Following the 2025 Development Leaders Conference, CGD's Rachel Glennerster speaks with BMZ's Dirk Meyer and SAIIA's Elizabeth Sidiropoulos about conference takeaways, including whether climate should be a focus for development agencies, how to get more bang for your climate-change buck, and how developing countries might prioritize between climate mitigation and adaptation. 

After a large share of USAID's work was terminated, a small cadre of development experts created Project Resource Optimization, or PRO, to identify highly cost-effective, life-saving programs that were on hold and connect them with philanthropic donors who could fill the gaps. CGD's Erin Collinson speaks with two PRO team members, Rob Rosenbaum and Caitlin Tulloch, about the origins and limits of the PRO initiative, its successes to date, and the lessons from the work that could help re-envision US foreign aid.  

CGD's Sanjeev Gupta and Benedict Clements of Universidad de Las Américas discuss the considerations that influence the design of sound monetary and fiscal policies, the role of income taxes, and the kinds of reforms that can bring equity to both emerging and advanced economies. 

As the second season of Pandemic Proof comes to a close, host Javier Guzman reflects on the progress made in pandemic preparedness since COVID-19, the challenges we still face, and the rapidly shifting global landscape that will shape what comes next.

Ahead of the African Development Bank's presidential election in May, CGD's Karen Mathiasen and AfriCatalyst's Daouda Sembene interview three of the candidates – Amadou Hott, Samuel Munzele Maimbo, and Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala – on their priorities for the Bank and their views on how to help steer countries through a volatile and uncertain time and achieve their development goals.

Takahiro Tsuda and Atsushi Mimura from the Japanese Ministry of Finance join Javier Guzman to examine current funding mechanisms for pandemic preparedness and response, explore Japan's role in driving global efforts (and insights gained), and discuss potential pathways to strengthen PPR financing.

CGD's Gyude Moore speaks with Hannah Ryder of Development Reimagined and Yunnan Chen of ODI Global about the evolution of China's relationship with Africa, the opportunities presented by FOCAC 9, and where the money should go to do the most good. 

CGD's Kehinde Ajayi speaks with UNICEF's Ruth Graham-Goulder and CGAP's Rani Deshpande about the importance of including adolescent girls' perspectives to inform policy, of working across sectors to provide multi-issue solutions, and of developing financial and economic interventions that reflect adolescent girls' realities.

Catharina Boehme, Assistant Director-General for External Relations and Governance at the WHO, joins guest-host Pete Baker to discuss the outcomes of the WHO Investment Round and the opportunities and risks it presents for strengthening global health and pandemic preparedness.

CGD's Rachael Calleja speaks with Santiago Quiñones Cardenas of APC Colombia, a member of the Re-thinking Development Cooperation Working Group, about the value of multidirectional learning, the importance of creating inclusive spaces for engagement, and Santiago's advice for successful triangular cooperation.