Debt service payments in poorest countries reach alarming levels
25/2/2025: The UN Development Programme is calling for the June International Conference on Financing for Development to consider a systemic debt relief initiative for the poorest countries. 17 countries now spend more than 20 percent of national revenue on interest payments, a threshold strongly linked to default risk.
Source: UN Development Programme
The Cali Fund: Financing for biodiversity conservation
25/2/2025: The text of a speech by the UN Assistant Secretary-General welcoming the foundation of the Cali Fund which aims to ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits from Digital Sequence Information on genetic resources. It will compensate Indigenous communities whose genetic resources and traditional knowledge contribute to global scientific advancements.
Source: UN Environment Programme
UK will slash billions in aid spending to fund larger military
25/2/2025: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stunned members of his own Labour Party with the announcement that he will shift billions of pounds from overseas development to support a bigger military — despite a manifesto promise to increase aid spending from 0.5% back to 0.7% of gross national income.
Source: Devex
Why are thousands being culled from USAID?
25/2/2025: What was once a 10,000-person agency has been decimated. Thousands have been placed on administrative leave, and between 1,600 to 2,000 further staff members have been told they will be eliminated entirely. So who will remain at USAID?
Source: Devex
Absent US looms large over Human Rights Council
24/2/2025: US President Donald Trump has severed ties with the UN Human Rights Council, in stark contrast with former president Joe Biden’s efforts to re-engage the US in multilateral diplomacy. Last year, the US was the Human Rights Office’s largest donor, accounting for 13 per cent of voluntary donations.
Source: Geneva Solutions
Court says thousands of USAID staff can be put on leave
22/2/2025: A US federal judge has reversed a recent court order block on the Trump administration’s efforts to cut USAID’s staff. Over the last month, the agency’s 10,000 staff members have faced wave after wave of furloughs, terminations, and suspensions. Now it seems that these will continue.
Source: Devex
After US retreat, countries clash over support for Green Climate Fund
21/2/2025: The loss of US funding puts at risk the capacity of the Global Climate Fund to help developing countries adopt clean energy and adapt to climate change. Pressure may grow on China and the Gulf States to contribute towards the new UN climate finance goal agreed at COP29 last November.
Source: Climate Home News
The right to seek asylum does not exist at US-Mexico border
20/2/2025: Amnesty International has found that the right to seek asylum in the US is non-existent at the US-Mexico border, in violation of US human rights national and international obligations. These findings stem from the Trump administration’s executive actions and the increased militarization of the border by the Mexican government.
Source: Amnesty International
How will Trump freeze on USAID affect millions around the world?
20/2/2022: Within hours of taking office on 20 January, the US president, Donald Trump, announced an immediate 90-day freeze on $40bn for international projects coming from the US Agency for International Development. The Guardian explains the far-reaching consequences.
Source: The Guardian
IRC cutting thousands of staff after US aid freeze
19/2/2025: The International Rescue Committee is cutting thousands of staff, in another sign of turmoil as the US aid funding freeze continues. Layoffs and furloughs have hit many international NGOs and UN agencies are beginning cuts, particularly for resettlement-related programmes.
Source: The New Humanitarian