Policy Updates

On August 20, 2026, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Reem Alabali Radovan announced Germany’s EUR100 million (US$116 million) contribution to ECW, which aimed through Hope Starts Here to mobilize US$600 million over four years to provide safe, quality education to 10 million children and adolescents affected by crises.

Alabali Radovan said education expanded opportunities, dignity, and life prospects, and that cooperation among governments and partners could reach millions more children. Germany remains ECW’s largest donor, while the contribution reinforces the country’s commitment to education during crises through the BMZ.

On August 19, 2026, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares highlighted Spain’s humanitarian commitment as AECID increased its budget by 115%, from EUR66 million (US$77 million) in 2021 to EUR140 million (US$164 million) in 2025, supporting 131 interventions in 2025 and 72 in 2026, including earthquake responses in Venezuela and Colombia.

Spain’s total humanitarian budget reached EUR226 million (US$264 million) in 2025, 24% above 2024. Decentralized cooperation contributed EUR44 million (US$51 million), while AECID mobilized EUR140 million (US$164 million), including EUR122 million (US$143 million) managed by its Directorate for Humanitarian Action.

AECID strengthened its operational capacity after adopting a new statute that upgraded its Humanitarian Action Office to directorate level. A cooperation agreement also brought together 15 autonomous communities and the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces. In 2026, Spain and the Spanish Red Cross assumed co-chairmanship of the Donor Advisory Group of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

In 2025, the directorate allocated EUR95 million (US$111 million), or 77.7% of its funding, across seven priority contexts, including Palestine, Ukraine, Lebanon, the Sahel, and Afghanistan. AECID also allocated EUR17 million (US$20 million) to emergency responses and nearly EUR30 million (US$35 million) to food security programs, mainly through the World Food Programme.

On August 17, 2026, Norway reported NOK30 billion (US$3.3 billion) in 2025 climate financing, more than quadrupling annual funding from NOK7 billion (US$770 million) in 2020 and meeting its 2021 pledge to double climate financing and at least triple adaptation support by 2026.

Norway’s Minister for International Development Åsmund Aukrust attributed the increase mainly to private capital mobilized through the Climate Investment Fund, managed by Norfund. Mobilization reached NOK16 billion (US$1.8 billion) in 2025, an 181% increase from 2024. Aukrust cautioned that annual mobilization could decline in 2026 because investment levels vary.

Norwegian financing supported renewable energy, rainforest protection, and measures to strengthen resilience to floods, droughts, and other climate-related disasters. Norfund CEO Erik Sandersen said combining public funds with private investment could increase the climate impact of each krone spent.

Norway provided NOK3 billion (US$333 million) for climate adaptation in 2025, a 5% increase from 2024. The government plans to announce a new climate-financing target before the end of 2026. Developing countries are estimated to need US$2.5 trillion annually by 2030 for emissions reductions and climate adaptation.

On August 10, 2026, Italy authorized EUR1.5 million (US$2 million) in emergency assistance and EUR3 million (US$3 million) in recovery projects for communities affected by the earthquake in Colombia.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani instructed Deputy Minister Edmondo Cirielli to authorize the initial humanitarian package. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the World Food Programme (WFP), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) were expected to implement the multilateral initiatives. Italy also considered delivering humanitarian assistance through the UN logistics network.

The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation planned to implement additional projects with civil society organizations. The projects aimed to strengthen community resilience and support socioeconomic recovery, based on local needs and priorities identified with Colombian authorities and international partners.

Tajani also recognized the work of the International Italo-Latin American Organization, which facilitated the delivery of satellite imagery from the European Union’s Copernicus Programme to Colombian authorities. The imagery supported damage assessments and monitoring of the affected area.

On August 17, 2026, Germany presented its complete draft federal budget for 2027, allocating EUR9.5 billion (US$11.0 billion) to BMZ, EUR587 million (US$681 million) 6% below 2026, while federal debt is projected to reach EUR1 trillion (US$1.2 trillion) by 2030.

The draft budget projects BMZ funding will fall to EUR9.2 billion (US$10.7 billion) by 2030, with a further 3% cut in 2028. Nevertheless, Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said Germany will remain a reliable development partner. Meanwhile, the BMFTR budget has increased 1% to EUR21.9 billion (US$25.4 billion) in 2027, while the BMG global-health budget has fallen 7% to EUR106 million (US$123 million). However, the AA budget for humanitarian assistance and crisis prevention rose 0.2% to EUR1.1 billion (US$1.3 billion).

Moreover, Germany has budgeted EUR16.2 million (US$19 million) for GPEI, EUR26.2 million (US$30 million) for UNFPA, EUR13.6 million (US$16 million) for IPPF, and EUR22.5 million (US$26 million) for GFF. Germany remains on track to honor its commitments to GFATM, Gavi, and CEPI. Germany’s IDA21 remains at EUR1.5 billion (US$1.7 billion) overall while annual disbursements are set to fluctuate.

Parliamentary debates are scheduled to begin in September, with the Budget Committee expected to conclude negotiations on November 12.

On August 11, 2026, the Future of Development Cooperation Coalition welcomed Norway as its 20th supporting country and JICA as an observer institution, strengthening the Coalition’s representation across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Norway joined Barbados, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ghana, Ireland, Malawi, Mexico, Nepal, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, Senegal, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, the UK, and Zambia. The supporting countries brought varied experience in development cooperation, including financing, technical assistance, knowledge, and technology.

Head of the Coalition Secretariat Alexia Latortue said the Coalition had reached its original goal of 20 supporting countries. Supporting countries followed the Coalition’s work, engaged with emerging ideas, and considered how to apply forthcoming principles and recommendations in their own contexts. Their participation helped test whether the Coalition’s proposals were relevant across different political, economic, and institutional settings.

The Coalition’s Co-Chairs and Commissioners finalized the Purposes and Principles of Effective Development Cooperation and began developing recommendations based on research, country and thematic consultations, and engagement with supporting countries and other partners.

On August 6, 2026, the US announced nearly US$2 billion in partnerships with faith-based and community organizations to deliver global health and humanitarian assistance across more than 20 countries. The announcement represents the largest allocation of global health foreign assistance to faith-based organizations in over 20 years.

As a landmark commitment under the America First Global Health Strategy (AFGHS), the Department of State allocated US$1.4 billion to support integrated health services through faith-based and community hospitals and clinics in more than 20 countries. Through the Faith and Community Initiative (FCI) Award to World Vision and a consortium of local faith-based implementers, up to US$850 million was committed over five years to:

• Strengthen over 2,500 faith-based hospitals, clinics, and community hubs to deliver high-quality healthcare across 17 countries;
• Train, pay, and equip more than 30,000 community health workers with supplies to deliver critical health services; and
• Provide an additional US$570 million to faith-based and community hospitals and clinics through memoranda of understanding signed with partner governments under the AFGHS.

The US also announced US$538 million in humanitarian response funding for Samaritan's Purse and a consortium jointly led by World Vision and Compassion International. The funding is expected to reach 7 million people across 16 humanitarian crises, with over US$100 million made immediately available for natural disaster response and preparedness across 23 disaster-prone countries.

On August 3, 2026, the Swedish government announced SEK6.9 million (US$690,000) to the Swecare Foundation to strengthen Ukraine's health care system through training, knowledge exchange, and partnerships between Swedish and Ukrainian actors.

The initiative focuses on building Ukrainian capacity in cancer care, rehabilitation and prosthetic care, infection prevention, countering AMR, and hospital management. Among its key activities, the program will establish a major training program for Ukrainian health care professionals in radiation therapy.

The Swecare Foundation will implement the initiative through its network of Swedish government agencies, regions, health care actors, academia, and life science companies. The program builds on previous Swedish health care initiatives in Ukraine and aims to create long-term partnerships between Swedish and Ukrainian actors, including in the private sector. The initiative also supports Ukraine's reform agenda and path toward EU membership.

On July 29, 2026, the US Departments of State and Health and Human Services announced the release of US$600 million in congressionally appropriated funding to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, resolving months of delay under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who had withheld the funds over concerns about mercury-containing vaccines.

The Trump administration confirmed the release of the funding, which covers FY2025 and FY2026 and was set to expire on September 30, 2026. Kennedy had held up the disbursement for months, arguing that Gavi was using dangerous and outdated vaccines containing thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative. The departments stated that Gavi committed to work toward transitioning away from mercury-containing vaccines and expanding access to newer, mercury-free alternatives.

The US has largely phased out thimerosal-containing vaccines domestically, though the preservative remains in use in parts of the world with limited refrigeration capacity. Mainstream vaccine safety experts have affirmed that the vaccines Gavi uses are safe. The departments described the administration's position as "a pro-vaccine, pro-innovation policy."

Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins announced on July 28, 2026 that the State Department had agreed to disburse the funding. The US$600 million represents approximately 15% of Gavi's total annual budget. Gavi CEO Dr. Sania Nishtar welcomed the announcement, noting that the US has helped Gavi immunize over 1.2 billion children since 2000.

Scottish and UK development organizations criticized Prime Minister Andy Burnham's decision to exclude newly appointed Minister for Development Kirsty McNeill from Cabinet on July 30, 2026, with critics warning the move signaled a reduced commitment to international development.

McNeill, who served as an executive director for Save the Children before being elected MP for Mid Lothian in 2024 and subsequently serving as Scotland Office minister, was appointed Minister for Development and Africa by Burnham. Unlike her predecessor Jenny Chapman, who held the same role and attended Cabinet, and fellow FCDO minister Hamish Falconer, Minister for Intergovernmental Relations and European Relations, McNeill will not attend Cabinet. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband will instead provide senior representation for development issues at Cabinet level.

Scotland's International Development Alliance welcomed the appointment of McNeill as Minister for Development and Africa but expressed concern that her exclusion from Cabinet represented a clear signal that the government failed to recognize the importance of global justice in addressing climate change and global conflict. Alliance representative Frances Guy urged the government to reinstate commitments to overseas development assistance and international climate finance. Oxfam, the SNP, and the Scottish Greens also criticized the decision.