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A vaccine to protect newborns against Group B streptococcus (GBS) is moving closer to reality, with two leading vaccine candidates now in late-stage clinical development. Global health organizations are also working with countries to strengthen healthcare systems and prepare for the introduction of maternal GBS vaccination programs once a vaccine receives regulatory approval. Group B… [Read More]

Senegal’s state-owned electricity utility Senelec has listed CFA108 billion ($187 million) in sustainability-linked bonds on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (LuxSE), marking the company’s first international bond listing. The transaction is designed to expand Senelec’s access to global investors while supporting Senegal’s clean energy and sustainable development goals. The bond issuance has also been admitted to… [Read More]

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has extended a new €20 million ($22.7 million) credit facility to Bridge Bank Group Côte d’Ivoire, bringing its total financing commitment to the bank to more than $100 million over the past five years. The funding is intended to expand lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) while improving access… [Read More]

AFG Bank is in discussions to provide up to $40 million in financing for the Kobada Gold Mine in Mali, a move that would help complete the funding package for the project. The proposed senior secured debt facility would support Australian mining company Toubani Resources as it advances the mine toward production, with first gold… [Read More]

Tanzanian billionaire Mohammed Dewji has announced plans to expand graphite processing in Tanzania, with his company MeTL Group targeting a $250 million investment in battery-grade graphite production. The initiative aims to strengthen local mineral processing and position Tanzania as a key supplier in the global electric vehicle battery supply chain. The company plans to commission… [Read More]

Fortuna Mining is evaluating a proposed $100 million expansion of its Séguéla Gold Mine in Côte d’Ivoire, aiming to increase processing capacity and boost gold production. The project is currently under review and remains subject to a final investment decision, financing, and regulatory approvals. According to the company’s feasibility study, the proposed investment would raise… [Read More]

The Government of Guinea and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) have officially launched the Programme for Country Partnership (PCP) 2026–2030, marking a major step toward advancing sustainable industrial development, economic diversification, and job creation in the country. The agreement was signed during a high-level ceremony held in Conakry on 30 June 2026, bringing… [Read More]

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Government of Japan, and the Government of Ukraine have reinforced their partnership to support Ukraine’s industrial recovery during the second Tripartite Industrial Policy Dialogue, held online on 9 July 2026. The meeting brought together representatives from UNIDO, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and Ukraine’s… [Read More]

West Africa is strengthening regional cooperation through hydro-diplomacy as governments and regional organizations work to address growing challenges related to water security, climate change, and the sustainable management of shared water resources. Experts say stronger cooperation across transboundary river basins will be essential to meeting rising water demand while preventing resource-related tensions. The region is… [Read More]

Cambodia has taken a major step toward strengthening workplace safety by advancing its first comprehensive Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Law, marking an important milestone in the country’s efforts to improve working conditions and align with international labour standards. The latest round of tripartite consultations was held in Phnom Penh on 8 July 2026, organized… [Read More]

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched a new training programme to help companies in Thailand’s automotive and electronics industries strengthen human rights due diligence (HRDD) through improved workplace dialogue and cooperation. Implemented under the ILO’s Advancing Responsible Supply Chains and Decent Work in Asia (RSC) project with support from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade… [Read More]

Civil society organizations from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand have strengthened regional cooperation to improve protection for women migrant workers and children, addressing persistent gaps in support that often arise as migrants move across national borders. The collaboration was reinforced during the PROTECT Regional Civil Society Forum, held in Jakarta, Indonesia, where nearly 50 representatives… [Read More]

The Government of Japan has contributed USD 1 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to provide life-saving food assistance to approximately 59,000 vulnerable people affected by the recent escalation of conflict in Lebanon. The funding will enable WFP to deliver in-kind food assistance to families facing displacement, economic hardship, and ongoing insecurity…. [Read More]

The United Nations has introduced Minimum Standards and Guidance on Disability Inclusion Mainstreaming in United Nations Joint Programmes to help ensure that persons with disabilities are fully included in sustainable development initiatives implemented by UN country teams. Developed by the Joint SDG Fund in collaboration with the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, the new standards… [Read More]

A coalition of humanitarian and human rights organizations has called on European Union (EU) member states to strengthen protections for people fleeing Ukraine, warning that proposed changes to the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) could leave thousands without adequate legal safeguards. The appeal follows the European Commission’s proposal to extend temporary protection for people displaced by… [Read More]

A sharp increase in chickenpox cases is spreading across displacement sites in Gaza, with humanitarian organizations warning that overcrowding, damaged infrastructure, and severe shortages of clean water, hygiene supplies, and medical resources are accelerating the outbreak. According to the United Nations and its health partners, more than 9,300 chickenpox cases have been reported over the… [Read More]

Amnesty International has welcomed new recommendations from the European Union’s Special Panel on Child Safety Online, which call for stronger action to address the harmful design of social media platforms rather than imposing blanket bans on teenagers’ access to social media. Responding to the report, Lisa Dittmer, Amnesty International’s Researcher and Adviser on Children’s and… [Read More]

Amnesty International has called on European Union (EU) member states to take unilateral action after the bloc failed to suspend its Association Agreement with Israel during the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 13 July. In a statement, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns, criticized what the organization described as… [Read More]

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has introduced faster and more flexible crisis response measures to help countries across Asia and the Pacific manage rising energy and food prices while strengthening resilience against future economic shocks. The initiative comes as ongoing instability linked to the Middle East conflict continues to increase fuel costs, food prices, borrowing… [Read More]

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially validated El Salvador as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, making it the first country in Central America and the second in the Americas to achieve this milestone. Trachoma is the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness and is closely linked to poverty, poor sanitation, and… [Read More]

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Technical Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of Women of Central America and the Dominican Republic (STM-COMMCA) have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen regional cooperation aimed at improving the health and well-being of women, adolescents, and girls across Central America and the Dominican Republic. The… [Read More]

San Francisco-based robotics startup Physical Intelligence is reportedly in discussions to raise around $1 billion in new funding, a move that could push the company’s valuation above $11 billion and highlight growing investor confidence in artificial intelligence-powered robotics. Founded by Karol Hausman, Sergey Levine, and Chelsea Finn, Physical Intelligence is developing advanced AI systems designed… [Read More]

Community groups, local governments, and organisations across Western Australia can now apply for more than $142,000 in funding to deliver free events celebrating and empowering young people during Youth Week WA 2027. The grants programme will support activities taking place from 16 to 23 April 2027, giving young people opportunities to share their ideas, showcase… [Read More]