Global Aid Rethink: The End of Aid?

In the inaugural episode of Global Aid Rethink, hosts Ivica Petrikova (Associate Professor in Politics and International Relations, Royal Holloway, University of London) and Melita Lazell (Associate Professor in Political Economy and Development, University of Portsmouth) confront the profound implications of recent aid cuts announced in the UK and the US in Spring 2025.

With funding for development aid at its lowest in decades and the Sustainable Development Goals significantly off-track, the question of aid's future has never been more pressing or divisive. This episode delves into the immediate consequences of these cuts, exploring their impact on humanitarian efforts, multilateral institutions, and the evolving landscape of foreign policy objectives.

Joining Ivica and Melita for this vital discussion are two leading voices in the field: Helen Stawski, Head of Policy at Oxfam GB, and Tamsyn Barton, former Chief Commissioner at the Independent Commission for Aid Impact, who also serves on the Boards of the Institute for Development Studies and the Centre for Global Development. Together, they dissect whether these developments truly signal a fundamental shift in global aid, examining the roles of non-traditional donors, the impact on local ecosystems, and the imperative for global solidarity and mutual resilience.

Global Aid Rethink publishes fortnightly, on Tuesdays, from 22nd April 2025 to 1st July.  

• Read the transcript here

This is a Research Podcasts production.

Episode credits:

Presenters: Ivica Petrikova, Royal Holloway, University of London and Melita Lazell, Portsmouth University

Guests: Helen Stawski and Tamsyn Barton

Producer: Catherine McDonald, Research Podcasts

Music: MFCC via Pixabay

Artwork and Audiograms: Krissie Brighty-Glover and Lauren White, Research Podcasts

This podcast was generously funded by the ESRC-funded Royal Holloway Social Science Impact Accelerator

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