The Government of Japan has partnered with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to strengthen Timor-Leste’s national school feeding programme, signing an agreement that will help sustain daily meals for more than 100,000 schoolchildren in 2026. Japan’s contribution of USD 700,000 (JPY 100,000,000) will enable WFP to provide 330 metric tonnes of rice to… [Read More]
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India Powers Ahead: ADB’s $650 Million Boost to Light Up Millions of Homes with Rooftop Solar
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $650 million policy-based loan to support the Government of India in rapidly expanding rooftop solar adoption and providing clean, affordable electricity to 10 million households by 2027. The financing, part of Subprogram 1 of the Accelerating Affordable and Inclusive Rooftop Solar Systems Development Program, will advance the… [Read More]
ADB Approves $300 Million for Disaster-Resilient Road Development in Indonesia’s Southern Java
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $300 million loan to support the construction of approximately 72 kilometers of disaster-resilient roads along the southern coast of Java, Indonesia. The Trans South-South Java Road Project aims to significantly enhance connectivity, economic development, and climate resilience in rural regions of East Java Province. The project will… [Read More]
Empowering Kenya’s Youth for a Greener Future: AfDB Champions Green Skills Revolution
The African Development Bank is charting a new path for Kenya’s young people by supporting the development of green skills and sustainability-focused careers through its partnership with the Green Careers Caravan, an initiative led by Jacob’s Ladder Africa. The collaboration aims to inspire university students to pursue opportunities in the expanding green economy, covering sectors… [Read More]
AfDB Approves €25 Million Boost to Power SME Trade Growth in Cameroon
The African Development Bank Group has approved a €25 million trade finance facility to support Crédit Communautaire d’Afrique-Bank (CCA-Bank) in expanding its services to small and medium-sized enterprises and other businesses across Cameroon. The financing was endorsed during a Board session held on 1 December in Abidjan. The facility will operate as a Transaction Guarantee,… [Read More]
New York Launches $100 Million Construction Fund to Expand Child Care Access for Thousands of Families
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a $100 million Child Care Capital Construction Funding Program aimed at dramatically increasing access to high-quality child care across the state. The initiative will support the construction of new facilities and the expansion of existing programs, with the goal of creating between 6,000 and 10,000 additional child care… [Read More]
Beyond Equality: Why Disability Inclusion Is Essential to Women’s Rights
Disability inclusion and gender equality are deeply intertwined. Equal rights cannot truly be realized if women and girls with disabilities continue to be left out of advocacy, protections, or public policies meant to support them. A woman cannot be said to have full voting rights if mobility challenges prevent her from reaching a polling station…. [Read More]
From Trauma to Transformation: Women Leading the Fight Against Digital Violence in Latin America
Digital violence against women is escalating at an alarming pace across Latin America, and for women in public life—politicians, journalists, activists, and human rights defenders—online abuse has become more than harassment: it is a weapon that follows them offline. Threats begin with a message, a deepfake, or a doxing attack, but the consequences unfold in… [Read More]
Funding Opportunity: New Call to Boost HIV Treatment Access for Children in Five African Countries
Aidsfonds has launched an open call for proposals for the 2026–2028 period, inviting community-based organisations, NGOs, and medical institutions to implement evidence-based strategies that identify children and adolescents living with HIV (ages 0–14) and connect them to life-saving antiretroviral treatment and ongoing care in Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, and Nigeria. The initiative forms part… [Read More]
Global Climate Innovation Soars as Lab’s 2026 Call for Ideas Hits Record High
The Lab’s 2026 Call for Ideas has shattered previous records, attracting an unprecedented 1,171 applications—representing a remarkable 250% surge compared to 2025. With this year’s submissions, the Lab has now surpassed 3,000 applications reviewed since the program first began in 2015, underscoring a rapidly expanding global interest in climate finance innovation. During the initial stage… [Read More]
Domestic Solar Manufacturing Set for Significant Expansion
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced up to $151 million in conditional funding under the Australian Government’s $1 billion Solar Sunshot Program to establish a 500 MW per annum solar module manufacturing facility in the Hunter Valley, NSW. The Hunter Valley Solar Foundry, led by Sunman Group founder Dr Zhengrong Shi, will develop… [Read More]
Zambia and Zimbabwe Approve Lenacapavir Rapidly via WHO Collaborative Registration
The Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA) approved lenacapavir tablets and injectable formulations for HIV prevention on 4 November 2025, completing its review in just 12 working days. Zimbabwe’s Medicines Control Authority (MCAZ) followed soon after, finalizing its review in 18 working days. Both approvals were granted through the WHO Listed Authorities (WLA) Collaborative Registration Procedure… [Read More]
Horn of Africa Sees New Blue Economy Drive as AfDB and IGAD Partner
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), in partnership with the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), has launched a multinational initiative to accelerate coordinated blue economy development across the Horn of Africa. The project, called the Building Blue Economy Resilience and Prosperity in IGAD & the Horn of Africa (BE-Prosper), was officially approved during a three-day… [Read More]
African State-Owned Assets Set to Hit Record $1 Trillion Mark
African state-owned institutions are managing a record $1 trillion in assets, according to the latest report from sovereign fund tracker GlobalSWF. This growth reflects the continent’s increasing reliance on domestic investment amid reductions in concessional finance and foreign aid. Public pension funds, central banks, and sovereign wealth funds are playing a key role in mobilizing… [Read More]
Transforming African Agriculture: GAFSP and AfDB Lead on Food Security and Resilience
In Wa-Nanbongo, Ghana’s Northern Savannah Zone, women now access a solar-powered borehole that has transformed the community from a drought-stricken area into a productive agricultural hub. Previously, the 2024 dry spell scorched over 1.4 million hectares of crops, forcing families to ration meals and face soaring food prices. Today, farmers can irrigate fields, plant high-yield… [Read More]
ACE launches £2 million fund to support arts organisations previously funded through former NPO scheme
Arts Council England (ACE) has launched a new £2 million Theatre Breakthrough Fund to support Black, Asian, and ethnically diverse theatre makers in the North of England. The fund repurposes money previously allocated to Eclipse, a National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) that closed in November last year due to significant operational challenges and a period of… [Read More]
Streaming Services Face New Australian Content Regulations
The Australian Parliament has passed the Communications Legislation Amendment (Australian Content Requirement for Subscription Video On Demand Services) Bill, introducing new rules for streaming platforms. Streaming services with over one million Australian subscribers are now required to invest at least 10% of their total program expenditure for Australia—or 7.5% of their revenue—into producing new local… [Read More]
Innovations in HIV Prevention and Treatment Spotlighted on World AIDS Day
The global fight against HIV/Aids is at a critical juncture, marked by scientific progress but hindered by declining international funding and disrupted health services. An estimated 41 million people are living with HIV worldwide, with 1.3 million new infections reported last year and 9.2 million lacking access to life-saving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment. UNAIDS Executive Director… [Read More]
Boosting Victims’ Rights: Major Investment in Legal Aid to Improve Access to Justice
The UK Government has confirmed up to £92 million in additional annual funding for criminal legal aid solicitors, marking a significant investment aimed at addressing years of neglect in the legal aid sector. Announced by Courts Minister Sarah Sackman, this funding is intended to strengthen the justice system, ensuring victims and defendants have timely access… [Read More]
EU Invests €13.6 Million to Improve River Connectivity via Barrier Mitigation Programme
The Irish Government has announced a €13.6 million investment to support 103 projects across the country under the Barrier Mitigation Programme, led by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI). These projects aim to restore free-flowing rivers by addressing physical barriers such as dams and weirs that disrupt waterways, degrade river function, and hinder fish migration. The initiative… [Read More]
Obesity Now a Chronic Disease: WHO Supports Expanded Use of Weight-Loss Medications
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued new guidance on GLP-1 therapies, including liraglutide, semaglutide, and tirzepatide, providing conditional recommendations for their safe, long-term use as part of obesity treatment. These medicines mimic a natural hormone that regulates appetite, blood sugar, and digestion, helping people with obesity achieve significant weight loss and improve related health… [Read More]
UN Secretary-General Warns $1.6 Billion in Unpaid Dues as Financial Pressures Mount
The United Nations is confronting its most fragile cash position in years, as highlighted by Secretary-General António Guterres before the Fifth Committee. Despite deep reductions already factored into the 2026 budget, the UN faces an “unacceptable volume of arrears” from Member States. The organization ended 2024 with $760 million in unpaid assessments, and an additional… [Read More]
Reporting Under Fire: The Role of Journalism in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
At a forum held at UN Headquarters, the challenges of reporting from the Occupied Palestinian Territory were discussed, emphasizing the critical role of journalism amid conflict. Melissa Fleming, head of the UN Department of Global Communications, highlighted that reporting in Gaza and the West Bank has become both a battleground and a lifeline, underscoring the… [Read More]
