Devex Pro Insider: USAID unionization, and development shutdowns

Here we go. We’ve got two big events happening in Washington D.C. this week. First up is the gathering of global development leaders at our flagship summit, Devex World, on Oct. 24. We’ll be discussing four key themes: how to scale what works, how to change the narrative around global development, how to harness frontier technologies, and how to mobilize more money — with top-level speakers including John Nkengasong, U.S. global AIDS coordinator, and Tariye Gbadegesin, CEO of the Climate Investment Funds. We’re excited to see many of you there! If you haven’t signed up yet, it’s not too late but please make sure to register as soon as possible. Pro members get $400 off the ticket price by using the code pro-final-call-discount at checkout. You’ll also have access to the Pro Lounge, a space to mingle, relax, and connect with speakers. Devex World takes place alongside the World Bank annual meetings next week. We’ll have a big team there, tracking critical conversations about multilateral development bank reforms, replenishment of the International Development Association (the bank's fund for the poorest countries), climate lending, debt relief, and more. Some sources are expecting fewer announcements than usual, partly because the upcoming U.S. election will hang over the proceedings. My colleagues will bring you all the news from the ground. Also in today’s edition: USAID contractors move to unionize, two organizations you’re probably familiar with are closing down, and what’s not happening in U.K. aid. Bits and pieces Bigger, better. Speaking of World Bank reform, Arturo Franco has been appointed director of its new Group Strategy Office, which is tasked with setting strategic priorities across the World Bank Group as part of efforts to make it “bigger,” “better,” and “more efficient,” per an email about the news. Franco, who has already started his new job, joined the bank a year ago as a special adviser on development policy and partnerships. He previously spent six years at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. The Mexican national’s top priorities in his new role are getting the office up and running, coordinating strategy across the group’s teams and institutions, and supporting its senior leadership in developing and monitoring long-term strategy implementation plans. Action time. USAID’s latest workforce woes will come as no surprise to Devex readers, as staffing shortages and an overreliance on contractors have long been causing disruption at the agency. Part of the problem is that many USAID workers are hired as contractors via private companies and, despite performing many of the same functions as U.S. government employees, they don’t get the same benefits. Back in 2022, contractors at USAID’s Bureau for Global Health — who make up about 60% of its 700-strong workforce — were so up in arms about the situation that they organized a collective “sick-out,” which led to a confrontation with USAID’s head of labor relations. Now they’re beginning the process of forming a union, which appears to be the first time that institutional contractors at USAID have attempted this. “We really want to see equity between our positions and our colleagues who are direct hires and who are doing the same work that we are,” one contractor told my colleague Michael Igoe. It comes amid a wave of labor-organizing efforts within U.S. global development institutions, including the Millennium Challenge Corporation and International Development Finance Corporation. Nothing to report. The U.K.’s new Labour government has just passed its 100-day mark and, with little so far announced in the way of aid policy, all eyes were on development minister Anneliese Dodds’ first speech, which was delivered at Chatham House last week. Observers were hoping for some indication of what would be happening with the budget and key issues like in-donor refugee spending. Dodds set out four priorities: partnership with the global south, multilateral reform, making the most of U.K. expertise, and “growing opportunity for all” — all fairly basic stuff as far as development policies go. But she swerved questions about the fate of aid spending levels ahead of the government budget announcement on Oct. 30, and it eventually became clear that there would be no change in the policy of using aid to house asylum seekers in the U.K., which is currently costing the aid budget billions. Hopes were raised toward the end of the speech, when Dodds looked up at the crowd and declared that she was “delighted to announce” something. But it turned out to just be a £10 million aid matching pledge, which had already been announced in a press release. Hopes dashed, again. Closure notice #1. The United Nations Development Business is closing down after more than 45 years. The platform provided information on procurement opportunities for development projects funded by U.N. agencies, multilateral development banks, and governments around the world. It launched as a print publication back in 1978 before evolving into an online platform in the early 2000s, and it has published thousands of tenders annually, making it easier for consultants, contractors, and suppliers to find opportunities. However, in a notice posted on its website last week, it said it would cease activities on March 31, 2025. I asked UNDB for more information about what’s behind the closure but didn’t receive a response. + Devex Pro Funding provides information on funding opportunities from more than 850 sources. Sign up for a free five-day trial or contact us about team subscriptions. Closure notice #2. Just as I was putting this newsletter to bed, I heard the news that Development Initiatives — whose resources I’m sure many of you will also have used over the years — is sadly closing down. The organization specializes in data to inform policy, practice, and debates surrounding global development. Its core grant from the Hewlett Foundation ended in 2022,, as did two big projects it had with the International Aid Transparency Initiative and the Global Nutrition Report. But its latest financial report from that year referred to “a strong pipeline of prospective income for both 2023 and 2024.” In a notice posted on its website, however, it said “It has become increasingly apparent that ongoing financial pressures make it impossible … to continue. … Board members recognise the very significant impact of this decision on current staff and they deeply regret that no other way forward was possible.” Moving on up. Let’s end with some more positive news. Crown Agents, the U.K. development contractor, collapsed back in August — but a significant portion of its procurement team has now been absorbed by Genesis Analytics, where they’re launching Genesis Procurement Services, a new division offering procurement and supply chain logistics management services. The team is led by Steve Guppy, the former director of procurement at Crown Agents, joined by 10 of his former team members, including Deputy Director of Procurement Sarah Goldsmith and Hirsi Farah, the former head of transactional procurement. A spokesperson for Genesis told me that expanding into the procurement and supply chains area has been a long-held ambition for the group, and that they were delighted to snap up the Crown Agents team, which “was widely recognised as one of the best teams in the business … By joining forces, Genesis Procurement Services will offer the Crown Agents benchmark of quality, but the firm’s African roots will enable GPS to offer a more localised approach.” Genesis Analytics is a South Africa-based consultancy that works across the continent. It says that “more than 80% of our staff live in our impact countries,” although the Procurement Services team will be based in Europe. ✉️ Do you have insights into any of this week’s bits and pieces? Let me know by replying to this email. Moving on Arthur Erken is now regional director for Europe and Central Asia at the International Organization for Migration. Over at Gavi, Derrick Sim has been appointed on an interim basis to the newly created role of chief vaccines programmes and markets officer, which will bring four teams together into an integrated function: vaccine programs, policy, market shaping, and global health security. Former IFRC Secretary-General Elhadj As Sy has been appointed chancellor of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. Medical Teams International named Eric W. Ha as president and CEO, starting Nov. 4. John Roome is now senior climate adviser at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Eric Besong is the new country focal person for Burkina Faso and South Sudan at The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Alicia Phillips Mandaville is taking on the newly created role of chief operating officer at Anera, which supports refugees and conflict-affected communities in the Middle East. Did we miss one? Is there a change on the horizon? Let us know at devexpro@devex.com. Up next Aside from the big events I mentioned earlier, here’s what else is happening this week: G7. The G7 Development Ministers’ Meeting brings together development ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K., and the U.S. Italy currently holds the G7 presidency and discussions will center around some of its priorities, including the war in Ukraine, migration, and cooperation with Africa. Oct. 22-24. COP16. Different from the climate COP, the biodiversity COP is kicking off its 16th edition in Cali, Colombia. It’s the first meeting since the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was agreed in 2022, and the goal is to transform that framework into actionable plans. Just like with the other COP, all parties must commit to national targets and plans covering things like habitat loss, endangered species, and preserving ecosystems — all in support of the SDGs. Oct. 21-Nov. 1. CHOGM. At this year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, leaders will discuss how their countries can work together to boost innovation, growth, and trade, and empower their 1.5 billion young people to build a sustainable future. The meeting is taking place in Samoa, the first CHOGM to be held in a Pacific small island developing state. Oct. 21-26. IDB. The Center for Global Development is hosting a fireside chat with Ilan Goldfajn, president of the Inter-American Development Bank. In addition to reflecting on his work at IDB, he’ll be discussing one of global development’s key themes right now: reforming multilateral development banks to make them fit for the 21st century. Oct. 21. ESG. The African Development Bank is hosting the Africa ESG Forum in Abidjan. The focus will be on environmental, social, and governance disclosure and sustainable finance in Africa. It will also include discussions on the Africa ESG Information Disclosure Hub project, which aims to develop “a centralized platform that will enhance transparency and facilitate investor access to vital ESG data across the continent.” Oct. 21-22. AidWatch. Last but not least, European NGO network CONCORD will be publishing its annual AidWatch report, which monitors the quantity and quality of EU aid. The launch event will pose the question: “Whose interest does official development assistance truly serve?” Oct. 22.