Spain

The 4th International Financing for Development Conference (FfD4)2 must address the extreme inequality crisis that threatens people and the planet. The richest one percent has the same wealth as 95% of humanity3 while global decision-making processes keep reproducing colonial patterns of power relations that leave billions behind and block progressive multilateral reform. 

Inequality occurs on two fronts, national and global. The gap between the richest and the rest at the national level is very high or rising in most countries. Simultaneously the gap between the richest countries and the Global South rose sharply due to COVID-19 and the subsequent economic and debt crises, remaining unacceptably high. 

In reaction to Spain, Ireland and Norway recognizing the State of Palestine, Sally Abi Khalil, Oxfam Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa said: “This recognition is a landmark decision and other countries must follow suit. It is a crucial step in affirming the Palestinian people's inalienable right to self-determination, but it must transcend beyond symbolism into concrete steps towards ending the Israeli occupation and achieving full sovereignty for the Palestinian State.

As global greenhouse emissions continue to rise, and climate change wreaks more havoc upon the people and places least responsible for the problem, rich polluting countries are now three years overdue on their promise to mobilize $100 billion a year in climate finance for low- and middle-income countries.

Over a quarter of a billion more people could crash into extreme levels of poverty in 2022 because of COVID-19, rising global inequality and the shock of food price rises supercharged by the war in Ukraine, reveals a new Oxfam brief today. 

The global repercussions of the Ukraine crisis ―already being felt in fast-rising food, commodity and energy prices― could undermine official aid efforts to help people in other humanitarian hot-spots. 

Wealthy nations are expected to fall up to $75 billion short of fulfilling their long-standing pledge to mobilize $100 billion each year from 2020 to 2025 to help the most vulnerable countries adapt to the dangerous effects of climate change and reduce their emissions, according to estimates by Oxfam today.

Oxfam is concerned about the treatment of the 8,000 migrants who crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave, Ceuta last Tuesday, 2,000 of which were thought to be children.  

The United Nations’ Adaptation Fund has announced today that Spain is offering €45 million ($60 million) for short-term climate change adaptation needs in developing countries.