Global development 'under big threat,' warns UN official

ISTANBUL

Global development is “under big threat” as financing declines and decades of progress stall, a senior UN Development Program (UNDP) official warned Wednesday.

Speaking to Anadolu on the second and final day of the Istanbul Development Dialogues, Steliana Nedera, director of the UNDP Regional Hub in Istanbul, said the development paradigm “as it was articulated in the last century is not functioning anymore as it did 10 years ago,” largely because financing “is going down very fast.”

She cited estimates from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which indicate that global development funding will fall by 17% by the end of 2025.

“A number of countries who are major sponsors or financiers of development have redirected their financing to other priorities,” she said. “Or they say that they don’t believe anymore that the solutions work, so they prioritize something else.”

'Losing decades of positive achievements'

Nedera's words of caution reflected the findings of a study released Monday by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, which said that sharp reductions in foreign aid from the US and key European nations could cause 22.6 million preventable deaths in developing countries by 2030, including 5.4 million children under 5. This research highlights the first such aid drop in nearly 30 years from donors like Britain, Germany, France and the US.

She said the UNDP’s 2025 Global Human Development Report also shows global growth is slowing, while human development is declining or stagnating.

The report, released in May, warned that “decades of progress have flatlined,” with the world struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises.

Some countries, Nedera noted, face conflict, crisis, or a brain drain — trends that mean “we are at risk overall globally of losing decades of positive achievements.”

She said the main challenge will be “the inequality gap combined with the impact of climate change” as many communities struggle to benefit from growth, lose jobs due to artificial intelligence (AI) or digital solutions, or face worsening water shortages and extreme weather.

Despite global financing pressures, the official said UNDP’s work in Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia remains stable because programs are funded through a mix of government resources, international financial institutions and private-sector partnerships.

UNDP in Türkiye

The UNDP has been operating in Türkiye for over 50 years, with its work encompassing technical assistance on economic planning and poverty reduction, supporting disaster risk reduction, women’s empowerment and green transition efforts.

Nedera said UNDP’s next program cycle in the country will focus on climate change and resilience, skills and inclusivity, and digitalization in the public sector, including AI integration.

She emphasized that Türkiye has made major achievements in energy efficiency and renewable energy in recent years, referring to Ankara's efforts to reach net-zero emissions by 2053, including the passage this year of its first Climate Law that provides a legal framework for its green transition process.

The UNDP official voiced optimism for the country's path forward, saying it has a “strong monitoring system” for tracking progress on its climate goals.

Istanbul 'has always been a meeting point'

The 2025 Istanbul Development Dialogues were held under the theme "Shaping Development Futures." Marking its 10th anniversary this year, the event was organized by UNDP in partnership with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and supported by Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry. It also featured the Türkiye launch of the 2025 Human Development Report and included discussions on development trends across Europe and Central Asia.

Nedera said the annual meeting has become a vital platform for new ideas and cross-border partnerships.

“Through the dialogues, we have connected people. We have connected similar officials in ministries across different countries to work together," she added.

"Istanbul is a symbolic place for such a forum because it connects Europe and Asia. It has always been a meeting point."