Devex monthly news quiz: January 2026

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!

That’s it for January! Don’t forget to sign up to our free daily newsletter, the Newswire.

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 

Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsletters.