What would it look like to fund health systems in a way that puts countries in the driver’s seat? @peterbaker17.bsky.social argues an IDA health window could support more coordinated, country-led health financing. https://www.cgdev.org/blog/ida-health-window-financing-solution-we-are-looking

The Iran War Oil Shock Will Hit the Hungry Hardest—Cash Should Be Part of the Response (new @cgdev.org blog with @eeshani.bsky.social) www.cgdev.org/blog/when-oi...

What would a New Compact for health financing look like in practice? New CGD analysis explores how external support can better align with domestically led health priorities—and outlines three scenarios for reform. https://www.cgdev.org/publication/new-compact-health-financing-principle-practice

Conflict in the Middle East is putting pressure on public finances well beyond oil prices. At ~$100 per barrel, costs could reach up to 3% in developing economies. But slower growth, weaker revenues, and higher spending will sustain pressure past the oil shock. https://go.cgdev.org/4bSI8B3

As the traditional model of development assistance comes under strain, CGD is bringing together global experts to rethink the future of aid. What should ODA be used for—and how should it evolve? 📅 Wednesday, April 15 ⏰ 11:00 AM ET | 4:00 PM BST 🎟️ https://go.cgdev.org/4m4s4AS

What does it mean for the UK to shift bilateral health aid from “service delivery” to “system support”? New CGD analysis argues government-led service delivery should be central and why current approaches fall short. https://go.cgdev.org/4s7Mlaa

What if governments paid for results, not promises? New analysis argues the G20 should rethink how it funds health and climate innovation by rewarding outcomes, not just effort. Read more: https://www.cgdev.org/blog/g20-should-pay-results-not-promises-spur-health-and-climate-innovation

Can test results lead to education reform? @alenestour.bsky.social and @leecrawfurd.bsky.social show how PASEC results have improved learning in Francophone Africa. At a few cents per child, the question is not cost but whether countries can afford to lose it. cgdev.org/blog/pisa-shocks-africa

What if vaccine equity depends on where production happens? William Savedoff argues producing vaccines in smaller countries with excess capacity could reduce pressure to keep supply at home. www.cgdev.org/blog/global-vaccine-security-still-needs-international-cooperation-are-middle-powers-key

The IMF and World Bank Group's #SpringMeetings are right around the corner! CGD will be hosting a series of conversations with leading development experts and policymakers on the biggest challenges shaping the global agenda. Explore the events and register to join us ⤵️ go.cgdev.org/4s2SkwY

How much did timing matter for government support to firms during #COVID19? New analysis finds support worked best when delivered early and phased out quickly. https://www.cgdev.org/blog/timing-matters-lessons-government-support-firms-during-covid-19

The UK’s aid “reset” is shifting toward crisis response. Humanitarian spending is rising even as the overall budget falls—but Africa funding is set to drop by over half, with less going to the poorest countries. Read more: https://www.cgdev.org/blog/assessing-uks-international-development-reset

When geopolitical “heavyweights” dominate vaccine production, access becomes more fragile. William Savedoff argues middle powers must collaborate to overcome access barriers. Read more: https://www.cgdev.org/blog/global-vaccine-security-still-needs-international-cooperation-are-middle-powers-key

Are education aid projects paying attention to what works? New CGD analysis of a decade of World Bank and FCDO projects finds growing uptake of “smart buys” like targeted instruction and structured pedagogy—but gaps remain. www.cgdev.org/blog/are-aid-agencies-paying-attention-what-works-education

Global food insecurity hasn’t improved much since 2022. But aid has dropped sharply, including in countries with large food-insecure populations. @charlesjkenny.bsky.social argues aid should be better targeted to crises across Africa, South Asia, & Central America: https://go.cgdev.org/3MA5iDB

The Global Fund is at a crossroads as donor support shrinks and calls for reform intensify. In a Tough Times, Tough Choices brief, CGD experts propose three “radical simplification” shifts to protect impact and stretch scarce resources: https://go.cgdev.org/4bSqWxl

One year into the second Trump administration, new data shed light on development and humanitarian spending. Obligations and outlays show declines across global health, migration & refugee assistance, and more: https://go.cgdev.org/4ceD7ED

Teacher time on task remains a major barrier to learning across sub-Saharan Africa. Absence from school, absence from class, and lost instructional time all play a role. Experts examine potential solutions—and where evidence gaps remain: https://go.cgdev.org/4qhr3G5

The UK is considering scrapping the Independent Commission for Aid Impact. But it plays a key role in scrutinizing aid and strengthening accountability. @leecrawfurd.bsky.social and @ianmitchell1.bsky.social propose 5 reforms to improve its value: https://go.cgdev.org/4toR09E

Funding cuts and political backlash are threatening global progress on gender equality. At CGD’s 10th Birdsall House Conference, participants discussed how to build a bulwark against these headwinds. Kehinde Ajayi shares key takeaways: https://go.cgdev.org/45L3gHf

Many refugee-related aid programs also support host communities—but that connection isn’t always clear. @thomasginn.bsky.social and Travis Baseler find that making the link explicit can significantly improve attitudes toward refugees: https://go.cgdev.org/4rollmN

"AI works well in English, French, Spanish, Hindi, Chinese—but that leaves 4bn people whose native tongues & local conditions are not represented. They are being left behind." CGD experts call for a better AI system that speaks the world's languages: https://go.cgdev.org/4bnYHVb

There are humanitarian and strategic reasons for the G20 to support faster growth in the poorest countries. @charlesjkenny.bsky.social outlines policies the group could pursue—together, these steps could accelerate growth while advancing G20 interests: https://go.cgdev.org/4btyjJO

There are humanitarian and strategic reasons for the G20 to support faster growth in the poorest countries. @charlesjkenny.bsky.social outlines policies the group could pursue—together, these steps could accelerate growth while advancing G20 interests: https://go.cgdev.org/4btyjJO

The EU has a finite supply of grants for budget support to its partner countries. In a new report with @cgdev.org colleagues, we show that most of these grants are used where concessional loans could suffice. We propose fixing the grant-loan mix to maximise impact at no extra cost to the EU budget.

The World Bank board is discussing at-risk financing this week. Are MDBs ready to help countries borrow for vaccines and therapeutics before regulatory approval during the next pandemic? @rglenner.bsky.social and Masyita Crystallin argue they must. www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/m...

A share of EU grant funding goes to countries that could instead take concessional loans. Analysis from CGD & Lion’s Head Global Partners shows how recalibrating the grant–loan mix could boost financing and development impact under the next MFF: https://go.cgdev.org/4bohQpZ

We know unsafe recycling of car batteries exposes people to lead—but how much does it contribute globally? A new paper from Theo Mitchell & @leecrawfurd.bsky.social shows that it could drive a third of all lead exposure in LMICs: https://go.cgdev.org/49Z9wMR

We're thrilled to announce the 1st Annual CGD Women in Leadership Conference! We'll convene experts to examine why promotion systems fail to deliver equitable leadership outcomes—and what that failure means. Happening May 21. Save the date! https://go.cgdev.org/4bBq3bL

The Institute for Global Politics Women’s Initiative at Columbia University recently published the “Accelerating Efforts to End Child Marriage report, ft. analysis from CGD experts on the impact of inaction on child marriage. Here's more on what they found: https://go.cgdev.org/4lq6bvE

Tune into a new @CGDev podcast! @rglenner.bsky.social speaks with Imran Matin and Kehinde Ajayi on why child marriage persists, and what evidence tells us about how to reduce it. They discuss the varying drivers, what policies work, and more: https://go.cgdev.org/3OTI0cX

Catch CGD's @clemencelanders.bsky.social discussing aid cuts and the crisis of development on the DebtTalks podcast: www.sciencespo.fr/chair-sovere...

Today, @cgdev.org and @irexintl.bsky.social launched our new research, linking TVET and labour mobility. The video recording is now live, and please get in touch to discuss more! ✍ Read the research: www.cgdev.org/tags/skills-... 📅 Catch up on the event: www.cgdev.org/event/skills...

"Think tanks are now facing a 'triple threat'—a shifting funding landscape; AI; and rising polarization—all which intersect and reinforce each other." Helen Dempster & Catarina Afonso dos Santos identify ways in which think tanks can adapt: https://go.cgdev.org/3P0P1Zp

The UK's development minister is considering scrapping the aid watchdog ICAI—but Euan Ritchie finds it plays a meaningful role in aid decision-making. He explores FCDO business cases, finding 1 in 7 reference ICAI reviews. Read on: https://go.cgdev.org/40igAzR

As the UK prepares to set a new international climate finance (ICF) commitment, reports that it could be cut to £9bn raise alarm. @jonathanbeynon.bsky.social examines what the numbers show—and provides a six-point plan to protect UK climate credibility: https://go.cgdev.org/3OYJX7N

Tax expenditures are among the most significant yet least visible instruments of public policy, globally equaling 3.7% of GDP and 23% of tax revenue. New analysis from CGD experts compares its governance in Brazil, France, India, and the UK: https://go.cgdev.org/40OuCt8

CGD recently convened researchers to share perspectives on how to address the global challenge of school-related violence. Here are some major takeaways—specifically on the scale of the problem, impacts on particularly vulnerable groups, and more: https://go.cgdev.org/3OUeTGb

If the World Bank is serious about being a “knowledge bank,” Shanta Devarajan and @eeshani.bsky.social argue, it must cultivate not just the ability to produce evidence but a hunger for using it: https://go.cgdev.org/4u8auzD

Jim O’Niell, chair of the CGD and MSA NeoTest working group, discusses the benefits of advanced market commitments. Learn more about how an AMC will help NeoTest curb neonatal sepsis, save newborn lives, and fight antimicrobial resistance: https://go.cgdev.org/4ctFkwk

"The TN visa remains remarkably underutilized relative to the scale of the labor market challenges the US now faces." Dany Bahar explains how this no-annual-cap, no-lottery visa can help fill acute shortages in high-skill sectors: https://go.cgdev.org/4l3Ke5g

Off-grid solar is expanding rapidly across sub-Saharan Africa—but what about the batteries powering it? @rachelbonnifield.bsky.social and Caroline Mallory investigate the impact of lead-acid batteries on regional lead poisoning, and how leaders can mitigate risks: https://go.cgdev.org/4r7T1EL

Aid cuts are eroding the world’s ability to detect and respond to food crises. Advances in AI can help, but without sustained funding for primary data collection, responses will be less effective, explain Jean-Martin Bauer and @hanshengchia.bsky.social: https://go.cgdev.org/4shNZGD

In 2025, CGD convened a new working group to develop shared standards for evaluating generative AI in global development. Now, experts share key takeaways on theory of change, subgroup effects, what comes next, and more: https://go.cgdev.org/4smVNqQ

The US push to reduce dependence on China for the mining and processing of critical minerals is facing challenges from resource nationalism, competing initiatives, and more. Conor Savoy looks at the impact on relationships w/ mineral-rich countries: https://go.cgdev.org/40467rK

After SCOTUS struck down President Trump’s tariffs, the White House announced a new temporary 10% global tariff, injecting more uncertainty into a complex trade regime. Experts explain how these shifts will affect countries & outline key questions ahead: https://go.cgdev.org/4rz5wKy

Preliminary data show PEPFAR-supported HIV testing & treatment fell after the US aid pause, though coverage rebounded as host countries filled gaps. The disruptions still cost lives. @charlesjkenny.bsky.social urges restoring full services & publishing impact data: https://go.cgdev.org/47kOasH

Donors spend billions on vocational training in LMICs, yet fewer than a third of programs improve jobs or earnings. New research from CGD & IREX shows how linking training with labor mobility can address skills gaps and support the green transition: https://go.cgdev.org/4b0M0Qa

A new paper from Sanjeev Gupta examines how the IMF has addressed military spending in its multilateral and bilateral surveillance during 2008–2023. He assesses the scope, depth, and evenhandedness of Fund advice on military expenditure: https://go.cgdev.org/4rDOfzW

As the CDC revises its approach to childhood immunizations, parents and clinicians face greater responsibility in navigating decisions. @leahrosenzweig.bsky.social examines whether AI tools could help support these conversations: https://go.cgdev.org/4aZWrFb