The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) have signed an administrative arrangement aimed at strengthening cooperation in preventing, preparing for, and responding to serious cross-border public health threats. The agreement was signed in Santa Marta, Colombia, by PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa and HERA Director-General… [Read More]
Exploring Traditional Medicine: WHO Bulletin Special Edition
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a special issue of its Bulletin dedicated to Traditional Medicine, marking the first thematic issue on this topic since 1977. Published ahead of the 2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine scheduled from 17–29 December 2025 in New Delhi and online, the issue includes news items, original research,… [Read More]
Strengthening Child and Youth Mental Health: Joint Policy and Investment Appeal
Across the United Nations system, mental health has increasingly been recognized as a fundamental human right. However, the mental health and well-being of children and youth remain largely unaddressed as a distinct global priority, with no dedicated UN resolution or unified framework that fully reflects their unique developmental needs. While references to mental health have… [Read More]
Month-Long Cervical Cancer Screening and Treatment Drive Kicks Off in Six Regions of Ethiopia
Ethiopia has launched a month-long national campaign to screen and treat cervical cancer across six regions — Addis Ababa, Amhara, Central Ethiopia, Oromia, Sidama, and South Ethiopia. Led by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and supported by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the campaign represents… [Read More]
Blended Finance for Sustainable Energy: Scaling Impact and Advancing the SDGs
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) demands financing approaches that effectively align public and private capital, mitigate early-stage investment risks, and open pathways to emerging high-impact markets. The Joint SDG Fund has been instrumental in developing and supporting innovative blended finance models customized to national development priorities in Uruguay, North Macedonia, and Zimbabwe. These models… [Read More]
IOM Highlights Urgent Need for Solutions to Long-Term Displacement in South Sudan
During a week-long visit to South Sudan, SungAh Lee, Deputy Director General for Management and Reform at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), highlighted the severe and complex challenges of displacement affecting millions of people in the country. She called for greater global attention to the situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees, emphasizing… [Read More]
Doha Summit: ILO Hails Renewed Global Commitment to Social Justice and Inclusive Development
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has welcomed the adoption of the Doha Political Declaration, the central outcome of the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2) held in Qatar from November 4–6, 2025. The Declaration reaffirmed social development as a shared global responsibility and emphasized the importance of multilateralism, international law, and cooperation in advancing… [Read More]
ILO Enhances Labour Platform Policy Tracker with Collective Bargaining Data
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has introduced a new component to its Digital Labour Platform Policy Tracker, dedicated to collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) within the platform work sector. This addition aims to enhance transparency and understanding of how trade unions and platform companies are negotiating employment conditions across different regions and industries. The new resource… [Read More]
New ILO Guidelines Aim to Protect Migrant Fishers and Promote Fair Recruitment in the Fishing Industry
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has achieved a major milestone in protecting migrant fishers’ rights with the adoption of the Guidelines for Fair Labour Market Services for Migrant Fishers on October 31, 2025. These are the first-ever global guidelines designed to promote fairness, transparency, and accountability in the recruitment of migrant fishers across the world…. [Read More]
Funding Boost Announced to Protect War Memorials Across the Country
The UK government has announced £2 million in new funding for the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) to help communities repair and conserve local war memorials across the country. This initiative comes ahead of Remembrance Sunday and reinforces the UK’s commitment to preserving its national heritage and honouring the memory of servicemen and women who… [Read More]
5 Things to Know About the Luanda Declaration: Boosting Africa’s Infrastructure Financing
Adopted by African Union Heads of State and Government on October 30, 2025, in Luanda, Angola, the Luanda Declaration marks a renewed continental commitment to transforming Africa’s infrastructure as a cornerstone for trade, industrialization, and economic integration under Agenda 2063. Convened under the theme “Capital, Corridors, Trade: Investing in Infrastructure for the AfCFTA and Shared… [Read More]
Major $13.9M Research Grant to Explore the Role of Fire, Climate, and People in Africa’s Landscape Evolution
An international team of researchers led by Penn State University has received a six-year, $13.88 million grant from the European Research Council (ERC) to explore how human activity, climate change, and wildfires have shaped Africa’s landscapes and biodiversity over the past 6,000 years. The project, called Ecological Archaeologies of the Afrotropics (EcoArch), aims to provide… [Read More]
€1.1 Billion Impact+ Facility Launched at AFIS 2025 to Boost High-Impact African SMEs
At the Africa Financial Summit (AFIS) in Casablanca, Proparco and the European Union announced the launch of the Impact+ Facility, an innovative guarantee programme designed to enhance access to credit for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across Africa. The initiative aims to empower local financial institutions, strengthen their lending capacity, and promote inclusive and… [Read More]
Africa’s Mini-Grid Revolution: New Study Reveals Key Lessons to Accelerate Energy Access Through Smarter Financing
A new study by The Future of Energy, titled “Lessons Learned from 12 Years of Mini-Grid Results-Based Financing in Africa,” reveals crucial insights and future recommendations for scaling up energy access across the continent through more effective financing mechanisms. Despite collective commitments exceeding EUR 250 million for mini-grid development and ambitious goals to attract private… [Read More]
UNHCR Appeals for Funds to Sustain Safe Refugee Returns Across West and Central Africa
More than 42,000 refugees have voluntarily returned home across West and Central Africa this year, bringing the total number of returnees to over 272,000 since 2021. The majority have gone back to Nigeria and the Central African Republic (CAR), with an additional 10,000 Central African refugees expected to return from neighbouring countries by the end… [Read More]
UNDP Strategic Plan 2026–2029: Advancing People, Planet, and Prosperity
The UNDP Strategic Plan 2026–2029 was developed in a world vastly different from 2020, when the previous plan was conceived. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, many developing countries continue to face long-term economic challenges. Global cooperation is strained, financing for development is under pressure, and commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has weakened…. [Read More]
UNDP Mobilizes $2.7 Billion Through Biodiversity Finance Initiative to Advance Nature Conservation
The United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) has helped partner governments mobilize more than US$2.7 billion in finance for nature globally, marking a major leap from US$1.7 billion in 2024. This growth highlights how countries are increasingly integrating nature into their fiscal planning and redirecting funds from environmentally harmful to nature-positive policies…. [Read More]
Health Boost for Britain’s Forces as NHS Unveils New Support Programme
The UK government has launched a new £1.8 million NHS training programme designed to help healthcare staff across England provide more personalised care for the Armed Forces community. This initiative aims to ensure that veterans, serving personnel, reservists, and their families receive better healthcare in recognition of their service to the nation. The training will… [Read More]
Minister Foley Unveils €1.7 Million Funding for 2025 LGBTIQ+ Community Services Initiatives
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, has announced €1.7 million in funding for projects under the 2025 LGBTIQ+ Community Services Fund. The initiative aims to promote inclusion, protect rights, and improve the quality of life and wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ individuals across Ireland, ensuring their full participation in social, economic, cultural, and political life…. [Read More]
Jobs in a Changing Climate: How the Green Transition Is Reshaping Employment
A new World Bank report titled “Jobs in a Changing Climate: Insights from World Bank Group Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs)” reveals that investments in building climate resilience could generate benefits equivalent to 150 million jobs by 2050. Drawing on evidence from 93 economies—which together represent 64 percent of the population and 77 percent… [Read More]
Jamaica Receives Full $150 Million Payout from World Bank Catastrophe Bond Following Hurricane Melissa
Following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa, the Government of Jamaica will receive a full payout of $150 million under its catastrophe insurance coverage with the World Bank. The insurance is backed by a catastrophe bond issued in 2024 by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). The third-party calculation agent, AIR Worldwide Corporation,… [Read More]
Enhancing Public Financial Management in Lao PDR to Improve Efficiency and Public Service Delivery
The World Bank has approved the second phase of the Enhancing Public Financial Management through Information and Communication Technology and Skills Project to support the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) in strengthening the management of its public finances. The $17.5 million initiative, financed through a low-interest loan from the International Development Association (IDA), aims to… [Read More]
WFP Scales Back Aid in Conflict-Hit Eastern DRC Amid Growing Hunger and Funding Gaps
At a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Cynthia Jones, the World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), warned of a rapidly worsening hunger crisis across the country’s conflict-hit eastern provinces. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report shows that the number of… [Read More]
