SXSW, the FIFA World Cup, and the Future of Foreign Aid, Plus the Economic Power of Music
From SXSW to the FIFA World Cup, this week’s update covers a lot—Canada and African leaders stepping up, the push against foreign aid cuts, and how music can drive economic development
Dear Friends and Supporters,
I’m writing this just before heading to Austin for SXSW, one of the world’s largest gatherings celebrating the intersection of technology, culture, music, and social impact. This will be my first time attending (along with my wife, Xinyi!), and I’m excited to speak about my book, From Ideas to Impact, on Monday morning.
If you’ll be in town—or know others who will be—I’d love to connect! You can register here.
On the subject of the book—on a humbling note—someone sent the text message below about it to a friend of my wife, completely unaware of the connection! It’s rewarding to see the impact it’s having. If you’ve found it helpful, a review on Amazon or Goodreads would go a long way in spreading the word!
Before jumping into updates, a quick note: Some of my Global Citizen colleagues will be in LA next week for an impact event on Tuesday, March 11, at 2 PM PST. It’s a great chance to brief LA-based stakeholders on our priorities for the year. If you’d like to attend, RSVP by emailing trevor.scotland@globalcitizen.org.
Global Citizen is partnering with FIFA for a historic and impactful 2026 FIFA World Cup!
This week in Dallas, my Global Citizen colleagues and I met with many of FIFA’s partners to - alongside a virtual appearance from Chris Martin - share our joint vision for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including:
✔️ The first-ever FIFA World Cup Final halftime show
✔️ A Times Square takeover during finals weekend
✔️ A global mobilization to help millions of children
We’ll have more to share in the coming weeks, but one key goal is to drive action to reduce the number of children who can’t read or write—a figure that has dropped from 180 million to 100 million in the past two decades. We'll soon have more details on how businesses, citizens, and foundations can get involved. Stay tuned!
A Critical Moment for Foreign Aid
In the weeks since my last update, we’ve seen further foreign aid cuts across the U.S., the UK, and Europe, threatening progress in global health, food security, and humanitarian funding.
The Netherlands cut aid by 30%, Belgium by 25%, and France by 37%. The UK went even further, slashing 40% while increasing defense spending. I discussed the impact of these cuts on South African TV this week—skip to the 3-minute mark for my comments.
Additionally, I’ve been encouraging colleagues, board members, and partners to grapple with three key questions I explored in my latest Forbes piece.
➡️ How do we push back against these cuts?
➡️ How do we pitch for what’s left?
➡️ How do we pursue opportunities beyond foreign aid to keep moving forward?
These are urgent questions, and I’ve already appreciated the thoughtful responses they’ve sparked. I'd love to hear from you if you have insights, ideas, or reactions.
In the meantime, Global Citizen has published the following resources and actions for those looking to take action and learn more in response to these cuts:
Finally, in light of the cuts in the UK, check out this lighthearted throwback video from a few years ago…
African Leaders Stepping Up
While the U.S. funding freeze presents immediate challenges, African leaders are taking action—Nigeria has committed an additional $200 million to health programs, while Botswana, Cameroon, and Kenya are mobilizing their own resources to sustain HIV care.
Some in the development community see this as a “wake-up call” to reduce reliance on foreign aid, with growing momentum for new funding mechanisms, public-private partnerships, and regional cooperation to strengthen health systems.
On this note, I recently interviewed former Prime Minister of Côte d'Ivoire, Patrick Achi, in a Beyond Bretton Woods webinar series. I highly recommend watching the full interview if you have time. Here’s one powerful takeaway from Achi:
Canada Steps Up for Children’s Health
At a time when many countries are cutting back on foreign aid, Canada is proving that doing the right thing and making smart decisions can go hand in hand.
This week, Canada increased its support for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, helping provide life-saving vaccines to millions of children over the next five years.
This decision will help stop diseases before they spread, keep communities healthy, and prevent outbreaks from reaching Canada. It will also mean that more children will grow up safe from deadly diseases like measles and polio.
Now, we’re encouraging other nations also to take action and hoping 🇬🇧 UK, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇳🇴 Norway, 🇸🇪 Sweden will join Canada ahead of a big fundraising conference that Global Citizen will be producing in partnership with the Gates Foundation and the European Commission later this year. You can support this here.
Next on Global Citizen Conversations: Helping Those Who Help Others
Advocacy is about creating change, but what happens when the fight takes a toll on those leading the charge?
In the latest episode of #GCConversations, the Global Citizen team dives into the often-overlooked issue of mental health in activism and why self-care isn’t just personal—it’s essential for sustaining movements.
Join us as those who help others share how they manage stress, avoid burnout, and stay resilient while pushing for change. Watch now 👉 👉HERE
Unlocking the Economic Power of Music
The 2025 Move Afrika tour officially wrapped last month—closing out with sold-out shows, a 90% locally employed production crew, and a blueprint for the future of live entertainment in Africa.
But this was never just about one-off concerts. It’s a proof of concept. It shows that the demand is there. The talent is there. If more live event operators invest in Africa’s touring circuit, the impact could be game-changing—creating jobs, driving economic growth, and reducing poverty.
To build on this momentum, Global Citizen and the Center for Music Ecosystems have launched the Music Economy Development Initiative (MEDI)—a first-of-its-kind coalition dedicated to harnessing music’s full economic potential through policy change.
Here’s what MEDI will focus on:
Building the Data & Research – We’re creating the definitive source of research on music’s economic impact, starting with pilot projects in Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire. MEDI’s first report highlights why Africa and emerging markets are missing out on the $45.5 billion global music industry—and what needs to change.
Strengthening Copyright & IP Protections—We will work with partners to ensure artists are protected and fairly compensated through policy change, which is especially important in the world of AI. See this speech I gave last year for more insight on this.
Bringing Policymakers & Industry Leaders Together – Using platforms like Move Afrika to drive systemic change through policy and investment commitments.
Investing in Music – Connecting local and global partners to unlock new funding models that fuel industry growth. This means ensuring financial institutions understand music's importance as an economic good, not just a feel-good activity.
My Reading List
Firstly, Xinyi (Wendy) has written several articles for Climate and Capital Media. Check out her latest here: “Investing in climate while getting a tax deduction — too good to be true?”
Three Practical Ways Financial Institutions Can Address Climate Risk (This was an article I wrote for the Center for Financial Professional’s Connect Magazine)
Every kid deserves the opportunity to fall in love with sport. That’s why I’m speaking up to protect it (this is an excellent op-ed by Australian footballer Alex Pearce about the power of advocacy using your voice: "We all carry different priorities, and we can all feel that even if we do make time for causes we believe in, our voice won’t make a difference.")
I ran Britain’s army. I know what it needs. Don’t cut aid to fund defence
United States quits board of UN climate damage fund, letter shows
As always, if you’re enjoying the weekly newsletter format, and want even more, you can subscribe to my Substack here where I publish reviews, lists, and articles regularly.
Till next week,
Mick
P.S. A Simple Idea, A Big Impact
Education should be a right, not a privilege. Yet, millions of children in rural communities still lack proper school facilities, clean water, and nutritious food. MUCS – Making Unprivileged Children Shine is tackling this head-on holistically: building open-air classrooms, harvesting rainwater, providing sanitation, and integrating sustainable nutrition solutions. I had the opportunity to learn about MUCS while I was in South Africa for the launch of my book tour last year. If this mission resonates with you and you'd like to learn more or support it, contact charle@mucs.cc or +27 82 857-6193.
P.P.S. Some upcoming book talks over the next few months include one in New York on April 29th at the AESC Global Summit on Leadership and one in my mum’s English hometown of Swindon on May 9th. Also, look out for talks in London on May 7th and Dublin the following week. More details to come!
Fantastic