Money Matters: Traditional aid is over. What comes next? At last week’s Spring Meetings, we heard more about trade, private investment and open markets than just about anything else.

Traditional aid is over." That's how Devex summed up the Spring Meetings. Overall themes include: Trade, private investment, open markets.

The FfD Forum this week inherits that reality.

www.devex.com/news/money-matters-tradi...

Only 15% of measurable SDG targets are on track in the UNECE region. This is down from 16% last year. 26 targets are going backward. Even the wealthiest region is losing ground on the #SDGs

https://ow.ly/IXz150YNCYI

Press Release: Interactive Dialogues with Secretary-General candidates - a pivotal moment in selecting UN’s next leader | General Assembly of the United Nations

The first UN Secretary-General interactive dialogues in 10 years began today. Streaming available on UN Web TV. Listen to those who are being considered as the next leader of the United Nations.

More Details: https://ow.ly/Ef5x50YNCSC

Worth following this week: the 2026 Financing for Development Forum at the UN. The programme includes sessions on debt sustainability, financial architecture reform, private finance, trade, and data, monitoring, and follow-up. financing.desa.un.org/events/2026-financing-de...

Battle-scarred developing nations look for path out of permacrisis Developing country policymakers left this week's IMF-World Bank meetings more frustrated than ever that successive external shocks are derailing their efforts to tackle high debt, reform their economies and deliver better lives for ​millions of citizens now struggling to pay for food and fuel.

Developing countries are warning that repeated external shocks are making long-term progress harder to sustain. Debt, energy costs, food insecurity, and thin fiscal buffers are colliding at exactly the wrong time.

https://ow.ly/fnVN50YMTte

UN Financing for Development Forum opens today in New York, running through Friday. First major check-in since last year's Sevilla Commitment, against a backdrop of Official Development Assistance falling 23.1% in 2025. What momentum can it generate

https://ow.ly/qTMg50YMPzO

The 2026 AI Index Report | Stanford HAI

New Stanford AI Index data show how fast the field is moving: frontier model performance is still accelerating, adoption is spreading quickly, and governance is struggling to keep pace. Useful reading for anyone tracking AI’s real-world impact. https://hai.stanford.edu/ai-index/2026-ai-index-report

Youth shape the road to 2030, call for urgent action on sustainable development | United Nations 15 April 2026 - Young leaders, innovators and advocates from around the world are gathering at UN Headquarters in New York until Thursday for the 2026 Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum.

Young people are not waiting for 2030. At this week’s ECOSOC Youth Forum, youth leaders are pushing for action on water, energy, cities, infrastructure, and partnerships. This while calling for a real voice in the decisions shaping their future.

https://ow.ly/V1tO50YMlvT

Trump administration pushes nations to sign ‘trade over aid’ declaration Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it an opportunity to use the U.N. system to “promote America First values,” according to a cable reviewed by The Post.

The Trump administration is pushing UN member states to sign a "Trade Over Aid" declaration by Monday. It seeks to replace traditional foreign assistance with pro-business reforms, private investment, and preferential US trade access. Another hit to development financing.

https://ow.ly/G1oy50YLbVS

UN Secretary-General interactive dialogues begin Monday. Four candidates active, late entry procedurally possible. Civil society is coordinating questions on development finance, SDG implementation, and UN reform. Worth watching. https://www.un.org/en/sg-selection-and-appointment

World Bank could provide up to $100 billion in funds for countries hit by war, Banga says The World Bank could mobilize $80 billion to $100 billion in funding over ‌the next 15 months for countries hit hard by the war in the Middle East, eclipsing the $70 billion it provided during the COVID pandemic, the bank's president, Ajay Banga, said on Tuesday.

The World Bank says it could mobilize up to $100 billion over 15 months for countries hit by the latest shock. That is a major signal as governments face rising energy costs, tighter budgets, and growing development risks.

https://ow.ly/UWnR50YKJTM

Nearly 20 million lives saved in Africa through measles vaccinations Brazzaville/Geneva—Nearly 20 million measles-related deaths have been averted in Africa since 2000 thanks to increasing vaccination coverage, according to the first-ever detailed analysis of immunization targets on the continent.

New WHO/Gavi analysis: vaccinations have averted nearly 20 million measles deaths in Africa since 2000. But WHO Africa warns progress is slowing, and US aid cuts have cost roughly 40% of WHO overseas development funding.

https://ow.ly/NlHE50YKs7U

Devex Impact House: The Capital Summit In the heart of global power, finance, and policy, we’re bringing together ministers, CEOs, investors, philanthropists, MDB leaders, and innovators alongside the World Bank-International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings to debate and influence global development’s next era.

The Devex Capital Summit opened today alongside the IMF / World Bank Spring Meetings. The question on the table: how do shifting power, new business models, and a changing financial architecture reshape global development?

Follow along:
https://ow.ly/GIRE50YK6SA

Happening next week: Skoll World Forum 2026 runs April 21–24 in Oxford and online. For anyone tracking social entrepreneurship, systems change, and impact, virtual participation is open to all.

More Info:
https://skoll.org/skoll-world-forum/

Spring Meetings 2026: Water Forward – Driving Jobs and Prosperity Join us for the launch of Water Forward, a new global initiative designed to help countries strengthen water security and unlock economic potential.

The World Bank today launches Water Forward, targeting water security for 1 billion people by 2030. Water underpins 1.7 billion jobs. Yet 4 billion people still face scarcity. 14 countries have already signed on.

live.worldbank.org/en/event/2026/spring-mee...

With less than five years left to reach the #SDGs, UNECE says progress across the region remains uneven. The 2026 Regional Forum on Sustainable Development will focus on how innovation, equity, and partnership can help close the gap.

https://unece.org/media/press/412899

World Economic Outlook, April 2026: Global Economy in the Shadow of War The latest World Economic Outlook reports slowing global growth and renewed inflationary pressures. Policies need to be agile, carefully manage the trade-offs involved in ramping up defense spending, and lay the foundation for a sustained recovery.

IMF World Economic Outlook: global growth forecast cut to 3.1% for 2026 as the Middle East conflict reshapes the baseline. Slowdown and inflation hit emerging and developing economies hardest. Defense buildups risk crowding out social spending.

https://ow.ly/bNxq50YJ8wp

Launch of the Observatory on Artificial Intelligence in Education for UNESCO will hold the high-level event “Launch of the Observatory on Artificial Intelligence in Education for Latin America and the Caribbean: Connecting Education, Innovation and Cooperation” on

Happening today: UNESCO launches its Observatory on Artificial Intelligence in Education for Latin America / Caribbean, focused on evidence, policy, and cooperation as AI enters education systems across the region. Available for live streaming.

Details: https://ow.ly/qStn50YIjYk

OECD preliminary data: development aid fell 23.1% in 2025. It's the largest annual decline on record. ODA is now back to where it stood when the SDGs were adopted in 2015. A further 5.8% drop is projected for 2026.

https://ow.ly/H3hI50YIkte

Coming Soon: World Economic Outlook, April 2026 Analytical chapters of the April 2026 World Economic Outlook will be released on April 8 at 9:00 AM ET. The main chapter and press briefing will follow on April 14 at 9:00 AM ET.

As part of the IMF / World Bank spring meetings (which started today) we will be watching the launch of the most recent World Economic Outlook.

Follow along Tuesday, April 14 @ 9am ET:

www.imf.org/en/publications/weo/issu...

We will also be following the IMF and World Bank spring meetings.

This week our team will be following conversations at #TED2026. Next week it will be the #SkollWF.

Spring Meetings | World Bank Group The 2023 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will take place from April 10 to 16 in Washington, DC.

Starting today:

The 2026 Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) will take place from April 13 to 18, in Washington, D.C.

More info:
https://www.worldbank.org/en/meetings/splash/spring

A new Nature Climate Change paper argues that the lowest-cost path to decarbonization is not always the best one for sustainable development. Sector choices matter if climate action is meant to support health, poverty, water, land, and economic outcomes.

https://ow.ly/vaez50YGGLV

Using better data to break the cycle of permanent crisis Setting recovery in motion

The first 48 hours after a crisis shape what comes next. A new UNDP piece shows how satellite imagery, ground verification, and faster assessments can help turn emergency response into earlier recovery planning.

www.undp.org/blog/using-better-data-b...

New WHO database helps countries turn health data into better policy Health information systems are key to well-functioning health systems. That’s why WHO has just launched a new database designed to support policy-makers, experts and the public in countries across the WHO European Region to better understand and improve their health information systems and data governance. The database brings together nearly 70 indicators to provide a clear, accessible overview of how countries collect, manage and use health data.

Better data supports better health policy. WHO has launched the Health Information Systems Governance database, bringing together indicators to help countries strengthen health information systems, improve data governance and support evidence-based decision-making.

https://ow.ly/no5050YGFyX

United Nations University and Tsinghua University Launch the UNU Hub on Ethical and Responsible AI Development in Beijing Among the first UNU Hubs in Mainland China, this new UNU Hub will shape global frameworks for responsible and inclusive AI development.

New from United Nations University and Tsinghua University: a hub on ethical and responsible artificial intelligence development aimed at risk monitoring, governance frameworks, and stronger capacity-building for policymakers and young leaders.

https://ow.ly/Vk1950YGGCp

IIED Food Security Index

IIED’s new Food Security Index makes one thing hard to ignore: the countries least responsible for climate change are often the ones facing the greatest food security risks. A useful new tool for looking at food systems, inequality, and resilience together.

https://ow.ly/rrWH50YGFve

Before disaster strikes: How AI is transforming aid delivery GiveDirectly is leveraging Google’s AI-based flood prediction tool to show the merits of anticipatory cash before humanitarian crises hit.

AI can be most useful in development when it helps people act before a crisis, not just respond after one. This Devex piece looks at how flood forecasting and anticipatory cash are being combined to reduce loss, debt, and disruption before disaster strikes.

https://ow.ly/SS5k50YH2iJ

Financing for Sustainable Development Report 2026 The Financing for Sustainable Development Report 2026: Implementing the Sevilla Commitment finds that development progress is imperiled by global fragmentation and a financing squeeze facing developing countries. Instead of progress promised in 2015, the world is rapidly moving backward.

The 2026 Financing for Sustainable Development Report is out -- the first since the Sevilla Commitment.

The SDG financing gap now tops $4T annually. Developing countries face declining aid, rising debt costs, and intensifying climate shocks simultaneously.

Full report:
https://ow.ly/cAjf50YH2a4