The Government of Iraq, in collaboration with the United Nations, concluded a two-day national consultation on 20–21 October 2025 to shape its contribution to the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2) scheduled for 4–6 November 2025 in Doha, Qatar. Led by Iraq’s Ministry of Planning and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, with technical support… [Read More]
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Boosting Ukraine’s Labour Market: ILO and EU Launch New Governance Project
The European Union and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have launched a three-year initiative titled “Promoting Inclusive Labour Market Governance Reform in Support of Ukraine’s Reconstruction and EU Accession.” Signed by EU Ambassador Katarína Mathernová and ILO Ukraine Director Aida Lindmeier, the project aims to strengthen Ukraine’s labour market institutions and ensure that recovery and… [Read More]
Shaping Ukraine’s Workforce: Tripartite Partners Plan Next Decent Work Programme
In Kyiv on 21 October 2025, Ukrainian government, workers, and employers convened to shape the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) next Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) for 2026–2029. This tripartite consultation workshop, attended by over fifty participants, focused on prioritizing actions to ensure a fair, inclusive, and sustainable labour market, even amid ongoing challenges of war…. [Read More]
Unlocking Potential: New ILO Findings on Care Policies for Employees with Disabilities
A new report from the International Labour Organization’s Global Business and Disability Network, released ahead of the International Day of Care and Support, highlights the strong link between disability-inclusive workplace care policies and improved employee engagement, retention, and productivity. The analysis shows that when care policies are effectively implemented, they positively impact job satisfaction and… [Read More]
Climate Risk Rising as Major Methane Leak Warnings Go Unheeded
Methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas, with roughly 80 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. Reducing methane emissions could provide rapid and measurable climate benefits, with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) highlighting that halving human-caused methane emissions is one of the most cost-effective ways to slow near-term global warming…. [Read More]
UN Security Council Hears: Haitians Are ‘Not Alone’ as Gang Suppression Force Gets Green Light
Carlos Ruiz Massieu, speaking for the first time as head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), highlighted the ongoing challenges facing the country, including widespread gang violence, a severe humanitarian crisis, and an upcoming political transition. He emphasized that despite dire circumstances, the Haitian people continue to demonstrate resilience. The UN official noted… [Read More]
Millions in Syria Still Struggling: UN Calls for Increased Humanitarian Aid
Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, Najat Rochdi, emphasized the critical need for women’s meaningful participation in the country’s political transition, warning that their exclusion could undermine hard-won progress. She highlighted that Syrian women, who have endured and contributed through more than a decade of conflict, should have a full role in shaping the nation’s future…. [Read More]
Millions in Sudan Face Direan HumanitariCrisis, UN Warns
Sudan is facing one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with over 30 million people in urgent need of aid. Among them are 9.6 million internally displaced individuals and nearly 15 million children struggling to survive daily. UN agencies, including UNHCR, IOM, UNICEF, and WFP, have issued a joint appeal for immediate international attention… [Read More]
Haiti’s Agricultural Revolution: Turning Land into a Source of Food Security
Haiti, the poorest country in Latin America and the Caribbean, has long faced extreme rural poverty and acute food insecurity, with 27 percent of rural farmers living in extreme poverty. Agriculture, the primary source of income for these communities, has suffered from chronic under-investment, unsustainable farming practices, and the cumulative impacts of natural disasters. Land… [Read More]
From Policy to Productivity: How Malawi is Transforming Smallholder Farming
Malawi’s economy heavily relies on agriculture, which contributes nearly a quarter of GDP and employs around three-quarters of the population, primarily through small-scale subsistence farming. In rural areas, 93 percent of Malawians work in the food sector. Despite this, poverty, recurring shocks, and weak livelihoods have intensified food insecurity, with over one in four Malawians… [Read More]
Women Entrepreneurs Driving Job Creation and Economic Growth
In Sub-Saharan Africa, over 80 percent of women are self-employed, managing businesses that range from family farms and market stalls to tech start-ups and film production. At the high-level event Capital to Scale: Supporting Women Entrepreneurs as Job Creators, held during the World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings in Washington, DC, experts discussed how access to capital… [Read More]
Mongolia Enhances Power Grid Reliability and Security with World Bank Support
The World Bank has approved a new project to enhance Mongolia’s electricity grid reliability and security while supporting the country’s transition to a low-carbon energy future. The Fourth Energy Sector Project will focus on increasing the capacity and reliability of the Central Energy System’s transmission grid and promoting the integration of renewable energy sources. The… [Read More]
World Bank Backs Moldova’s Initiative to Restore Ecosystems and Combat Pollution
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a US$7.9 million grant for Moldova’s Restoring Ecosystems for Marine Pollution Prevention Project (RE-MAP), financed through the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The project aims to enhance sustainable landscape management within the Dniester River Basin, a critical watershed for both environmental and socio-economic resilience in Moldova. By… [Read More]
Powering Progress: Guinea’s Electricity Surge Supports Small Businesses and Communities
In the mining city of Boké, Guinea, frequent power outages had long stifled productivity, frustrated residents, and fueled social unrest. Entrepreneurs like Safiatou Bangoura struggled to maintain their businesses, relying on costly and polluting generators to keep their workshops running. Daily expenses for fuel consumed much of their earnings, leaving little room for savings or… [Read More]
Enhancing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Services for Sustainable Development in Ethiopia
Since 2014, the World Bank has supported Ethiopia’s One Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene National Program (OWNP), an integrated platform for sector development, through three major projects expected to benefit over 20 million people by 2027. The Ethiopia Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene Project (2014–2021) provided improved water and sanitation services to over 10.9 million people,… [Read More]
India: Kerala to Benefit from World Bank Initiative Increasing Access to Health Services
The World Bank has approved a $280 million program to enhance health coverage and strengthen health systems for 11 million elderly and vulnerable people in Kerala, India. The initiative aims to improve life expectancy and quality of life by building a more resilient, climate-adaptive health system and expanding access to essential services. Kerala has achieved… [Read More]
Afghanistan Earthquake Inflicts $183 Million in Economic Losses
A 6.0 magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan on August 31, 2025, caused an estimated $183 million in direct physical damage to buildings and infrastructure, according to a World Bank report. The disaster, the deadliest in Afghanistan since 1998, claimed around 2,000 lives and severely affected between 500,000 and 1.3 million people. The Afghanistan Global… [Read More]
UN Agencies Urge Immediate Response to Worsening Humanitarian Situation in Sudan
Four United Nations agencies—the International Organization for Migration (IOM), UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), UNICEF, and the World Food Programme (WFP)—have issued an urgent call for international action to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Over 900 days of conflict, widespread human rights violations, famine, and the collapse of essential services have left millions, particularly… [Read More]
Asian Development Bank Invests in STEM Programs to Boost Youth Skills in Uzbekistan
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $100 million concessional loan to help Uzbekistan improve the quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in secondary schools. The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in Secondary Education Project aims to equip young people with modern, innovation-driven skills critical for sustainable and inclusive growth, supporting… [Read More]
Asian Development Bank, Japan Financial Services Agency Join Forces to Unlock Regional Investment Potential
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan Financial Services Agency (JFSA) have signed a cooperation agreement to strengthen financial sector development across Asia and the Pacific. The agreement, signed by ADB President Masato Kanda and JFSA Commissioner Yutaka Ito in Tokyo, aims to help emerging economies in the region leverage technology for financial inclusion, deepen… [Read More]
Asian Development Bank Provides $10 Million to Boost Tonga’s Economic Stability and Recovery
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $10 million policy-based grant to strengthen public sector management and improve social and economic resilience in Tonga. The funding supports the Improving Economic Management Program (Subprogram 2), which builds on previous reform initiatives aimed at enhancing fiscal stability and governance in the country. The program focuses on… [Read More]
African Development Bank Deepens Cooperation with Djibouti to Advance Regional Integration
A week-long consultation mission led by African Development Bank Group Executive Director Khaled Sherif reaffirmed the Bank’s strong partnership with Djibouti, emphasizing regional integration, innovative financing, and capacity development as key priorities for future collaboration. Held from 3 to 10 October, the mission aimed to accelerate project delivery, strengthen institutional capacity, and optimize the Bank’s… [Read More]
African Development Bank Group Receives $14 Million Under GAFSP’s New Private Sector Window
The Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) has made its first funding allocation under its new private sector financing window, granting $14 million to the African Development Bank Group (AfDB). The funding includes de-risking capital aimed at mobilizing $200 million in private sector investments to strengthen food security in low-income countries. GAFSP supports projects… [Read More]
