Reform or be defunded: The Trump administration’s demands for the UN

About this episode

The episode discusses the Trump administration's funding threats to the UN and explores USAID's financial strategies while featuring insights on gender equality and economic participation.

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…

People in this episode

Host: David Ainsworth

Guests: Colum Lynch, Elissa Miolene, Dr. Caroline Casey

Topics covered

• UN funding
• US foreign policy
• multilateral engagement
• USAID funding
• gender equality
• economic participation

Keywords

• Trump administration
• United Nations
• USAID
• foreign assistance
• sight restoration
• gender equality
• economic participation

Sponsors

The Fred Hollows Foundation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Trump administration, United Nations, USAID, International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness

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