Launch of $750M African climate-resilient infrastructure fund
4/3/2025: The Africa Finance Corporation has closed the first round of financing for a new fund focused on climate-resilient infrastructure on the continent. Designed to accelerate climate adaptation, the fund has attracted significant support from the Green Climate Fund and the European Investment Bank.
Source: Devex
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
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
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
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
Judge orders Trump administration to unfreeze existing aid programs
14/2/2025: A US federal judge has ruled that, while the president could order a 90-day review, the administration could not compel USAID staff to stop work or freeze funding for existing programs with contractual obligations. This ruling is a first step toward restoring US foreign assistance programs.
Source: Devex
Negotiations open for UN Tax Treaty
10/2/2025: UN member states have opened discussion on a first-ever treaty on international tax cooperation. On the first day of negotiations, the US left the room but the process continued on how to end the current system that deprives governments of billions in revenue.
Source: Human Rights Watch
The US aid freeze in data: How will UN agencies be affected?
5/2/2025: In 2023, the US provided $13 billion of $67.6 billion of total worldwide support to the UN On Jan. 24, the US government announced that it would send stop-work letters to all recipients of USAID funding, which includes most UN agencies. A UN survey reveals which agencies are most affected.
Source: Devex