This Week in Global Development

This week, we discuss the United States’ new highly targeted approach to humanitarian aid, showcased in a $2 billion agreement with the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA. 

Designed for rapid impact, the funds are strictly earmarked for direct, lifesaving assistance over a short six-month window across 18 crisis-affected countries. We explore the implications of this strategy, which signals a significant shift in U.S. foreign aid toward fast-tracked, tightly scoped interventions focused on immediate survival. 

During the conversation, we also take a look at the details of the Trump administration’s budget request, which calls for a 30% cut to foreign affairs spending and increased funding to rebuild and secure critical mineral supply chains. 

To dig into these stories, and others, Devex Business Editor David Ainsworth sits down with Adva Saldinger and Elissa Miolene for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series. 

To find out more about how the U.S. budget works, check out our special explainer episode. 

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In this special episode of This Week in Global Development, we explore breast cancer not just as a health challenge, but as a critical development challenge. In low- and middle-income countries, or LMICs, a breast cancer diagnosis can have a devastating ripple effect that extends far beyond the clinic, impacting households, communities, and entire systems. 

Hosted in partnership with The Pfizer Foundation, Devex Executive Vice President and Executive Editor Kate Warren speaks with Darren Back, Dr. Loice Sitienei, and Dr. Patrick Loehrer to explore why integrated breast cancer care strengthens both health systems and economic resilience, ultimately improving outcomes for women facing this disease.

The conversation underscores the systemic barriers to breast cancer care in LMICs, where limited infrastructure and high costs often lead to delays in diagnosis. The Pfizer Foundation's Action and Impact initiative, a philanthropic investment now totaling $25 million across five sub-Saharan African countries, aims to expand access to timely breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and care. By supporting partners working with local and national governments to advance access to care, the initiative seeks to not only improve breast cancer outcomes but also strengthen overall health systems and long-term prosperity.

To hear more, listen to this on This Week in Global Development.

The Pfizer Foundation is a charitable organization established by Pfizer Inc. and is a separate legal entity with distinct legal restrictions. To learn more about The Pfizer Foundation, click here.

We dig into the key findings of a report published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on philanthropic funding. As traditional donors continue to slash their aid budgets, we examine where philanthropy can help plug the global development funding gap and provide resources for areas the private sector is not focusing on.

We also discuss the United Kingdom’s new aid strategy. As the country looks to cut official development assistance spending to 0.3% of its gross national income, the government plans to shift from a donor role to an investor role, while focusing its aid on fragile and conflict-affected states.

As we look ahead to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings this month, we explore the former’s new water strategy, which aims to shift away from a narrow focus on infrastructure toward a broader, more integrated approach.

To discuss these stories, and others, Senior Reporter Adva Saldinger sits down with Managing Editor Anna Gawel and Global Development Reporter Danielle Kaye for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series.

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As governments and funders invest in AI for development, a critical question remains: what actually delivers impact? In this episode of Global Progress in the AI Era, experts explain that funding evidence — not just innovation — will determine whether AI improves lives or reinforces existing gaps.

In this week’s edition of This Week in Global Development, we unpack the precarious state of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. Despite ongoing congressional support, a significant disconnect between allocated funds and State Department disbursements has left major implementing agencies such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention operating on less than half their usual budget. As bridge funding begins to dry up and transition plans for bilateral health deals stall, the real-world consequences are starting to emerge — from shuttered drop-in centers in Nairobi to drastic service cuts in Uganda — and are putting key populations at immediate risk.

When it comes to on-the-ground implementation, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is increasingly expected to fill the vacuum left by the dismantling of USAID projects. This shift toward using the Global Fund’s infrastructure for large-scale health transitions has been fraught with technical hurdles, however, including performance issues with the fund’s wambo.org procurement platform and the looming policy implications of the expanded global gag rule. 

To dig into these stories, Editor Rumbi Chakamba sits down with Devex reporters Andrew Green and Jenny Lei Ravelo for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series.