Renewing international cooperation to accelerate educational progress

Solidarity is central to delivering our global promises

The start of 2026 means that we are only four years away from 2030, the deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). That includes SDG 4, which calls for inclusive, equitable, and quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.

SDG 4 remains critically off-track, with 272 million children still out of school, and only 1 in 10 students achieving minimum proficiency in reading by the end of primary school.

Countries are committed to tackling this challenge; however, a chronic lack of education financing is a major barrier to their progress.

External financial assistance has been a vital source of support to countries constrained by a lack of domestic resources.

However, last year saw record reductions to development assistance in many donor countries and aid is projected to fall even further.

Fortunately, this isn’t the whole picture. Denmark has reaffirmed its commitment to spending 0.7% of its budget on development, while Spain, Ireland, and Australia have significantly increased development spending.

In the United States and United Kingdom, until recently two of the world’s largest donors, legislators have opposed aid cuts and made the case for the vital importance of international cooperation to help achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4.

MP led call to action on international cooperation for education

Against this backdrop, the International Parliamentary Network for Education has developed a political call to action on the continued importance of international cooperation to the achievement of our shared ambition of inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all.

The statement sets out the value of international cooperation and multilateralism in general, and of solidarity in particular, to tackling global challenges and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 4.

It asserts the critical importance of a comprehensive approach to financing for development, including development and humanitarian assistance, along with the reform of the international finance architecture.

It recognises the unique role that parliamentarians play in supporting international cooperation in education, through legislation, appropriations and oversight.

It calls upon legislators to reinforce and champion international cooperation and solidarity. It calls upon them to commit to sustaining this agenda within their parliaments and through ongoing inter-parliamentary dialogue and cooperation.

This initiative is a contribution to affirming and strengthening political commitment to multilateralism, international cooperation, and solidarity, based on mutual respect and collective action in support of educational progress.

Members of parliament are invited to indicate their personal support for the statement.