The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture, has launched the Event Mobile Application Plus (EMA-i+), a digital tool designed to transform animal disease reporting and early warning in the country. EMA-i+ enables veterinary officers, community animal health workers, fisheries, bee health, and wildlife… [Read More]
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Zimbabwe Boosts Local Capacity for Digital Surveillance of Key Quarantine Pests
Zimbabwe is hosting a major training workshop this week aimed at strengthening local capacity for digital surveillance of key quarantine pests. The workshop brings together over 50 national surveillance technicians to receive hands-on training in pest identification, mobile data collection, and geospatial mapping. Organized under the Africa Phytosanitary Programme (APP), in collaboration with the International… [Read More]
Donors Roundtable Strengthens Regional Coordination to Combat IUU Fishing in West Africa
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with ECOWAS, the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), and the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission (SRFC), convened a Donors Roundtable from 23 to 24 September 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria. The event aimed to mobilize support for the implementation of the… [Read More]
Floods Escalate in South Sudan, Triggering Growing Climate Security Concerns
Catastrophic flooding in Panyijiar County, South Sudan, has displaced more than 100,000 people, including 45,000 children and 26,000 women, submerging homes and livelihoods. County Commissioner Hon. Gabriel Majok has expressed grave concern over the dire situation, highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian assistance as communities struggle to survive. The crisis in Panyijiar represents not only… [Read More]
Sex, Satisfaction, and Switching: Unanswered Questions in Contraceptive Research
This World Contraception Day, Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, The Pleasure Project, and the UN’s Special Programme in Human Reproduction (HRP) launched a groundbreaking systematic review on sexual well-being and contraceptive use. Published in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters (SRHM) Journal, the study is the first of its kind to explore how sexual pleasure,… [Read More]
Scaling Up Respiratory Virus Monitoring in Guyana: A Public Health Milestone
In a major step to strengthen national health security, Guyana’s Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), has significantly expanded its sentinel surveillance system for respiratory viruses. Launched in April 2023, this initiative enhances the country’s capacity to detect, monitor, and respond to influenza and other respiratory threats, marking a… [Read More]
EU Reaches Deal on Water Pollution While Existing Protections Face Cuts
After nearly three years of negotiations, the EU institutions have reached an agreement on updated water pollution rules, marking a significant step forward in regulating pollutants in surface and groundwater. The new standards require Member States to monitor and limit pollution from a wider range of substances, including more pesticides such as glyphosate, a group… [Read More]
EU Increases Humanitarian Aid to Yemen Amid Escalating Crisis
The European Commission has announced an additional €40 million in humanitarian aid to respond to Yemen’s worsening crisis and avert famine. With this new allocation, EU humanitarian support for Yemen reaches €120 million in 2025 and nearly €1 billion since 2015. The country continues to face devastating consequences from years of war, economic collapse, and… [Read More]
EU Provides Additional €50 Million in Emergency Humanitarian Aid to Palestine
The European Commission has announced an additional €50 million in humanitarian aid to respond to the worsening crisis in Gaza and the West Bank. This latest funding brings the EU’s total emergency humanitarian support in 2025 to €220 million and to more than €550 million since 2023. The aid comes as conditions in Gaza deteriorate… [Read More]
Palestine’s Local Businesses to Benefit from €400M EIB and European Commission Support
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Commission have signed a €400 million financing facility with the Palestine Monetary Authority to strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian private sector. Announced at the UN General Assembly in New York, the initiative will improve access to affordable financing for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and… [Read More]
EBRD and EU Invest Over €2 Million to Boost Green Innovation in Ukraine
Kyiv recently hosted the Final Award Ceremony of the “Climate Innovation Vouchers” project, marking a significant milestone in Ukraine’s cleantech development. Eleven Ukrainian companies were announced as winners of the fourth wave of the final phase, securing a total of €384,241 to further their climate-friendly innovations. Often called Ukraine’s “climate Oscars,” the initiative is the… [Read More]
Sustainable Development in the Age of AI: Opportunities and Challenges
The UNDP Human Development Report 2025 poses a pressing question: Are we entering an AI-powered renaissance that advances human development, or are we headed toward a future of inequality and reduced freedoms? This dilemma reflects the growing influence of artificial intelligence, which is shifting rapidly from theoretical promise to a practical tool shaping global development…. [Read More]
UK Approves Direct Funding to Africa CDC After Successful Due Diligence Review
The timbuktoo MineTech Accelerator Programme has successfully concluded after an intensive five-week hybrid bootcamp and dynamic pitch sessions before an audience of investors and venture capitalists. From over 350 applications, ten startups were initially selected, with five emerging as winners of critical seed financing. These five startups will now enter a three-month incubation programme designed… [Read More]
UK Approves Direct Funding to Africa CDC After Successful Due Diligence Review
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has reached a historic milestone with the United Kingdom formally approving direct funding following nearly a year-long Due Diligence Assessment. This approval signals renewed confidence in Africa CDC’s strengthened fiduciary and governance systems and marks a new era of direct collaboration between the UK and… [Read More]
Community Project Funding Workshop Helps Local Initiatives Secure Support
Armidale Regional Council is inviting individuals, community groups, clubs, and organisations to participate in a free community grant writing workshop designed to help secure funding for local projects. The workshop, open to anyone in the region interested in developing their ideas into funded initiatives, aims to equip participants with practical skills and confidence in the… [Read More]
Financial Institutions Must Stay Committed to Net Zero Goals
As climate impacts intensify, disrupting economies, communities, and value chains, financial institutions appear to be hesitating. Instead of accelerating climate action, many banks and asset managers are retreating from net zero commitments, while key industry alliances are weakening. Despite the changing political and regulatory landscape, the scientific imperative to limit global warming to 1.5°C and… [Read More]
Sahel Nations’ ICC Withdrawal Threatens Civilian Protection, Experts Warn
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have announced their intention to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), a move that Human Rights Watch warns will jeopardize access to justice for victims of atrocity crimes and put civilians at greater risk. The announcement, made by the military leaders of the three Sahel countries on September 22,… [Read More]
EU-Vietnam Trade Deal Criticized for Weak Human Rights Enforcement
European Union Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič’s visit to Vietnam this week comes amid growing concerns over the country’s violations of the 2020 EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and its unfulfilled commitments to human and labor rights. Human Rights Watch and other organizations had warned EU officials prior to the EVFTA’s ratification that Vietnam’s rights record… [Read More]
Cambodia Microfinance Practices Threaten Indigenous Communities, Report Finds
A recent Human Rights Watch report highlights that Cambodian microfinance institutions (MFIs), backed by international investors, have been aggressively lending to Indigenous communities, using the value of their land as collateral. These predatory lending practices have resulted in coerced land sales, over-indebtedness, debt-driven suicides, and severe violations of the economic, cultural, and social rights of… [Read More]
Brazil’s Catalytic Pledge Sparks WWF Call for Global Investments in TFFF
WWF has praised the Government of Brazil for its landmark US$1 billion investment in the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), announced as a transformative step for nature and climate finance. Brazil’s commitment is notable for broadening the investor base to include governments that were historically aid recipients, alongside traditional donor countries and private investors. WWF… [Read More]
IKEA and WWF Extend 23-Year Collaboration for Environmental Conservation
WWF and IKEA have renewed their global partnership for another five years, building on more than two decades of collaboration aimed at protecting natural resources and transforming business practices. Since 2002, the partnership has demonstrated that working with businesses can drive meaningful global change, delivering measurable benefits for both people and the planet. Over the… [Read More]
The Road Safety Trust Opens New Funding Round to Support Global Traffic Safety Initiatives
The Road Safety Trust has officially launched its Autumn 2025 Small Grants programme, offering funding for initiatives aimed at improving road safety across the UK. Grants ranging from £10,000 to £50,000 will support practical research projects and interventions designed to reduce harm on UK roads. This year, the Trust has introduced a new two-stage application… [Read More]
Nigeria Hosts FAO Hand-in-Hand Forum to Boost Agricultural Transformation in West Africa and the Sahel
The Government of Nigeria hosted a high-level National and Subregional investment forum from 16 to 18 September 2025 in Abuja, focusing on unlocking investment opportunities in irrigation and agricultural value chains across West Africa and the Sahel. Convened under the Hand-in-Hand (HiH) Initiative and organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations… [Read More]
