Strengthening national data and statistical systems for sustainable financing
Timely and granular data and statistics are vital for informed sustainable financing decision making, yet there are substantial gaps in availability of information, particularly in the global south.
The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) was held in Seville, Spain, from June 30 to July 3, 2025. The conference centered on fostering new solutions and international collaboration to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to boost sustainable investment, address debt challenges, and elevate developing countries' role in global finance. The FfD4 outcome document the Sevilla Commitment or Compromiso de Sevilla provides a framework for commitments and follow up actions key outcome. The need for better data and statistics is mentioned across the Commitment and several references are made to support strengthening of national data and statistical systems.
Following up on data commitments
To help operationalize the Sevilla Commitment, several Sevilla Platform for Action (SPA) were established. One of these SPAs, the ‘FfD4 and the Future of Data: Strengthening Systems for Sustainable Financing’ is centered around how the commitment to strengthen national data and statistical systems can be operationalized. It is co-led by Norway, Colombia and the United Kingdom and over 20 countries and international partners have already endorsed it. The initiative has three pillars:
- Efficient data financing
- Future-proofing data investment
- Political commitment and cross-sector coordination
Wide engagement
The first meeting of this SPA initiative was held on September 17th, bringing together participants from almost 50 countries and organizations. The primary objectives were to identify key challenges under the three SPA pillars and to determine areas where each partner can contribute to strengthening national data and statistical systems. Key elements that were discussed are the need to strengthen coordination and data sharing at national and international levels and to shift the focus from quick data collection solutions towards than longer-term investments in strengthening national systems.
Building on the collective experience and expertise of its members, the initiative will advance through ongoing dialogue, collaborative projects, and additional meetings. The next phase will involve working in smaller groups to develop concrete measures that drive meaningful change. The goal is to present a set of proposals and, ideally, concrete implemented actions, at the 2026 Financing for Development Forum.
Get Involved!
Endorsement of this initiative is still open to countries and organizations interested in contributing to the objectives of the SPA. Endorsements should come from a high-level official engaged in the FfD process and can be sent to one of the three co-leads (Norway, Colombia, or the United Kingdom).