News from the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos usually dominates the global development spotlight in January. But this year, that spotlight is shared again with a dramatic shift in Washington. The Trump administration began the year by further accelerating its retreat from multilateralism, announcing withdrawals from 66 international entities — including 31 within the United Nations system.
This January also marks a somber anniversary: It’s been one year since the stop-work order that signaled the beginning of the end for USAID. That order was the first domino in a total restructuring that has fundamentally altered the global aid landscape. This “America First” shake-up is already rippling through the sector; recent reports show a growing trend among other donors to pivot ODA away from traditional poverty reduction and toward commercial and political self-interest.
Beyond the halls of Davos and the restructuring of U.S. aid, what else shaped the world of global development this month? Test your knowledge in our January news quiz below!
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We produce a monthly quiz centering on our most-read pieces from the previous month to give Devex community members a fun, interactive way to keep abreast of what’s happening in global development.
Try out past editions of the quiz:
2025 year-end quiz | November 2025 | October 2025 | September 2025 | August 2025 | July 2025 | June 2025 | May 2025 | April 2025 | March 2025 | February 2025 | January 2025
About the author
Nicole Tablizo
Nicole Tablizo is a Copy Editor at Devex. Having previously worked in academia, she developed a fondness for quizzing people.
