Kenya’s President William Ruto called for reforms to the United Nations Security Council, demanding at least two permanent African seats with full voting rights, including the power to veto, as well as two additional non-permanent seats. Speaking at the UN’s annual high-level debate, Ruto emphasized that Africa contributes significantly to the Security Council’s agenda, provides… [Read More]
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Global Shipping Faces ‘Stormy Seas’ as Trade Slows and Costs Surge
Global seaborne trade volumes are projected to increase by just 0.5 per cent in 2025, marking the slowest growth in years, according to UNCTAD’s Review of Maritime Transport 2025, launched in Geneva. This slowdown reflects the impact of geopolitical tensions, new trade barriers, and climate pressures, which are reshaping shipping routes, increasing costs, and exposing… [Read More]
UNGA Hosts First-Ever Development Finance Summit to Accelerate SDGs
The United Nations hosted its first-ever Biennial Development Finance Summit, marking a historic step in global efforts to accelerate progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that the summit is unprecedented, highlighting its significance as more than just a regular meeting. The summit was attended by top political leaders,… [Read More]
WFP and Qatar Sign $10 Million Funding Agreement to Combat Global Hunger
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) have signed a strategic agreement providing US$10 million in flexible funding over two years to deliver rapid, lifesaving assistance wherever hunger strikes, from sudden emergencies to protracted crises worldwide. Signed during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, this… [Read More]
ADB Launches First Health Initiative to Strengthen Turkmenistan’s Healthcare System
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $75 million equivalent loan and a $2 million grant from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR) to enhance the quantity and quality of nurses and midwives in Turkmenistan. The Improving Nursing Quality and Capacity Project marks ADB’s first health sector initiative… [Read More]
Asian Development Bank Launches Housing Finance Program to Support Ethnic Armenian Refugees
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $250 million results-based loan to support Armenia’s social housing policy, provide long-term housing for ethnic Armenian refugees, and improve the country’s social and economic conditions. The Transformative Housing Reforms for Improved Vitality and Empowerment (THRIVE) Program will address the sustainable housing needs of approximately 109,000 refugees who… [Read More]
African Development Bank Provides €30 Million to Bridge Bank Côte d’Ivoire to Empower Women Entrepreneurs
The African Development Bank Group and Bridge Bank Group Côte d’Ivoire have signed an agreement to establish a €30 million financing facility aimed at supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Côte d’Ivoire, with a particular emphasis on women-led businesses. This facility is designed to provide Bridge Bank Group Côte d’Ivoire with the financial resources… [Read More]
NDF Invests $10.5 Million to Expand Clean Energy Access in Africa’s Remote Regions
Acumen, in partnership with the Nordic Development Fund (NDF), has officially launched the fully operational Hardest-to-Reach Initiative (H2R), a pioneering effort to expand clean energy access in underserved communities across Sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative leverages blended finance to address energy poverty, focusing on regions where traditional capital has historically failed to reach. NDF is contributing… [Read More]
Global Fund Secures Over $1 Billion in Private Sector Pledges at UNGA Sidelines
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced private sector pledges totaling more than US$1 billion this past week, marking a significant milestone in its Eighth Replenishment. These contributions highlight the essential role of private sector partners in advancing global health innovation, equity, and resilience. The pledges, unveiled at the Global Fund’s Eighth… [Read More]
CIFF Pledges Additional $50 Million to Global Fund to Expand TB Diagnosis Worldwide
The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) has announced a US$50 million commitment to accelerate the rollout of innovative tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics, marking the Foundation’s first-ever investment in TB. Building on its experience in HIV diagnostic innovation, CIFF aims to improve access to life-saving technologies and promote integration across health systems and related disease areas. This… [Read More]
IOM and KSrelief Launch $4.45 Million Projects to Enhance Water and Education in Yemen
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) has partnered with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to launch two major humanitarian projects in Yemen, totaling USD 4.45 million. These initiatives aim to expand access to clean water and improve education services for communities affected by ongoing crises, reflecting KSrelief’s commitment to alleviating the… [Read More]
AfDB President Sidi Ould Tah Calls for Increased Financing and Partnerships at UNGA80 to Drive Africa’s Development
African Development Bank Group President Sidi Ould Tah attended the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) to advocate for Africa’s development priorities and mobilize support for the upcoming replenishment of the African Development Fund, the Bank’s concessional lending arm. His agenda focused on key areas including financing, resource mobilization, climate change, African financial architecture, concessional… [Read More]
African Development Bank Issues USD 500 Million Hybrid Capital Perpetual NC10 Bond
The African Development Bank (AfDB), rated Aaa/AAA/AAA, has successfully launched and priced its second hybrid capital transaction, raising USD 500 million through perpetual subordinated hybrid capital notes. The instrument carries an annual coupon of 5.875% until August 2035, with a first call option after 10 years at the Bank’s discretion. This achievement underscores AfDB’s leadership… [Read More]
UNEP Young Champions of the Earth Prize Honors Three Inspiring Entrepreneurs
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with American cleantech CEO Chris Kemper, has announced the 2025 Young Champions of the Earth. Three environmental entrepreneurs from India, Kenya, and the United States have been recognized for their innovative contributions toward advancing a circular economy and addressing urgent environmental challenges. Their solutions tackle issues such as… [Read More]
Poverty in Kenya: Understanding Root Causes, Lasting Impacts, and Local Solutions
Poverty in Kenya remains a pressing issue in 2025, with millions of people still unable to meet their daily needs despite steady economic growth. Families across the country face hardships such as food insecurity, inadequate healthcare, and limited access to education. The challenge is especially acute in rural areas and marginalized regions, where poverty rates… [Read More]
Rockefeller Foundation Backs Global Call to Integrate Regenerative School Meals into Climate Policies
The governments of Brazil, France, and Somalia, along with the World Food Program, The Rockefeller Foundation, and The Global Partnership for Education, have issued a joint call urging countries to integrate resilient and regenerative school meals into national climate policies. This appeal was launched during a high-level discussion hosted by The Rockefeller Foundation on the… [Read More]
When Survival Is at Stake: How Bread and Water for Africa® Provides Urgent Relief
Across Africa, countless children are struggling to survive under extremely harsh conditions in countries such as Ethiopia, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, and in refugee camps in Kenya. They lack the most basic necessities of life—food, clean water, and medicine—leaving them in a constant fight for survival. Currently, more than 92 million children in… [Read More]
The Lab Launches 2026 Call for Ideas to Accelerate 8 Innovative Climate Finance Vehicles
The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (the Lab) has opened its 2026 Call for Ideas, aiming to identify and accelerate eight innovative solutions that can unlock private climate investment in emerging markets. This cycle emphasizes regional programs tailored to address specific financial and climate challenges across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Brazil, India, Latin America and the… [Read More]
IOC and UNDP Seek Partnerships to Protect and Sustain the Sargasso Sea
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched a joint Call for Partnerships to advance the project “Strengthening stewardship through cooperation in an economically and biologically significant high seas area – the Sargasso Sea.” The initiative aims to provide scientific and technical expertise to support governance and… [Read More]
San Salvador Champions Integration of Living Heritage in Urban Planning
Government officials from national and municipal institutions in El Salvador took part in a three-day training session aimed at strengthening the integration of intangible cultural heritage into urban development. Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Housing, Directorate of Territorial Planning, CORSATUR, the Planning Authority for the Historic Center of San Salvador,… [Read More]
Trump’s H1-B Visa Fee Hike Announcement Sparks Confusion Among Indian Applicants
The cost of applying for a new H-1B visa has now risen to $100,000, sparking widespread confusion and concern in India, where the visa is most heavily used by professionals in the U.S. technology sector. Reports of the fee hike led to panic among some passengers traveling from San Francisco to India, with videos showing… [Read More]
Viet Nam and UN Reinforce Partnership to Accelerate Climate Action
The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and three United Nations agencies — WHO, UNDP, and UNICEF — held a consultation workshop in Ha Noi to strengthen the integration of health into Viet Nam’s national climate change response. The event supports the preparation of Viet Nam’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) report… [Read More]
Asia-Pacific Biodiversity Finance Dialogue: Over 40 Countries Explore Innovative Conservation Solutions
More than 120 biodiversity finance experts and government representatives from Europe, Asia, and the Pacific convened in Da Nang for one of the region’s largest exchanges on biodiversity finance. Organized by UNDP’s Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) and the Government of Viet Nam, the Eurasia-Pacific Regional Dialogue brought together over 40 countries to explore investment-ready solutions… [Read More]
