April 2025 - cypherpunks - lists.cpunks.org

Before it’s too late: It will not shock readers of this newsletter that women make up the majority of the global health workforce. The official rate is 70%. With the cuts to global aid, they face a double crisis: The potential loss of jobs or salary, as well as the rollback of investments in gender equity.; Opinion: Women health workers face a double bind as aid dwindles
by Gunnar Larson 12 Apr '25

12 Apr '25

*Before it’s too late* It will not shock readers of this newsletter that women make up the majority of the global health workforce. The official rate is 70%. With the cuts to global aid, *they face a double crisis*: The potential loss of jobs or salary, as well as the rollback of investments in gender equity. Women are already being employed in positions that *are not as well recognized as their male counterparts* and that pay worse. Aid cuts inevitably mean that women will be asked to *take on more work for potentially less money*, as Dr. Shubha Nagesh and Dr. Magda Robalo explain in a recent Devex opinion piece. In addition, initiatives to point out the value and increase the pay for the jobs women are doing will also be reduced during a global aid downturn. You should read the piece for important suggestions on how not only to avoid some of these repercussions <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POhclVMjy-fPC1nQx1DZzXLmYRIA4wgWe…>, but to actually strengthen support for female health workers around the world at this time. *Opinion:* Women health workers face a double bind as aid dwindles <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POhclVMjy-fPC1nQx1DZzXLmYRIA4wgWe…>

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A treaty, at last?: Opinion: Failing to finalize a pandemic treaty is not an option
by Gunnar Larson 12 Apr '25

12 Apr '25

A treaty, at last? [image: Health workers working in the triage area of a hospital along a main road in Manila City, Philippines, during the COVID-19 pandemic in August 2021.] <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POhclVMjy-fPC1nQx1DZzXLm4Q0CDsUV0…> After three years of negotiations, *could a pandemic treaty finally arrive* ahead of the upcoming World Health Assembly in May? In an opinion piece for Devex, Alexandra Finch, Lawrence O. Gostin, and Dame Barbara Stocking *say it is possible*, but only if some final hurdles can be overcome. The parties still haven’t come to an agreement on what steps they are willing to commit to when it comes to pandemic prevention. The global south wants to avoid anything too specific *unless those measures come with funding commitments*, for instance. The issue of voluntary versus obligatory technology transfer *also remains contentious*, as does how to actually set up an equitable pathogen sharing system. Finch, Gostin, and Stocking have ideas for how all of these issues can be resolved <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POhclVMjy-fPC1nQx1DZzXLm4Q0CDsUV0…> to keep the parties on track to finally reaching an agreement. *Opinion:* Failing to finalize a pandemic treaty is not an option <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POhclVMjy-fPC1nQx1DZzXLm4Q0CDsUV0…>

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What not to do: It now becomes a question of how fast that transition takes place and how to effect it in a way that doesn’t undo decades of progress.
by Gunnar Larson 12 Apr '25

12 Apr '25

What not to do In Washington, there seems to be a general agreement among lawmakers that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief <https://t.devex.com/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGZvt84W6Vty5OkDuy9y7TEaJyXDomxskqiQQk…> *cannot last forever*. That is the $110 billion program that has saved the lives of 25 million people living with HIV. After more than 22 years, lawmakers at a National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee meeting Tuesday made it clear that they wanted to see governments take more responsibility for funding <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POsuCyl_Q4myN5F7dZl-G1-hyx0SeXIc6…> their own response. Or potentially seek out other sources. It now becomes a question of *how fast that transition takes place and how to effect it* in a way that doesn’t undo decades of progress. If that’s the goal, then the Trump administration *definitely doesn’t have the right approach*. Here in Uganda, the freeze on foreign funding has left many PEPFAR programs suspended <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POhIvRT9G8J2uOhXRyblumEL1x0nfjYMn…>, despite a waiver that allows the resumption of lifesaving treatment and a few other initiatives. Instead, on Tuesday, experts presented *an idea of developing compacts with governments* that would slowly ease them off of PEPFAR and into a more sustainable future. *Read:* PEPFAR at crossroads — lawmakers debate future of global AIDS program <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POsuCyl_Q4myN5F7dZl-G1-hyx0SeXIc6…>

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What not to do: Instead, on Tuesday, experts presented an idea of developing compacts with governments that would slowly ease them off of PEPFAR and into a more sustainable future.
by Gunnar Larson 12 Apr '25

12 Apr '25

What not to do In Washington, there seems to be a general agreement among lawmakers that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief <https://t.devex.com/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGZvt84W6Vty5OkDuy9y7TEaJyXDomxskqiQQk…> *cannot last forever*. That is the $110 billion program that has saved the lives of 25 million people living with HIV. After more than 22 years, lawmakers at a National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee meeting Tuesday made it clear that they wanted to see governments take more responsibility for funding <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POsuCyl_Q4myN5F7dZl-G1-hyx0SeXIc6…> their own response. Or potentially seek out other sources. It now becomes a question of *how fast that transition takes place and how to effect it* in a way that doesn’t undo decades of progress. If that’s the goal, then the Trump administration *definitely doesn’t have the right approach*. Here in Uganda, the freeze on foreign funding has left many PEPFAR programs suspended <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POhIvRT9G8J2uOhXRyblumEL1x0nfjYMn…>, despite a waiver that allows the resumption of lifesaving treatment and a few other initiatives. Instead, on Tuesday, experts presented *an idea of developing compacts with governments* that would slowly ease them off of PEPFAR and into a more sustainable future. *Read:* PEPFAR at crossroads — lawmakers debate future of global AIDS program <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POsuCyl_Q4myN5F7dZl-G1-hyx0SeXIc6…>

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APRIL 10, 2025 BY ANDREW GREEN: There’s no doubt that funding remains a huge — if not the biggest — problem. For its investment round that ends in May 2025, WHO has so far raised nearly $1.7 billion. Even with other funding sources, this is still far from the $7.1 billion the agency was looking for.
by Gunnar Larson 12 Apr '25

12 Apr '25

APRIL 10, 2025 BY ANDREW GREEN <https://t.devex.com/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGZvt84W0y_yO-D6ziAMfsp8_V4Cuvwl5qOyCn…> How do you solve a problem like the World Health Organization <https://t.devex.com/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGZvt84W79SdsMKQ1zB1rVD9pijTqm5nEfci_m…> ? It depends on what problem you’re talking about *because the agency has plenty*, as my colleague Jenny Lei Ravelo reports. WHO remains top-heavy and overly reliant on a handful of donors while continuing to face growing allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse. [image: A logo is pictured at the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.] <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POpCphgeXlcwK-5u_CbLr-mNf3m_ZzQd8…> This is despite specific attempts to address the horrific problem of harassment and abuse, alongside broader reform efforts <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POpCphgeXlcwK-5u_CbLr-mNf3m_ZzQd8…> that include revamping WHO’s organizational infrastructure, strengthening its country offices, and *pursuing nearly 100 reforms* focused on transparency, efficiency, and effectiveness. There’s no doubt that *funding remains a huge — if not the biggest — problem*. For its investment round that ends in May 2025, WHO has so far raised nearly $1.7 billion. Even with other funding sources, this is still far from the $7.1 billion the agency was looking for. The unprecedented fundraising effort was launched to give WHO more flexibility and to free it from the priorities of specific donors and the accusations, driven by U.S. President Donald Trump, that the organization lacks any independence <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POkJRuuo_nSES7kdX0u3PHyKGKAUR9spa…>. Whether the initiative will actually succeed remains to be seen. But consider that the U.S. withdrawal from the agency leaves it facing a $600 million shortfall this year <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POl-FoiiyyrRTFjOma1DZq73bNrqSaYGu…>, even as Trump continues to accuse WHO of being a Chinese puppet. *Staff reforms could possibly help to reduce this crisis*, particularly if the agency could get rid of underperforming people who have stuck around too long. There is a push to reduce an expanding number of high-level officials, while focusing on strengthening local and regional offices in line with localization goals. But all of that is easier said than done in the bureaucracy of a U.N. agency. The agency has allocated the largest portion of its flexible funding to its country offices — a signal of how seriously it takes the goal of localization. Meanwhile, the ongoing allegations of sexual abuse and harassment *continue to chip away at the integrity of the organization*. Agency officials stress that they are taking these issues seriously and that an increase in reported cases of harassment and abuse of authority “is a good thing in itself” because it shows increased staff confidence in the system. But even their own staff are demanding more. In a perverse way, the withdrawal of the United States from WHO <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POjbW6rOsZ37Uc-AtgCDeIvcHjB_B-lIJ…> will force the institution to confront many of these issues, particularly the questions around funding. But the future of the organization *is still very much up in the air*. *Read:* Inside WHO’s reforms — progress, failures, and unfinished business <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POpCphgeXlcwK-5u_CbLr-mNf3m_ZzQd8…> *Background reading:* Tedros refutes Trump’s claims of WHO’s lack of independence <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POkJRuuo_nSES7kdX0u3PHyKGKAUR9spa…>

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In other news: At the EU-Horn of Africa migration meeting, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty highlighted its tough stance on migration since 2016 and urged European nations for greater support for the country’s 10 million refugees. [Africanews]
by Gunnar Larson 12 Apr '25

12 Apr '25

In other news *Oxfam GB plans to cut 265 jobs*, as the Oxford-based charity said its funding is impacted by the state of the economy. [BBC <https://t.devex.com/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGZvljESY6XtiWbqLurVBPdKd7Xr_za9gq2OuV…> ] U.S. Indo-Pacific commander, Admiral Samuel Paparo, is *strongly advocating for continued USAID funding to the Pacific islands*, a region where the U.S. and China compete for influence. [Reuters <https://t.devex.com/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGZvljESFp0Vwc82R_gE0Et9_Yxuu9O6aOqMqa…> ] At the EU-Horn of Africa migration meeting, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty *highlighted its tough stance on migration since 2016* and urged European nations for greater support for the country’s 10 million refugees. [Africanews <https://t.devex.com/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGZvljESKhJPIfrWXWnTjI4UuZ3OVqr1ylVZjA…> ]

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Too woke?: “So we’re going to realign foreign aid,” Rubio told Donald Trump Jr. “We’re actually going to be helping countries with what they generally need.” That includes security assistance, Rubio said, and helping countries “build up police departments and security forces” so they can take on gang violence.
by Gunnar Larson 12 Apr '25

12 Apr '25

Too woke? Marco Rubio had some tough words for U.S. foreign assistance — which has been all but completely dissolved during his short tenure as secretary of state — on a podcast hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump’s son: Triggered with Don Jr. “We turned [foreign aid] into *a tool to export our domestic policies of the far left*,” Rubio said, according to a transcript <https://t.devex.com/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGZvljESP_ucbOSHtc22RhbT9TH-gZoyVUaT9-…> published by the State Department on Tuesday. “We began to use foreign aid not as a way to make America stronger, safer, more prosperous, but as a way to impose – impose – the domestic political agenda of the left onto foreign countries. And it became a vehicle for that.” *Foreign aid had turned into “cultural imperialism,”* Rubio said, in part because “USAID was separate from the State Department” and “did whatever they wanted.” He spoke about the “foreign aid industrial complex,” with organizations “raking in hundreds of millions of dollars” to run programs on behalf of the U.S. government. And he talked about how aid was “indoctrinating people on the social priorities of the far left in the United States.” “So we’re going to realign foreign aid,” Rubio told Donald Trump Jr. “We’re actually going to be helping countries with what they generally need.” *That includes security assistance*, Rubio said, and helping countries “build up police departments and security forces” so they can take on gang violence. *“The best foreign aid is foreign aid that ultimately ends* because it’s successful, because you go in, you help somebody, they build up their capacity, and now they can handle it themselves, and they don’t need foreign aid anymore.”

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Packing their bags: The layoffs are staggering — staff must be out of their host countries by their termination date to avoid personal costs and legal hassles, as USAID folk will lose their diplomatic status post-termination.
by Gunnar Larson 12 Apr '25

12 Apr '25

Packing their bags <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POlEl9RSRUZlYbrmNpaBWzbOny1slKSeu…> It’s truly the end of an era. With the Trump administration having dismantled USAID, all of the agency’s career diplomats and their families are being called back to the U.S. by Aug. 15 <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POlEl9RSRUZlYbrmNpaBWzbOny1slKSeu…>, and for some, even earlier. This marks a massive shake-up, as many of these people have spent years abroad, deeply embedded in their host communities, making lifesaving impacts through USAID's global programs — the majority of which have been slashed. Now they’re uprooting their lives, too. Meanwhile, *the agency needs to sever ties with all local hires by Aug. 15*, per a recent leadership email from USAID. The State Department will take over what’s left of the foreign aid programs, but it’s still up in the air when and how they’ll start hiring for these roles, and who gets to stay on. Now, USAID workers are busy winding down operations, managing program transitions, and some restarting initiatives that were previously cut. It’s a big “final mission” as *they prepare to either move back to the U.S. or hang in limbo*, hoping for a chance to continue their work. “It’s mind blowing,” one USAID worker stationed abroad tells Devex Senior Reporter Sara Jerving. And it’s not just a straightforward pack-your-bags homecoming. The repatriation process itself is a byproduct of earlier Trump administration plans, which were delayed by lawsuits <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POp_Hs-eLlqXZ5H-RoYouktitCnWCmMEP…> from the American Foreign Service Association and others, citing risks from such “chaotic” changes. The layoffs are staggering — *staff must be out of their host countries by their termination date* to avoid personal costs and legal hassles, as USAID folk will lose their diplomatic status post-termination. To those on the ground, it’s more than just a job shift; it’s about ensuring their monumental efforts don’t just evaporate. As they coordinate handovers, there’s palpable concern that the *State Department might not yet be up to the task*, lacking both the technical know-how and the local presence essential for these complex programs. *Read more:* USAID foreign officers to be repatriated, local staff fired by Aug. 15 <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POlEl9RSRUZlYbrmNpaBWzbOny1slKSeu…>

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Cuts and corrections: With the review officially wrapped up, Bruce is now looking to get a “fuller view” of the situation as the State Department tackles the ongoing issues with foreign aid. It’s a complex affair, and it seems the State Department is still trying to find its footing amid these sweeping changes.
by Gunnar Larson 12 Apr '25

12 Apr '25

Cuts and corrections It looks like the U.S. State Department has had a mix-up with its foreign aid cuts <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POjbW6rOsZ37Uc-AtgCDeIvf-tQPk7a-w…>, but it assures us that *the nation’s dedication to global assistance is still strong*. Tammy Bruce, the State Department <https://t.devex.com/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGZvljESRG1pxOFKOCdckGV5yJsMSC_N4sHqvC…>’s spokesperson, acknowledged the blunder. “There were a few programs that were cut in other countries *that were not meant to be cut*, that have been rolled back and put into place,” she explains. This admission came hot on the heels of another round of aid reductions that slashed 42 programs <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POvFAKmUBxuwLf95kl2y5AcHIWS-amDHg…> in places like Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen, writes my colleague Elissa Miolene. The cuts were part of what Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced as a completed six-week review, chopping 83% of USAID programs as of early March. But as some organizations braced for impact with familiar termination emails over the weekend, USAID’s new Deputy Administrator for Policy and Programs Jeremy Lewin was already in damage-control mode. By Monday, he was *requesting the rescission of terminations* for six vital World Food Programme <https://t.devex.com/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGZvljESL_zRKmf0FWC-ZJvy9Esd95orGm1zUX…> projects. “When and if that happens, that’s recognized, and that has also been the case with something as complicated as this framework,” Bruce adds, trying to clarify the situation. Yet, she didn’t shy away from backing the administration’s decisions to cut assistance to Yemen and Afghanistan, citing concerns over *funding potentially benefiting groups like the Houthis and the Taliban*. “These concerns with U.N. funding have been documented and discussed for years,” she notes, adding that some terminations were due to the shift away from cash-based assistance, aiming to enhance accountability for American taxpayers. With *the review officially wrapped up*, Bruce is now looking to get a “fuller view” of the situation as the State Department tackles the ongoing issues with foreign aid. It’s a complex affair, and it seems the State Department is still trying to find its footing amid these sweeping changes. *Read:* Trump administration admits lifesaving aid was accidentally cut <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POjbW6rOsZ37Uc-AtgCDeIvf-tQPk7a-w…> *ICYMI:* A ‘death sentence for millions’ as US cuts more aid <https://t.devex.com/dc/kyXVoDpAY__Vu56MNr4POvFAKmUBxuwLf95kl2y5AcHIWS-amDHg…>

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APRIL 10, 2025 BY HELEN MURPHY: Also in today’s edition: Career diplomats will start packing their bags and heading home, Marco Rubio talks tough, and the U.S. State Department has a mix-up with its foreign aid cuts.
by Gunnar Larson 12 Apr '25

12 Apr '25

APRIL 10, 2025 BY HELEN MURPHY <https://t.devex.com/Njg1LUtCTC03NjUAAAGZvljESLbSk-9GrsenISu2Y4fY6-Emwc5_U35…> As the United States dramatically reduces its foreign aid, the European Commission asserts *it cannot completely fill the resulting gap*. Internal discussions reveal EU officials are evaluating critical areas such as health, migration, and state fragility that may need bolstering in light of U.S. aid cuts. *Also in today’s edition:* Career diplomats will start packing their bags and heading home, Marco Rubio talks tough, and the U.S. State Department has a mix-up with its foreign aid cuts.

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