary-General underscored that by uniting public and private sector leaders, regulators and development banks, we can ensure that the conference is not an end, but rather a beginning.
The Secretary-General also addressed that media in a joint press encounter with the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez. He stressed that with the adoption of the Sevilla Commitment document, countries are proving their dedication to getting the engine of development revving again.
Today, the Secretary-General also held a bilateral meeting with the President of the Government of Spain, and yesterday, he met His Majesty Don Felipe VI, King of Spain, He is also having a number of bilateral meetings with other delegation leaders who will be at the conference. We will share readouts of some of those meetings shortly.
DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL/FFD4
Ms. Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General, joined the Secretary-General for the opening ceremony of the conference and his meeting with the President of the Government of Spain.
Later, she delivered remarks at side events focused on closing the SDG financing gap, including on the role of public-private cooperation, the centrality of gender equality in sustainable finance, and the leadership of African women in advancing the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.
She also held bilateral meetings with senior government officials and Heads of Government attending the conference.
GENDER EQUALITY
At the Fourth International Financing for Development conference in Spain, the adoption of the Compromiso de Sevilla reaffirmed the global commitment to inclusive sustainable development. However, UN Women is warning that chronic underfunding and unfair financial systems are hindering gender equality progress.
Developing countries are falling short by an estimated $420 billion a year in the funding needed to achieve gender equality under the Sustainable Development Goals.
UN Women is urging world leaders to match political commitments with the sustained, transparent, and accountable financing needed to deliver on promises to half the world’s population.
Full Highlights:
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=30%20June%202025
Source: European Central Bank (video statements)
Introductory speech
Christine Lagarde, President, European Central Bank
