Spanish companies lead the call for public-private collaboration for Sustainable Development at the UN Summit

 

Spanish business organizations led the sector's representation at an event that drew 15.000 attendees, underscoring the global commitment to sustainable development despite the complex geopolitical landscape.

 

The summit reaffirmed that compliance with the ODS It is a shared responsibility between the public and private sectors. In this regard, emphasis was placed on the ability of businesses to help close the $4 trillion annual financing gap, which is crucial to achieving development goals.

 

From CEOE-CEPYME Emphasis was placed on the need to promote strategic models that integrate the private sector from the initial phases of projects. "It is in businesses where innovation, technology, and investment capacity reside," they pointed out, arguing that their early involvement is vital for the efficiency and success of the 2030 Agenda. These models must be robust, structured, based on long-term cooperation, and generate a positive impact on both the local economy and the development of the destination regions.

 

Furthermore, the urgent need to create agile and efficient instruments that minimize the risks associated with private investment was highlighted, as well as the shift toward predictable regulatory frameworks and robust governance models that provide legal certainty.

 

Promoting the Participation of SMEs

 

Marta White, director of the Department of International and Multilateral Organizations and president of the CEOE's International Relations Commission, moderated two key roundtables during the Conference. The first, «Scaling UP SME Finance"He highlighted the importance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) for sustainable development, given their ability to generate employment, boost the local economy and promote territorial cohesion.

 

At this forum, the need to develop more flexible mechanisms to endorse and guarantee SME investments in sustainable development projects and those aimed at improving their own sustainability levels was emphasized. Likewise, a review of risk analysis models, which currently can penalize women and young entrepreneurs, was urged.

 

The second panel, “Unlocking Private Investment for Public Infrastructure Development,” focused on the importance of robust regulatory frameworks that foster public-private partnerships and maximize impact financing through projects that are well-structured from the outset. It was also highlighted that the European Global Gateway project is moving towards a more dynamic approach, seeking a proactive role for the private sector from the beginning to incentivize investment throughout the entire cycle and ensure stronger, more sustainable results with a dual impact (in both the destination and origin territories).