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Incoming ICAI chief Jillian Popkins warns a government review could weaken the agency’s independence.
Also in today’s edition: We have USAID’s final Biden business forecast, and a list of things to consider when switching to a career in humanitarian aid.
Popkins’ patch
At the Parliamentary interview for her new gig as the head of the U.K.’s aid watchdog agency Independent Commission for Aid Impact, Jillian Popkins raised concerns about the Labour government’s intentions toward the agency. Her warning? A recent government review could weaken the independence and scrutiny of ICAI.
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The review, ordered by U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy, aims to better merge diplomacy and development within the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. However, critics fear it could tilt the balance in favor of diplomacy, sidelining development priorities.
Popkins — a 30-year veteran of development work, who’s held roles at UNICEF UK, ActionAid, and the Department for International Development — noted that any changes to ICAI could reduce its watchdog powers, even if those changes are well-intentioned, Devex U.K. Correspondent Rob Merrick writes.
Her warning follows growing doubts over whether Lammy will publish the review’s findings. While two of three reviews are complete, the FCDO has remained tight-lipped on whether they’ll be made public.
Who is Jillian Popkins? With experience at the highest levels of development work, Popkins is set to lead ICAI after getting Parliament’s seal of approval. Her plans? Modernize how ICAI measures its success by focusing on how well departments “embed learning” from ICAI’s advice, not just whether they act on it.
What's the holdup? Popkins' appointment comes after a monthslong vacancy at ICAI, leaving it with just two part-time commissioners. Parliament called the delay “deeply regrettable” and urged FCDO to avoid a repeat.
With her appointment now all but confirmed, Popkins faces a key challenge: protecting ICAI’s independence while keeping a close eye on Lammy’s review decisions.
Read: Likely new UK aid watchdog chief warns of ‘risk’ to independence
Biden’s final forecast
As the curtain closes on Joe Biden’s presidency, USAID’s final business forecast — looking at what could be ahead in 2025 — has dropped. Worth $27.7 billion, this road map offers a last look at where USAID's money is headed before Donald Trump returns to office.
With fewer contracts but bigger payouts, this forecast reveals shifting priorities, key players, and a glimpse of what’s next for global development. From megacontracts to surprise comebacks, there’s a lot to unpack. We bring you the details, but here’s a taster:
Key stats:
• 190 contracts — the lowest count since 2022 — but an average value of $145.7 million each.
• $8.6 billion for stand-alone contracts; $7.4 billion awarded through indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contracts; and $6.2 billion for cooperative agreements.
What’s new?
• 80 new contracts, worth $3 billion, most through USAID missions abroad.
• Biggest country winners: Mozambique, $409.9 million; South Africa, $214 million; and Egypt, $175 million.
Read: Inside the Biden administration’s $27.7 billion final business forecast (Pro)
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So you want to work in humanitarian aid?
Want to make a difference abroad? Good intentions aren’t enough, says Thomas Hill, country director at the Norwegian Refugee Council. Breaking into the humanitarian sector takes strategy, skills, networking — and a bit of luck. Here are five essential questions to ask yourself before diving.
1️⃣ How far will you go? If you’re set on Paris or Rome, get comfy — you’ll be waiting a while. However, if you’re open to high-need areas such as Sudan, you’ll find more openings. Hill says entry-level jobs are often found in hard-to-fill roles in conflict zones. Visa rules also play a role; it’s easier to work in regions where you have fewer visa restrictions.
2️⃣ Are you ready to step down the career ladder? Your fancy corporate title might not transfer. “If you're a country director at Google in Ukraine, it's unlikely you are going to be country director at Mercy Corps in Ukraine,” Hill warns. Be prepared to start a level or two lower. However, specialized skills — such as legal expertise or academic research — can help you pivot without losing too much ground.
Devex Career Account members can read the full list of questions. If you’re still interested in a career switch, start with job boards like Devex. The journey isn’t easy, but with the right strategy, you’ll be ready to answer when opportunity knocks.
Read more: 5 questions aspiring humanitarian workers should ask themselves (Career)
Download some of our most-read career guides of 2024:
• Your guide to negotiating consulting contracts.
• Your ultimate guide to development Consulting.
• The career transition checklist: 7 steps for success.
• Job hunt checklist: 7 questions to answer.
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AI’s global divide
Last week, OECD headquarters in Paris hosted the Athens Roundtable on AI and the Rule of Law, bringing together academics, politicians, civil society, and the tech sector to discuss how to govern AI ahead of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit scheduled by French President Emmanuel Macron for February 2025.
My colleague Fiona Zublin tells me that Tanzanian member of Parliament Neema Lugangira, chair of the African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance, warned about the lack of a significant African presence at previous AI summits — despite the fact that Africa, with its burgeoning population, might be irresistible to data-hungry AI developers.
"Since we do not have the similar robust policy and legislative framework of AI like the global north, it means that as Africans and as other global south countries, we are at risk of being abused, manipulated, or taking advantage of the lack of systems in place through data monetization," she said.
"So data is extracted freely from Africa. And when our government wants to access this data, we have to pay for that data which, in actual fact, should not be the case, because, in the first place, the data was extracted for free."
She counseled organizations to work with national governments — but also to safeguard the rights of those in the global south by working together to create global minimum acceptable standards for the technology.
Global voices: Climate
In Devex Global Voices 2024, we have gathered predictions for the year ahead in the fields of AI, localization, climate, and more, as well as some of our most-read opinion pieces this year.
Today we’re featuring some of our most-read op-eds on climate:
• “We should focus on these causes of conflict and fragility, and not natural hazards, if we are serious about addressing climate vulnerability in some of the world’s most vulnerable places,” Mauricio Vasquez argued in his op-ed:The interplay between conflict and climate change needs a rethink.
• “AI’s ability to process vast amounts of data and uncover insights that would otherwise remain hidden is particularly valuable in addressing energy inequity,” Nicole Iseppi wrote in her opinion piece: AI is a catalyst for energy equity and democratization.
Read on for more of the most insightful global development professionals’ op-eds of 2024.
In other news
A lawsuit filed Tuesday by a group of Palestinians alleges that the U.S. State Department has created loopholes for Israel, exempting it from a law that prohibits military aid to countries with human rights violations.. [AP]
Russia claims that it has developed a vaccine against cancer, which the government plans to roll out in 2025. [Newsweek]
The mystery disease that killed at least 149 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been officially identified as malaria. [The Telegraph]
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About the author
Helen Murphy
Helen is an award-winning journalist and Senior Editor at Devex, where she edits coverage on global development in the Americas. Based in Colombia, she previously covered war, politics, financial markets, and general news for Reuters, where she headed the bureau, and for Bloomberg in Colombia and Argentina, where she witnessed the financial meltdown. She started her career in London as a reporter for Euromoney Publications before moving to Hong Kong to work for a daily newspaper.
