This Week in Global Development – Episode Summary

Episode Title: The New Power Players
Podcast: This Week in Global Development
Date: February 5, 2026
Hosts: David Ainsworth, Anna Goel, Fiona Zublin

Overview

This episode explores Devex’s newly released "Power 50" list, a curated roundup of influential but often lesser-known figures shaping global development. The hosts discuss the rationale and process behind the list, spotlight a few key individuals included, and unpack the shifting trends in leadership, power, and geopolitics across development, particularly the increasing agency of the Global South. The second half of the episode focuses on the geopolitics of critical minerals, African agency, and the evolving power dynamics in international development.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Power 50" List: Purpose, Approach, and Standouts

What is the Power 50 list and why does it matter?

• Anna Goel describes the Power 50 as a "labor of love," designed to highlight the behind-the-scenes players impacting global progress and foreign assistance—not just the “usual suspects” (00:43).
  • "One thing that's important to note is that it doesn't include a lot of the obvious names… there are a lot of people behind the scenes that people may not be aware of." (00:54 - Anna Goel)
• The current political administration’s approach is moving from “elimination” under previous high-profile leaders (like Elon Musk and Donald Trump) to a new era focused on “creation,” especially at the U.S. State Department.

Notable Figures:

• Brad Smith – Architect of “America First” global health strategy.
• John Mahama (President of Ghana) – Leading the “Accra reset,” pushing for African health sovereignty and redefining U.S.-Africa development relations (02:01).
• Ana Makandju (OpenAI President, Global Impact) – A “referee” in the race for AI, setting guardrails and regulations critical for the Global South (03:15).
• Benjamin Black (U.S. Development Finance Corporation/DFC) – The top figure, now steering a more powerful, investment-oriented agency with broader reach—raising questions about priorities between profit and core development needs (04:20).

Selection Philosophy:

• The list focuses on current “movers and shakers,” not just those with established, traditional power. For example, Keller Renardo Clifton (Zipline CEO) is included for recent deals reflecting new development models (05:50).

2. Fresh Faces, Viral Philanthropy & the Changing Aid Landscape

• Fiona Zublin spotlights Jamie Donaldson (Mr. Beast) for pioneering viral philanthropy on YouTube, sparking debate on whether this new wave is “showy” or genuinely inspires Gen Z giving (07:33).

  • "Is this a good thing? Is this showy? Is this actually making Gen Z think about philanthropy when they might not have otherwise?" (08:12 - Fiona Zublin)

• Deep-dive research for the list uncovered hidden stories—for example, Leslie Masdorp (incoming CEO of British International Investment), whose activism during South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle gives new perspective to his development finance leadership (09:36).

• The list highlights parallel trends: large bilateral donors’ evolving roles (e.g., Germany’s Rema Alabadi Radovan, shaping the direction of the world’s largest aid donor), new Gulf and African leadership, and philanthropic investment as official donors pull back (10:54).

3. Emerging Trends: Multipolar Power & the “Rise of the Rest”

• Hosts discuss a multipolar world where Africa, Gulf countries, and China claim significant agency and leverage.
  • "[Looking] at the trends in development, it's clear that that's not really as helpful a worldview now as it was a couple of years ago … we're seeing much more control and power taken by the leaders of African states." (14:54 - David Ainsworth)
• The panel notes unprecedented leadership appointments, like former Iraqi president Barham Saleh as UN High Commissioner for Refugees—breaking the Eurocentric mold at the U.N. (14:12).

Noteworthy parallels:

• Both the U.S. (DFC) and UK (British International Investment) are shifting toward investment-driven, private sector-led approaches to aid while traditional grant-based assistance persists but with new actors, e.g., Saudi Arabia and Gulf state agencies (12:42).

4. Critical Minerals and African Agency

The Global Rush for Critical Minerals

• The U.S. seeks control over critical minerals worldwide, encountering pushback from resource-rich countries (19:10).
• African states increasingly assert sovereignty over these resources, with new laws and export bans aiming to keep more value in-country.

African Coordination and Regional Approaches

• Laws in Botswana, Malawi, Ghana, and Zimbabwe aim to prevent export of raw minerals without added value processing at home (20:19 - Fiona Zublin).
  • "What that's currently manifesting as is limits on exports, sometimes outright bans on exports, basically what it is is an attempt from several countries individually … to keep the minerals from being exported in a raw form." (20:33 - Fiona Zublin)
• There’s discussion of a future “OPEC for minerals” to prevent countries from being played off against one another, especially when resources are scattered across borders.

Challenges and Opportunities

• Value addition will require more investment in processing and regulation; issues like corruption and conflict remain, especially in places like the DRC.

• David Ainsworth notes parallels with the food systems debate: “African nations are asking themselves, how can we be in control of the resources that we actually have? … It's going to be a defining theme in how development organizations are going to be doing business in Africa.” (23:29 - David Ainsworth)

U.S. Responses and Global Geopolitics

• The U.S. “America First” global health and minerals strategies may aim to fragment African negotiating power, preferring bilateral deals over continental unity (25:24 - Fiona Zublin).

• A critical minerals ministerial hosted by the U.S. State Department this week (25:54 - Anna Goel) underscores Western urgency to curb China’s dominance, but alliances are fragile and not universally welcomed.

Internal African Divides

• Despite talk of unity, intra-continental divisions and individual resource endowments (e.g., DRC’s near-monopoly on cobalt) complicate cohesive action (28:34).
  • "It does seem like an absolutely critical part of it. Extremely difficult to come up with a unified policy across a continent..." (28:34 - David Ainsworth)
• The hosts reflect on historical reversals: “Thirty years ago all but two African countries were richer than China. Now all but two are poorer.” (28:52 - David Ainsworth)

The Resource Paradox

• Fiona Zublin: “Resources can be a blessing or a curse. You can look at the oil boom in Norway versus the oil boom in Venezuela and how those two things were managed and what they've led to.” (30:17)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Power 50 approach:
  "It's not a list of the most powerful people … we've gone with the idea of picking out some movers and shakers who are powers behind the scenes … some are quite well known names, some are not." (05:43 - David Ainsworth)

• On AI and Global Development:
  "[Ana Makandju] has that mix of tech and policy chops that is just so interesting. I think she's going to be one of these figures we look to as we figure out the rules of the road for AI." (03:15 - Anna Goel)

• On African unity and minerals:
  “African unity is an increasingly big theme in the world of development … they may need to get together and to speak with one voice. And this kind of push on critical minerals is one way that they're going to do that.” (23:29 - David Ainsworth)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:43 – Anna Goel introduces the Power 50, discusses selection philosophy and key figures.
• 05:43 – David Ainsworth expands on curation process, focuses on movers and shakers, not just power-holders.
• 07:33 – Fiona Zublin details research gems and highlights Mr. Beast’s inclusion.
• 10:54 – David Ainsworth discusses lesser-known influential figures, e.g. German and Gulf donors.
• 14:54 – The multipolar world and shifting power centers in global development.
• 19:10 – New global contest over critical minerals: U.S. strategy vs. African sovereignty.
• 20:19 – Fiona Zublin explains African state strategies regarding mineral exports.
• 23:29 – Discussion on African unity, regional cooperation, and broader development implications.
• 25:24 – Analysis of U.S. “America First” policy impacts and bilateral vs. regional negotiation.
• 25:54 – Coverage of the ongoing critical minerals ministerial and fractional international alliances.
• 28:34 – Challenges to African unity, DRC’s unique role, and lessons from China’s economic rise.
• 30:17 – The resource curse: divergent paths for resource-rich countries.

Tone & Style

• The conversation is direct, knowledgeable, and at times lightly humorous (“I love to find out weird details about people…” – Fiona Zublin, 09:36).
• The tone is analytical and occasionally candid, focused on emerging trends, discovering lesser-known influencers, and navigating complex shifts in global power and agency.
• The hosts balance optimism and realism, frequently acknowledging longstanding challenges while spotlighting new actors and strategies.

Summary Takeaway

This episode of “This Week in Global Development” uses the release of the Power 50 to discuss new faces, changing paradigms, and the evolving power structures in global development. Key themes include the diversification of influence (beyond Western powers), rising African and Global South agency, disruptive new players (like viral philanthropists and tech leaders), and the geopolitics of critical resources. The message: The landscape of who shapes global progress is broader and more dynamic than ever—and keeping up requires looking well beyond the headlines.