Devex Pro Insider: What’s next for aid, and a mystery at Human Rights Watch

The global development sector is facing a devastating moment. The freezing of U.S. funds has disrupted projects globally, with significant human cost. But could there be an opportunity here — a chance for the sector to reset? It’s a debate that I’ve seen playing out across my social media feeds over the last couple of weeks. For some, the dramatic situation in the U.S. has exposed a fundamental problem that was always there — the vulnerability of global development programming to the whims of politicians in donor countries — and that always needed to be tackled. As Pan-African communications expert Mimi Kalinda wrote on LinkedIn: “For decades, Africa has spoken of self-determination, of owning its future. Perhaps now is the time to truly put those words into action.” Numerous others have expressed similar sentiments. However, not everyone is convinced that the present moment offers such an opportunity. “Yes, global aid needs reform. I've seen the inefficiencies firsthand,” wrote health professional Yulia Sidorova. “But let's be clear about economic realities: when people live on less than $2 a day, they cannot pay for medical care at any price. No amount of 'innovation' or 'entrepreneurship' can bridge this gap.” Both these posts, and many others like them, have generated significant discussion. What do you think? Let me know by replying to this email. Coming up: As ever, we’ve got lots of essential events lined up. Join us tomorrow for a session on what to do if you’ve lost your NGO job. And on March 4, we’ll be giving Devex Pro members a congressional perspective on the dismantling of USAID, in an exclusive conversation with U.S. Rep. Ami Bera of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Also in today’s edition: Decolonization lives on, a sudden departure at Human Rights Watch, and evidence that MacKenzie Scott was right. Bits and pieces Plowing ahead. Some organizations may be scrubbing their websites of language that might offend the Trump administration, but not ODI Global. The London-based think tank is undergoing an expansion and transformation, with a heavy focus on decolonization, and they’ve just advertised for contractors to facilitate their “Decolonisation Foundational Learning Journey,” which is described as “an internal initiative aimed at fostering an inclusive, decolonised, and equitable workplace.” They’re specifically looking for people with expertise in racial justice, decolonization, and global equity to facilitate “reflective sessions” on these issues, contribute to content creation, and work closely with “internal decolonisation champions.” ODI does receive U.S. federal funding — USAID was its third-largest funder in the 2022/23 financial year, to the tune of nearly £3 million — and they’ve just opened a U.S. office. But ODI Global CEO Sara Pantuliano has been vocal about the impact of what’s happened to the agency, writing that “we have all been stunned by the brutality” of it. Chief strategy and governance officer Sandra Pepera told me that the language of decolonization “doesn’t resonate with everyone, everywhere. But at ODI Global the change we want to see involves shifting power, creating partnerships based on equity, and fulfilling a commitment to justice and ending persistent discrimination.” A sudden departure. What’s going on at Human Rights Watch? The organization posted an unexpected update last week, announcing that its executive director, Tirana Hassan — who had been in the role for two years — had left the organization and that her deputy, Federico Borello, would be replacing her on an interim basis. The announcement made little effort to hide the tensions behind Hassan’s departure, noting that it was a result of “differing perspectives … with regard to the leadership’s relationship with the Board.” Hassan herself later wrote on LinkedIn that she was “saddened and surprised by the board’s sudden decision to end my tenure.” For now, the details of the story remain a mystery (if you have information, do let me know). But many people certainly seem to have Hassan’s back, with an outpouring of support on social media. The Scottish way. Finally, there’s evidence: A three-year study by the Center for Effective Philanthropy shows that MacKenzie Scott’s radical way of giving — via large, unrestricted donations — works. According to the report, based on a survey of recipients, Scott’s giving has strengthened nonprofits’ financial stability and increased their impact. Scott’s approach differs from the more cautious and controlled methods of most philanthropists, and she caused a stir when she started simply handing out billions of dollars back in 2020. There were concerns that the lump-sum gifts might be too large for some nonprofits to handle and that they might experience a “financial cliff” when the money ran out. But those problems haven’t materialized, according to CEP’s study. Instead, nonprofit leaders said the money had improved their organizations’ long-term sustainability, reduced burnout, and increased capacity for innovation. You can read the full study here. ✉️ Do you have insights into any of this week’s bits and pieces? Let me know by replying to this email. Moving on The African Union Commission selected its new leadership last week, including Mahmoud Ali Youssouf of Djibouti as chair; Amma Twum-Amoah of Ghana as commissioner for health, humanitarian affairs, and social development; and Moses Vilakati of Eswatini as commissioner for agriculture, rural development, blue economy, and sustainable environment. Michael Holscher is the new president and CEO of Population Services International. It comes after his predecessor, Karl Hofmann, became president of HealthX Partners, the new parent company of PSI and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. The Center for Global Development announced two new vice presidents: Markus Goldstein, formerly of the World Bank and Amazon, and Clemence Landers, most recently a senior fellow at CGD and formerly of the U.S. Treasury. Did we miss one? Is there a change on the horizon? Let us know at devexpro@devex.com. Up next IPCC. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is meeting in China for another assessment of the latest evidence on climate change. As always, the panel and its working groups will produce a report on the state of play, the impacts of climate change, and the options for adaptation and mitigation during this assessment cycle. It comes as developments in the U.S. threaten efforts to counter climate change, including global research. Feb. 24-28. COP16. Meanwhile, Devex will be at the COP16 biodiversity conference in Rome. The meetings are a continuation of the official Convention on Biological Diversity held in Cali, Colombia, in October. Some of the biggest topics, including resource mobilization and a monitoring framework, were left until the last minute in Cali and the final discussions had no quorum, forcing delegates to reconvene this month. It won't have the same pomp and circumstance as the lively conference in Colombia, but it will be a focused session. Feb. 25-27. Asia-Pacific. A new round of regional fora on sustainable development is taking place in the lead-up to the U.N. high-level political forum on sustainable development in July. This week it’s the turn of Asia-Pacific, with delegates gathering in Bangkok to assess regional progress and exchange knowledge and best practices. In line with this year’s HLPF, it will also conduct in-depth reviews of the SDGs on health, gender equality, economic growth, marine life, and partnerships. Feb. 25-28. Illicit financial flows. The African Development Bank is launching its three-year action plan for anti-money laundering and countering illicit financial flows. According to the bank, research suggests that Africa's economic losses from illicit financial flows rose from $50 billion in 2015 to $90 billion in 2020. At the launch event, country representatives and experts will share their experiences of tackling the issue and discuss how the action plan can help. Feb. 25. Finance in Common. Launched in 2020, the Finance in Common summits were designed as a way to get the world’s public development banks working toward the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. This week, it’s hitting up Cape Town — and with funding for development in crisis, it could hardly come at a more critical moment. My colleague Adva Saldinger will be on the ground. Feb. 26-28.