Devex Podcasts

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We're the world’s leading independent news organization covering global development.

  1. This Week in Global Dev: #146: Live from the World Health Assembly

    1D AGO

    This Week in Global Dev: #146: Live from the World Health Assembly

    Filmed live from Geneva, Switzerland, on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly, this episode of This Week in Global Development delves into the critical debates unfolding on the ground in Geneva. That includes the tense atmosphere following the World Health Organization’s rare decision to proclaim a global health emergency over the latest Ebola outbreak, mounting fears regarding the virus tracking into dense urban centers, and how containment efforts are hindered by strict funding restrictions that leave the vast majority of voluntary budgets tied up. The discussion also looks at the highly anticipated — yet heavily criticized — joint strategy to reform global health infrastructure, capturing the frustration of analysts who feel the plan avoids essential conversations about institutional mergers. The behind-the-scenes maneuvering for the next WHO director-general selection enters the conversation as well, along with the complex legislative hurdles facing the African Medicines Agency as it strives to secure pharmaceutical independence across the continent.

    23 min
  2. Special edition: Early detection in Brazil is a game changer for lung cancer care

    2D AGO

    Special edition: Early detection in Brazil is a game changer for lung cancer care

    In a special edition of the This Week in Global Development podcast, Devex cofounder and Executive Vice President Alan Robbins sits down with Brazilian thoracic surgeon Dr. Ricardo Sales do Santos to discuss a revolutionary approach to tackling lung cancer in medically underserved communities in Brazil.   As the most lethal form of cancer globally, lung cancer often goes undetected until its final stages, but Dr. Santos and the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation (are working to change that narrative through a combination of mobile technology and local capacity building. By bringing advanced CT scanning units directly into high-risk, low-income communities, they are catching tumors when they are small and potentially curable, fundamentally shifting the odds for thousands of patients.   The conversation also touches on the logistical and cultural hurdles of delivering specialized oncology care to remote areas. Dr. Santos highlights the importance of “bringing the clinic to the patient,” utilizing mobile CT units and telemedicine to bridge the gap in healthcare access. Beyond the technology, the success of the program relies heavily on empowering local health workers and community members to recognize early cancer warning signs and overcome the stigma associated with a cancer diagnosis. This approach not only improves individual health outcomes but also strengthens the broader healthcare system, offering a scalable model for global health initiatives.   To learn more about sustainable improvements in cancer care and get a compelling look at how local solutions can drive global change, listen to this special edition of This Week in Global Development. For more international development news, visit: http://www.devex.com Visit  Strengthening Care Systems — a series raising awareness of the scale of the global lung cancer burden and the systems-level changes required to address it: https://pages.devex.com/strengtheningcaresystems.html

    19 min
  3. This Week in Global Dev: #145: What can we expect from the 79th World Health Assembly?

    MAY 14

    This Week in Global Dev: #145: What can we expect from the 79th World Health Assembly?

    This week, we look ahead to the key talking points at the 79th World Health Assembly, where the Devex team will be reporting from next week. As the World Health Organization continues to operate on a deficit, and with the U.S. withdrawal from the agency, we dig into what the future holds for WHO and how this shifting financial landscape will reshape the global health architecture. With WHO facing funding constraints, we explore how this financial shortfall could impact the agency’s response to the new hantavirus outbreak and its ongoing fight against HIV. During the episode, we also highlight the sessions we are most looking forward to at Devex Impact House, happening on the sidelines of WHA. Secure your spot by registering here: https://pages.devex.com/devex-at-wha-79.html To offer a preview of the 79th WHA, Senior Editor Rumbi Chakamba sits down with reporters Jenny Lei Ravelo and Andrew Green for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series. You can now also request an in-person invite or register for on-demand content for our upcoming Devex Impact House @ London Climate Action Week here: https://pages.devex.com/devex-at-london-climate-action-week.html

    32 min
  4. Special edition: Turning sustainable energy into a viable asset class in Africa

    MAY 11

    Special edition: Turning sustainable energy into a viable asset class in Africa

    In this special episode of This Week in Global Development, Alain Ebobissé, CEO of Africa50, joins Devex Managing Editor Anna Gawel to discuss a paradigm shift in African infrastructure investment. Africa50, a pan-African investor, is moving beyond one-off projects to aggregate large-scale, “institution-grade” sustainable energy assets. By shifting the narrative from a development imperative to a viable commercial opportunity, Ebobissé explains how his organization is attracting both global and African capital to bridge the continent’s massive energy gap, which currently leaves around 600 million people without basic electricity. A centerpiece of the conversation is the critical role of private sector participation in electricity transmission, an area historically funded exclusively by governments. Ebobissé emphasizes that power generation is futile without the grid capacity to deliver electricity to end users and businesses, highlighting Africa50’s work on the continent's first independent private transmission projects. Looking toward the next decade, he advocates for a balanced energy mix — including renewables and natural gas — and issues a call for a heightened sense of urgency among global institutions to prioritize results over perfection in order to close the energy gap at speed.

    21 min
  5. This Week in Global Dev: #144: Inside the corruption scandal that tarnished the UN

    MAY 7

    This Week in Global Dev: #144: Inside the corruption scandal that tarnished the UN

    This week, we take you inside a Devex exclusive: the $60 million fiasco at the United Nations, a complex story with an equally complex set of characters, including Vitaly Vanshelboim, whose rise and fall left a black mark on a key U.N. agency. Once revered as a financial wizard, Vanshelboim was the man credited with pulling UNOPS back from the brink of bankruptcy. However, as our investigation reveals, behind the diplomatic prestige and profits lay a shadow world of secret side deals, luxury cars, and a $60 million trail of broken promises. Now, as the former U.N. assistant secretary-general faces a reckoning from a Spanish prison cell, we discuss the lingering question: For a system that prides itself on rigorous oversight, is this incident a one-off or emblematic of something deeper? To dig into this story and others, Senior Reporter Adva Saldinger sits down with Managing Editor Anna Gawel and Senior Global Reporter Colum Lynch for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series. Request an invitation to attend Devex Impact House @ WHA in Geneva: https://pages.devex.com/devex-at-wha-79.html

    32 min
  6. Global Progress in the AI Era: What happens when AI labs and social enterprises build together?

    MAY 4

    Global Progress in the AI Era: What happens when AI labs and social enterprises build together?

    As AI models scale globally, social enterprises are increasingly working with frontier AI labs to test, adapt, and improve the technology in local contexts. This episode explores how those partnerships could determine whether AI reinforces existing inequalities — or helps close them.

    43 min
  7. This Week in Global Dev: #143: Reform or be defunded: The Trump administration’s demands for the UN

    APR 30

    This Week in Global Dev: #143: Reform or be defunded: The Trump administration’s demands for the UN

    In an internal memo seen by Devex, the Trump administration has threatened to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to the United Nations unless it adopts a slate of nine “quick win” reforms. We break down the demands and what they reveal about the United States’ new road map for multilateral engagement. We also received a recent congressional notification which reveals that USAID has up to $19.2 billion to close out terminated foreign assistance awards. We explore what that funding would be spent on. To discuss these stories and others, Devex Business Editor David Ainsworth speaks with reporters Colum Lynch and Elissa Miolene for the latest episode of our weekly podcast series. During the sponsored segment of the This Week in Global Development podcast, brought to you by The Fred Hollows Foundation, Devex Executive Vice President Kate Warren sits down with Dr. Caroline Casey, president of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, to discuss why restoring sight is not just a health intervention, but a critical lever for unlocking women’s economic participation, reducing unpaid care burdens, and accelerating progress on gender equality. Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsletters: https://www.devex.com/account/newsletters

    34 min
  8. This Week in Global Dev: #142: The new world order of aid: Inside the Skoll World Forum

    APR 23

    This Week in Global Dev: #142: The new world order of aid: Inside the Skoll World Forum

    This week, we are on the ground in Oxford for the Skoll World Forum, an annual international convening of social entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and leaders across government and civil society. While the global development community faced significant headwinds from foreign aid cuts this time last year, the atmosphere at this year’s forum remains optimistic and focused on resilient solutions. During the conversation, we explore why the forum remains a cornerstone for the global development community, as well as share what we are learning about how philanthropic organizations see their role evolve in the post-aid era. To discuss the latest news from the Skoll World Forum, Senior Editor Rumbi Chakamba sits down with Devex President and Editor-in-Chief Raj Kumar and Business Editor David Ainsworth for this edition of our weekly podcast series. Sign up to the Devex Newswire and our other newsletters: https://www.devex.com/account/newsletters

    28 min
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We're the world’s leading independent news organization covering global development.

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  • Creator
    Devex
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    324
  • Rating
    Clean
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    Devex Podcasts

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