Tomorrow is the start of our annual Pro Week \u2014 five days packed with fresh ideas, smart conversations, and a little something for everyone who cares about the future of aid and development. Think of it as a mix of daily stories, special events, and deep-dive reports, all designed to help make sense of where the sector is headed. And it\u2019s only for Pro readers. We\u2019ll kick off with a focus on philanthropy, where Lauren Evans takes a close look at the rise of the philanthropic adviser, while Jenny Lei Ravelo digs into the thorny debate around organizations sunsetting. We\u2019re also hosting a session on best practices in philanthropy, with WINGS and other experts joining David Ainsworth to share what\u2019s working \u2014 and what\u2019s not. Multilateral development banks get their moment too, with Jesse Chase-Lubitz explaining the growing influence of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank \u2014 which turns 10 years old \u2014 and Adva Saldinger unpacking how the World Bank\u2019s reforms are really going. We\u2019ll also be publishing a comprehensive MDB report to tie the threads together. From there, we turn to donors. Jessica Abrahams asks the big question \u2014 \u201cIs this the end of official development assistance?\u201d \u2014 while Ayenat Mersie takes on the role of emerging donors and the baggage they carry. That conversation will continue in an event hosted by David, looking at bold ideas for reform, from pooled funds to remittances. The United Nations will also be in the spotlight, with Colum Lynch reporting on China\u2019s expanding power inside the institution and offering a clear explainer on the UN80 reform agenda. And of course, INGOs aren\u2019t left out. Elissa Miolene asks where they go next and will lead a conversation on their future. A detailed report on INGOs will round out the coverage. It\u2019s going to be a busy, energizing week \u2014 roughly two new stories each day, three major events, and two in-depth reports. Mark your calendars, keep an eye out for your favorites, and get ready to dive in. Also in today\u2019s edition: Aid cuts and U.S. tariffs prove to be a double whammy for the global south; diplomats try their hand at humor, with varying results; and somber reflections on the attacks on public service. Bits and pieces New perspectives. Big changes at the U.N.\u2019s Central Emergency Response Fund: Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres has named 12 new members to its advisory group. Since 2006, CERF has delivered over $9.2 billion in lifesaving aid, and this year alone it\u2019s already channeled $214 million to 24 countries \u2014 from helping Afghans facing drought to boosting climate resilience in Guatemala. \u201cWith humanitarian needs outpacing available resources, CERF is more crucial than ever,\u201d said Tom Fletcher, undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, who thanked outgoing advisers and welcomed the fresh energy and ideas the new group will bring. Global ripple effects. United States and European Union aid cuts, paired with higher U.S. tariffs, are sending fresh tremors through the global economy. According to a report by ODI Global, aid is expected to shrink by $81.3 billion between 2025 and 2029, while U.S. tariffs could shave 1% off global gross domestic product \u2014 about $1.2 trillion. The burden will fall hardest on low- and middle-income countries, with fragile states such as Burundi, South Sudan, and Lebanon among the most vulnerable. In some cases, such as Micronesia, Somalia, and Ukraine, aid losses could equal up to 39% of GDP. On trade, countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, and Nicaragua risk steep export declines, with Vietnam alone potentially losing the equivalent of 4.5% of its GDP. The human cost will be stark: Women and children are expected to bear the brunt of aid cuts, while high tariffs threaten jobs in female-dominated sectors such as garments. But there\u2019s still room for action. Finance ministries can build buffers with debt reprofiling and concessional loans, while central banks prepare to ease monetary pressures. At the same time, securing new trade deals, diversifying production, and strengthening supply chains could help countries weather the storm and reduce dependence on aid and a handful of major trading partners. Flags and funnies. Can diplomats crack a good joke? Judge for yourself. With the Edinburgh Fringe\u2019s funniest joke award on pause this year, embassies in the United Kingdom stepped in with their own national gags \u2014 and The Times took note. \ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddee Jukka Siukosaari, Finland\u2019s ambassador to Britain, quipped: \u201cHow does one spot an extroverted Finn? \u2026 In conversation he stares at your shoes and not his own.\u201d The Czech Republic\u2019s Embassy went with drinking humor: \u201cDo you know the three most common lies of Czech men? \u2026 We\u2019re just going for one beer; I\u2019ll just finish this glass and then go; and starting tomorrow, I\u2019m not drinking any more.\u201d Switzerland leaned into wordplay: \u201cWhat\u2019s the best thing about living in Switzerland? \u2026 Well, the flag is a big plus.\u201d Austria followed with flag banter too: \u201cWhy is our flag red-white-red? \u2026 So that we won\u2019t accidentally hang it upside down.\u201d Estonia played on stereotypes of blunt literalism with a hitchhiking joke, while Peter Susko, Slovakia\u2019s ambassador to the U.K., teased: \u201cWhat do Slovaks do when they finally beat England at football? \u2026 They turn off the PlayStation and go to sleep.\u201d And Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Brazil\u2019s ambassador to the U.K., kept it topical: \u201cIn Brazil, we have two seasons: summer \u2026 and elections.\u201d Comedy of errors. What started as a protest arrest in the U.K.\u2019s Parliament Square quickly turned into a farce. For international readers to understand exactly how, let\u2019s dive swiftly into U.K. popular culture. Brits growing up in the 1980s played with a kind of modeling clay called Plasticine, and watched a TV show called \u201cMorph,\u201d featuring an animated character made out of the stuff. Back to the protest: Brighton engineer Miles Pickering was hauled in after police mistook his \u201cPlasticine Action\u201d T-shirt \u2014 featuring Morph giving two thumbs up \u2014 for support of the banned protest group Palestine Action. \u201cI\u2019m like: \u2018Well, there you go, Plasticine Action.\u2019 He looked down and he said: \u2018Right, you\u2019re nicked.\u2019 And I thought: \u2018Oh, here we go,\u2019\u201d Pickering told The Guardian. Minutes later, he was de-arrested, with the officer admitting, \u201cIt\u2019s going to be really embarrassing for me.\u201d Pickering is now selling the shirts to raise money for Medical Aid for Palestinians. \u201cIf 1,000 people wander around the Palestinian march wearing a T-shirt that says \u2018Plasticine Action\u2019 with a picture of Morph, what are they going to do?\u201d In defense of duty. After decades as a career diplomat walking the halls of the State Department, with consequential stints as director of the CIA and deputy secretary of state, William J. Burns wrote a more than 2,000-word open letter published in The Atlantic, saying it was \u201cheartbreaking to see so many of you crossing that same lobby in tears following the reduction in force in July, carrying cardboard boxes with family photos and the everyday remains of proud careers in public service.\u201d \u201cThis is not about reform. It is about retribution,\u201d he warned, arguing that public servants have been caught in \u201ca war on public service and expertise.\u201d He recalled serving six presidents and stressed that career officials \u201cswore an oath \u2014 not to a party or a president, but to the Constitution. To the people of the United States.\u201d His message is clear: America risks hollowing out its institutions at the very moment it needs them most. But he closes with hope, reminding colleagues of his father\u2019s words that \u201cnothing can make you prouder than to serve your country with honor.\u201d “I know that you will continue to serve in different ways, helping to stand watch over our great experiment, even as too many of our elected leaders seem to be turning their backs on it,\u201d he concluded. In memoriam Fallen in service. On World Humanitarian Day, Aug. 19, the International Federation of the Red Cross mourned the loss of a staff member. IFRC said it is \u201cdeeply saddened by the tragic death\u201d of Ato Honelegn Fentahun, and \u201cstands in solidarity with the Ethiopian Red Cross (ERCS) during this difficult time.\u201d Fentahun was abducted with two colleagues in Amhara while returning from delivering an ambulance. Though released, he needed urgent care and died soon after reaching hospital. Since the start of 2025, 18 Red Cross and Red Crescent staff members and volunteers worldwide have lost their lives serving others. The movement condemned such attacks and urged all parties to respect humanitarian law and protect workers who risk everything to help those in need. Loss on duty. Project HOPE is mourning the loss of Dr. Olga Yakovlieva, a family physician and acting director of the Kostiantynivka Primary Health Care Center in Ukraine, who was killed when a marked medical vehicle was struck by a Russian drone on Aug. 8. Three colleagues were also injured. \u201cOur hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of Dr. Olga Yakovlieva, yet another Ukrainian health worker killed in the line of duty by Russia,\u201d said Rabih Torbay, Project HOPE\u2019s CEO and president, urging U.S. President Donald Trump to condemn Russia\u2019s attacks on health care. The tragedy comes less than a month after a similar strike on a Project HOPE-supported ambulance in Kharkiv, underscoring the daily risks faced by frontline health workers. Moving on After nearly five years, Matthew Grollnek is leaving the Mastercard Foundation. On LinkedIn, he wrote: \u201cI am so grateful for the time I\u2019ve spent working with wonderful colleagues and world-changing partners.\u201d He called it \u201ca dream come true to explore the future of work in Africa\u201d and highlighted leading the artificial intelligence working group and supporting African universities to integrate AI into higher education. \u201cMoving forward, my mission remains the same: supporting Africa and the developing world transition into an AI-driven world,\u201d Grollnek said, adding he\u2019ll now continue as an independent consultant while making more time for his family. Ambassador Erin E. McKee, former USAID assistant administrator for Europe and Eurasia, is stepping in as CEO of Nova Ukraine. A veteran diplomat and development leader, McKee helped manage the largest humanitarian response in USAID\u2019s history \u2014 over $30 billion in support for Ukraine and the region \u2014 and now brings that expertise to one of the leading Ukrainian-American nonprofits. “I am deeply honored to join the extraordinary Nova Ukraine family at this pivotal moment,” said McKee. “Nova Ukraine represents a rare combination of grassroots passion and professional excellence that can bridge emergency response with sustainable empowerment.” Board chair Mikola Bilogorskiy called her \u201cthe ideal leader to guide our next chapter as CEO.\u201d With McKee at the helm, Nova Ukraine will focus on four pillars: heal, build, empower, and advocate \u2014 shifting from emergency relief toward long-term recovery and development. After 18 years with FHI 360 \u2014 a health and human development nonprofit working in more than 60 countries \u2014 Otto Nzapfurundi Chabikuli said he\u2019s stepping into a new chapter, one rooted in African solidarity. In a LinkedIn post, the adjunct associate professor of global health at Howard University said: \u201cThe sudden reduction in foreign aid has left many seasoned professionals on the sidelines while local NGOs face a future characterized by cutthroat competition with depleted resources and capacity. But in this crisis, several colleagues and I (the First Responders) see an opportunity to mobilize our collective expertise and stand with those who have always stood for our communities.\u201d At a time when many countries are slashing aid, Norway is doubling down. Gunn Jorid Roset is stepping in as the new director-general of Norad, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, stressing that every krone counts more than ever. \u201cAid is first and foremost about fighting poverty and ensuring sustainable development. It is an investment in our shared welfare,\u201d Roset said, adding that prosperity and stability abroad also strengthen Norwegian interests. With 27 years at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs \u2014 including posts in Latvia, South Africa, and as Norway\u2019s ambassador to Malaysia \u2014 Roset said she\u2019s ready to lead Norad \u201cinto the future and continuing our close cooperation with civil society, multilateral organisations, the private sector, and Norad\u2019s owners.\u201d Jobs of the week Your Devex Pro membership includes access to the world\u2019s largest global development job board. Here\u2019s the latest opportunity: \u2022 Kenya Country Director, CARE. Search for more opportunities now.<\/p>\n
Tomorrow is the start of our annual Pro Week <\/strong>\u2014 five days packed with fresh ideas, smart conversations, and a little something for everyone who cares about the future of aid and development. Think of it as a mix of daily stories, special events, and deep-dive reports, all designed to help make sense of where the sector is headed. And it\u2019s only for Pro readers.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll kick off with a focus on philanthropy, where Lauren Evans\u00a0takes a close look at the rise of the philanthropic adviser, while Jenny Lei Ravelo digs into the thorny debate around organizations sunsetting. We\u2019re also hosting a session on best practices in philanthropy, with WINGS<\/a>\u00a0and other experts joining David Ainsworth to share what\u2019s working \u2014 and what\u2019s not.<\/p>\n Multilateral development banks get their moment too, with Jesse Chase-Lubitz explaining the growing influence of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 which turns 10 years old \u2014 and Adva Saldinger unpacking how the World Bank<\/a>\u2019s reforms are really going. We\u2019ll also be publishing a comprehensive MDB report to tie the threads together.<\/p>\n This story is forDevex Pro<\/strong>members <\/p>\n Unlock this story now with a 15-day free trial of Devex Pro<\/strong>. <\/p>\n With a Devex Pro subscription you’ll get access to deeper analysis and exclusive insights from our reporters and analysts.<\/p>\n Start my free trial<\/a>Request a group subscription <\/a><\/p>\n Printing articles to share with others is a breach of our terms and conditions and copyright policy. <\/strong>Please use the sharing options on the left side of the article. Devex Pro members may share up to 10 articles per month using the Pro share tool ( ). <\/p>\n
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