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The World Bank Group is promoting smart development as an approach that allows countries and companies to meet urgent development needs while also building climate resilience and reducing emissions. The concept focuses on designing investments in roads, agriculture, waste management, energy, digital access and public services so they last longer, perform better and create more… [Read More]

Africa has become its own third-largest trading partner, according to Afreximbank’s African Trade Heatmaps 2026. The report shows that in 2025, Africa traded more with itself than with any partner bloc except Asia and the European Union, placing intra-African commerce ahead of trade with the Americas, the Middle East and the Gulf. The finding challenges… [Read More]

The Cameroonian government says electricity fraud costs the country about CFA60 billion each year, making it one of the biggest financial drains on the national power sector. Authorities plan to make the fight against electricity theft a central part of the 2026–2028 restructuring plan for Socadel, the new electricity distribution company created after the state… [Read More]

The French Development Agency and the Network of Central African Forestry and Environmental Training Institutions have signed a €5 million financing agreement, equivalent to about CFA 3.3 billion, to launch the second phase of the ADEFAC programme. The agreement was signed on June 18, 2026, in Yaoundé and will support continuing training in the forestry… [Read More]

The African Development Bank has signed a confirmation agreement with Ghana International Bank under its Transaction Guarantee facility to support trade finance across Africa. The agreement expands the AfDB’s network of financial partners working to reduce the continent’s annual trade finance gap, which is estimated at between USD 100 billion and USD 120 billion. The… [Read More]

NSIA Bank Côte d’Ivoire has signed a €30 million financing agreement with British International Investment, equivalent to about USD 34.2 million, to expand access to credit for small and medium-sized enterprises and women entrepreneurs in Côte d’Ivoire. The agreement was signed on June 17 in the presence of senior officials from NSIA Group, NSIA Bank… [Read More]

The European Investment Bank has provided a €200 million financing facility to the Development Bank of Nigeria to improve access to credit for small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-sized companies across the country. The agreement, announced on June 18, is designed to support business growth, competitiveness and job creation in Nigeria. The funding will target… [Read More]

Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture has signed a USD 10.15 million contract with China’s Agrifam Co., Ltd to build a fully automated poultry hatchery. The project aims to strengthen domestic poultry production capacity and support the country’s growing demand for animal protein. The new hatchery will be designed to incubate poultry eggs, including chickens, turkeys and… [Read More]

Infinity Power has signed two conditional Engineering, Procurement and Construction agreements for major solar projects in South Africa with a combined capacity of 773.6 MWp. The projects are expected to supply electricity to more than 450,000 households and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 1.8 million metric tons each year. The first agreement covers the… [Read More]

Kenya has advanced the next phase of a USD 1.2 billion expansion project for Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, aimed at nearly tripling the airport’s annual passenger capacity from 7.5 million to 22 million. The project is expected to strengthen Nairobi’s position as one of Africa’s leading aviation hubs. The Ministry of Roads and Transport said… [Read More]

Egyptian National Railways has signed four contracts with a consortium led by Alstom to modernize two strategic railway corridors in Egypt. The agreements have a combined value of approximately €690 million, with Alstom’s share estimated at around €300 million. The modernization programme will cover the railway line connecting 6th of October City to Alexandria and… [Read More]

The World Bank has approved an additional USD 45 million grant for Djibouti’s Regional Economic Corridor Project, bringing total financing for the initiative to USD 205 million. The new funding builds on earlier support approved in 2021, 2024 and 2026, strengthening efforts to improve road infrastructure, trade connectivity and climate resilience. The additional financing will… [Read More]

Innovators across the Global South are developing practical solutions to major global challenges, but many remain excluded from the funding, technology and market opportunities needed to bring their ideas to scale. From malaria prevention to renewable energy and e-waste recycling, locally driven innovations are showing strong potential but often struggle to reach the communities that… [Read More]

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Food Programme have launched their first-ever Joint Anticipatory Action Appeal to protect vulnerable communities from the potential impacts of a strong El Niño weather pattern. The appeal seeks USD 202 million to support nearly 9 million people across 22 high-risk priority countries. The… [Read More]

The Government of Canada has announced $10 million in investments to support community-led research in Canada’s North through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s new Northern Fund. The announcement was made on National Indigenous Peoples Day and marks the first awards under the programme. The Northern Fund was developed in consultation with Northern research institutions to… [Read More]

Indian startups received a major funding boost between May 11 and May 16, 2026, with 16 companies collectively raising more than USD 240 million. The funding activity reflects renewed investor confidence across several sectors, including fintech, artificial intelligence, traveltech, FMCG, robotics, semiconductors, ride-hailing and non-banking financial companies. Fintech emerged as the strongest performer during the… [Read More]

Lismore City Council has resolved to explore external funding opportunities to support a safe, accessible and long-term home for the world-renowned Hannah Cabinet. The decision was made during the Council’s 2026/27 Budget deliberations through a Notice of Motion that added a $0 line item, allowing Council to investigate suitable future locations without allocating additional Council… [Read More]

The UN Peacebuilding Fund has played a quiet but important role in helping countries prevent violence, recover from conflict and build more peaceful futures. While wars often dominate global headlines, efforts to protect peace receive far less attention, even though they are essential for preventing crises before they escalate. Created by UN Member States in… [Read More]

Save the Children has developed a new play-based learning programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo to teach young children about Ebola using puppets, songs, games and musical activities. The initiative aims to help children as young as four understand the virus, counter misinformation and support families during one of the country’s most serious Ebola… [Read More]

UNDP in Ukraine, with funding from the Government of Japan, has supported the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in developing new Communications and Public Diplomacy Strategies. The documents are designed to strengthen Ukraine’s institutional capacity in strategic communications and public diplomacy during the ongoing full-scale war and a complex international information environment. The strategies… [Read More]

Child poverty remains one of the most urgent global development challenges, with almost 850 million children living in multidimensional poverty and 412 million growing up in families surviving on less than $3 a day. The issue goes far beyond household income because child poverty reflects the denial of basic rights, including access to adequate housing,… [Read More]

Future Cast has officially opened a €3.25 million innovation, research and education centre in Manorhamilton, County Leitrim, to support Ireland’s construction, manufacturing and quarrying sectors. The project has transformed the historic former St Clare’s Hall, a derelict church with more than 200 years of history, into a modern 10,000 sq ft facility designed to promote… [Read More]

In Bangladesh’s coastal southwest, women farmers are using climate-smart agriculture to strengthen food security, increase household income and build resilience against the growing impacts of climate change. In Satkhira district, one of the country’s most climate-vulnerable regions, women are transforming unused and leased land into productive vegetable gardens despite challenges such as salinity, cyclones, tidal… [Read More]