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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 conference’s most important highlights, including the latest commitments and progress on scaling climate finance. We also investigate whether the meeting is living up to its designation as the “Implementation COP.” To dig into these stories, Devex Senior Editor Rumbi Chakamba sits down with Senior Reporter Sara Jerving and Global Development Reporter Ayenat Mersie, who is on the ground at COP30, for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series. During the sponsored segment of This Week in Global Development, brought to you by Pivotal, Kate Warren sits down with Action for Women’s Health grantees Sabine Zink Bolonhini a

Special episode: Can AI support mental health? by Devex

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 the key talking points at the conference, including the latest on the loss and damage fund and how multilateral development banks are financing climate action. We also decipher the jargon around climate action for our global development audience, breaking down key acronyms such as NDCs and the controversial new investment fund, TFFF. We also decipher the jargon around climate action for our global development audience, breaking down key acronyms such as NDCs and the controversial new investment fund, TFFF. The sponsored segment of the conversation is brought to you by Pivotal and its Action for Women’s Health in

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. Devex Executive Editor Kate Warren speaks with Laurie Goodwin, vice president of public affairs and communications at CropLife International, about how innovation and open trade can work together to build climate-resilient food systems. The episode also introduces a new practical guide that compiles global examples of policy approaches that strengthen sustainable agricultural growth and support climate, productivity, and resilience goals. Across the discussion, the importance of collaboration among governments, the private sector, and farmers is emphasized as essential for delivering measurable on-the-ground outc

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 development sector is facing serious financing headwinds — a financial shock wave comparable to the 2008 crisis. These changes are fundamentally altering the global development architecture, forcing a pivot away from reliance on official development assistance. To maintain progress, the discussion highlighted the crucial need to mobilize private capital and build trust-based, sustainable financial systems. To explore these critical shifts, they sat down with Carla Haddad Mardini, director of UNICEF's private fundraising and partnerships, and Julienne Oyler, CEO of Inkomoko. Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our oth

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. With authoritarian practices on the rise and civic spaces closing, we reflect on the key takeaways from the Trust Conference in London, where the international community gathered to learn from each other’s lessons when it comes to fighting autocracy. We also look ahead to the Second World Summit for Social Development 2025 and examine what its core themes and expected outcomes mean for the global development agenda. To explore these stories, and others, Senior Editor Rumbi Chakamba sits down with Managing Editor Anna Gawel and Global Development Reporter Elissa Miolene for the latest episode of our weekly podcast ser

Special episode: Pivotal Ventures on Funding the Future of Women’s Health by Devex

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 discuss that while some foundations, such as the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, are halting U.S. funding over policy uncertainty, we are also witnessing lifesaving programs continuing to operate thanks to philanthropy organizations stepping up their funding. In order to dig into these stories, and others, Business Editor David Ainsworth sits down with Senior Global Reporter Colum Lynch and Senior Editor for Special Coverage Catherine Cheney for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series. Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsletters: https://www.devex.com/account/newsletters

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 examining the World Bank’s ongoing focus on global job creation, we highlight our exclusive on-the-sidelines interview at Devex Impact House with U.S. Rep. French Hill, a Republican from Arkansas, who shared insights on the Trump administration’s “America First” approach to foreign assistance, providing a Republican perspective on U.S. engagement in global development. In order to discuss the key talking points at the annual meetings, Devex’s Adva Saldinger sits down with Michael Igoe and Elissa Miolene for the latest episode of our podcast series, recorded live at Devex Impact House on the sidelines of the main sum

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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 faster on project approvals. Amid ongoing reforms, attention is turning to how new tools such as securitizations and guarantee instruments can attract institutional investors while balancing the needs of borrowing countries. The conversation also explores the ways investors are seeking to value ecosystems alongside traditional climate assets, and how differences between U.S. and European markets are shaping approaches to ESG, or environmental, social, and governance, and climate investment. To discuss these developments, Senior Reporter Adva Saldinger sits down with Elissa Miolene and J.P. Morgan’s Faheen Allibhoy for

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 assistance plummeting, governments are under pressure to make up their global health funding shortfall through taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary beverages. However, these levies may not be a financial panacea. During the conversation, we also look back at how U.S. objections stalled the long-negotiated United Nations declaration on noncommunicable diseases, sending it to a full General Assembly vote this month, and look ahead to the World Health Summit. To dig into these stories and others, Senior Editor Rumbi Chakamba sits down with Senior Reporter Sara Jerving and contributing reporter Andrew Green for the

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 Trump administration's stance on climate action, with high emitters, including China, submitting their Nationally Determined Contributions, or their climate action plans to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius. To dig into these stories and catch up on what’s happening at UNGA80, senior editor Rumbi Chakamba sits down with senior global reporter Colum Lynch and global development reporter Jesse Chase-Lubitz for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series. Note on episode: David Lammy’s current title is deputy prime minister, not prime minister as mentioned in the episode. Sign up to the Devex Newswi

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 sector and defining a new era of global development. This comes amid President Donald Trump's plans to reshape the international system, with a clear focus on reducing foreign aid and challenging long-standing international norms. With the U.S. appearing to retreat from the U.N., we explore who the contenders are to fill the gap left by the world’s largest economy. To explore the key conversations we are following at UNGA, Senior Editor Rumbi Chakamba sits down with Senior Global Reporter Colum Lynch, as well as Devex President and Editor-in-Chief Raj Kumar, for this special episode of our weekly podcast series. Sign

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. During the discussion, we also explored some of the conversations that may not get the attention they deserve, including reforming the global debt architecture and securing the future of humanitarian funding. To look ahead to UNGA 80, Devex Business Editor David Ainsworth sits down with Senior Global Reporter Colum Lynch and Allison Lombardo, former deputy assistant secretary at the State Department, for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series. Together, they break down the diplomatic challenges and highlight negotiations that will shape this year’s discussions. Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our othe

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 to follow a key lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's foreign aid spending — or lack thereof. The case, which is a test of the executive branch's power over government spending, is now headed to the Supreme Court. The administration asked the highest court to intervene after a lower court compelled it to spend foreign assistance funds that Congress had already appropriated. We take a look at where the case stands and what might happen next.  To dig into these stories and others, Senior Reporter Adva Saldinger sits down with Managing Editor Anna Gawel and Global Development Reporter Ayenat Mersie for the l

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 billion from foreign assistance, its approval would have a significant impact on the global development sector. To gain insight into the complexities of the U.S. budget and its implications for the development sector, Business Editor David Ainsworth sits down with Senior Reporters Adva Saldinger and Michael Igoe for this special episode of our weekly podcast series. Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsletters: https://www.devex.com/account/newsletters

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 to the World Health Organization. Experts now argue it’s time to shift from disease-centric, indoor mosquito management to more robust integrated mosquito management strategies. That means taking a tiered approach, starting with reducing mosquito breeding sites, treating water sources with larvicides, and then targeting adult mosquitoes. “The tendency will probably be to think about controlling mosquitoes when they are flying only. But they are actually more vulnerable when they are not flying, usually when they are in the water,” explained Silas Majambere, a medical entomologist and business manager of Africa, Euro

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 $5 billion cut to foreign aid spending through a move known as a “pocket rescission.” This proposal builds on the cancellation of roughly $8 billion in foreign aid funding in July. We take a look at the controversial maneuver, which has not been used since 1977. To dig into these stories, and others, David Ainsworth sits down with Michael Igoe and Ayenat Mersie for the latest episode of our podcast series. Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsletters: https://www.devex.com/account/newsletters

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 greater role at the organization, painting the U.S. as a threat to multilateralism. The country has been stepping up demands for more jobs at the institution for Chinese nationals. We also discuss how emerging donors are reshaping the aid landscape, blending commercial aims with development goals in ways that look different from traditional partners. As Western aid recedes, their rise brings new resources, priorities, and trade-offs. To analyze these stories, and others, Senior Reporter Adva Saldinger sits down with Business Editor David Ainsworth and Senior Global Reporter Colum Lynch for the latest episode of our w