Sri Lanka has issued an international appeal for assistance following extensive flooding and landslides, and Switzerland has responded by offering support, which the Sri Lankan authorities accepted. The Swiss foreign ministry confirmed that a six-member rescue team, primarily specialists in water, sanitation, and hygiene, has been deployed to the country. In addition, a disaster risk… [Read More]
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Accelerating Global Health: WHO Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing Talks to Resume Sooner
WHO Member States concluded their latest round of negotiations on the world’s first Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, agreeing to reconvene in January 2026 to accelerate progress. The decision to resume deliberations reflects the shared urgency among countries to enhance global preparedness and ensure safer, more equitable responses to future pandemics. The fourth meeting… [Read More]
Journey of a UN Volunteer: Contributing to the Joint SDG Fund
When I began my UN Volunteer assignment with the UN Joint SDG Fund in January 2025, I stepped into a role filled with purpose and potential. Joining a team dedicated to driving systemic change and accelerating SDG progress, I quickly realized how much the experience would expand my skills and deepen my understanding of development… [Read More]
$5 Million Funding Boost for Indigenous Community Economic Development in Northern Ontario
The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for FedNor, announced the Northern Ontario Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative (NOICE) and a total FedNor investment of $4,774,515 in 10 Indigenous economic development projects across Northern Ontario. The NOICE program, funded through the Government of Canada’s Strategic Partnerships Initiative and delivered by FedNor,… [Read More]
€35 Million Funding Boost for Advanced Digital Infrastructure Across Ireland
The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, announced €35 million in funding for cutting-edge digital infrastructure projects in Ireland under the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The CEF is a key EU funding instrument aimed at promoting growth, jobs, and competitiveness through targeted infrastructure investments at a European level. The projects… [Read More]
€7 Million Local Enhancement Programme 2026 Announced by Ministers Calleary and Buttimer
Ministers Dara Calleary and Jerry Buttimer have announced €7 million in funding under the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht’s Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) 2026. The funding aims to provide capital support to small community groups and organizations across Ireland, with a particular focus on disadvantaged communities in both rural and urban… [Read More]
Stronger Climate Adaptation Urged by World Bank to Safeguard Gabon’s Economy and Communities
The Gabon Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR), released on December 2, 2025, provides an in-depth analysis of Gabon’s growth and economic diversification prospects in the context of climate change. The report emphasizes Gabon’s status as a global environmental leader and one of the world’s most forested nations, highlighting how climate change intersects with development… [Read More]
Strengthening Health Systems: World Bank Partners with Global Fund to Expand Sustainable Health Financing
The World Bank Group and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to help developing countries strengthen health systems and secure sustainable financing for primary healthcare and the fight against HIV, TB, and malaria. Over the next three years, the two organizations plan to mobilize at… [Read More]
World Bank Reports Advances as Countries Adopt National Health Compacts to Expand Quality Health Care
Countries and partners have reported significant progress toward the World Bank Group’s goal of delivering affordable, quality health services to 1.5 billion people by 2030, a target announced in April 2024. Building on this momentum, 15 countries have introduced National Health Compacts, which outline practical five-year reforms aimed at expanding primary health care, improving affordability,… [Read More]
Partnership Between Gavi and World Bank Aims to Boost Health System Resilience and Vaccine Manufacturing
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the World Bank Group are strengthening their partnership to enhance financing for immunization and primary healthcare systems, while promoting regional vaccine manufacturing in Africa. The two organizations plan to mobilize at least US$2 billion over the next five years through joint financing aligned with country priorities. World Bank Group President… [Read More]
WFP and JT’s Manukan Grille Join Forces to Aid Filipino Schoolchildren and Vulnerable Families
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and Filipino actor Joel Torre’s restaurant chain, JT’s Manukan Grille, have launched a partnership called “JT’s Meals for the Kids” to support schoolchildren and food-insecure families in the Philippines. The initiative aims to raise PHP 12 million (US$220,000) over two years by contributing PHP 1 for every order… [Read More]
Punjab, Pakistan to Benefit from $381M ADB Funding for Agriculture, Education, and Health Modernization
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved three major projects worth $381 million to advance agriculture, education, and health services in Punjab Province, Pakistan. These initiatives aim to stimulate economic growth in Punjab, which contributes significantly to the country’s population and economic activity. According to ADB Country Director for Pakistan Emma Fan, investments in education,… [Read More]
Qatar Foundation–ILO Partnership Aims to Transform the Future of Work in Qatar
A new partnership between Qatar Foundation (QF) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) has been launched to generate evidence-based insights that will help shape the future of Qatar’s workforce. The collaboration will draw on data from QF’s extensive Alumni Impact Study, which tracks employment outcomes and career paths of graduates over the past 25 years,… [Read More]
Nepali Migrant Workers to Benefit as ILO Strengthens Social Protection in GCC Countries
The ILO’s new STREAM Programme has begun consultations in Nepal to strengthen social protection, promote fair recruitment, and improve decent work conditions for Nepali migrant workers in GCC countries. Nepal has around 4.5 million migrants employed abroad, many of whom continue to face preventable risks such as unfair recruitment practices, unsafe working environments, and limited… [Read More]
IOM Warns 100,000 People Displaced in Mozambique, Urges Durable Relief Measures
Geneva/Maputo, 4 December 2025 – Over 100,000 people have been newly displaced in Mozambique in recent weeks, adding to more than 600,000 already uprooted, prompting the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Director General Amy Pope to call for urgent, collective solutions to help communities regain stability. During her three-day visit to Mozambique, DG Pope highlighted… [Read More]
Government Launches Landmark Plan to Reduce Child Poverty for Over Half a Million Kids
The UK government has launched a historic Child Poverty Strategy aimed at lifting 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030, marking the largest reduction in child poverty in a single parliament since records began. The strategy addresses the root causes of poverty by cutting the cost of essentials, boosting family incomes, and improving local services… [Read More]
Ireland Approves €2.18 Billion Justice Sector Investment Plan for 2026-2030
Ireland Approves €2.18 Billion Justice Sector Investment Plan for 2026-2030Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan has secured Cabinet approval for the Sectoral Investment Plan for Justice under the National Development Plan (NDP) Review, marking the largest ever capital investment plan in the history of the State. The Justice sector will receive €2.18… [Read More]
New Federal Initiatives Aid Women with Disabilities Facing Gender-Based Violence
Since mid-November 2025, South and Southeast Asia have been severely affected by overlapping tropical storms and intensified monsoon systems, causing widespread floods and landslides across Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Viet Nam. The United Nations has been actively supporting government-led emergency operations with food, health, water, sanitation aid, medical teams, and early recovery assessments… [Read More]
South and Southeast Asia Hit by Deadly Storms, Death Toll Exceeds 1,600
Since mid-November 2025, South and Southeast Asia have been severely affected by overlapping tropical storms and intensified monsoon systems, causing widespread floods and landslides across Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Viet Nam. The United Nations has been actively supporting government-led emergency operations with food, health, water, sanitation aid, medical teams, and early recovery assessments… [Read More]
2024 Breaks Heat Records, Exposing Arab Region to Intensifying Climate Extremes
The World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) first State of the Climate in the Arab Region report highlights the severe pressures the region faces from rising temperatures and extreme weather. In 2024, several Arab countries recorded temperatures above 50°C, with average regional temperatures 1.08°C higher than the 1991–2020 baseline. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo emphasized that intense and… [Read More]
Madagascar Youth Drive Hope in Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance
In Antananarivo, Lalaina Mihobintsoa, a veterinary medicine student, is raising awareness about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in his community. As an AMR ambassador, he emphasizes simple preventive measures, such as consulting doctors before taking antibiotics, following prescriptions, and maintaining good hygiene, to protect health and prevent resistant infections. His work reflects a broader push to educate… [Read More]
Kick Out Polio: African Football Stars Raise Awareness Ahead of AFCON 2025
As millions of fans gear up for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025, six prominent African footballers have launched the “Kick Out Polio” campaign, urging the continent to unite against the disease. Partnering with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the campaign calls on families, government officials, youth, and community leaders to intensify efforts to… [Read More]
A New Era for Gavi: Prioritizing Country Ownership and Aid for the Most Vulnerable
The Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, concluded its final meeting before the start of its next strategic period (2026–2030, Gavi 6.0) with a series of landmark decisions placing country ownership at the core of its operating model. Nearly 90% of the budget for vaccine procurement will be allocated directly to countries through “country vaccine… [Read More]
