The Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) and 75 global, regional and national civil society organisations under the Civil Society Financing for Development Mechanism have urged UN member states to launch an intergovernmental process to reform the global debt architecture as the new UN General Assembly session begins.

In a letter to Permanent Representatives and Permanent Observers to the UN, the organisations called for implementation of paragraph 50(f) of the Seville Commitment, adopted at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in 2025. The provision calls for an intergovernmental process to recommend ways to close gaps in the debt architecture and address debt sustainability.

Read the letter to UN member states on debt UNGA 2026 in English, Spanish and French

The groups said high debt-servicing costs are squeezing public spending on health, education, social protection and climate action. Citing UNCTAD, they noted that 3.4 billion people live in countries where governments spend more on interest payments than on health or education.

The organisations also highlighted the gendered impact of debt. Citing UNDP, they said moving from moderate to high debt servicing is associated with a 6.3% decline in women’s employment and a 32.5% increase in maternal deaths.

The signatories argued that existing debt restructuring mechanisms have failed to provide reliable, timely and comprehensive relief to many countries. They called for a democratic, rules-based global debt architecture that can deliver fair and durable solutions for countries facing unsustainable debt.

The organisations also urged member states that have opposed paragraph 50(f) to reconsider their position and support an inclusive UN-led process on reforming the international debt and financial system.

The appeal comes as governments gather in New York for the UN General Assembly’s new session, with debt sustainability and reform of the international financial architecture remaining key development concerns.