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Continued strikes, shelling, and gunfire in residential areas of Gaza have raised serious concerns over civilian safety, according to the UN relief coordination office, OCHA. The warning follows reports that children were killed in northern Gaza after a civilian tent shelter was struck. The agency reiterated that under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure… [Read More]

The African Development Fund has approved a $24.5 million grant for São Tomé and Príncipe as part of a broader $30 million investment aimed at transforming the country’s energy sector. The funding will support the Energy Transition, Efficiency, and Expansion Project (ETREEP), which seeks to reduce reliance on expensive imported diesel and accelerate the shift… [Read More]

The African Development Bank Group has approved a $25 million grant for Zimbabwe to support rural communities severely affected by climate change. The funding will be used to strengthen food security, revitalise smallholder agriculture, improve grazing systems, and develop water resources, while also encouraging private sector participation in climate-resilient agriculture. The initiative, funded through the… [Read More]

Measles cases have risen by more than 25% in conflict-affected countries, driven by weakened health systems, attacks on healthcare infrastructure, reduced international aid, and growing vaccine misinformation. According to analysis of WHO data by Save the Children, these fragile settings continue to experience disproportionate disease outbreaks as immunisation programmes struggle to function effectively amid instability…. [Read More]

Namaa Charity, affiliated with the Social Reform Society in Kuwait, has announced a major humanitarian initiative to improve access to clean water in India and Chad, benefiting more than 13,000 people in total. The projects focus on drilling semi-artesian wells in India and artesian wells in Chad, alongside urgent relief assistance for Sudanese refugees. In… [Read More]

The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and a wide network of national and international partners, is advancing a government-led initiative in Indonesia to strengthen climate mobility data through the development of the Risk Index for Climate Displacement (RICD). The partnership also includes the Ministry of Environment… [Read More]

UNDP has signed a Joint Statement of Intent with the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) and the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), both part of the Islamic Development Bank Group, to establish a new blended finance structure aimed at accelerating private investment in climate-smart… [Read More]

The European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Defence Agency (EDA) have signed a new Implementing Arrangement to jointly assess Europe’s Earth observation capabilities and develop a long-term roadmap to strengthen security and defence readiness. The agreement, signed in Brussels on 22 April, establishes a structured collaboration to identify technological gaps, evaluate future operational needs,… [Read More]

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, and the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien TD, have announced €10 million in funding for two new bioeconomy demonstration projects under the EU Just Transition Fund Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative. The programme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the… [Read More]

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has launched the first Asia-Pacific Food Forum (APFF) in Brunei Darussalam to accelerate the transformation of agriculture and food systems across the region. The forum brings together ministers, experts, businesses, farmers, and youth to explore ways to boost investment, strengthen innovation, and expand opportunities in the… [Read More]

The World Health Organization (WHO) has congratulated The Bahamas for achieving a major public health milestone by becoming the latest Caribbean nation certified as having eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The announcement marks a significant step forward in the country’s long-term efforts to protect maternal and child health and reflects sustained political commitment and strong… [Read More]

Zambia has officially launched the WHO STEPwise Approach to NCD Risk Factor Surveillance (STEPS) survey, a nationwide study aimed at generating reliable data to strengthen the country’s response to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The launch, led by the Minister of Health Dr Alex Katakwe, marks a key step in improving evidence-based health planning and prevention strategies… [Read More]

In Niamey, Niger, a new generation of health professionals is being trained through Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (EmONC) simulation, helping them master life-saving skills before working with real patients. At the Faculty of Health Sciences of Abdou Moumouni University, residents like Dr Amina Garba Amadou are using neonatal mannequins to repeatedly practice critical procedures,… [Read More]

Malawi has launched its second AVoHC–SURGE training cohort in Lilongwe to strengthen national capacity for responding to public health emergencies, with support from the Pandemic Fund, the World Bank’s HEPRR initiative, and the World Health Organization. The programme aims to build a skilled, coordinated, and rapidly deployable workforce capable of responding to increasingly complex health… [Read More]

At the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo, the EU-funded STOSAR II project took centre stage through a high-level policy dialogue focused on strengthening Zimbabwe’s agricultural competitiveness by linking data systems directly to market opportunities. The event, convened by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development together with FAO, the EU, and… [Read More]

Central Asia is accelerating efforts to unlock climate investment by building stronger regional cooperation and structured financing pathways. At a Ministerial Roundtable held during the Regional Environmental Summit, governments, international financial institutions, and climate funds came together with support from the Green Climate Fund and the United Nations Development Programme to explore practical solutions for… [Read More]

Nature and business are deeply interconnected, with financial systems both dependent on and influencing biodiversity. As highlighted in recent assessments by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), nature is effectively the “life support system of our economies,” yet this foundation is rapidly weakening as multiple planetary boundaries have already been exceeded…. [Read More]

The International Labour Organization (ILO) and partner UN agencies are scaling up efforts to strengthen social protection systems across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in response to rising challenges such as conflict, displacement, economic instability, and climate-related shocks. The initiative focuses on helping governments build more connected and responsive systems that can… [Read More]

In Southern Libya, women entrepreneurs are emerging as key drivers of peacebuilding and economic recovery, despite facing long-standing barriers such as limited access to finance, high unemployment, and entrenched social stereotypes. Supported through a UN Peacebuilding Fund initiative, these women are using vocational training and small business creation not only to improve their livelihoods but… [Read More]

Ports, which handle more than 80% of global trade by volume, are under increasing pressure to decarbonise while maintaining efficiency and keeping international supply chains running smoothly. This dual challenge is becoming more urgent as global trade faces renewed instability and disruptions across key maritime chokepoints. Recent tensions in strategic routes such as the Strait… [Read More]

A new study has revealed how a Ugandan cave known for hosting Egyptian fruit bats—natural carriers of the deadly Marburg virus—also attracts a wide range of wildlife and human visitors, creating a rare but concerning environment where disease spillover could occur. The cave, located in Queen Elizabeth National Park, has become a focal point for… [Read More]

As World Malaria Day (25 April) is observed, Africa stands at a critical turning point in its public health journey. While the continent has achieved significant progress over the past two decades—including rising life expectancy and a sharp reduction in under-five mortality—these gains are now slowing, and in some areas reversing. The current situation highlights… [Read More]

The European Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group have announced a new financing package of over €600 million to support urgent reconstruction and recovery efforts in Ukraine. The initiative combines more than €450 million in EIB-backed financing, enabled through an extended EU guarantee, along with around €150 million in EU grants and technical… [Read More]