Testing for COVID-19 has fallen precipitously around the world as countries have relaxed their public health policies. Global health experts worry this is leaving us “blind” to whatever the virus might have in store.
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Today we’re also digging for more details about a controversial U.K. development project in Rwanda, hearing from the leaders of the European Investment Bank, and breaking down USAID's procurement vocabulary.
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My colleague Sara Jerving reports that testing for COVID-19 has fallen by 70% to 90% across the world.
“Because testing has been the first casualty of a global decision to let down our guard, we're becoming blind to what is happening with this virus,” says Dr. Bill Rodriguez of FIND, a co-convener of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator “diagnostics pillar.”
While reported cases and deaths are declining globally, it’s difficult to have full confidence in that picture when the entire process for assembling it is being dismantled.
“We have had massive changes in testing strategies, huge reductions in the numbers of tests being used around the world. We have very little confidence in what we are actually seeing in the trends in terms of cases,” says Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead for COVID-19.
COVID-19: Testing sees massive decline, leaving countries vulnerable
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Follow the money
The U.K. government is pairing its controversial deal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda with a development project that it says won’t be funded from the development aid budget.
Will Worley reports that critics see a severe lack of transparency in the $152 million economic development plan, which officials say will draw on resources from the U.K. Home Office. At a time when the overall assistance budget has been slashed, no one seems quite sure how the government was able to find that extra funding, or how the project was designed.
“The government has refused to provide any more information about the economic development project’s timeline, scope, objectives, or whether a business case exists. Devex was directed to a Home Office blog that said the program will ‘enhance economic prosperity in the region by investing in upskilling, development and projects which will benefit both migrants and their hosts,’” Will writes.
Given the lack of publicly available information about this project, Will is looking for more details. Are you working on it or know someone who is? Send him an email at william.worley@devex.com.
Read: UK-Rwanda project called 'uglier vision of development diplomacy'
+ Catch up on all the latest news in U.K. aid.
Coming to terms
Do you know the difference between third country nationals and cooperating country nationals? Or key personnel versus nonkey personnel? Navigating USAID’s procurement terminology can be like learning a foreign language, which is why Rebecca Root put together this glossary of common terms for Devex.
Understanding USAID: A glossary of common terms in procurement (Pro)
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On the Hill
On Tuesday U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken testified at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. My colleague Adva Saldinger has this readout:
The hearing was ostensibly about President Biden’s fiscal year 2023 budget request, but focused mostly on key geopolitical priorities — from the war in Ukraine, to Chinese competition and Iran.
• Global COVID-19 response: Additional COVID-19 funding is “absolutely critical.” While there is a relative abundance of actual vaccines the current challenge is getting shots in arms, including addressing cold storage, distribution networks, health care workers, and disinformation, Blinken said.
• Global women’s issues: Biden’s budget request includes $2.64 billion to advance gender equality, prevent and respond to gender-based violence, and promote women in peace and security. The White House wants to see a gender-based approach in refugee situations.
• Food security: The U.S. will use its presidency of the UN Security Council in May to focus on the food crisis. The State Department is pushing other countries to increase donations and resources, to make stockpiles of food available, and not put in place export restrictions.
Just transition
“We will use gas in Europe ourselves, how can I keep the Africans from doing it? But then again, it's a question. Does it take multilateral financial institutions to finance?”
— Werner Hoyer, president, European Investment BankThe European Investment Bank is a major player on climate finance — which means it is also at the center of a debate about what kinds of energy development multilateral institutions should be financing.
My colleague Adva Saldinger speaks to two of the bank’s top leaders to understand how they think about a “just transition” in climate change and what the future holds for EIB.
Q&A: EIB leadership on climate finance, EIB Global, and what's next for the bank (Pro)
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In other news
The U.N. General Assembly decided on Tuesday to automatically meet within 10 days, if one of its five permanent Security Council members vetoes a decision. [UN News]
A second person died of Ebola last Monday, as health officials work to contain an outbreak in Mbandaka, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [CNN]
Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest since February 2021, was found guilty of corruption by a court in military-ruled Myanmar. [BBC]
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About the author
Michael Igoe@AlterIgoe
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, based in Washington, D.C. He covers U.S. foreign aid, global health, climate change, and development finance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael researched water management and climate change adaptation in post-Soviet Central Asia, where he also wrote for EurasiaNet. Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian, and his master’s degree from the University of Montana, where he studied international conservation and development.
