The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has launched the £900,000 Loved and Wanted Fund to strengthen community support and celebrate the city’s diversity. The initiative comes just days after a far-right rally in central London, as efforts to spread fear, hatred, and division grow both online and on the streets. The fund aims to demonstrate… [Read More]
WFP and ILO Partner to Support Vulnerable Communities in Madagascar
The World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have signed a memorandum of understanding to support vulnerable households in six regions of Madagascar. The collaboration aims to help families produce sufficient food, withstand future shocks, and progress towards self-sufficiency, aligning with both the country’s national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals…. [Read More]
EU-Funded Food Safety Workshop in Afghanistan Strengthens Trade, Led by WFP
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), with support from the European Union (EU), organized a two-day workshop on food safety standards in Kabul from 15 to 16 September. The training focused on dried fruits and nuts, bringing together representatives from the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Afghan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and… [Read More]
Amnesty Secretary General Urges Strong Action on Global Human Rights at UN General Assembly
Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, will attend the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York City from September 18 to 24, focusing on urgent global human rights issues. Her visit will address international responses to Israel’s actions in Gaza, the Trump administration’s attacks on international justice institutions and sanctions against Palestinian… [Read More]
Government Urged to Address Child Poverty Ahead of Budget 2026
A recent report by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), published in partnership with Community Foundation Ireland, reveals that over 225,000 children—approximately one in five—live in families below the poverty line in Ireland when housing costs are considered. The report, Poverty, Income Inequality and Living Standards in Ireland: Fifth Annual Report, highlights that child… [Read More]
Rising Poverty Risk: Over 500,000 Americans May Fall Below the Poverty Line
Hundreds of thousands of Americans could be pushed into poverty next year due to price increases linked to President Donald Trump’s tariffs, according to a recent analysis by Yale University’s Budget Lab. The research projects that the overall number of Americans living in poverty could rise by between 650,000 and 875,000, depending on the poverty… [Read More]
Blending Climate Finance to Transform Latin America’s Agrifood Systems
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) face significant barriers to scaling climate finance for agrifood systems. High perceived risks, such as lack of project pipeline visibility, insufficient credit history, and price or currency volatility, combine with actual risks from governance, macroeconomic, and geopolitical factors to deter investment. Long-standing challenges, including underdeveloped financial markets and small-scale… [Read More]
PAHO Strengthens Infection Control and Hygiene Capacity in St. Vincent and the Grenadines
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) supported a three-day capacity building exercise on essential Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Environmental Hygiene in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines from September 9–11, 2025. The initiative aimed to strengthen infection prevention measures in healthcare facilities across the country. The mission began with an IPC assessment tour of… [Read More]
World Patient Safety Day 2025: PAHO Advocates Safe Care for Newborns and Children
On the occasion of World Patient Safety Day 2025, observed on September 17, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) called on governments, health professionals, and communities across the Americas to prioritize safe and equitable care for newborns and children. Under the theme “Patient safety from the start!”, the campaign aims to raise awareness and reduce… [Read More]
South American Countries Launch First Virtual Hospital Emergency Drill with SIMEXamericas
On September 12, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) conducted the first virtual hospital emergency response simulation, H-RESPONDEX-LAC25, using the SIMEXamericas platform. The exercise brought together healthcare professionals from five South American countries—Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru—to participate simultaneously in a collaborative training environment. SIMEXamericas is a virtual tool designed for emergency, disaster, and… [Read More]
CAF Approves US$500 Million Loan to Expand Lima and Callao Natural Gas Network, Boosting Peru’s Energy Transition
CAF has structured a US$500 million A/B Loan for Cálidda, Peru’s leading natural gas distribution company, to support the expansion of its distribution network in the Lima and Callao metropolitan areas. The loan will finance Cálidda’s investment plan to connect 900,000 additional people to natural gas service and deploy 569 kilometers of new distribution networks,… [Read More]
EU Mission Ocean and Waters Advances: 15 Key Actions Gain Technical Support for Blue Transformation
The EU Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters,’ part of Horizon Europe, is advancing technical assistance to accelerate the restoration and sustainable management of Europe’s aquatic ecosystems. This mission focuses on three main objectives: conserving and restoring freshwater and marine biodiversity, preventing and eliminating pollution, and promoting a carbon-neutral, circular blue economy. Recent examples of… [Read More]
African Nations Secure US$200 Million for Solar Energy Expansion
African countries have secured US$200 million in financing under the International Solar Alliance’s (ISA) Africa Solar Facility, announced at the Seventh Meeting of the Regional Committee for Africa in Accra. The funding aims to accelerate solar deployment across the continent and foster partnerships to bridge Africa’s clean energy investment gap. ISA Director-General Ashish Khanna emphasized… [Read More]
South Africa’s Financial Sector Confronts Rising Risks Amid Economic Turmoil
South Africa is currently grappling with deep and persistent socio-economic challenges, according to Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) Commissioner Unathi Kamlana. Speaking at the 11th Archbishop Thabo Makgoba Development Trust Annual Lecture at Rhodes Business School, Kamlana emphasized the urgent need for vision, integrity, and courage among leaders to navigate both domestic difficulties and global… [Read More]
Gender Equality in 2025: Key Gains, Persistent Gaps, and the $342 Trillion Opportunity
2025 marks a pivotal moment for global gender equality, with just five years remaining to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals. The Gender Snapshot 2025, produced by UN Women and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, highlights both the achievements and persistent challenges, emphasizing that the choices made now will determine… [Read More]
U.S. and Côte d’Ivoire Partner on Regional Energy Development via MCC Compact
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau joined officials from Côte d’Ivoire and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to sign the Côte d’Ivoire Regional Energy Compact at the U.S. Department of State. The compact represents a significant U.S. investment aimed at strengthening Côte d’Ivoire’s energy sector and promoting regional power integration across West Africa. By expanding… [Read More]
Saint Lucia Advances Toward Its First UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
In early September 2025, Saint Lucia hosted a two-day workshop led by Bandiougou Diawara, Programme Specialist for Natural Sciences at the UNESCO Office for the Caribbean. The event brought together representatives from government, academia, industry, and civil society to develop a proposal for establishing the country’s first biosphere reserve under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere… [Read More]
FAO and UNIVEN Partner to Build Climate-Smart, Resilient Agrifood Systems
The University of Venda (UNIVEN) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have established a results-driven partnership aimed at enhancing food security, climate resilience, and sustainable rural livelihoods in Limpopo and the surrounding region. The collaboration focuses on translating academic research into practical solutions for farmers and youth, ensuring that teaching,… [Read More]
South African Fintech Secures R46 Million to Drive Africa’s Financial Technology Growth
South African fintech company Float has raised R46 million ($2.6 million) in a funding round, highlighting Africa’s rising prominence in the global financial technology sector. The round, co-led by Invenfin and Saad Investment Holdings, with support from Platform Investment Partners and Lighthouse Venture Partners, reflects strong investor confidence in South Africa’s fintech ecosystem and its… [Read More]
UK Councils Receive New Funding to Enhance Local Travel and Public Health
The UK’s Consolidated Active Travel Fund (CATF) merges previous capital and revenue funding streams into a single grant, aiming to support councils in delivering not only cycling and walking infrastructure but also the planning and behavioural interventions needed to encourage use. This integrated approach allows councils to implement a mix of construction projects and complementary… [Read More]
Africa Zero Hunger: How Mtakuja’s Women Farmers Are Leading the Fight Against Hunger
In the sun-scorched terrain of Mtakuja Village in Taita Taveta County, Kenya, farming has always been a daunting task. Extreme heat, dry soil, and irregular rains have made agricultural life a constant challenge for local farmers. Amid these hardships, a strong spirit of resilience has emerged, particularly among women like Margaret, a farmer and mother… [Read More]
Red Cross Launches Climate Resilience Program in Kiribati and Vanuatu
The impacts of climate change are highly visible and severe in the Pacific, particularly in Kiribati and Vanuatu, where rising seas, saltwater intrusion, and extreme weather events are already disrupting lives, livelihoods, and traditional ways of life. Despite contributing only 0.02 percent of global emissions, these island nations face some of the most devastating consequences… [Read More]
Canada Invests $14M+ in Conservation of S.S. Klondike National Historic Site
Parks Canada is responsible for protecting and presenting national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas, helping people connect with history and nature while sustaining economic value for local and regional communities. On behalf of the Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Dr. Brendan Hanley, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Northern and Arctic… [Read More]
