This Week in Global Development

In the first episode of the year, we look ahead to what we expect to happen in 2026 in global development. From more foreign aid cuts by traditional Western donors to a more transactional approach to development, we discuss what trends are set to shape the future of the sector.  We identify the key players driving this transition from aid to investment, as well as contemplate the conditions necess...

In our final episode of 2025, we discuss a tumultuous year in U.S. foreign assistance. It has not always been clear who is calling the shots in the new world of U.S. development funding, but we break down who we believe are the key players in this moment of uncertainty . We are also seeing that the State Department is rebuilding its workforce , and across the world, positions are opening up to fil...

The U.S. State Department has signed a bilateral agreement with Kenya , its first in its ongoing efforts to overhaul how it provides global health assistance. The United States said it will invest up to $1.6 billion over five years in the East African country, with the Kenyan government cofinancing the agreement with $850 million. We take a look at how this controversial new approach could play ou...

We dig into the details of a new report published by UNAIDS , which found that donor funding cuts to the HIV response could lead to an additional 3.9 million new infections over the next five years, even if treatment coverage is maintained. The report, published on World AIDS Day 2025, called on governments to uphold human rights and urged funders to dedicate more resources to HIV prevention, incl...

This week, we unpack the major storylines emerging from the G20 Summit — the first ever held on African soil — where South Africa used its presidency to spotlight debt, inequality, climate, and critical minerals, even as the United States chose not to attend. With global development at an inflection point, leaders leaned into questions of how multilateralism must evolve as the global south asserts...

This week, we take a look at the details of the new template for bilateral agreements between the United States and partner governments, which sheds light on the ideas floating around the Trump administration on how it will engage with other countries when it comes to global health. However, experts are raising concerns around its implementation.  In our update from COP30 , we discuss the conferen...

In this special episode of the This Week in Global Development podcast , we dive into a fast-moving and timely question at the intersection of technology and health care: Can artificial intelligence safely support mental health?  Hosted in partnership with PATH , Devex Senior Editor for Special Coverage Catherine Cheney speaks with Bilal Mateen, chief AI officer at PATH, Miranda Wolpert, director...

This week we are on the ground at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference , or COP30, in Belém, Brazil, where the intense heat and daily thunderstorms offer an “immersive experience” of the climate crisis right at the conference’s doorstep.  In this episode, hosted by Devex Executive Vice President and Executive Editor Kate Warren, reporters Ayenat Mersie and Jesse Chase-Lubitz highlight...

In this week’s special episode of the This week in global development podcast , filmed at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, and hosted in partnership with CropLife International , we explore the expanding role of agricultural innovation — including advances in plant science, crop protection, biotechnology, and digital and precision tools — in helping farmers adapt to climate stress and maintain productivity...

On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum ’s Humanitarian and Resilience Investing Initiative’s Frontier Markets Impact Meeting in Geneva, Devex teamed up with Radio Davos for a special podcast episode. The conversation was cohosted by Devex President and Editor-in-Chief Raj Kumar and Radio Davos host Robin Pomeroy. Driven by shrinking government aid and escalating global needs, the global deve...

This week, we reported that U.S.-based international nonprofits are looking into registering sister organizations overseas as they face an increasingly unpredictable political environment at home. Law firms in Canada and the United Kingdom confirm this trend, telling Devex they’ve seen increased interest from U.S. entities seeking to set up international arms amid growing domestic instability. Wit...

In this week’s special edition of the This Week in Global Development podcast, we explore how investing in women’s health is not just a health issue — it’s about power, agency, and opportunity.  Women spend 25% more of their lives in poor health than men, due to underfunded research, diagnostic biases, and policies that fail to prioritize their needs. The result: Llimits on women’s ability to lead...

This week, we explore the ins and outs of UN80, the United Nations' reform plan to cut costs and boost efficiency. We outline what this initiative, drafted as a result of funding cuts to the institution, involves in practice. On the topic of foreign aid cuts, we have also been following the calls for philanthropy to fill the void left by traditional donors, most notably the United States. We discu...

This week, we are on the ground at the World Bank - International Monetary Fund annual meetings, closely following the conversations that will shape the global development sector. As we note a reduced focus on climate change policy compared to previous years, we are tracking how the conversation is pivoting, with climate issues now being approached through an energy security angle. In addition to...

In this week’s special edition of the This Week in Global Development podcast, we spotlight the Mines Advisory Group , or MAG, recipient of the 2025 Hilton Humanitarian Prize — the world’s largest annual humanitarian award. MAG’s work clearing land mines and unexploded ordnance has saved lives and restored livelihoods in post-conflict communities for more than three decades. In a special episode s...

This week on the podcast, we unpack what to watch during the World Bank and International Monetary Fund annual meetings in Washington, D.C. — from shifting global growth forecasts to reforms across multilateral development banks. As the fall meetings kick off, leaders in development finance are looking closely at how the World Bank is reshaping itself to mobilize more private capital and move fast...

This week, we discuss the details of the “Accra Reset,” an effort to declare an end to the era of development-as-usual and to push for the creation of new governance, business, and financing models. With traditional donors cutting foreign assistance, African nations and others are using the initiative to jointly invest, design, and create solutions with external partners. With official development...

This week we are on the ground in New York to cover the 80th United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week.  Our discussion breaks down President Donald Trump’s address at the summit , where he called climate change a hoax, denounced Europe’s energy policies, and focused on the urgent need to address uncontrolled migration. The global drive for emissions reduction is moving forward despite the...

This week, the Devex team is on the ground at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York. On the sidelines of the high-level talks, we are hosting a series of events with some of the most influential voices in global development at our dedicated venue, Devex Impact House .  From the future of foreign assistance to the latest plan to reform the U.N., we discuss the forces shaping the sect...

This week, we take a look at the key talking points ahead of the high-level meetings of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. From the Trump administration’s cutting of funding to international organizations to China’s desire to increase its influence at the U.N., we discuss the conversations that we will be following that are most relevant to the global development community. D...

This week, we were at the Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, closely following the stories that matter most to the global development community. From forging a unified voice ahead of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference to how carbon markets could transform climate action on the continent, we discuss the key takeaways from the conference. In the United States, we continue...

The negotiation and approval of the U.S. budget is a complex process, filled with political bargaining and high-stakes showdowns that can have a profound impact far beyond Washington. This process directly shapes funding for foreign aid, global health, and humanitarian crises around the world. With the Trump administration proposing a “pocket rescission” package that would cut an additional $5 bil...

For decades, Africa's malaria strategy has focused almost exclusively on disease control through indoor mosquito management and personal protection — bed nets, indoor spraying, and individual-level interventions. But this approach alone isn’t working. Progress against malaria in the African region has slowed significantly, with cases declining by just 5% since 2015 and mortality by 16%, according...

This week, Akinwumi Adesina stepped down as the chief of the African Development Bank after a 10-year tenure. He was replaced by Sidi Ould Tah at the helm of the institution , who is promising reform, new partnerships, and a focus on jobs — even as the bank confronts tight budgets and a looming African Development Fund replenishment. In the United States, the Trump administration proposed another...

This week, we take a look at the details of the latest United Nations reform, the UN80 Initiative, which is designed to make the organization more efficient. Unofficially, it’s also a move to convince the Trump administration not to cut U.N. funding even further. However, the initiative is unlikely to satisfy anyone.  Meanwhile, China, the U.N.’s largest financial contributor, is pushing for a gre...