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The World Bank Group, in partnership with the Government of Morocco, has released two new analytical reports highlighting that Morocco could generate 1.7 million additional jobs by 2035 and increase its real GDP by nearly 20 percent above current trends. However, achieving this potential will require a strong and coordinated programme of structural and policy… [Read More]

The World Bank Group has approved the first phase of the Cambodia Regional Connectivity Improvement (CRCI) Program with $150 million in financing as part of a broader $300 million initiative. The program aims to strengthen resilient transport infrastructure and logistics systems in Cambodia to improve trade, regional connectivity, and economic growth. The initiative focuses on… [Read More]

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved $250 million in financing for the Kinshasa Urban Transformation and Jobs Program, also known as “Kin la Belle.” The initiative aims to improve solid waste management in Kinshasa while creating inclusive job opportunities, particularly for youth and women. It forms part of a broader World Bank… [Read More]

The World Bank Group’s latest Commodity Markets Outlook projects a sharp rise in global energy prices due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Energy prices are expected to increase by 24% in 2026, reaching their highest level since the 2022 Russia–Ukraine war, while overall commodity prices are forecast to rise by 16% due… [Read More]

The World Bank Group has approved $200 million in financing for the Madagascar Multimodal Transport and Logistics Project to improve the country’s transport infrastructure and strengthen its resilience to climate shocks. The initiative focuses on enhancing connectivity, safety, and efficiency across key economic corridors that support trade, food supply chains, tourism, and exports, while addressing… [Read More]

A new partnership between the European Investment Fund (EIF) and national promotional institutions from Croatia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia has been announced to strengthen infrastructure investment across Central and Eastern Europe. The agreement was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding signed at the Three Seas Initiative Summit in Dubrovnik, with the aim of mobilising… [Read More]

The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide advisory support to Ukraine to help develop and prepare key infrastructure projects under the Ukraine FIRST initiative. This programme, jointly developed with the European Commission and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), aims to turn large-scale infrastructure plans into fully prepared, finance-ready projects that can be… [Read More]

The article follows Shihab Mohamedali, a Senior Programme Manager with Islamic Relief in Sudan, who was forced to flee Khartoum at the start of the ongoing conflict that has devastated the country. After three years of displacement, he is returning to the capital, reflecting on both the personal and collective losses experienced during the war… [Read More]

The Ontario government has launched a 30-day consultation to explore the potential sale and use of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. The proposal aims to expand access to more convenient and affordable hearing support for Ontarians with mild hearing loss as part of the province’s Health Innovation Pathway, which focuses on accelerating the adoption of new… [Read More]

The Ontario government has launched the Roadmap to Protecting Ontario’s Forest Sector, a 10-year strategy aimed at strengthening the province’s forestry industry, protecting jobs, and supporting communities that rely on the sector. The plan responds to growing global trade pressures and U.S. tariffs by improving competitiveness, expanding market access, and reinforcing Ontario’s position as a… [Read More]

The Ontario government has announced a $1.6 billion investment in 79 school construction projects across the province to expand and modernise educational infrastructure. The funding is aimed at supporting growing communities by creating more than 29,000 new student spaces and over 1,900 licensed child care spaces, ensuring students have access to updated learning environments that… [Read More]

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reported that it met or exceeded all statutory targets in 2025/26 to improve access to medicines and medical devices for UK patients, according to its latest Results and Forecast report published on 28 April. The agency continues to strengthen its role as a leading global regulator… [Read More]

The British Embassy Manila and the UK Mission to ASEAN, together with the Philippines’ Department of Education (DepEd), are strengthening their collaboration to promote equitable and evidence-based use of education technology (EdTech) in the Philippines. Supported by the UK government through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and implemented via EdTech Hub, the partnership aims… [Read More]

New findings from the Social Cohesion and Reconciliation Index (SCORE) were presented in Sarajevo, providing an evidence-based assessment of how people in Bosnia and Herzegovina live together, the level of trust among communities and institutions, and opportunities to strengthen future cooperation. SCORE is a research tool that measures social cohesion, trust, belonging, civic participation, and… [Read More]

A crowdfunding campaign led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine and the City of Yokohama in Japan has successfully funded a new playground for Kindergarten No. 141 in Odesa. The initiative restored a safe outdoor play space for children after the facility was damaged in a 2023 missile strike that forced the… [Read More]

Primary School No. 1 in Hostomel, Kyiv oblast, has reopened after a major EU-financed renovation supported through the European Investment Bank’s Ukraine Recovery Programme. The school was heavily damaged during Russia’s full-scale invasion, and the reconstruction marks an important step in restoring essential education infrastructure in a community that experienced some of the earliest and… [Read More]

Informal waste workers, often referred to as Safai Mitras, carry out essential work in collecting, sorting, and managing waste from streets, homes, and unregulated landfills, yet they do so under hazardous conditions. Their daily work exposes them to sharp materials, heavy loads, and harmful substances, while also placing them under significant mental and emotional stress… [Read More]

The Small Grants Programme of the Global Environment Facility, implemented by UNDP Moldova, has launched a new call for project proposals aimed at supporting civil society organizations working on environmental and climate challenges. The initiative focuses on delivering practical, community-level impact in areas on both banks of the Nistru River and requires applicants to work… [Read More]

Around the world, housing is being reimagined through circular design, low-carbon materials, modular systems, and climate-resilient architecture. These approaches aim to create homes that are more efficient, longer lasting, and better suited to increasingly uncertain environmental and social conditions. In Moldova and Ukraine, this shift is unfolding under urgent pressure from war, rising costs, and… [Read More]

Southern Water has pleaded guilty at Medway magistrates’ court to five pollution offences linked to repeated sewage and chemical discharges in north Kent between 2019 and 2021. The Environment Agency charged the company for releasing untreated sewage, sewage waste, debris and diesel into inland waterways and coastal waters, affecting areas including Swalecliffe Brook in Whitstable… [Read More]

New UK funding is set to strengthen climate resilience across Pacific Island communities that are increasingly exposed to rising sea levels, extreme storms and environmental degradation. The support aims to help countries prepare for climate shocks, protect ecosystems, and build long-term resilience through locally led and practical solutions developed in partnership with Pacific governments, regional… [Read More]

From migrant worker to farmer-entrepreneur, Fermin “Jhun” Bulala’s journey in Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, Philippines reflects how digital tools are reshaping rural livelihoods. Once struggling with pests, unpredictable weather, and limited market access for his dragon fruit harvest, he earned only modest returns from selling fresh produce in nearby Butuan City, making long-term business growth… [Read More]

The Rockefeller Foundation has launched the inaugural class of Africa Big Bets Fellows during its AfricaXchange convening in Nairobi, Kenya. The first cohort includes 10 changemakers from Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania, selected to lead innovative, community-driven solutions addressing key development challenges across the continent. The fellowship will run for five months… [Read More]