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Former USAID Foreign Service Officer's RIF notice arrived in the middle of cancer treatment. Her testimonial is worth reading.
▲ 205 r/InternationalDev+4 crossposts

Former USAID Foreign Service Officer's RIF notice arrived in the middle of cancer treatment. Her testimonial is worth reading.

A 17-year USAID Foreign Service Officer named Christina just published a personal account of her separation from the agency. She served in Jamaica, two tours in Afghanistan, Colombia, Kosovo, and Mali, doing democracy, human rights, and governance work: election security, justice sector reform, reintegration programs for former combatants, basic service delivery.

Her RIF notice came while she was in the middle of chemotherapy for skin cancer. She couldn't afford the treatment without insurance, so when she ran out of the cream she had, she stopped.

The piece isn't a legal filing or a policy argument. It's a first-person account of what she calls moral injury: losing not just income, but identity, security, and a sense of purpose that took decades to build. She also writes about being closeted for most of her career overseas, and what it cost her to keep that part of herself hidden while representing the U.S. abroad.

Full piece here: https://usaidemployeesupportfund.substack.com/p/i-dont-want-to-carry-it-alone-anymore

u/Timely_Explorer_6144 — 2 days ago
▲ 63 r/InternationalDev

How to accept that my life in Europe and career is over

​

I am stuck in a deep depression. I did a whole master's degree in Natural Resources Management and Development in Germany, during the degree interviewed for two UN internship positions, was rejected from both. One of them told me they would have accepted me had I not stupidly asked if it could have been part time (I didn't know the internships had to be full time). I interviewed for a job at United Nations University and was rejected.

I am now 36 and jobless at my parent's house in the USA with no prospects after getting fired from a job in my old field that I was trying to escape.

I think about these mistakes every day. At this point I have fucked up the thing I waited for so many years to accomplish (was recovering from cancer for 5 years which put my career on hold), which was to do a master's degree and finally get out of a job I hated and was bad at (nonprofit communications) into something I could love (international development and environmental policy).

I fucked it all up and I feel sick every time I see any mention of the UN or meet people in the career I tried and failed at.

Does anyone have any words of advice for me? I am trying to find a therapist but I am so depressed, every day I wake up in a panic and at night I think about every mistake I ever made.

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u/Suspicious_Mine_2337 — 2 days ago
▲ 33 r/InternationalDev

Latest USA foreign funding - nearly $2 billion package - is exclusively for USA-based Christian nonprofits.

The USA announced its latest funding package last week, and the nearly $2 billion package is exclusively for U.S.-based Christian nonprofit organizations. The majority will go to faith-based hospitals and clinics, with the remainder set aside for humanitarian aid.

The State Department said the funding will be provided to an “extensive network” of international and local faith-based partners — including World Vision, Compassion International, and Samaritan’s Purse.

Dev Ex asks:

Isn’t the U.S. government supposed to be moving away from large INGOs and similar institutions? Is it really okay to say faith-based when we mean “Christian” — and can Christian organizations really provide effectively to those of other faiths, or none? And is it a good idea for the U.S. government to be asking others to cover its overheads?

The full article is available for paid subscribers at DevEv.

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u/jcravens42 — 3 days ago
▲ 110 r/InternationalDev+1 crossposts

New petition calling on WFP to end its partnership with Palantir

In our opinion, a UN agency responsible for food and cash assistance breaks its obligations by partnering with Palantir, a US military contractor. Read, sign, and share this petition calling on WFP not to renew its Palantir contract https://www.change.org/WFPdropPalantir

u/rswrdn — 3 days ago
▲ 6 r/InternationalDev

Need Advice

Earlier this year, I went through a terrible experience with a UN agency where, after my internship, I was offered a consultant contract and after waiting FIVE MONTHS for the process to complete (which was an internal recruitment), I was told in the end that the team’s admin staff would not process the hiring of a candidate with less than 2 years of experience and my team ran out of political capital to push back against this.

I was extremely depressed and in a moment of desperation, I accepted a role with a very small firm working on evaluation of international development projects. The role is a small Bid Writer role, whereas all my experience so far (internships at UN agencies) has been in climate finance and public finance (I also have a Masters in International Law).

Without naming the organisation, I will say that it is not a very good one. The firm is run by a single founder with work experience at Tier 1 NGOs and multilaterals, but nothing else about it is good. The way the team functions and the organization is structured is abysmal. There are no clear reporting lines, the founder is a despot who insists on reviewing everything being produced by junior staff, who are often forced to compromise on quality of work due to immense workloads and to write proposals to win projects which have nothing to do with the firm’s experience, relying on a consultant database which is fishy (consent rarely gets asked before including consultants in proposed team compositions). The founder is also highly unprofessional and regularly feels it is okay to discuss employees’ personal requests (for example, confidential conversations on salaries or conflicts) openly on team meetings (not mine, but I’ve seen it happen to other people) and the whole thing has left a really bad taste in my mouth. I don’t see any potential to grow or be recognised for my talents in this team because of how it is - and I’ve honestly been a highly driven and valued employee in every workplace I’ve been in.

So, I put in my papers and quit before my probation period ended, as I wanted to focus more on finding a real role in my area (climate finance) that I didn’t take out of desperation during a traumatic recruitment process with the UN. Quitting itself wasn’t a smooth process, as no one acknowledged my email for weeks and HR couldn’t answer my follow ups or requests as the founder was too busy to tell her how to respond. Basically, the entire firm is run by one person who refuses to delegate responsibility (despite having very capable managers) and is far too busy to invest the time needed to run an organization.

Today, she called me and offered me a counteroffer: a raise + to fly to Uganda and support her in setting up an ESG/climate finance vertical. I am not sure how she intends to do this, as the firm’s experience is solely in evaluating humanitarian projects.

On paper, this would be international experience to add to my CV in my preferred area. But after the experience I’ve had with this firm, I am highly skeptical and know it won’t be all rainbows and sunshine. My experience with the firm and the founder have been awful and I know this won’t be any better. Any thoughts on what I should do would be much appreciated.

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u/Miserable_Career_919 — 3 days ago
▲ 6 r/InternationalDev

Policy analyst at OECD

Hi,
What is your day to day work Life at OECD as a policy analyst ?
Do you do a lot of drafting ? How much is spent in meeting ?

Just trying to have a clear image of what a job there entails !

Another point, I often see that OECD jobs are mentioned as « golden handcuffs », why is that ?

Thankss !

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u/Round_Celebration729 — 4 days ago
▲ 178 r/InternationalDev

High school student's senior project ends up preserving essential evaluation info from USAID

As part of her high school senior research project, a high school student now studying at University of Toronto collected over 4,000 pdfs of evaluations from the USAID's Development Experience Clearinghouse (DEC) for use in a machine learning project. USAID was a leader in evidence-based decision-making, accountability, and organizational learning. DEC includes performance evaluations that measure the extent to which USAID programs generated their expected outputs, as well as impact evaluations that provide evidence of the net, attributable impacts of USAID programs between 2000 and 2023.  When Elon Musk & his crew eliminated USAID, they obliterated the database from the Internet & all archives. It is only because of this student that some of the invaluable DEC evaluation materials were preserved.

This article details why the DEC materials matter and where you can now find them:

https://www.aiddata.org/blog/before-reimagining-development-data-remember-what-weve-learned

u/jcravens42 — 8 days ago
▲ 16 r/InternationalDev

Convince me not to quit (or don’t)

I am a young female professional (28F), working with a UN Agency in a country/field office. I am also from a country in crisis, I actually started as a national staff and was lucky enough to land an international position (not a P position). I’ve worked on a very difficult context for the past three years (although i’m actually based in a family duty station). The most draining thing wasn’t the context, it’s actually the fact that the quality of people in charge has just gone down over the years. I’m sorry if this is coming off as ageist but we are employing people who don’t understand the world we live in and probably won’t be around in the next 25 years as directors and high level/strategic positions. Our latest director is an old guy who was meant to retire but instead was placed in our office. He is obviously not an innovative thinker (i’m not sure he’s a critical thinker either) and he’s a tad (very) sexist.

I’m exhausted, i’m doing the work of 2-3 people at times at a level that’s way beyond my pay grade, i’m seeing directors come in and cut people’s jobs in the name of efficiency and cost savings but then bring their own connections and people in at super high level and salaries. my direct manager who i liked when i first started is becoming more and more of a problem, passing my work as his and overall just not managing our unit.

We have a UNV in our team who is sponsored by his home country but can’t do anything on his own (and makes the Black woman do all the work), which frustrates me because i do the work but my financing isn’t guaranteed whereas he plays dumb all day and is well funded.

I am at this point where every time i see someone leaving the system i’m a bit jealous. i want to quit and tonight i’m drafting my resignation letter but i’m also aware that what awaits me at home are the same work environment with lower pay, conflict, potential of being harmed and hurt physically, there’s a lot of sexual violence as well and it’s not an all around great place to be in right now.

I don’t know what to do, I want to convince myself that i’m just burnt out but the truth is even when I was burnt out in the past, when there was better management I still gave more of myself to the organisation and to the cause. Now? Mentally i’ve already resigned and I am doing the VERY bare minimum and sticking to my job description, doing no more, no less.

I also don’t have a social life bc I was operating at the intensity of a P4 at the age of 25-26 so… i hate my job, i hate the sector, i need a man and i miss being around young, motivated and inspiring people. Should i resign and just spend the next year by the beach?

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u/Separate-Ship-5415 — 8 days ago
▲ 8 r/InternationalDev

How are consultants doing proposals?

Curious how the consultants in international development are using AI to write proposals. If everyone is using the same models, don’t they all look similar? How much time are you saving with AI? All thoughts are welcome.

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u/BluebirdNorth5355 — 9 days ago
▲ 7 r/InternationalDev

Emptiness from teaching

Hi everyone. For context I have a background in environmental law and development studies. Right now, I am a university professor for law undergrads. I just wanted to vent a little as an educator how tiring and tough it is having critical approaches in the education sector right now. It’s almost like critical thinking is looked down upon.

I’ve been feeling this way because students from my environmental law course are just interested in learning administrative and logistical topics like how to get environmental permits for corporations or tourist complexes to essentially destroy nature.

As a development agent, their lack of interest in human rights, climate change and environmental conflicts absolutely drains me. Everything feels so soulless nowadays.

Sorry, I just really wanted to vent a little about my experience as an educator. I know my students are not forced to be interested in the same thing as me. I just wanted to know if anyone else feels this way whatsoever? Lol

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u/Acceptable_Owl_6274 — 8 days ago
▲ 9 r/InternationalDev+2 crossposts

Ceuta Refugee Crisis: The Chronic Illness of Uneven International Development and Widening Divisions Within Europe

In late July, tens of thousands of refugees surged from Morocco into Ceuta, the Spanish enclave on the African mainland, triggering a series of clashes and accidents that nearly paralyzed public services in the city. By August 1, after Spanish military and police forces restored order and persuaded people to return, most of the refugees had gone back to the Moroccan side.

However, the incident has still profoundly impacted the political landscape of Spain and Europe as a whole, while raising many questions and prompting extensive reflection. Italy, for example, expressed concern that refugees might travel from Spain into Italy through the Schengen Area, and announced the temporary suspension of Schengen free movement with Spain by reinstating border controls. Others questioned why such a sudden refugee surge had occurred, while debates intensified over Spain’s relatively lenient immigration and refugee policies. Rumors that certain forces had deliberately encouraged or facilitated this wave of refugees also spread widely on social media.

Spain is indeed one of the European countries with the most accommodating immigration policies today, making it an important destination for refugees. In April this year, the Spanish government announced an “amnesty” for approximately 500,000 undocumented migrants already living in the country, granting them legal residency with the possibility of applying for Spanish citizenship in the future. This policy has further encouraged refugees—especially Africans living just across the Mediterranean—to head for Spain.

However, because crossing the Mediterranean is extremely difficult, many refugees remained in Morocco, which borders Ceuta, Spain’s enclave in North Africa, waiting for an opportunity to enter. Previously, however, the border between Morocco and Ceuta was regularly patrolled by military and police forces, making crossings extremely difficult under normal circumstances. During this incident, a large number of refugees suddenly poured across the coastal area where the two territories meet, catching the Spanish authorities completely off guard and triggering the Ceuta refugee crisis.

As for the immediate cause of this mass border crossing, information from multiple sources suggests that it was related to rumors claiming that the Ceuta border had been opened. According to these rumors, anyone reaching Ceuta could obtain legal status in Spain. Spain’s recent immigration reform also helped fuel these rumors and made them more persuasive, although the new policy actually applies only to undocumented migrants already residing in Spain rather than to newly arriving entrants.

There are also more conspiracy-oriented claims suggesting that, because of disputes with Spain—such as disagreements over Western Sahara and differences regarding the Israeli–Palestinian conflict—the Moroccan authorities deliberately relaxed border controls on their side and encouraged refugees to storm Ceuta. These allegations have not been confirmed. However, there have indeed been reports that Morocco loosened border controls during the refugee surge. Videos have also circulated showing Moroccan border personnel throwing stones at refugees attempting to return to Morocco in order to prevent their return, as well as multiple Moroccan soldiers beating refugees. These incidents may be regarded as evidence suggesting a deliberate intention on Morocco’s part to push refugees toward Spain.

Using refugees as a “weapon” against rival countries is not without precedent. A few years ago, after the authoritarian government of Alexander Lukashenko in Belarus was sanctioned by the European Union, the Belarusian government retaliated by deliberately issuing large numbers of visas to people from refugee-producing countries such as Iraq, encouraging them to travel to Belarus, and then transporting them to the borders between Belarus and EU member states such as Poland and Estonia, urging them to cross into the European Union and seek asylum.

This created enormous challenges for border management and refugee accommodation in the affected countries, while leaving many refugees trapped between opposing sides, repeatedly pushed back and forth, lacking food and clothing, and enduring severe hardship. In this respect, the large-scale movement of refugees from Morocco into Spain bears considerable resemblance to the Belarus–EU refugee crisis of 2021–2022.

Although the precise causes of this refugee surge remain unclear and continue to be debated, its fundamental cause is undoubtedly the disparity in economic and social development between Europe and Africa, as well as broader global inequalities, which drive impoverished Africans to seek opportunities in relatively prosperous Europe. This has been a long-standing reality and remains the underlying cause of recurring refugee crises.

With Africa’s rapid economic development in recent years, the gap between Africa and Europe had gradually narrowed, allowing many Africans to pursue better lives without leaving their homelands. However, changes in the international environment—including the rise of right-wing governments in the United States and several other countries, which has led to reduced assistance for Africa, as well as the worsening climate crisis that has further undermined living conditions across the continent—have intensified poverty and unemployment. As a result, many Africans have once again been forced to become refugees and seek better lives in Europe and other developed regions.

On the Moroccan side of Ceuta, youth unemployment stands at around 30 percent, with large numbers of young people struggling even to secure basic necessities. Consequently, many are willing to risk death by crossing the Mediterranean in search of a future in Europe. During the Ceuta refugee crisis, dozens of people reportedly died from stampedes, drowning, and other causes. It was the poverty and despair of their homelands that drove these individuals to risk their lives in pursuit of a new beginning in Europe.

If economic and social development continues to remain deeply unequal between Europe and Africa, and among countries around the world, with enormous disparities in income, education, and healthcare between different regions of the same world, migration and refugee crises will remain impossible to eliminate. Moreover, whenever wars, natural disasters, or large-scale human rights violations occur, refugee flows will intensify, and no country will be able to remain unaffected. These natural and man-made disasters are not circumstances that people in impoverished and vulnerable countries have the ability to prevent. Their suffering and flight are acts of necessity, not the result of personal fault, contrary to what some anti-refugee voices claim.

Moreover, the closure of the previously open border between Italy and Spain in response to the Ceuta refugee crisis has once again exposed the European Union’s long-standing internal divisions and disagreements over refugee policy. Spain is governed by a left-wing administration that advocates accepting and treating migrants and refugees with tolerance. Italy, by contrast, is governed by a right-wing populist coalition that explicitly supports tightening immigration policies and opposes accepting more refugees.

Italy’s decision to reintroduce border checks along what had previously been a freely accessible border with Spain was a clear expression of its opposition to what it viewed as Spain’s overly permissive and lenient refugee policy. Finland, Denmark, and several other EU member states supported Italy’s position, while France also strengthened controls along its border with Spain, further increasing pressure on the Spanish government. Spain’s rapid deployment of military and police forces to return large numbers of refugees who had entered Ceuta was also related to the attitudes adopted by other EU countries.

Although the refugee surge has gradually subsided, with most refugees having been returned, and the immediate dispute between Spain and other EU member states has come to an end, the long-term divisions remain difficult to resolve. When the European Union, then evolving from the European Community, was established in 1993, many people held high expectations, believing that a united and mutually supportive European community would benefit every member state and foster closer and more harmonious relations among them.

However, this favorable period lasted for less than thirty years. The European debt crisis, the refugee crisis, and growing conflicts over national interests have made the EU far less harmonious, and the United Kingdom, once one of its principal member states, ultimately chose to leave the Union through a national referendum.

The refugee issue has become one of the most contentious and difficult problems among EU member states. Around the time of the 2015 refugee crisis, many Europeans still showed considerable sympathy toward refugees and were willing to accept them, while migrants and refugees were also seen as helping to alleviate labor shortages caused by Europe’s aging population.

However, as the growing number of refugees led to cultural tensions, public security concerns, rising crime, and increasing economic burdens, anti-refugee sentiment gained momentum across Europe. In particular, several right-wing populist parties—including the Alternative for Germany (AfD), Brothers of Italy, and Spain’s VOX party—have risen to prominence, making opposition to immigration and refugees one of their central political platforms and winning substantial electoral support. EU member states have frequently argued over refugee quotas and the financial costs of refugee resettlement.

The Ceuta refugee crisis has further heightened the alarm of many EU countries that already favor stricter refugee policies, while prompting criticism of Spain’s comparatively lenient approach. As a result, EU member states are likely to tighten immigration policies even further in the future rather than follow Spain’s more accommodating model. Even so, such measures are unlikely to bridge the deep and long-standing divisions within the European Union. Different member states are governed by parties with widely differing political positions and ideologies, including disagreements between the political left and right, between establishment and populist forces, and over relations with the United States, China, and Russia. The refugee issue is therefore only one manifestation of much broader and more deeply rooted disagreements.

The involvement and influence of actors outside the European Union during the Ceuta refugee crisis also deserve attention. U.S. President Donald Trump, for example, used the refugee surge to criticize the immigration policies of both the European Union and the U.S. Democratic Party, defend his own hardline deportation policies, and rally support for the Republican Party.

Morocco maintains close relations with Israel, while Spain has generally adopted a more pro-Palestinian position. There have therefore been rumors that Israel encouraged Morocco to use refugees as a means of exerting pressure on Spain. Although these allegations have not been substantiated, they are not entirely without context. The Israeli–Palestinian conflict has led governments and political forces around the world to take sides and engage in geopolitical competition, and Spain and Morocco are no exception.

The most direct victims of this refugee crisis, however, are the African refugees themselves, who were forced to leave their homes because of poverty, unemployment, war, and other hardships. Misled by false rumors, they risked their lives attempting to cross the border, only to be forced to turn back. During the process, many died or were injured due to drowning, stampedes, and other accidents.

As of August 2, seventy-two refugees had reportedly lost their lives. These were people who had still been alive only days earlier. Even if they had not been returned, entering Ceuta under the Schengen framework would not have allowed them to proceed directly into mainland Spain or other Schengen countries. After risking everything and enduring such hardship, many ultimately gained nothing. It is a profoundly tragic outcome.

Although this refugee surge lasted only a short time, it produced enormous consequences, involved complex interactions among multiple actors, and can be traced to deep-rooted and highly complicated underlying causes. Uneven international development, internal divisions within the European Union, competing national interests, and the far-reaching impact of refugee issues are, in many ways, long-standing topics of discussion. Years ago, many people remained optimistic that these problems could eventually be resolved. Yet as both domestic and international conditions have deteriorated in recent years, these challenges have instead become increasingly severe, making effective solutions appear ever more elusive.

Faced with this reality, the author does not claim to possess any simple or definitive solution. Nevertheless, the author hopes that governments and political forces around the world will demonstrate greater commitment to the common good and less narrow self-interest. They should refrain from aggravating existing problems for their own benefit, treat migrants and refugees in accordance with humanitarian principles, strive to achieve fair solutions amid competing interests, and cooperate in confronting shared challenges such as climate change, terrorism, pandemics, and war, so as to reduce conflicts to the greatest extent possible and preserve peace and prosperity.

(The author of this article is Wang Qingmin (王庆民), a Chinese writer based in Europe and a researcher of international politics.)

u/Slow-Property5895 — 11 days ago
▲ 0 r/InternationalDev

Who within your business development teams are AI advocates?

Specifically interested in learning what type of roles in your BD teams are embracing AI. Doing research for my startup.

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u/BluebirdNorth5355 — 8 days ago
▲ 8 r/InternationalDev

Continuing PhD vs. Entering the Job Market? — Need your perspective

Hello everyone!

Before I dive in, I want to clarify that I fully understand the ultimate decision rests on me. I’m posting here to gain different perspectives and uncover blind spots I might have missed.

Bit about my current background:
Education: Currently a Master student in International Development with a focus on Development Economics at Hapanese university on a full scholarship.
Prior Background: Bachelor’s in International Relations (non-quantitative background originally).
Experience: ~3 years as an International Project Consultant handling donor projects, an internship at a regional research institute (ADBI), and research assistantships during my studies.
Research Output: Currently have 1 published paper and 2 working papers in development economics. I’ve grown to really enjoy the quantitative research process.

What I see from my current perspective (opportunity):
My advisor has offered me a fully funded path to continue directly into a PhD in the same department under the same scholarship after I graduate in March 2027.

My Dilemma & Fears:
My original long-term goal was to work in an International Organization or a Multilateral Development Bank (MDB). However, given recent turbulence and hiring freezes in the sector, I am feeling anxious about future employment across both paths — particularly not so many options in Japan or back home (Southeast Asia).

Thus here is what It thought:

  1. Option A: Pursue the PhD
    Fear: What if the job market doesn't recover in 3–4 years? Furthermore, my PhD degree would technically be in International Development rather than pure Economics, which might put me at a disadvantage for strict Economist tracks in major MDBs.

  2. Option B: Enter the Job Market in 2027
    Fear: Given the current market, I worry about struggling to land a competitive, well-paying role, and potentially missing out on a funded PhD opportunity that might not be available again later.

TL;DR: I’m stuck in limbo between taking a guaranteed funded PhD or entering an uncertain job market. I’d love to hear from practitioners, IO/MDB staff, or academics regarding the opportunity costs of both paths given the current climate.

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u/Sad_Bookkeeper7544 — 10 days ago
▲ 0 r/InternationalDev

I’m trying to build a career abroad from a difficult starting point — looking for advice

I’ve had a dream of working and building a life abroad for quite some time. It’s something I’ve thought about a lot, but the reality is that my financial situation makes that dream feel very difficult sometimes.

I’m from India, and I recently completed my PG. I’m currently 23, and instead of rushing into something just because I need a job, I’ve decided to seriously work on myself and build my skills.

Around 23, I started taking my career more seriously and began my upskilling journey. Since then, I’ve been learning different areas of technology, and now I’m planning to focus more seriously on Data Science, AI and DSA.

But honestly, I’m still confused about the right path.

My long-term goal is to get a job outside India, preferably somewhere in Europe or another country where I can build a good career. The problem is that I don't have a strong financial background to simply go abroad, study another degree, and then look for a job. That option feels risky for me because I can't afford to spend a huge amount of money without knowing what the outcome will be.

So I'm trying to find another way.

My current thinking is:

Build strong technical skills → get experience in India → build a strong portfolio/GitHub → apply for international opportunities → eventually move abroad.

But I don't know how realistic this path is.

I'm currently planning to spend the next phase seriously improving my DSA, Python, SQL, Data Science/AI and software development skills, while also working on projects and trying to get my first proper job.

For people who have already gone through this journey:

  • How did you get your first job outside India?
  • Is it realistic to get a European job directly from India as a fresher/junior?
  • Which countries are more realistic for someone in my situation?
  • Is it better to first get 1–3 years of experience in India and then apply abroad?
  • What technical skills should I prioritize if my target is international Data Science/AI or Software Engineering roles?
  • How important are DSA and competitive programming for getting these jobs?
  • Are there any mistakes I should avoid?
  • What would you do if you were starting from my position with limited finances?

I'm not expecting an easy shortcut. I know it will probably take years of consistent work.

I just don't want to spend the next few years working hard in the wrong direction.

If anyone here has actually made the move from India to Europe or another country through a job, I'd really appreciate hearing your experience and advice. Even small tips or things you wish you knew earlier would help me a lot.

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u/UpdateKona — 8 days ago
▲ 4 r/InternationalDev+1 crossposts

Returning to nonprofit after break, what's changed?

Hi, I left my previous role in an international development non profit (UK charity but global scope) last May and moved into the public sector. We were hit pretty bad when USAID was dismantled and I sought a more secure role and also used the chance to move out of London.

Recently I find myself more and more wanting to get back into non profit fundraising for international development. Its only been 1 year plus a few months but wondering if this group has anything to share for what might have changed in the sector I need to be aware of for applications, interviews, etc?

I appreciate funding is always competitive, oversubscribed, etc, and due to global events thats probably only gotten worse, but I still miss using my time to try and make some progress against bigger picture challenges than my current role offers.

Thanks for any info and pointers in advance!

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u/ftc_homelessapien — 9 days ago
▲ 5 r/InternationalDev+1 crossposts

PassBlue is running a poll asking who you would like to be the next UN Secretary General.

PassBlue is running a poll asking who you would like to be the next UN Secretary General. This poll will likely have zero bearing on who is selected. Still it should be interesting to see what the poll results are.

https://passblue.com/2026/08/09/who-do-you-want-to-be-the-next-un-secretary-general/

PassBlue is an independent, US-based digital publication that monitors and reports on activities by the United Nations.

The term PassBlue is a play on the diplomatic passport known as laissez-passer ("let pass"), a blue travel document used by UN officials on missions and issued by national governments and world institutions during wartime and other periods to allow officers to travel to specific areas. PassBlue does not have an official association with the UN.

u/jcravens42 — 10 days ago
▲ 1 r/InternationalDev

Looking to have fun discussions on Infrastructure projects in the Global South in this sub

Hey guys, first time in this sub and not sure if this is the right place especially since there’s no infrastructure tag, but i’m pretty interested in current ongoing infrastructure and development projects going in the Global South (mostly Africa, but others are just as interesting) for a bit now. I’d love to have fun discussions and fangirling sessions with like-minded individuals in a place like this.

Obviously I know a lot of this sub has been taken over by career searching and navigating the fall of USAID, but yeah i’d just like to know if these more lighthearted discussions and debates are welcome here at this time?

If so - What do people think of the new Bishoftu International airport being planned as an alternative hub to the existing Middle East locations? Could it could drastically change travel global travel routes and improve interconnectivity across the African continent? And what do people think of other planned aviation hubs in Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria, etc. would they end up competing against each other or work in tandem to improve Africa’s aviation industry?

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u/PossibilityNovel4820 — 12 days ago
▲ 12 r/InternationalDev

EBRD job application advice

Hi all! Over the past few years, I’ve applied several times for roles at EBRD’s London office where I genuinely felt I ticked almost all of the boxes. The roles are quite niche, and my experience is specifically tailored to the area, with 4-5+ years of relevant experience.

However, I’ve applied around 3-4 times now (at both Analyst and Associate level) within the same department and, for some reason, I haven’t even been shortlisted. I’m honestly a bit confused as to what it could be.

I’ve just seen another Analyst role in the same department come up, and I’m really keen to apply. Does anyone have any advice on how to stand out in an EBRD application or, at the very least, secure an interview?

Would really appreciate any tips from people who have applied successfully, work at EBRD, or have experience with their recruitment process. Thanks!

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u/Sensitive-Fortune-98 — 10 days ago