Policy Updates

The Trump administration paid the UN US$827 million in September 2026, covering the US 2025 regular budget assessment and a portion of its peacekeeping obligations, while leaving more than US$4 billion in total arrears outstanding.

On September 15, 2026, the US delivered US$725 million to cover its share of the UN's 2025 regular budget, which is funded through mandatory assessed contributions from all 193 member states. The payment came more than a year and a half late. On September 18, 2026, the US paid an additional US$102 million toward peacekeeping fees, specifically to cover a portion of its dues for UN missions in Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo, confirmed Stéphane Dujarric, the UN's chief spokesperson.

The payments averted the risk of the US losing its vote in the UN General Assembly, which member states can forfeit after two consecutive years of non-payment, and temporarily eased a UN cash crisis. However, the US still owed US$1.635 billion in regular budget dues, including approximately US$800 million for 2026, and approximately US$2.89 billion in peacekeeping dues following the September 2026 payments, with total arrears surpassing US$4 billion.

The Gates Foundation pledged at least US$1 billion over two years on September 15, 2026, to expand access to (AI) in health, education, agriculture, and digital equity, coinciding with the launch of its 2026 Goalkeepers Report.

The pledge came as the Gates Foundation released its annual Goalkeepers Report, which this edition centered on AI access and equity. Philanthropist Bill Gates framed the moment as a critical window to determine whether AI would primarily benefit those already advantaged or reach the most marginalized populations.

Gates had previously warned in a widely circulated essay that AI posed significant risks, including the potential to widen global inequality. The 2026 Goalkeepers Report reflected both that concern and the foundation's intent to act on it. Gates argued that AI could either serve as the greatest equalizer ever invented or deepen existing injustice.

The US$1 billion commitment represented the foundation's effort to steer AI development toward equitable outcomes, with investments directed across four sectors: health, education, agriculture, and digital equity.

On September 14, 2026, in a speech hosted by the New Economics Foundation, UK minister for international development and Africa, Kirsty McNeill, called for a 'mutual interest' approach to international development assistance .

McNeill argued that the concept of 'development' was outdated, and that universal challenges, including climate change, precarious employment, and violence against women, required the UK to work in partnership with partner countries rather than in a donor-recipient relationship. She said she would prefer her title to be 'minister for security through solidarity.'

She also reaffirmed the Labour government's campaign pledge to return UK ODA spending to 0.7% of national income, while declining to set a timetable, stating the government would work toward the target when fiscal circumstances allow. She also committed to building new 'agile partnerships' to address development challenges, and described herself as a strong believer in the quality of British development assistance.

After the September 13, 2026 general election, Sweden's center-left bloc, led by Prime Minister-designate Magdalena Andersson and her Social Democratic Party, won a parliamentary majority, narrowly defeating outgoing Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's right-wing alliance by approximately 50,000 votes nationwide.

The center-left alliance - comprising the Social Democrats, the Left Party, the Greens, and the Centre Party - secured a three-seat majority in the 349-seat Riksdag over Kristersson's outgoing right-wing bloc. Kristersson subsequently resigned, allowing the speaker of parliament to begin formal consultations with party leaders on the formation of a new government.

Andersson now faces the challenge of building a workable coalition government. Significant ideological tensions within the alliance complicate negotiations: the Centre Party has stated it will not support a government that grants cabinet posts to the Left Party, while the Left Party has demanded ministerial representation. Should Andersson fail to form a viable cabinet, Kristersson could attempt to form an alternative government. Kristersson said he would respect Andersson's efforts and wished her well given the divisions within her alliance.

Coalition-building in Sweden has historically been a lengthy process. Following the 2022 election, it took more than five weeks to form a government; after the 2018 election, the process took nearly 20 weeks.

On September 6, 2026, the far-right German AfD won the Saxony-Anhalt state election , securing 39 seats in the 83-member state legislature but falling three seats short of the absolute majority needed to govern alone.

The AfD, which Germany's domestic intelligence agency classified as "right-wing extremist," sought an outright majority to circumvent the so-called firewall, mainstream parties' longstanding refusal to enter into coalition with the party. AfD candidate for state governor Ulrich Siegmund stated the party would not pursue a minority government. Though the CDU, led by Friedrich Merz, does not appear to face an immediate threat, the election raises questions about its authority and the coalition’s ability to deliver its planned reforms.

The result reflects deep political and economic dissatisfaction in parts of Germany, extending beyond a regional outcome. Democratic parties, businesses, and CSOs face a growing challenge in responding to the shift. For international actors, the election signals a more difficult environment for defending international cooperation, development programs, and migration policies.

On September 3, 2026, it was reported that the WHO Foundation faced a potential funding shortfall, given uncertainty over the renewal of support from its primary donor, the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, whose backing was set to expire in 2026.

The WHO Foundation, established to raise additional funding for the WHO, faces questions about its own financial sustainability in September 2026. Two health sources familiar with the situation described the foundation as "running out of money," citing stagnant donor funding for its own operations despite growth in programmatic fundraising.

The foundation had increasingly relied on the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, a private Swiss philanthropic organization, as its primary donor for operational costs. That support, set to expire in 2026, has no confirmation of renewal for 2027. An external evaluation commissioned by the WHO Foundation recommended that WHO fund the foundation's operating expenses to enable it to raise more resources for the UN agency.

Former and current WHO employees questioned whether the agency would agree to such an arrangement, given WHO's own financial constraints. WHO had cut staff and reduced its budget plans for 2026-2027, and still faced a 10% funding gap for the current biennium.

On September 1, 2026, the UK’s Africa Minister, Kirsty McNeill, announced more than GBP50 million (US$68.1 million) in additional funding to contain Ebola in the DRC, bringing the UK’s total contribution to GBP78 million (US$106.2 million).

The package supports disease surveillance, frontline health workers, infection prevention and control, treatment access, community engagement, and safe and dignified burials. The funding is aimed to save lives, support affected communities, and reduce the risk of international spread as the outbreak continued amid conflict, displacement, and severe humanitarian needs.

On August 31, 2026, Sweden ended its embassy presence and bilateral development funding in Liberia after 65 years.

Though support will continue to flow through the EU, UN Women, and UNFPA, this will likely not offset the loss for women’s rights and health services.

This follows Sweden’s late 2025 announcement that it would cut development funding to Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Tanzania, and Bolivia by SEK10 billion (US$1.1 billion), in order to redirect the funds to Ukraine.

On August 30, 2026, Public Citizen and Partners In Health published a joint analysis which found that the Trump administration planned a 59% reduction, approximately US$2 billion, in US health spending across 18 low-income partner countries by 2030, despite congressional directives to maintain relatively steady global health funding levels.

In response, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the department planned to spend all congressionally appropriated health foreign assistance. Pigott added that the administration was "defining the next phase of US global health foreign assistance" in a way that prioritized efficiency, transparency, country self-reliance, and American innovation, as part of its broader America First foreign policy.

As part of the America First Global Health Strategy, the State Department had been negotiating bilateral health assistance agreements following the dismantling of USAID. By August 2026, it had signed deals with 34 countries, totaling US$14.5 billion in US assistance alongside over US$10.1 billion in co-investments from recipient countries.

The process faced criticism for its lack of transparency. Public Citizen sued the State Department after it failed to release the agreements in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. The lawsuit resulted in the release of 15 deals, including six that had not previously been made public. The analysis also found that countries missing "steep" co-financing requirements could face penalties that would worsen funding cuts, with some countries set to lose significantly more than others.

On August 28, 2026, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, and Secretary of State, Randeep Sarai, announced CAD5 million (US$3.6 million) in humanitarian assistance for emergency relief following severe flash floods and landslides along the Nepal-China border.

The funding supported emergency food, shelter, water, sanitation, and health services through UN, Red Cross, and Canadian NGO partners. Canada also offered to deploy relief supplies from its emergency stockpiles through the Canadian Red Cross if requested.

Global Affairs Canada deployed five consular officials to Kathmandu to coordinate with local authorities, partners, and Canada’s Honorary Consul in Kathmandu. Officials worked to contact Canadians and their families and remained ready to assist Canadians in affected areas.