This Week in Global Development

By Devex | Global Development

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 bre... more

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FAQs about This Week in Global Development:

How many episodes does This Week in Global Development have?

The podcast currently has 194 episodes available.

This Week in Global Development episodes:

February 26, 2026 Key takeaways from the AI Impact Summit, and philanthropy under scrutiny
Last week, we were at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 to find out how this revolutionary technology can transform global development. From AI regulation to the push for democratized access, we’re breaking down our key takeaways from the summit and exploring how artificial intelligence can maximize impact in the sector.

On the topic of the AI Impact Summit, Bill Gates pulled out hours before delivering a keynote speech. As the ties between the billionaire philanthropist and Jeffrey Epstein continue to generate headlines, we discuss whether the scrutiny of their relationship will broaden into a larger conversation about the power structures underlying elite philanthropy.

To dig into these stories, and others, Business Editor David Ainsworth sits down with Managing Editor Anna Gawel and Senior Editor for Special Coverage Catherine Cheney to discuss the top global development stories of the week.

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33min
February 24, 2026 Global Progress in the AI Era: Governing the AI moment
Artificial intelligence is moving at breakneck speed, but can global governance keep up?

In this episode of our new podcast series, Global progress in the AI era, Devex’s Catherine Cheney sits down with Amandeep Singh Gill, the U.N. secretary-general’s envoy on technology.

Together, they unpack the fast-evolving — and often fragmented — architecture of AI regulation.The core question: Can today’s patchwork of initiatives be connected quickly enough to ensure low- and middle-income countries help shape how AI is built and used — rather than being shut out of the benefits and left as testing grounds for systems making high-stakes decisions about their future?
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42min
February 19, 2026 What did we learn at the African Union Summit and the Munich Security Conference
We examine the latest developments surrounding the African Continental Free Trade Area, or AfCFTA, which served as a focal point of the recent African Union Summit. The initiative continues its phased reduction of continental tariffs to bolster intra-African trade and industrialization.

The development of strategic resource corridors to anchor critical mineral supply chains was also a cornerstone of the discussions. The U.S. officials sought to reassure participants that corridor investments would not be exploitative and would deliver tangible benefits to local communities.

We also reflect on the Munich Security Conference, where we found that the global south was underrepresented. While traditional foreign aid was largely sidelined in favor of immediate security priorities, development finance emerged as a prominent topic of conversation. Throughout the summit, participants frequently championed the argument that strategic investment in development is a prerequisite for global security, rather than a byproduct of it.

To discuss these stories, and others, Senior Reporter Adva Saldinger sits down with reporters Ayenat Mersie and Jesse Chase-Lubitz for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series.

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28min
February 12, 2026 What is the impact of aid cuts in Africa?
This week we take a look at a new report from the Center for Global Development, which found that aid cuts have largely failed to spark reform in sub-Saharan Africa. The caveat, though, is that the authors analyzed national budget data from June 2025 — shortly after the U.S. announced its drastic cuts, meaning the analysis doesn’t reflect efforts that have been taken since then.

But still, it challenges the viability of current financing models and highlights growing risks to essential social spending in recipient countries.

On the topic of sub-Saharan Africa, we examine the situation in Malawi, which is struggling to sustain critical health, education, and development programs after abrupt cuts to U.S. foreign aid exposed the country’s heavy reliance on donor funding.

Foreign aid cuts by the United States and the United Kingdom have also impacted the fight against female genital mutilation, hindering progress toward its elimination.

To dig into these stories, and others, Senior Editor Rumbi Chakamba sits down with reporters Sara Jerving and Ayenat Mersie to discuss the top global development stories of the week.

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27min
February 05, 2026 The new power players
In this episode of the This Week in Global Development podcast, Business Editor David Ainsworth is joined by Managing Editor Anna Gowel and Deputy Managing Editor Fiona Zublin to discuss the launch of Devex’s Power 50 list. The conversation highlights how the development landscape is shifting away from traditional power structures toward influential "movers and shakers" behind the scenes, including tech entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and leaders from the global south. Key figures mentioned include Anna Makanju of OpenAI, representing the impact of artificial intelligence on development, and Benjamin Black of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, illustrating the growing importance of private sector investment in global aid. Our discussion then moves to resource sovereignty, particularly concerning critical minerals on the African continent. The editors explore how countries such as Botswana, Ghana, and the Democratic Republic of Congo are implementing export bans and seeking more control over their natural resources to ensure local processing and economic benefits. To hear more, listen to this conversation on This Week in Global Development.
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32min
February 03, 2026 Special Episode: Elevating oral health on the global agenda
In this special edition of our podcast, This week in global development, we explore the critical yet often overlooked issue of oral health with guests Anil Soni, CEO of the WHO Foundation, and Esha Gupta, Head of Public Health and Social Impact at Colgate-Palmolive.

Despite oral diseases affecting 3.7 billion people and being among the most common noncommunicable diseases, oral health has historically been siloed from systemic health discussions. This conversation highlights how oral health serves as a vital gateway to overall wellness — and makes the case for oral health as a key starting point for early health interventions.

Recorded during the World Economic Forum in Davos, the episode focuses on a landmark multiyear partnership between the WHO Foundation and Colgate-Palmolive to scale oral health education and policy globally. This collaboration aims to integrate oral care into primary health systems, particularly in countries with high disease burdens, by building on the legacy of the Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures children’s oral health education program alongside the WHO’s normative guidance. By moving from a traditional aid model to a strategic investment approach, the partnership seeks to elevate oral health on the global public health agenda and advance healthier futures for all.

To hear more about this initiative and the case for investing in oral health, listen to this conversation with Anil Soni and Esha Gupta on the Devex podcast.
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22min
January 29, 2026 US amps up aid restrictions, and those left behind in era of self-interest
This week we report on the U.S. State Department’s radical expansion of the Mexico City Policy, also known as the global gag rule, which blocks U.S. federal funding to international nongovernmental organizations that provide or inform about abortion. Beyond the traditional reproductive health restrictions, three sweeping new rules now tether all U.S. foreign assistance to strict prohibitions on “gender ideology” as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives.

During the conversation we also dig into the key findings of a report published by the European Network on Debt and Development, or Eurodad, which warns that modernized aid rules are focusing on the political and commercial priorities of wealthy donors while leaving the world's poorest countries buried in debt.

We also touch on the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank’s updated accountability and grievance mechanism, and our exclusive story which reveals through a set of leaked emails that the Beijing-based lender is sidestepping on-the-ground meetings with Indigenous communities over alleged human rights abuses at a tourism development project in Indonesia.

To explore these stories, Senior Reporter Adva Saldinger sits down with Managing Editor Anna Gawel and Global Development Reporter Jesse Chase-Lubitz for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series.

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28min
January 27, 2026 Special Episode: BCG on scaling global impact in an era of constraints
In this special edition of This Week in Global Development, recorded at Davos, we explore a fundamental shift in the development landscape: the move from funding gaps to impact-driven results. As global economic constraints and fragmented cooperation redefine the sector, the conversation is no longer just about how much money can be mobilized, but how leadership and innovation can scale impact in a complex world.

Devex President and Editor-in-Chief Raj Kumar sits down with Jim Larson, managing director and senior partner at BCG, to discuss the “impact pivot” of 2026. Larson outlines how successful players are moving beyond traditional aid by integrating generative artificial intelligence as core infrastructure and restructuring their "capital stacks" through blended finance and private sector partnerships.

From the necessity of market-driven efficiency to the rise of inclusive, localized coalitions, Larson shares case studies on how technology and innovative finance are moving the needle on global health. They also examine the specific characteristics defining successful development leaders in this new era of market imperatives.To hear more about the evolution of the development toolkit, listen to this conversation with Jim Larson on This Week in Global Development.

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35min
January 22, 2026 The latest from the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos
This week, we are tuning in from Davos as we report from the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. With Trump’s attendance and foreign policy dominating the summit, we discuss the most important updates for the global development community, including the Gates Foundation and OpenAI’s $50 million commitment to support AI-infused health programs across Africa.

We examine the year’s defining narratives — specifically the shift toward sovereign, country-led initiatives — and explain why the global development community’s presence at Davos is vital to ensuring these voices shape the new international order.

To bring you the latest from Davos, Senior Editor Rumbi Chakamba sits down with President and Editor-in-Chief Raj Kumar and Global Development Reporter Elissa Miolene for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series.

During the sponsored segment of This Week in Global Development, brought to you by Pivotal, Catherine Cheney sits down with Action for Women’s Health grantee Naana Otoo-Oyortey, Executive Director at Forward UK, whose leadership brings visibility and sustainable change for women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Learn more about the awardees and explore the content series.

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28min
January 15, 2026 Inside the US foreign aid breakthrough and $2B commitment to the UN
This week, U.S. lawmakers reached a deal on a $50 billion compromise foreign assistance bill. Even though the agreement implements a 16% reduction from what was approved by Congress last year, it defies President Donald Trump’s requested 47.7% gutting of the budget. Beyond the numbers, the bill signals a fundamental overhaul of how foreign assistance accounts are managed and structured.

From its ripple effects across the global health sector to the critical implications for the African Growth and Opportunity Act extension, we analyze the bill’s core priorities and its long-term impact on the global development landscape.

Beyond the U.S. budget, we also dive into a deal between Washington and the United Nations. A confidential memorandum of understanding secures $2 billion in U.S. commitment for U.N. humanitarian funding through 2026. We explore where that money is going and what it tells us about U.N. priorities.

To dig into these stories, and others, Business Editor David Ainsworth sits down with reporters Adva Saldinger and Colum Lynch 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 grantee Tonya Adair, President & CEO at Alternative for Girls, whose leadership addresses the basic needs of women and girls so they can lead healthy lives. Learn more about the awardees and explore the content series:

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37min

FAQs about This Week in Global Development:

How many episodes does This Week in Global Development have?

The podcast currently has 194 episodes available.

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