As the global development finance gap reaches an estimated $4 trillion per year, it is increasingly evident that public finance alone cannot close this gap. Private capital mobilization may hold the key to achieving development goals, but for investment to flow, we must change risk perceptions.
The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, or FfD4, recently concluded, marking a critical moment for global cooperation on development finance. Held once a decade, this gathering of world leaders tackled some of the most urgent global challenges, ranging from inequality and poverty to climate change, health care, and peacebuilding.
Against the backdrop of declining aid budgets, growing scepticism toward multilateralism, and escalating geopolitical tensions, the stakes were higher than ever — emphasizing an urgency to rethink our approach to financing sustainable development.
About the author
Trisha Mani
Trisha Mani is a senior project manager within the Centre for Sustainable Finance at the University of Cambridge - Institute for Sustainability Leadership, leading research across various themes including social inequalities, climate adaptation and resilience, and blended finance. She has over six years of work experience in sustainable finance and impact investing, having previously worked with impact funds across Cambodia, Switzerland, and the United States, as well as the United Nations in Geneva. She holds a master’s degree in International Economics from Geneva Graduate Institute and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai.
