The CGD Podcast

Following the 2025 Development Leaders Conference, CGD's Rachel Glennerster speaks with BMZ's Dirk Meyer and SAIIA's Elizabeth Sidiropoulos about conference takeaways, including whether climate should be a focus for development agencies, how to get more bang for your climate-change buck, and how developing countries might prioritize between climate mitigation and adaptation. 

After a large share of USAID's work was terminated, a small cadre of development experts created Project Resource Optimization, or PRO, to identify highly cost-effective, life-saving programs that were on hold and connect them with philanthropic donors who could fill the gaps. CGD's Erin Collinson speaks with two PRO team members, Rob Rosenbaum and Caitlin Tulloch, about the origins and limits of the PRO initiative, its successes to date, and the lessons from the work that could help re-envision US foreign aid.  

CGD's Sanjeev Gupta and Benedict Clements of Universidad de Las Américas discuss the considerations that influence the design of sound monetary and fiscal policies, the role of income taxes, and the kinds of reforms that can bring equity to both emerging and advanced economies. 

As the second season of Pandemic Proof comes to a close, host Javier Guzman reflects on the progress made in pandemic preparedness since COVID-19, the challenges we still face, and the rapidly shifting global landscape that will shape what comes next.

Ahead of the African Development Bank's presidential election in May, CGD's Karen Mathiasen and AfriCatalyst's Daouda Sembene interview three of the candidates – Amadou Hott, Samuel Munzele Maimbo, and Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala – on their priorities for the Bank and their views on how to help steer countries through a volatile and uncertain time and achieve their development goals.

Takahiro Tsuda and Atsushi Mimura from the Japanese Ministry of Finance join Javier Guzman to examine current funding mechanisms for pandemic preparedness and response, explore Japan's role in driving global efforts (and insights gained), and discuss potential pathways to strengthen PPR financing.

CGD's Gyude Moore speaks with Hannah Ryder of Development Reimagined and Yunnan Chen of ODI Global about the evolution of China's relationship with Africa, the opportunities presented by FOCAC 9, and where the money should go to do the most good. 

CGD's Kehinde Ajayi speaks with UNICEF's Ruth Graham-Goulder and CGAP's Rani Deshpande about the importance of including adolescent girls' perspectives to inform policy, of working across sectors to provide multi-issue solutions, and of developing financial and economic interventions that reflect adolescent girls' realities.

Catharina Boehme, Assistant Director-General for External Relations and Governance at the WHO, joins guest-host Pete Baker to discuss the outcomes of the WHO Investment Round and the opportunities and risks it presents for strengthening global health and pandemic preparedness.

CGD's Rachael Calleja speaks with Santiago Quiñones Cardenas of APC Colombia, a member of the Re-thinking Development Cooperation Working Group, about the value of multidirectional learning, the importance of creating inclusive spaces for engagement, and Santiago's advice for successful triangular cooperation. 

CGD's Eeshani Kandpal speaks with Twaweza founder Rakesh Rajani and the World Bank's Halsey Rogers about how Twaweza's learning assessments influenced the 2018 World Development Report on education. Together they shed light on how partnerships between international actors and local institutions can have outsize impact on policy worldwide.

In the final episode of Lagos to Mombasa, Gyude reflects on some major topics and takeaways from the past three years and calls for better climate mitigation and adaptation measures for Africa. 

Following the UK general election, CGD's Ranil Dissanayake speaks with Stefan Dercon from the Blavatnik School of Government (and CGD) and Laura Chappell from the Institute for Public Policy Research about the unique challenges presented by today's development landscape, the key drivers of economic growth, and what the new UK government should prioritize. 

Precious Matsoso, co-chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body for the new Pandemic Agreement, joins Javier to reflect on the negotiations process and what must change for this round of negotiations to be successful. 

Gyude speaks with Antonio Pedro of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, about the links between the sustainable development goals, climate adaptive technology, and accelerating infrastructural development on the continent.

CGD's Liliana Rojas Suarez speaks with Paraguay's Minister of Finance Carlos Fernández Valdovinos about the keys to the country's growth, including the impact of recent reforms, aligning development policy with climate goals, and diversifying the economy.

The co-hosts of the 2024 Development Leaders Conference—CGD's Mikaela Gavas, Siti Nugraha Mauludiah from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Indonesia, and Norad's Bård Vegar Solhjell—share their takeaways from the event, including the diverse experiences of traditional and emerging donors, the challenges of bridging gaps between sectors and priorities, and the importance of sharing solutions within the development community.  

Gyude speaks with Dr. Stephen Adaawen of the University of Groningen about the different types of human mobility and their complexities, the disproportionate impact of climate change on unplanned settlements, and the unique burdens of climate-related migration on African women and children. 

Dr. Stephanie Psaki, US Global Health Security Coordinator, joins host Javier Guzman to discuss the changes made across the US government since the pandemic, her priorities as Coordinator, and US ambitions for the pandemic agreement negotiations in the run-up to the World Health Assembly later this month.

On this episode of the CGD Podcast, Anita Käppeli speaks with several guests with close ties to the European Parliament who can offer insight on what June's elections will bring for development policy.

Host Javier Guzman launches Season 2 with reflections on global progress on preparedness since the pandemic, then speaks with H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya of Africa CDC about how Africa CDC is translating lessons from COVID-19 into stronger, more resilient systems.

CGD's Gyude Moore speaks with Nick O'Donohoe from British International Investment and Frank Aswani from the African Venture Philanthropy Alliance about balancing local and international focus, the impact of a "funding winter," and how the public and private sectors can fill the financing gap for budding entrepreneurs across Africa.

Is there a relationship between climate change and conflict? Gyude speaks to Dr. Edward (Ted) Miguel of University of California Berkley about the impact of rising temperatures, extreme droughts, and floods on competition for resources, and how governments can respond to climate change's compounding impact in fragile regions.

CGD's Eeshani Kandpal speaks with the Interamerican Development Bank's Ana María Ibáñez about her recent report on women economists in Latin America, the reflection of cultural norms in education and the workplace, and the importance of role models and mentors in shaping expectations.

Ahmed Saeed of Allied Climate Partners and formerly the Asian Development Bank joins CGD's Karen Mathiasen and Clemence Landers for a conversation on his organization's new approach to blended finance, how to bridge the private and public sectors more effectively, and how to balance climate mitigation with traditional development goals. 

CGD's Masood Ahmed speaks with Development Leaders Conference cohosts Siti Nugraha Mauludiah from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Indonesia and Bård Vegar Solhjell of Norad about the differing experiences of traditional and emerging donors, the challenges of bridging gaps between sectors and priorities, and how the development community can share solutions more effectively.

Only one woman born and raised in a low- or middle-income country has ever headed an international financial institution. CGD's Eeshani Kandpal speaks with Francisco Ferreira from the London School of Economics and Amie Batson from WomenLift Health about what effective mentorship and allyship can look like, the importance and impact of diversity in leadership, and the actions that organizations can take to better support the women and people of color who work there.

Olu Verheijen from the Nigerian government and Vijaya Ramachandran from the Breakthrough Institute join Gyude to discuss the scale and nature of the energy crisis in Africa, the role that renewable energy can (and can't) play in addressing it, and what steps African countries—and partners—can take to address both climate and energy challenges.

Bjørn Lomborg, author of Best Things First, joins CGD's Gyude Moore to discuss the 12 "most efficient" policy solutions for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, how they were assessed and identified, and the tradeoffs they may require.

Gillian Pais of McKinsey & Company returns to Lagos to Mombasa to discuss the importance of localizing climate solutions, strategies to promote the uptake of climate-smart agriculture, and the role of regional organizations in sharing best practices.    

Stephanie von Friedeburg of Citi and formerly the International Finance Corporation joins CGD's Karen Mathiasen and Clemence Landers for a conversation on how to balance risk and impact in investment, why blended finance needs a rethink, and what mechanisms offer the most promising solutions to the development finance problem. 

Africa is home to 30 percent of the world's critical minerals reserves, which play a key role in clean energy. How can African communities benefit? Gyude speaks with Ayaan Adam (Africa Finance Corporation) and Juliet Akamboe (formerly Standard Bank Group) about how to strengthen processing and refining operations across the continent, build regional cooperation, address the detrimental impact of mines in local communities, and harness critical minerals to uplift mining regions. 

Over three years since it emerged, is the COVID-19 pandemic over? Amanda Glassman speaks with Ashish Jha, White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator, about ending the emergency phase of the pandemic. Then Javier Guzman joins to reflect on the first season of Pandemic Proof.

Javier speaks with Natasha Loder from The Economist and John Burn-Murdoch from The Financial Times about keeping pace with the demand for information during the Covid-19 pandemic, confronting the flood of misinformation and disinformation, and lessons learned on reporting during health emergencies.

To kick off Season 2 of Lagos to Mombasa, Gyude reflects on the intricacies of climate change and development in Africa and explores how space-based technologies can help. Temidayo Oniosun of Space in Africa and Rose Croshier from CGD join Gyude to discuss the intersections of space technology with extreme weather events, agriculture and food security, and regional capacity and preparedness.

How can we ensure that medical countermeasures—such as diagnostics and vaccines—are ready to go at local, national, and global levels when the next pandemic emerges? Amanda Glassman speaks with Dr. Amadou Alpha Sall of Institut Pasteur of Dakar and Dr. Rachel Glennerster of the University of Chicago about lessons learned during COVID-19 and opportunities for future preparedness.

When Nigerian voters head to the polls on Saturday to elect the country's next president, all of Africa—and beyond—will be watching. CGD's Gyude Moore sits down with Amaka Anku, head of the Eurasia Group's Africa practice, to discuss the advantages and challenges of the leading candidates, the role of Nigeria's substantial youth population, and what this election might mean not just for Nigeria and for Africa but for democracy itself.

Malin Grape, Sweden's Ambassador of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), joins Javier Guzman to discuss Sweden's track record on AMR, the outlook and priorities for its EU presidency, and initial reflections on Sweden's innovative program for purchasing antimicrobials.

Dr. Yi-Chun Lo of Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control and National Taiwan University Hospital joins Javier Guzman to discuss Taiwan's COVID-19 experience and broader pandemic preparedness and response efforts. Together, they discuss the lessons Taiwan learned from previous outbreaks like SARS, successes and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how the Taiwan model could be applied in other settings to better prepare the world for the next health emergency.

In this bonus episode of Lagos to Mombasa, Gyude invites two experts who were on the ground in Sharm El Sheikh for COP27—the UN's annual conference on climate—to report back with their observations and takeaways: Faten Aggad of the African Climate Foundation and Ian Mitchell of CGD. Together they discuss the trajectory of climate finance across Africa, including loss and damage payments to most-affected countries; the complexities of accounting for emissions and consumption levels; and what the next steps might look like for African policymakers and activists.

How does public heath surveillance work, and how can it be done better? Amanda Glassman tackles these questions with Dr. Oliver Morgan of the WHO and Dr. Theo Vos of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Together, they examine the successes and limitations of public health surveillance during COVID-19; the infrastructure, incentives, and investments needed to strengthen capacity; and ways to ensure higher quality and more representative tracking of existing and emerging disease threats.

CGD's Masood Ahmed speaks with Rémy Rioux of Agence Française de Développement about the fifth annual Development Leaders Conference, the perfect storm of crises facing development agencies, and how new ways of thinking and financing can help them achieve their goals. 

On this episode of Pandemic Proof, Dr. Ayoade Alakija, the World Health Organization's Special Envoy for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) and co-chair of the African Union's African Vaccine Delivery Alliance, joins Javier Guzman to discuss global cooperation during health emergencies. Together they reflect on the role of ACT-A in facilitating the development of and equitable access to medical countermeasures during the COVID-19 pandemic; highlight advantages and disadvantages of regional initiatives; and call for a truly representative global health system.

Countries in Latin America were hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. On this episode of Pandemic Proof, Amanda Glassman welcomes Dr. Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr., candidate for Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), to the podcast to discuss impacts and lessons learned. Together they reflect on the politicization of the public health response, the importance of health system surveillance, and the role of regional entities like PAHO and national regulatory agencies in vaccine regulation and rollout.

Dr. Boghuma Titanji, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine, joins Javier Guzman to reflect on the ongoing monkeypox outbreak and response. Together they discuss the parallels between monkeypox and previous infectious disease outbreaks such as COVID-19; inequities in access to vaccines and treatments; and the role national, regional, and international entities must play in preparedness and response to avoid making the same mistakes when the next—inevitable—pandemic hits. 

On this first episode of new CGD podcast series Pandemic Proof, co-hosts Amanda Glassman and Javier Guzman take stock of where things stand on the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss global priorities to strengthen capacity for pandemic preparedness and response. Victor Dzau, President of the National Academy of Medicine, then joins Amanda to discuss securing adequate investment and coordinating multilateral action to end the current pandemic and better prepare for and respond to the next infectious disease threat.

Get ready for Pandemic Proof, a new podcast from the Center for Global Development. Hosted by CGD's Amanda Glassman and Javier Guzman and featuring guests from around the world, Pandemic Proof will confront weaknesses in the global architecture for pandemic preparedness and response, and explore policies and reforms that can better protect our world in the future. Tune in next week for episode 1! 

CGD's Megan O'Donnell speaks with coauthors Patience Marime-Ball (Women of the World Endowment) and Ruth Shaber (Tara Health Foundation) about the data backing the economic benefits of gender inclusivity, the work that went into creating their new book, and their recommendations for unlocking higher returns and lower risk.  

Gyude shares his takeaways from the first season, underlines the importance of elevating underrepresented ideas, and makes an announcement about Season 2. 

CGD's Javier Guzman speaks with the Indian National Health Authority's Shankar Prinja about the structure and benefits of the PMJAY insurance scheme, the challenges of large-scale programs, and the need for researchers and policymakers to work together to produce and make use of evidence on what works.

Malado Kaba of Falémé Conseil and Inge Kaul of the Hertie School join Gyude to discuss the commitments made at the long-awaited AU-EU summit, the ways in which the participants were portrayed, and whether issues beyond aid, such as research, innovation, and trade, got the attention they deserved.