With the U.S. Agency for International Development officially ceasing operations as the main U.S. foreign aid agency on July 1, the State Department now faces the daunting task of spending an estimated $20 billion before the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30 — without the 10,000 staff members who previously managed such distributions. The administration is legally required to spend money appropriated by Congress, or find legal justification for not spending it, as seen in earlier rescission efforts that returned $9 billion to the U.S. Treasury.

Meanwhile, USAID Deputy Administrator for Management and Resources Ken Jackson's recent tour of nine countries — including Belgium, Kenya, and the Philippines — to oversee mission closures, has drawn criticism from displaced staff who view the visits as poorly timed during their difficult transitions.

With many NGOs forced to restructure or face closure, some organizations are exploring mergers and partnerships to survive, with a new initiative led by Accountability Lab helping them pivot.

Devex Business Editor David Ainsworth discusses the latest developments in these stories with reporters Michael Igoe and Elissa Miolene.

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State Department faces $20B spending deadline as fiscal year end looms

The Caribbean island of Jamaica is just one of many small island developing states under threat due to the impacts of climate change.

Devex sat down with Suzanne Stanley, CEO of the Jamaica Environment Trust, to find out more about the work of JET and why they see education as being key to combating climate impacts.

Episode 1: A local approach to climate change in Jamaica with Suzanne Stanley

Kiribati has one of the lowest carbon-emission footprints in the world. But, with the highest points of these 33 low-lying atolls rising to just a few meters above sea level, the country is also one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

In the second episode of the Turning the Tide: Climate Champions podcast, Devex speaks to Kiribati's former president, Anote Tong, about the sensitivities surrounding climate-change induced migration and the need for the global community to cooperate on solutions to the challenges posed by climate change.

Episode 2: The complexity of climate-change induced migration with Anote Tong

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State Department faces $20B spending deadline as fiscal year end looms

Devex | Global Development

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