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Uruzgan, Afghanistan — After experiencing 10 pregnancies, many of which resulted in serious complications due to the lack of skilled midwifery care, 38-year-old Zainabo learned the vital role of antenatal care in preventing life-threatening conditions. For most of her life, she had limited access to healthcare. Living in Tarinkot District, her village had no health… [Read More]

Lisbon, Portugal, 30 January 2026 – The Aga Khan Development Network, the Ismaili Imamat, and Ismaili communities in Mozambique and Portugal are mobilizing emergency relief for populations affected by severe flooding in northern Mozambique. In recent days, 20 tonnes of essential supplies—including food, clothing, and other items identified by Mozambican authorities as urgently needed—have been… [Read More]

As public- and private-sector leaders convene in Davos for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026, they face critical questions about cooperation in a contested world, unlocking new growth, investing in people, deploying innovation responsibly, and sustaining prosperity within planetary boundaries. A new report, The State of Social Enterprise: Unlocking Inclusive Growth, Jobs and Development… [Read More]

Fiji and Palau strengthened regional cooperation on human mobility in the context of climate change through a Peer-to-Peer Exchange on Planned Relocation held from 19 to 23 January 2026. The exchange brought together government officials, regional stakeholders, and technical experts to share experiences, identify good practices, and reinforce Pacific-led, rights-based approaches to planned relocation as… [Read More]

Harare, January 5, 2026 – UNICEF handed over 815 laptops, 708 projectors, and 2,112 tablets to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in Zimbabwe, marking a major step toward strengthening equitable access to quality digital learning. The devices will be distributed to 113 disadvantaged schools across seven districts in Manicaland and Matabeleland South provinces,… [Read More]

Government representatives, development partners, philanthropies, and civil society leaders gathered in Nairobi on January 26, 2026, for Investing in Our Future, a high-level roundtable on education financing co-convened by the Government of Kenya and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). The dialogue focused on how sustained and innovative financing can unlock education’s potential to drive… [Read More]

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has launched an emergency response following a large fire that broke out early Tuesday morning in a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. The response is being implemented in close coordination with the Government of Bangladesh and humanitarian partners to ensure rapid and appropriate assistance to affected families, with… [Read More]

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) has launched a request for expressions of interest to select the grant agent for the next phase of Education Out Loud (EOL). EOL is GPE’s global fund designed to support civil society organizations in strengthening public accountability, transparency, and participation in education policy processes. As part of the selection… [Read More]

On 6 January 2026, the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) released a new publication titled Innovative Approaches to Accessing and Scaling All Sources of Adaptation Finance in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs): A Compendium of Promising Case Studies. The compendium highlights practical, country-driven solutions aimed at addressing persistent… [Read More]

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) has announced a request for expressions of interest to select the grant agent for the next phase of its Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX) initiative. KIX is a global program designed to strengthen education systems by enabling countries to generate, share, and apply locally driven evidence and innovations to… [Read More]

More than two billion people worldwide rely directly on freshwater systems for drinking water, food production, livelihoods, and climate resilience. Freshwater, defined by its low salt and dissolved solid content, exists in diverse ecosystems such as rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands, reservoirs, springs, and aquifers. These interconnected systems play a foundational role in sustaining life and… [Read More]

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee has launched the Department’s ninth international St Brigid’s Day programme, highlighting the creativity, achievements and global impact of women. The 2026 programme marks the largest diplomatic celebration of St Brigid’s Day to date, with 65 Irish embassies and consulates worldwide participating in the initiative. Through Ireland’s global… [Read More]

Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton has invited primary, post-primary and special schools, along with YouthReach centres, to apply for participation in the Creative Clusters programme for the 2026–2028 period. The initiative is designed to encourage collaboration, creativity and community engagement across education settings over a sustained two-year timeframe. Creative Clusters brings together small… [Read More]

Ruven Menikdiwela, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, has warned that the recent series of deadly shipwrecks in the Mediterranean highlights the urgent need for stronger and more coordinated action to prevent further loss of life among people fleeing in search of safety. The incidents serve as a stark reminder that current responses remain insufficient… [Read More]

Iraq’s Ahwar marshlands, often described as the Garden of Eden and spanning between 2,000 and 4,000 square kilometres, are facing severe ecological decline. Despite their designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these wetlands are under intense pressure from the worst drought in a century, upstream dam construction, excessive water abstraction, prolonged extreme heat and… [Read More]

As part of its Technical Assistance Programme with Riyadh Amanah, the United Nations Development Programme, in collaboration with the IE School of Architecture and Design, delivered a five-day executive training in Madrid focused on urban landscape enhancement. The programme, titled Urban Landscape Improvement Experiences, examined how cities can function as adaptive living systems capable of… [Read More]

The United Nations Development Programme in the Maldives, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Planning and the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and supported by the Integrated National Financing Frameworks, convened a two-day national workshop in Malé to strengthen public and private sector capacity to design bankable green investment projects and mobilise climate… [Read More]

The United Nations Capital Development Fund and Annycent Capital have signed a Statement of Intent to mobilize public and private capital for high-impact renewable energy projects in Least Developed Countries and other developing African markets. The partnership aims to accelerate investment by developing innovative financing solutions that support the secondary renewable energy market while strengthening… [Read More]

The Kenyan government has launched the sale of a 65% stake in the Kenya Pipeline Company, aiming to raise approximately 106.3 billion Kenyan shillings (around US$825 million) in what is expected to be East Africa’s largest local-currency initial public offering. The move is part of President William Ruto’s broader plan to reduce state ownership in… [Read More]

Germany is in discussions with South Africa over an additional €720 million in concessional climate financing under the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), aiming to support the country’s shift from coal to cleaner energy sources. The funding would focus on renewable power, electricity grid upgrades, and measures to manage the economic impact of decarbonization. If… [Read More]

The Lao Women’s Union (LWU) and The Asia Foundation (TAF) in Lao PDR have reaffirmed their long-standing partnership with the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the project “Strengthening the Lao Women’s Union in Amplifying the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on Women, Peace and Security,” funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign… [Read More]

The Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AAMFI) has launched an early warning system to detect the first signs of sovereign debt distress in African countries, aiming to prevent future disputes and facilitate timely interventions. The initiative, announced on January 29, brings together seven regional institutions, including Africa Finance Corporation, Afreximbank, and the Trade and… [Read More]

In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, stakeholders are rolling out a new initiative to expand access to modern, technology-enabled electric cookstoves for low-income households, supporting the Government’s goal of having 80 percent of Tanzanians using clean cooking energy by 2034. The initiative aims to reduce reliance on traditional fuels like firewood and charcoal, which are still… [Read More]