After 2025’s ‘seismic’ shock, what’s next for development and aid?
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 other newsletters.
--------
40:18
--------
40:18
The potential exodus of NGOs from the US, and the rise of authoritarianism
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 series. Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsletters.
--------
31:59
--------
31:59
Special episode: Pivotal Ventures on Funding the Future of Women’s Health
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, work, and participate fully in society.Hosted in partnership with Pivotal Ventures, Devex Executive Editor Kate Warren speaks with Haven Ley, chief strategy officer at Pivotal Ventures, and Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change, about how reimagining women’s health care can reshape opportunity for entire communities.Their conversation highlights Action for Women’s Health — a $250 million global open call launched by Pivotal Ventures and Lever for Change to identify and fund community-driven solutions that improve women’s mental and physical health. The initiative drew over 4,000 applications from 119 countries, surfacing innovations in areas from maternal and mental health to menopause and caregiving.As global aid declines and funding for women’s health remains scarce, Ley and Conrad argue that this bottom-up, participatory funding model offers a more equitable way to center women’s voices and needs. Their message: the ideas and solutions already exist — what’s needed now is more capital and commitment to bring them to scale.
--------
32:42
--------
32:42
The impact of aid cuts: UN reform and the role of philanthropy
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.
--------
32:46
--------
32:46
Live from the World Bank annual meetings: The debates dominating Washington
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 summit.Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsletters.
Dive into the week's most critical global development news with the This Week in Global Development podcast. In each episode, hosts Adva Saldinger, David Ainsworth, and Rumbi Chakamba break down major headlines and invite leading experts for insightful analysis. Get up-to-date on news regarding foreign aid, humanitarian crises, the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals, finance, philanthropy, climate, food systems, global health, and stay informed on the latest trends and policy changes shaping global development.Episodes are published every Friday and can also be watched on YouTube.Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@devexSign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsletters: https://www.devex.com/account/newsletters