This Week in Global Development

Around 5 billion people — about two-thirds of the world’s population — globally lack access to safe, affordable surgical care.  Despite carrying 25% of the global surgical disease burden, Africa is served by just 2% of the world’s surgical workforce. The reasons for this disparity are complex — from underresourced medical education systems to the migration of trained professionals seeking better p...

Confusion surrounding U.S. foreign assistance deepened this week as USAID reversed several program terminations—including life-saving food aid—just days after announcing them. The World Food Programme called the initial cuts a “death sentence for millions,” and organizations are now raising questions about data accuracy and decision-making inside the administration. We also look at how European go...

The Trump administration formally informed Congress of its proposal to abolish USAID , merging key aspects of its operations into the State Department . This plan involves the complete shutdown of the agency and subsequent staff layoffs. Despite this, the U.S. government intends to preserve vital programs concerning humanitarian assistance, food security, and global health, potentially leading to...

This week, the Trump administration released a detailed inventory of 5,341 discontinued USAID programs , alongside the 898 projects that are still active. We dig into the ins and outs of the data to assess the true scope of the government's policy changes, as well as reveal which programs have been most affected.  During the conversation, we also discussed how the Trump administration’s foreign po...

In this special episode of This Week in Global Development, Devex dives deeper into how climate change is driving increased gender-based violence and harassment in the world of work and the cutting-edge research that’s not only mapping its impacts but also improving our understanding of potential solutions. Hear directly from Kathy Baughman McLeod, the founder and CEO of Climate Resilience for All...

This week we dig into the different proposals on how the Trump administration could reform foreign assistance. According to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s post on the social media platform X, 1,000 programs will be retained , with plans to potentially fold USAID into the State Department .  We also learned that Peter Marocco, who acted as deputy administrator of USAID for 6 weeks, has offic...

This week a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to pay USAID partners for billions of dollars in foreign aid work completed before Feb. 13. The ruling also stated that the president does not have “unbounded power” in the realm of foreign affairs. This means that the U.S. government must spend the money that’s already been appropriated by Congress. We discuss whether this ruling will hol...

This week the U.S. Supreme Court has rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to not pay billions of dollars in foreign aid to USAID and State Department partners — lifting a temporary reprieve granted by Chief Justice John Roberts.  On the topic of USAID, the U.S. African Development Foundation mounted a direct challenge to the Trump administration. Wednesday saw USADF staff physically prevent...

This week we closely followed the latest developments on the U.S. government’s attempt at dismantling USAID . We learned that the Trump administration has decided to cut 1,600 USAID personnel based in the United States , while also placing nearly all direct hires worldwide on administrative leave by midnight Sunday. Simultaneously, the Trump administration terminated nearly 10,000 foreign aid awar...

This week we were closely following the lawsuits filed against the Trump administration for freezing U.S. foreign assistance. One of the lawsuits targets Elon Musk , stating that the billionaire has decimated the U.S. Agency for International Development without the authority to do so. However, the government appears to be determined to fight back against those who are ready to challenge its decis...

This week we were closely tracking the legal battles surrounding USAID 's closure, with lawsuits filed by both former contractors and NGO partners as the fallout from the agency's shutdown continues to reverberate across the global development community. USAID is not the only institution in the sector being affected by the new U.S. administration. We also reported that the U.N.’s International Org...

This week our entire newsroom has been on the story of how the Trump administration has dismantled the U.S. Agency for International Development .  The administrative leave of much of USAID's workforce , including senior executives and almost all international staff, coupled with the layoff of thousands of contractors, has cast a long shadow over the future of U.S. foreign aid as we know it and ra...

Ville Tavio, Finland’s minister for foreign trade and development and a member of the right-wing Finns Party, which he described as "somewhat like a Finland First party,” addressed misconceptions about conservative hostility toward international development during a special episode of This Week in Global Development recorded in Davos, Switzerland.  Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsl...

Widespread confusion and uncertainty continue to ripple through the development sector following the U.S. government’s stop-work order on foreign aid programs. The directive has already resulted in mass layoffs this week, particularly among contractors and implementing partners reliant on USAID funding, while nearly 60 senior USAID officials have been placed on administrative leave. The U.S. State...

Sania Nishtar, the CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, sees the organization’s new five-year strategy, dubbed “Gavi 6.0,” as an opportunity for a reset. She provided Devex with an exclusive preview. Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsletters.

Special Olympics' Chief of Global Youth & Education, Jackie Jodl, joins Raj Kumar for a podcast episode looking at how sports and education can drive societal change, the state of social inclusion for people with intellectual and learning disabilities, and the opportunities and risks presented by AI. This episode is sponsored by Special Olympics.

In his first week in office, U.S. President Donald Trump has implemented several executive orders, including a 90-day freeze on U.S. foreign assistance funding . The executive order states that the “foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests” and the Trump administration plans to review aid programs to decide what should stay and what should go. Trump also ordered...

On a special special episode of This Week in Global Development, Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS, warned of major consequences for people with HIV if U.S. under President Trump cuts funding to programs such as PEPFAR and the Global Fund. Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsletters.

Migration is surging worldwide — as is the backlash to it. Perhaps nowhere is this backlash more evident at the moment than in the United States, where newly minted President Donald Trump has said he will deport all of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the country. Amy Pope doesn’t think that is practical, or productive. Pope, director-general of the International Organiza...

As we kickstart 2025, we speak to Devex President and Editor-in-Chief Raj Kumar about the trends he believes will shape global development this coming year . We examine how significant shifts, including reduced government funding in traditionally generous countries and the evolving role of philanthropy, will impact the sector. We also revisit our exclusive interview with USAID chief Samantha Power...

In one of her last interviews before leaving office, Samantha Power spoke with Devex for a special edition of its This Week in Global Development podcast about navigating that push-and-pull, and how she expects the Trump administration’s USAID to face similar challenges. Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsletters.

As the world gets ready for a second Trump presidency, significant uncertainty surrounds the United Nations as the organization prepares to implement substantial funding cuts. With the new administration predicted to prioritize national security over humanitarian and human rights principles, China may seek to fill the void left by the United States.  Faced with domestic economic pressures and comp...

This week’s podcast kicks off with a look at the legacy of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who passed away at the age of 100 on Sunday. Following his four-year presidency, Carter devoted four decades to humanitarian efforts, founding The Carter Center in 1982 to promote peace and improve global health. One of his most significant contributions was his campaign to eradicate Guinea worm disease,...

This week we delve into the key trends that have shaped the global development landscape . From the impact of declining aid budgets in high-income countries to Donald Trump’s reelection, we examine how these forces are influencing the sector and consider their implications for the year ahead. We also explore the potential of cash transfers to revolutionize the aid sector and challenge the traditio...

This week, we take a look at the Civil Society and Social Innovation Alliance, known as CIVIC, a new, forthcoming World Bank Group initiative designed to support civil society organizations and social economy players. This venture seeks to foster more collaboration in line with the bank’s localization agenda, enabling civil society to play a crucial role in addressing global challenges. On the top...