Trade unions and OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) delegates gathered today for the 9th Trade Union-DAC Forum, co-hosted by the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
The forum took place in a context where, according to OECD data, the financing gap for sustainable development has reached USD 4 trillion, and 92 countries spent more on external debt services alone than on sustainable development in 2024. DAC Chair Carsten Staur opened the dialogue on development cooperation priorities amid current global financial constraints and increased politicisation of Official Development Assistance (ODA).
Under the theme “Upholding Workers’ Rights to Foster Sustainable Development and Strengthen Democracy,” the forum brought together voices from across the world, reflecting TUAC’s commitment to ensuring Global South perspectives are heard at the OECD. Trade unionists from Argentina, Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Namibia, Peru, Rwanda and Senegal engaged in dialogue with DAC delegates on critical development issues.
"Evidence consistently shows that collective bargaining and strong labour market institutions play a critical role in tackling poverty and inequality, creating pathways to sustainable development."
Discussions focused on advancing decent work and living wages and reinforcing responsible business conduct as key levers to achieve the SDGs. As host of the upcoming Financing for Development Conference in Seville (FfD4), Spain was invited to present its objectives and discussed its vision for mobilising financing for sustainable development with participants, including the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights Olivier de Schutter. Participants examined how collective bargaining and strong labour market institutions can effectively reduce poverty and inequality, as highlighted in the 2024 OECD Development Cooperation Report.
Trade unions called for three key priorities:
- Reducing the global SDG financing gap by recommitting to the 0.7% UN target for ODA
- Fostering policy coherence by reforming the international financial architecture
- Focusing on poverty reduction and fighting inequality through decent work
The Trade Union Statement to the 2025 DAC High-Level Meeting emphasises that decent work, living wages and social dialogue are essential components of sustainable development. The full statement is available here.
The discussions from this forum will inform the upcoming DAC High-Level Meeting on 20th March, where governments will address principles and objectives of development cooperation. The dialogue will also contribute to preparations for the 4th Financing for Development Conference in Seville on 30th June-3rd July 2025 and the Second World Social Development Summit in November 2025.
