Policy Updates

On October 24, 2025, Independent Catherine Connolly was elected as Ireland's 10th president after securing 914,143 first preference votes (63%), defeating Fine Gael's Heather Humphreys and marking a record-breaking victory in Irish presidential election history.

Connolly, a 68-year-old member of the Irish parliament from Galway who has served as a Teachta Dála since 2016, was backed by major left-wing parties despite running as an independent. The result was officially declared at Dublin Castle with a voter turnout of 46%. Connolly pledged to be an inclusive president who would advocate for peace and climate action.

Humphreys won 29% of first preference votes when spoiled votes were excluded, while Fianna Fáil's Jim Gavin, who withdrew from the race but remained on the ballot, won 7%. The election saw an unprecedented 213,738 spoiled votes.

Connolly will be inaugurated on November 11, 2025, taking over from President Michael D Higgins, who served the maximum two terms. Taoiseach Micheál Martin described the result as an outstanding honour, while Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald called the outcome a stunning victory for the combined opposition.

Publish What You Fund released the report "Progress and Gaps: Transparency of UK Aid Beyond FCDO" report on October 23, 2025 2025, finding that the Home Office was the only UK government department to decrease transparency of ODA spending since 2020, while eight other departments increased or maintained transparency and published 500 additional activities valued at GBP468 million (US$621 million) to the International Aid Transparency Initiative Standard during the review process.

The review, commissioned by the UK government, evaluated transparency of ODA spending by government departments beyond the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Eight departments increased or maintained transparency levels compared to the previous 2020 review.

The Integrated Security Fund and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published to IATI for the first time. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs expanded published results data, while the Department of Health and Social Care sustained strong output. The Home Office published less information than in 2020 and failed to update current activities.

By the review's end, most departments published over 95% of their 2024 ODA transactions, except the Home Office, Integrated Security Fund, and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The review noted that only 4% of ODA was published to IATI in 2023, demonstrating that transparency requires long-term attention.

The UN Association of Norway criticized the Norwegian government's proposed NOK100 million (US$10 million) cut in core support to both UNICEF and UNDP in the 2026 state budget, prompting Minister for Development Cooperation Åsmund Aukrust to defend the cuts by asserting that overall UN support would increase.

Aukrust emphasized that the government would continue providing substantial UN support through the Nansen Programme for Ukraine, where UNDP remained a major recipient. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that UNDP received over NOK1.1 billion (US$109 million) through the Nansen Programme for Ukraine in 2025, while UNICEF received NOK230 million (US$13 million) for its Ukraine work, with both organizations expected to receive continued funding in 2026.

Catharina Bu, Secretary General of the United Nations Association of Norway, acknowledged the government's continued support but emphasized that earmarked funds for Ukraine could not compensate for cuts in core support. She argued that core support delivered better results and that flexible funds were essential during the UN's global crisis.

Aukrust acknowledged that UN reform was occurring due to funding cuts across multiple countries, while maintaining that Norway remained a steadfast UN supporter both financially and politically.

On October 21, 2025, Sanae Takaichi was elected as Japan's first female prime minister after securing majorities in both houses of the National Diet of Japan.

Takaichi, who leads the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), won the election in the Diet's Lower House with 237 votes against Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan leader Yoshihiko Noda, who had 149 votes. In the Upper House, she was able to capture the election through a runoff vote held after the LDP and Japan Innovation Party (JIP) formed a coalition on October 20.

Prime Minister Takaichi’s new cabinet includes former Defense Minister Minoru Kihara as Chief Cabinet Secretary and former Regional Revitalization Minister Satsuki Katayama as the first female finance minister. Other appointments include Shinjiro Koizumi, who previously led the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, as Defense Minister and former Chief Cabinet Secretary Toshimitsu Motegi as head of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Despite suggestions that Takaichi would appoint a record number of women, the cabinet includes only three women including herself.

Takaichi, 64, has served in the Lower House for nearly 30 years, representing a constitutency in Nara Prefecture, and has held several ministerial roles during the administrations of Prime Ministers Shinzo Abe and Fumio Kishida.

On October 19, 2025, US President Donald Trump halted all US assistance to Colombia after Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused the US of murdering a fisherman in a Caribbean strike meant to target the transportation of illicit drugs, ending hundreds of millions of dollars in American assistance.

Colombia received an estimated US$230 million in the US budget year that ended on September 30, 2025, already a significant decline from recent years, in which Colombia typically received at least twice as much funding. Trump stated all payments and subsidies to Colombia would cease and announced he would reveal new tariffs on October 20, 2025. Colombia is the top recipient of US assistance in Latin America, with funding previously set to exceed US$400 million at the start of 2025 before earlier cuts reduced it to approximately US$100 million.

Petro rejected accusations of complicity in the illicit drug trade and defended his government's counternarcotics efforts. The Colombian Foreign Ministry described Trump's statement as a direct threat to national sovereignty.

On October 17, 2025, at the G7 Development Minister’s Meeting in Washington, D.C., US Senior Official for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs and Religious Freedom Jeremy Lewin urged partners to prioritize efficient development programs that catalyze private investment and counter debt-trap diplomacy.

The meeting, held on the margins of the WBG and IMF Annual Meetings, focused on mobilizing private capital, reforming multilateral institutions, and increasing burden-sharing. Lewin urged partners to prioritize efficient development programs that bypass the ' NGO industrial complex,' catalyze private investment, and advance strategic imperatives, highlighting the recent US reform of its 'wayward' foreign assistance system.

Lewin underscored the importance of the G7 as a platform for US cooperation on humanitarian issues, development, and security. 

During the World Bank-IMF annual meetings on October 15, 2025, US Representative French Hill highlighted similar themes and stated that the US sought 'actual development' that stayed true to organizational mandates and produced results. He criticized perceived mission creep in multilateral institutions and stated that the US should maintain its shareholding in multilateral institutions to advance American interests and secure reforms. Hill also emphasized that 'America First' meant US leadership rather than isolation.

On October 16, 2025, following the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza, Spain's MAEC, through AECID, launched a response plan to deliver humanitarian aid to nearly two million Gazans.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation José Manuel Albares confirmed the aid aims to end hunger and meet the basic needs of the Gazan population. The plan's first priority is to ensure that aid prepared since March 2025 can enter the area. AECID has 12 tonnes of medicines and medical supplies, and 19 tonnes of shelter materials ready for delivery. Since October 7, 2023, AECID mobilized over EUR50 million (US$58 million) in humanitarian aid for Palestine.

In addition to working with the UN system, including UNRWA, which already received EUR19.5 million (US$23 million) from AECID in 2025, AECID will expand its support for civil society organizations. EUR850,000 (US$987,000) will be channeled to the Palestinian Red Crescent and the local NGO Al Awda. An additional EUR3 million (US$3 million) in funding for Spanish NGOs is expected to be disbursed shortly.

The effort is complemented by funds from the UN CERF, to which Spain contributed EUR4.5 million (US$5 million) in unearmarked funding in 2025. The response plan will be adapted as the situation evolves. In 2025 alone, the budget allocated to the crisis amounts to nearly EUR21.5 million (US$25 million), and the figures are expected to increase before the end of the year.

On October 13, 2025, following the declaration of a national HIV emergency in PNG in June 2025, the Australian government announced it would nearly triple its annual HIV development funding to the country to almost AUD10 million (US$6 million) for the 2025/2026 financial year.

The announcement was made by Assistant Minister for Pacific Island Affairs Nita Green during a visit to the newly renovated St Therese HIV clinic in Port Moresby. The increased funding will focus on prevention through awareness campaigns, increased testing, and expanded access to prevention measures. The support will also fund youth-led education programs and tailored services for women and girls, who are disproportionately affected by the virus.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong stated that the support reflects the close partnership between the two countries and the need to work together to safeguard the region. The new funding complements Australia’s ongoing support for regional partners like UNAIDS, Health Equity Matters, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Minister for Pacific Island Affairs Pat Conroy and Green reiterated Australia's commitment to working with PNG to improve health outcomes and respond to the HIV situation with urgency.

On October 12, 2025, at the World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany Development Minister Reem Alabali-Radovan announced a pledge of EUR1 billion (US$1.2 billion) to the Global Fund.

Alabali-Radovan stated that the pledge demonstrates Germany's continued engagement in global health protection despite domestic budget constraints.

The contribution is part of to the Global Fund’s current replenishment round, which began in February 2025 and will conclude at the G20 summit in South Africa in late November 2025. Since its establishment in 2002, the Fund has saved an estimated 70 million lives.

Germany's pledge includes EUR100 million (US$117 million) in the form of Debt to Health Swaps, which are subject to budgetary approval.

On October 10, 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron reappointed Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister, four days after accepting his resignation, amidst opposition from other political parties.

Lecornu accepted the reappointment and committed to ensuring France has a budget by the end of the year. President Macron reportedly granted Lecornu full authority for negotiations with political parties and for proposing government appointments.

Following his reappointment, Lecornu was scheduled to address parliament on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, to outline his budget priorities. The address was aimed at securing support from the Socialist party to avoid losing a no-confidence vote. The far-left and far-right parties had already filed no-confidence motions, with a vote expected on Thursday, October 16, 2025. The Socialists also indicated plans to file their own no-confidence bill.