Colum Lynch
Reporter at Devex News.
Priors: Foreign Policy Magazine, Washington Post
Brooklyn and United Nations
- US & partners chose UN pking veteran Jack Christofides as special representative for US-backed gang suppression force. No lead military contingent has been identified. Canada will host a December 9 'force generation" conference to persuade governments to participate. www.devex.com/news/exclusi...
- UN pking veteran Jack Christofides chosen to lead U.S.-backed gang suppression mission in Haiti. Still haven't selected a lead battalion to spearhead operation. www.devex.com/news/exclusi...
- Exclusive: U.S. seeks ouster of UN drug and crime agency chief, cites extended remote work arrangement, but comes as US pursues militarized approach to global drug fight. www.devex.com/news/exclusi...
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- Exclusive: US upends U.N. negotiations on development financing, putting forward more than 400 amendments that are being largely dismissed by lead negotiators. www.devex.com/news/exclusi...
- "Israel's new aid system is inhumane." UK mission to UN
- UN relief coordinator: "The world is watching, day after day, horrifying scenes of Palestinians being shot, wounded or killed in Gaza while simply trying to eat."
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- UN Secretary General instructs managers to cut thousands of additional jobs in fields from peacekeeping to development and human rights. www.devex.com/news/un-chie...
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- Germany begins discussion w/ U.N. Secretary General about prospect of covering costs of relocating U.N. staff to Bonn from New York and Geneva. Rwanda offers inducements, including tax breaks and low cost facilities, to establishing U.N. hub in Kigali. www.devex.com/news/have-i-...
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- Story updated with State Department spox comment: "The US opposes the Palestinian observer's candidacy for UN General Assembly president. We do not support the Arab Group's decision to nominate Riyad Mansour, nor think this bid is a realistic option to advance the cause of peace."
- The annual election for the UN Gen Assembly presidency is generally a sleeper. But Palestine's bid for the top U.N. post in 2026-27 has set the stage for a clash with Washington that could risk US funding to wider UN. Now Cyprus is mounting a challenge. Scoop. www.devex.com/news/scoop-c...
- The annual election for the UN Gen Assembly presidency is generally a sleeper. But Palestine's bid for the top U.N. post in 2026-27 has set the stage for a clash with Washington that could risk US funding to wider UN. Now Cyprus is mounting a challenge. Scoop. www.devex.com/news/scoop-c...
- Exclusive: Chef José Andrés' World Central Kitchen earned a reputation as fearless front-line humanitarians. But relief outfit's staff are expressing concerns about what they see as inadequate security standards. Must read investigation by @elissamio.bsky.social www.devex.com/news/what-la...
- Asked to describe the potential impact of an election of a Palestinian as the head of the U.N. General Assembly, one U.N. official texted Devex an emoji with an exploding head.
- Scoop: Palestine is mounting a campaign for presidency of the UN General Assembly, and the collective brain of the UN community is exploding! www.devex.com/news/exclusi...
- Scoop: Palestine is mounting a campaign for presidency of the UN General Assembly, and the collective brain of the UN community is exploding! www.devex.com/news/exclusi...
- My daughter took a bus last night from Montreal to New York. Not a single person got on the bus with her. The bus driver said hop in, I'm your limousine rider. No passengers till they arrived in Plattsburgh, NY.
- "We must immediately and substantively reduce our expenditures,” UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi he added. “Shrinking the size of our workforce will unfortunately not be sufficient, alone, to reduce our expenditures.”
- Scoop: UN refugee agency, UNHCR, braces for massive layoffs. One official said it could be as much as a quarter of the work force, some 5,000 to 6,000 workers. www.devex.com/news/exclusi...
- Scoop: UN refugee agency, UNHCR, braces for massive layoffs. One official said it could be as much as a quarter of the work force, some 5,000 to 6,000 workers. www.devex.com/news/exclusi...
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- The future of a shrunk USAID by @elissamio.bsky.social www.devex.com/news/exclusi...
- Scoop: UN migration agency cuts more jobs, shutters lifesaving programs from Myanmar to Yemen. At least 20 percent of headquarters slashed. "Entire units are gone. Massive loss of institutional and sectoral knowledge," one source told Devex. www.devex.com/news/scoop-u...
- "It's multilateral McCarthyism," said one senior diplomat. Trump's new loyalty list for UN and aid groups: US asks U.N. agencies and NGO whether they collaborate with communists, totalitarians or terrorists www.devex.com/news/trump-s...
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- Exclusive: Trump administration pokes globalism in the eye in women's rights talks at UN www.devex.com/news/scoop-u...
- Reposted by Colum LynchThe Trump administration terminates funding for polio, HIV, malaria and nutrition programs around the world. “People will die,” said Dr. Catherine Kyobutungi of the African Population and Health Research Center, “but we will never know, because even the programs to count the dead are cut.”
- U.S. diplo Edward Heartney on Tuesday: "put simply, globalist endeavors like Agenda 2030 & the SDGs lost at the ballot box. Therefore, the United States rejects & denounces the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development & the [SDGs], and it will no longer reaffirm them as a matter of course."
- Scoop: World Vision braces for mass layoffs; Religious charities appeal for relief in confidential meeting Friday with Pete Marocco, State Department's enforcer of foreign aid cuts. www.devex.com/news/exclusi...
- UN Secretary General António Guterres warns US foreign aid freeze imperils millions and undercuts the interest of Americans. It makes the "world less healthy, safe and prosperous." www.devex.com/news/un-chie...
- UN Secretary General António Guterres delivers a blistering rebuke of U.S. aid cuts, saying they will make world "less healthy, less safe, and less prosperous. The reduction of America's humanitarian role and influence will run counter to American interest globally."
- Scoop: Trump administration tries to claw back UN commitments to expand role of women in peace efforts, and to counter disinformation www.devex.com/news/scoop-t...
- Don't know-- probably a bridge too far. They got to broadcast their opposition -- introducing hopeless amendments-- while avoiding a greater rupture with Trump weeks into a four year term. Also, they don't cast vetos lightly. It's been over 30 years since they excercised their veto power.
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- Hard to find superlatives to convey the world-altering state of today's geopolitics expressed by this vote. The US voting alongside Russia, Belarus, Eritrea, Mali, North Korea, Nicaragua against a resolution condemning Russian invasion of Ukraine. Even Cuba and China abstained.
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- Trump's 'beautiful Christians' left knocking on White House's door: Faith-based groups ensnared in USAID clampdown. www.devex.com/news/trump-s...
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- Trump's "beautiful Christians" left knowing on White House's door. Faith-based groups hit hard by administration's dismantlement of USAID. www.devex.com/news/trump-s...
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- Trump Administration has initiated a process to consider designating the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.", said US chargé Dorothy Shea. It is imperative that the international community works together with regional partners to eliminate the Houthis’ capabilities."
- IOM guidance to managers charged w/ delivering news."Be prepared for a range of emotions, from shock 2 anger or sadness. Select..right setting — choose a private, distraction-free space 2 hold the conversation, Practice ur approach — rehearse the message while maintaining empathy & professionalism."
- Scoop: UN migration agency lays off 3,000 aid workers, as Trump foreign aid freeze spreads pain, chaos and mass job losses across the global aid and development sector. www.devex.com/news/un-migr...
- Scoop: UN migration agency lays off 3,000 aid workers, as Trump foreign aid freeze spreads pain, chaos and mass job losses across the global aid and development sector. www.devex.com/news/un-migr...
- One page linking to a State Department-funded page describing an anti-sexual exploitation program was disabled and readers were automatically redirected to a page with the IOM strategic plan. Two web pages promoting the inclusion of the elderly and youth in migration programs were scratched.
- UN migration agency scrubs references to DEI, sexual reproductive rights on its web site, as U.S. ramps up its global campaign against progressive global policy. www.devex.com/news/scoop-u...
- UN migration agency scrubs references to DEI, sexual reproductive rights on its web site, as U.S. ramps up its global campaign against progressive global policy. www.devex.com/news/scoop-u...
- UN suspends all operations in Houthi controlled territory in Yemen, following group's detention of 8 additional UN personnel.
- his got buried in a chaotic week noted by Elon Musk's assault on federal agencies: "President Trump has already taken decisive action in conjunction with the Somali government by directing precision airstrikes against ISIS in Somalia on February 1st,"said USUN chargé Dorothy Shea
- In one of its first votes at the UN, the Trump administration finds itself down 31-1. This will, of course, be a point of pride
- Trump administration takes its war on DEI and 'gender ideology' global. Votes against several #UNICEF programs approving aid for several development countries #dexex www.devex.com/news/exclusi...
- The world is burdened by a heap of military, political, economic, health and environmental crises and DEI and "gender ideology" are the first major priorities of the U.S. policy at the UN.
- Trump administration takes its war on DEI and 'gender ideology' global. Votes against several #UNICEF programs approving aid for several development countries #dexex www.devex.com/news/exclusi...
- Trump administration takes its war on DEI and 'gender ideology' global. Votes against several #UNICEF programs approving aid for several development countries #dexex www.devex.com/news/exclusi...
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- If you thought that State Department waiver on emergency food delivery would enable the World Food Program to deliver food you were wrong: 500,00O metric tons of food produced in the U.S. are stranded in warehouses and ports. www.devex.com/news/us-grow...
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- This story also traces Sec of State Marco Rubio's path from GOP's most articulate champion of foreign aid to executioner of USAID.
- The End of Foreign Aid As We Know It: Elon Musk's tech raiders dismantling of USAID marks end of an era of American generosity. www.devex.com/news/the-end...
- The End of Foreign Aid As We Know It: Elon Musk's tech raiders dismantling of USAID marks end of an era of American generosity. www.devex.com/news/the-end...
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- In a confidential survey, the U.N. sees U.S. pause fueling extremism, instability, and thwarting long-standing efforts to end poverty and global inequality.
- Exclusive: The UN Population Fund -- which has had its funds block by every Republican president since Reagan -- Thought It Prepared for the Worst. It Didn't. www.devex.com/news/scoop-u...
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- Exclusive: The UN Population Fund -- which has had its funds block by every Republican president since Reagan -- Thought It Prepared for the Worst. It Didn't. www.devex.com/news/scoop-u...
- Exclusive: In confidential survey, UN Sketches Map of Mayhem from US AID Freeze. www.devex.com/news/scoop-u...
- Here's the USAID web site. has it migrated to the State Department? www.state.gov/policy-issue...
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- This is what popped up when I tried to access the USAID.gov website. Is it down?
- Reposted by Colum LynchMeta is renewing its threats against employees, telling them today that they will hunt for leakers and tolerate zero leaks. Want to know how that is going? Three Meta employees who I’ve never spoken to before just cold messaged/emailed me offering me to be sources.
- Scoop: a confidential memo from UN migration agency details plans for response to US aid freeze, underscores UN anxieties as staff warned to keep quiet about it or face disciplinary action. www.devex.com/news/scoop-u...
- Scoop: UN migration agency freezes support for U.S. resettlement program,potentially putting thousands of jobs at risk. Rubio's humanitarian waiver doesn't apply www.devex.com/admin/news_l...
