Aid cuts and funding for global development

News | Posted on Monday 16 June 2025

The rapidly changing political environment for global development has had shocking consequences for those at the sharp end of injustices, planetary crises and conflict. Two IGDC events consider this changed landscape.

In recent months, international aid and development assistance has witnessed major upheavals under Donald Trump’s new US government. While the US has frozen all foreign assistance and decimated the 60 year old US Agency for International Development, some European countries have followed suit, sacrificing overseas development aid in favour of defence spending increases.

IGDC has been focusing on this changing context, with two events. The first, a webinar that is now available to view online, brought together three experts – Duncan Green (LSE and formally Oxfam GB), Indrajit Roy (University of York) and Sayed Jalal Shajjan (Journalist and development practitioner) - to share their perspectives on the impacts of these changes on global development and humanitarian assistance. The second turns the spotlight onto global development research, supporting University of York scholars to explore diverse and innovative ways to secure financial support for their work with partners across the world.