As global leaders gathered in New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and Climate Week NYC 2026, members of the Temasek Trust Collective joined partners across sectors to explore how philanthropy and partnerships can help address increasingly interconnected challenges.
From rethinking how philanthropy supports inclusive development to strengthening pandemic preparedness and advancing climate solutions, the week’s engagements reflected a common goal: bringing together the right capabilities, capital, and partners to translate ideas into impact.
From Projects to Portfolios
Photo Credit: UNDP Digital, AI and Innovation Hub
During Climate Week NYC, Temasek Trust and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched From Silos to Systems, Projects to Portfolios: A Perspective on How Philanthropy Can Better Support Inclusive Development in Asia.
The working paper argues that interconnected challenges require philanthropy to look beyond standalone interventions. It proposes two shifts: from silos to systems, by considering the institutions, incentives, markets, and relationships shaping outcomes; and from projects to portfolios, by connecting interventions around shared goals and adapting them as conditions evolve.
Drawing on UNDP’s on-the-ground experience in the Philippines, Nepal, and Senegal, as well as Temasek Foundation’s work in maternal and child health in Singapore, the paper explores how philanthropy can take early risk, mobilise wider pools of capital, and better support inclusive development across Asia.
The launch session drew around 50 participants, including representatives from the Institute of Philanthropy, World Resources Institute, Global Impact Investing Network, and Wellcome Trust, as well as Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Speakers included Temasek Trust’s Chief Systems Integration Officer Benedict Cheong, UNDP Assistant Secretary-General Susan Brown, and representatives from the Rockefeller Foundation and the World Bank.
The Future of Impact: Philanthropy
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Photo Credits: UN Partnerships / Kiara Worth
Temasek Trust's Lim Seok Hui, Lead, International Affairs, and Shalini Jalan, Head of Collaboration and Partnership, participated in a high-level roundtable hosted by UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed. As the sole Asian institution represented, Temasek Trust joined leaders from philanthropy, technology, impact investing, and the UN.
Organised by the United Nations Office for Partnerships, together with Google.org, the UN Foundation, ONE Campaign/ONE Data, and Project Everyone, the dialogue explored emerging partnership models and scalable solutions that support long-term sustainability and public ownership.
The discussion highlighted the need for institutional transformation, investment-oriented partnerships, and catalytic philanthropy to drive systemic change. Participants also emphasised that realising AI’s potential requires closing the digital divide, strengthening institutions, and building trust through solutions shaped with communities.
Getting Ahead of the Next Outbreak
Photo Credits: Diane Bondareff for the United Nations Foundation
On the sidelines of UNGA High-level Week, the UN Foundation and Temasek Foundation announced Advancing Pandemic Risk Assessment in Asia, a new initiative in partnership with Duke University and the Duke-NUS Centre for Outbreak Preparedness.
Bringing together scientific, policy, financing, and public health expertise, the initiative aims to advance approaches for assessing how pandemic risks evolve, helping decision-makers identify evolving health threats earlier, and make more informed decisions on prevention, preparedness, and investment across diverse Asian contexts.
The partnership builds on the Asia Regional Workshop on Pandemic Risk Assessment, held in Singapore in July 2026, which brought together more than 60 scientists and policymakers to explore how scientific evidence can better inform policy and investment decisions.
Lessons from the initiative will also contribute to the wider development of pandemic risk assessment as a global approach, helping decision-makers act before an outbreak becomes a crisis.
Mobilising Philanthropy for Asia's Climate Challenges
Photo Credits: Philanthropy Asia Alliance
At Climate Week NYC, the Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA) joined partners and policymakers to explore how philanthropy can help accelerate climate action across Asia.
PAA CEO Shaun Seow spoke at a Climate Group Hub Live panel on the health and economic costs of extreme heat, including its effects on livelihoods, productivity, and healthcare systems.
PAA also convened experts and policymakers at The Rockefeller Foundation to examine how low-emission rice could be scaled across Asia. With the science largely in place, the focus was on building the demand and buyer commitments that can give farmers greater confidence to adopt new practices.
Read more: PAA's reflections on scaling sustainable rice in Asia
A separate convening with the Equinix Foundation explored how AI-for-impact solutions can move beyond pilots to achieve wider adoption in the region. The discussion highlighted the importance of designing for local contexts, embedding solutions into existing systems, and strengthening the institutional capability and financing needed for sustained adoption.
Connecting Ideas, Capabilities, and Partners
The week's engagements underscored that lasting impact rarely comes from a single intervention or organisation. It takes evidence, local understanding, trusted partnerships, and the right mix of capital and capabilities.
The Temasek Trust Collective will continue to work with partners across sectors to bring complementary strengths together to address shared challenges across Asia and beyond.
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