Corporate humanitarianism? Gaza, Sudan and beyond

The 80th UN General Assembly (UNGA 80) is under way at a time when the UN faces existential challenges.Established 80 years ago to safeguard peace, foster cooperation and uphold the rights and dignity of all people, today the very foundations of the UN’s mission are being tested by various global trends: intensifying geopolitical rivalries, the climate crisis, record levels of forced displacement, eroding trust in multilateralism, and a systematic disregard for international humanitarian law – as is being witnessed in Gaza, Ukraine and elsewhere.The UN80 initiative was meant to generate fresh ideas and commitments to revitalise the organisation for the future. But the results so far have been limited – more a patchwork of incremental reforms than the kind of bold transformation many hoped for.As world leaders gather in New York for UNGA, this episode examines the credibility crisis facing the UN, and whether it can deliver the ambitious and urgent reforms needed to respond to today's fractured global order.GuestsSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODI GlobalHeba Aly, Director of Article 109 (formerly known as the UN Charter Reform Coalition) & Facilitator, ODI Global's Donors in a Post-Aid World (dPAW) dialogue seriesFreddie Carver, Director, Humanitarian Policy Group, ODI GlobalNatalie Samarasinghe, Executive Director of the Public Engagement Platform for climate action; Co-founder of the 1 for 8 Billion; CEO of the United Nations Association-UKRelated resourcesODI Global on UNGA 80 (Resources hub, ODI Global)Overcoming the obstacles to UN reform (Op-ed, Project Syndicate)Donors in a Post-Aid World (Project, ODI Global)What role should donors play in a post-aid world? (Think Change podcast, ODI Global)The future of global humanitarian action (Event video, ODI Global)What’s next for global cooperation? (Event video, ODI Global)

The soaring cost of capital for many low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa, is one of the most urgent and overlooked development challenges.High borrowing costs are hindering vital investments in energy, infrastructure, food security and public services – threatening development progress and deepening global inequality.But this decisive year for Africa could present opportunities for reform. South Africa is hosting the G20 Presidency – a first for an African country – whilst the next African Development Fund replenishment is due in November.In this critical moment, guests examine what it would take to make development finance fairer, more affordable and aligned with African countries' priorities. We hear about the political choices and practical mechanisms that could create a system that is more effective and better equipped to respond to today's challenges.GuestsSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODI GlobalValerie Dabady, Manager, Resource Mobilization and Partnerships Department, African Development Bank Hanan Morsy, Deputy Executive Secretary and Chief Economist, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Bright Simons, Visiting Senior Fellow, ODI GlobalRelated resourcesInvestor Herding and Spillovers in African Debt Markets (Report, American Economic Association)Tackling the 'cost of capital' crisis in small vulnerable nations (Policy Brief, ODI Global)How can development financing be reformed? The road to Seville (Think Change podcast, ODI Global)On borrowed time? The sovereign debt crisis in the Global South (Think Change podcast, ODI Global)

Despite fractured politics in the US (and elsewhere) around foreign aid, Congress recently reauthorised plans to fund PEPFAR – the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief – even though the programme itself has not been formally reauthorised.Since being established in 2003, PEPFAR funding for prevention, care and treatment programmes is estimated to have saved over 26 million lives. It's one of the most successful global health initiatives, and against all odds it remains a symbol of bipartisan cooperation.But this moment raises bigger questions about what comes next. How sustainable is a model that depends so heavily on political will in the Global North? How can countries in the Global South set their own agendas? And how will increasingly polarised US politics shape PEPFAR's future, especially on issues around sexual and reproductive health and rights?Guests dissect these questions and examine how PEPFAR and the wider global health architecture must evolve to meet today’s urgent challenges.GuestsSara Pantuliano (host), Chief ExecutiveElizabeth Campbell, Executive Director, ODI Global WashingtonDoris Macharia, President, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS FoundationFionnuala Murphy, Head of Global Advocacy, Frontline AIDSRelated resourcesPEPFAR Latest Global Results & Projections Factsheet (Dec. 2024) (US Department of State)Frontline AIDS welcomes the news that PEPFAR will be spared from US cuts to aid (Frontline AIDS statement)How do US policy changes target transgender rights and undermine democracy? (Insight, ODI Global)

The humanitarian system and its principles are being destroyed. Over 1,000 people have been killed seeking aid in the past weeks in Gaza, caught between famine and bullets. With humanitarian actors systematically prevented from reaching people affected by crisis in many contexts, governments are turning to the private sector – security firms, consultants, and ex-military operatives.From Gaza to Sudan to Myanmar, this shift raises urgent questions. Is a privatised model of humanitarianism going to become dominant? What would it mean for humanitarian operations and principles? And how can it be proactively addressed?This episode examines what’s driving governments to outsource aid, and what this means for trust, principles, and the future of humanitarian response. Joshua Craze shares insights from his recent investigation into the operations of for-profit US company Fogbow in South Sudan. We hear how these dynamics play out on the ground in the West Bank from Oxfam’s Bushra Khalidi, and ODI Global’s Dustin Barter unpacks the wider implications for the international aid system.GuestsSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODI GlobalDustin Barter, Senior Research Fellow, ODI GlobalJoshua Craze, writer and researcher on South SudanBushra Khalidi, Policy Lead at Oxfam in the Occupied Palestinian TerritoriesRelated resourcesFogbow operations in South Sudan and beyond raise red flags for faltering aid system (The New Humanitarian)Beyond the reset: Five priorities for genuine humanitarian transformation (The New Humanitarian)Stop the siege, stop the starvation – political gestures won't save Gaza (Insight, ODI Global)What does the failure of humanitarianism in Gaza mean? (Insight, ODI Global)The politics of hunger – can famine in Gaza and Sudan be stopped? (Think Change podcast, ODI Global)The future of aid (Resources hub, ODI Global)

This episode examines a challenge at the heart of development finance. Much energy is focused on mobilising more capital in low-income countries and emerging economies, but funding alone isn't enough. A deeper issue persists: there simply aren’t enough bankable projects – ventures that are ready to absorb investments at scale.Traditionally, development finance has been demand-led – waiting for the right opportunities to emerge. But this model is evolving. Some development institutions (DFIs) are now looking to actively help create the very markets we want to invest in.Our recent report explores this shift, highlighting how institutions like British International Investment (BII) and Norfund are stepping in to initiate entirely new commercial ventures in challenging markets. These aim to generate critical investments in sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture and healthcare.So what does it take to build truly investable opportunities from the ground up? Experts discuss how to create sustainable, locally owned ventures that can deliver lasting development impact.GuestsSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODI GlobalPaddy Carter, Director of Development Economics, British International InvestmentFrederique Dahan, Director, Development and Public Finance team, ODI GlobalShaun Githuku, Director, Gridworks Development Partners LLPNoah Law, Labour MP for St Austell and Newquay & Member of the International Development Committee, UK ParliamentRelated resourcesDFI sponsorship of new platforms and ventures: why and how? (Report, ODI Global)DFI sponsorship of new platforms and ventures: why and how? (Video of report launch event, ODI Global)Risk, return and impact (Report, British International Investment)Gridworks Development Partners LLP (British international Investment)MedAccess (British International Investment)

Climate disasters are intensifying globally, with vulnerable nations facing disproportionate impacts despite minimal contributions to global emissions. From prolonged droughts in East Africa to intensifying cyclones in the Pacific, these events reveal a troubling paradox: As the Expert Review on Debt, Nature and Climate demonstrates, countries must borrow to recover from disasters, yet face financial systems that: Penalise them for climate risks they didn't create Exacerbate vulnerabilities through rising sovereign defaults Fail to support long-term resilience investments This episode examines three critical dimensions: Systemic reforms needed to align debt frameworks with climate reality Distributional challenges preventing finance from reaching frontline communities Innovative proposals to achieve climate justice through financial transformation Guests Moritz Kraemer, Chief Economist, LBBW; Co-Chair, Expert Review on Debt, Nature and Climate Yussuf Hussein, Climate Finance Advisor, Kenya’s Special Envoy on Climate Change Sarah Colenbrander, Director, Climate and Sustainability Programme, ODI Global  Resources: Tackling the Vicious Circle: The Interim Report of the Expert Review on Debt, Nature and Climate Healthy Debt on a Healthy Planet: Towards a virtuous circle of sovereign debt, nature and climate resilience Indebted: how to support countries heavily reliant on oil and gas revenues to secure long-term prosperity 

Climate impacts are continuing to intensify. More severe storms, droughts, floods and heatwaves are inflicting devastation on the most vulnerable communities – those who also bear the least responsibility for the climate crisis.But as the need for climate action becomes ever more urgent, international aid is retreating. USAID has been dismantled, whilst wealthy countries across Europe have slashed their aid budgets.This episode asks what the aid cuts mean for the most climate-vulnerable countries. With fiscal space tightening and multilateralism on the decline, guests discuss how governments and international organisations can incentivise more private sector investment, scale up climate finance and channel it to where it’s most needed. We also hear what impact regional partnerships could have in delivering meaningful climate action in this new global landscape.GuestsSara Pantuliano (Chief Executive, ODI Global)Hans Peter Lankes (Deputy Chief Executive, ODI Global)Sara Schonhardt (international climate reporter, Politico)Lord Nicholas Stern (Chair, Grantham Research Institute)Related resourcesA Fair Share of Climate Finance (Project, ODI Global)Revitalising finance for adaptation: what role for the multilateral climate process? (Working paper, ODI Global)Vulnerable nations on the brink: the double shock of aid cuts and US tariff increases (Insight, ODI Global)The relationship between climate action and poverty reduction (Report, LSE)Small change? Our projections for the conflict blind spot in climate finance by 2030 (Insight, ODI Global)

At a time of major geopolitical turbulence, Europe finds itself at a crossroads. Long regarded as a pillar of stability and multilateralism, the continent's role in today's increasingly divided world is being tested in numerous ways – as are its key institutions.There is a new fragility to Europe's external relationships – underscored by Trump's threats to impose tariffs on EU imports, and by disagreements on security guarantees for Ukraine.This episode dissects Europe's changing role and influence in the world today. Experts explore how European nations can come together to face external threats effectively, and identify some immediate opportunities for change.Among our guests is ODI Europe’s Board Chair, Ambassador João Vale de Almeida, who shares ideas put forward in his thought-provoking new book The Divorce of Nations: A Diplomat’s Inside View as the Global Order Collapses. We also hear from historian and political writer Timothy Garton Ash, and Anand Menon, Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King’s College London.GuestsSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODI GlobalTimothy Garton Ash, Professor of European Studies, University of OxfordAnand Menon, Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs, King’s College London & Director, UK in a Changing EuropeJoão Vale de Almeida, Chair of the ODI Europe Board and a former European Union Ambassador to the United States and the United NationsRelated resourcesThe Divorce of Nations: A Diplomat’s Inside View as the Global Order Collapses (João Vale de Almeida, The History Press, 2025)Homelands: A Personal History of Europe (Timothy Garton Ash, Penguin Random House, 2023)How is Ukraine redefining global security? (Think Change podcast, ODI Global)Europe and the new world order: an updated approach to foreign engagement (Briefing paper, ODI Global)Can ‘the West’ be trusted? The future of European humanitarian aid (Insight, ODI Global)Navigating aid and national interest in Ukraine: the development toolbox of European donors (Insight, ODI Global)

Since 2011, Syria has been ravaged by conflict, foreign interventions and political fragmentation – leaving millions displaced and communities in crisis.But amidst the devastation, a new conversation is taking shape.Just months after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, a new interim government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa has formed. A recent poll shows 70% of Syrians feel hopeful, but that hope is colliding with hard realities.More than 1,300 people – many believed to be civilians – have been killed in Syria’s worst violence since the fall of the Assad regime, as clashes erupt between forces loyal to the new government and Assad holdouts. Meanwhile, reconstruction is stalled. Western sanctions, unpaid civil servants, and new US tariffs risk deepening the crisis.In this episode, we ask whether this fragile but hopeful moment for Syria can endure. Can international partners support recovery without repeating the mistakes of the past? And how can we centre the voices of Syrians in the process of rebuilding their country?GuestsSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODI GlobalSana Kikhia, Executive Director, Syrian Legal Development Programme (SLDP) Leen Fouad, Senior Research Officer, Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG), ODI Global Amy Rodgers, Coordinator, Middle East Durable Solutions Platform Related resourcesSyria’s chance to build better, not backward (Insight, ODI Global)Lifting sanctions on Syria: a bumpy path (Insight, ODI Global)Tens of thousands of people forcibly disappeared: will the international community step up for Syrians? (Insight, ODI Global)Syria's pursuit of justice: navigating accountability amidst ongoing turmoil (Insight, ODI Global)Revolution and rupture: humanitarianism and human rights in Syria and Myanmar (Event video, ODI Global)

Minerals like lithium, cobalt and rare earth are not just commodities. They are strategic assets which are shaping global power and the future of the energy transition.As US-China trade tensions escalate, countries across Africa (and elsewhere) where these minerals are found are now renegotiating their role in an increasingly fragmented global economy.This episode asks how Africa’s mineral wealth can truly benefit its people and future generations. Guests discuss the challenges countries face in adding value domestically, and whether there’s an opportunity to push for a more equitable, sustainable governance of the mineral supply chain.Drawing on the latest developments in the South China sea, Greenland and the new US-Ukraine minerals deal, we also hear how resource scarcity, trade, and geopolitical and economic interests are closely intertwined today against a backdrop of ongoing violence and instability.GuestsSara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODI GlobalAkim Daouda, Founder and CEO, Mwaana Inc.Rebecca Nadin, Director, Global Risks and Resilience team, ODI GlobalSilas Olan’g, Africa Energy Transition Advisor, Natural Resource Governance InstituteRelated resourcesThe critical minerals race to net zero (Event recording, ODI Global)Critical minerals, critical moment: Africa’s role in the AI revolution (Insight, ODI Global)The ‘strategic mirage’ of Africa’s green minerals wealth (Insight, ODI Global)Why China is seeking greater presence in Africa – the strategy behind its financial deals (Insight, ODI Global)