Forus members and civil society organisations at the forefront of the Finance in Common Summit 2025

NNNGO - Nigeria Network of NGOs

Abong - Associaçao Brasileira de ONGs

Forus

ADA - Asia Development Alliance

Coordination SUD – Rassembler et agir pour la solidarité internationale

Bond - British Overseas NGOs for Development

The Finance in Common Summit (FiCS) 2025 will mark its 5th annual convening of public development banks (PDBs), gathering over 500 institutions to address global challenges through transformative financing models. This year’s summit, set to take place in Cape Town, South Africa, from February 26–28, holds special significance as it coincides with South Africa’s G20 Presidency. Co-hosted by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the summit will center on the theme “Fostering Infrastructure and Finance for Just and Sustainable Growth” and will align with the G20 theme, “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.”

Finance in Common - background

Since 2020, Forus members along with several other civil society organisations part of the Informal CSO Mechanism on FiCS (CSOs@FiCS) have been playing an active role in the summit, bringing a critical, community-focused perspective to the table. By emphasizing human rights, transparency, and equity, civil society organisations are using the FiCS process to influence the policies and practices of PDBs to ensure that people and planet take precedence over profit.

With common advocacy efforts and joint Declarations, Forus and its civil society partners have consistently called on PDBs to transform their financing models, adopt inclusive consultative processes, and commit to concrete actions - highlighting the importance of civic space, transparency, and accountability in advancing public goods and reducing inequalities.

Key Themes and civil society perspectives at FiCS2025

Main Theme of FiCS 2025: “Fostering Infrastructure and Finance for Just and Sustainable Growth”
The summit will explore critical areas of financing, including:

Infrastructure for climate action – Emphasizing adaptation and resilience.

Digital transformation – Bridging the digital divide and inclusivity.

Inclusive finance – Advancing sustainable growth and reducing inequality.

Global financial architecture reform – Addressing financial stability and lowering the cost of capital in emerging markets.

Sub-themes will focus on innovative financing for biodiversity and climate, reducing inequalities, and improving social inclusion in underserved areas.

Planned civil society actions at FiCS 2025

Civil society engagement will include:

2025 Civil society Declaration - Open for signatures and endorsements in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, links will be added soon.

Our activities: 24-25 Feb (1.5 days), Forus preparation meeting meeting. 25 Feb (afternoon): FiCS CSO Planning Meeting (all CSOs).

Side Events and public speaking: CSOs will host an official side event, spotlighting civil society perspectives on financing for development, localisation and climate justice. Civil society leaders and representatives will also engage in key FiCS sessions and “lightining talks”, amplifying community voices and calling for transformative change in development financing. You can find more information on the Agenda here.

Civil society stand: A dedicated booth will showcase CSO advocacy efforts at the summit venue.

Multimedia work: Forus will collaborate with civil society organisations, PDBs and activists to create independent multimedia content. A series of videos, articles, and podcasts will share CSO perspectives on financing for development, human rights, and the future of sustainable growth. Explore videos, ways to contribute and share your messages in our campaign page.

How to Engage with FiCS 2025

Civil society organisations and activists are encouraged to participate in the summit by:

Registering for FiCS 2025: Join in-person or online by completing the mandatory registration form here.

Sign and share the civil society Declaration: The Civil Society Declaration is set to launch before the summit, will outline key demands for public development banks. Open for signatures and endorsements, it will emphasize among other issues: Community-centric and human rights-based development, equitable resource allocation and climate justice, increased transparency, inclusivity, and accountability in PDB operations. Please note that links will be added soon.

Sharing advocacy messages: Use this platform to submit messages for PDBs, which will be amplified at the summit. You can also feel free to share, download and use any of the Forus multimedia material on the campaign page here.

Joining the Conversation Online: Engage on social media using the hashtag #FiCS2025