On the night of 29–30 July, a powerful undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 struck off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. It was the strongest earthquake recorded globally since the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake in Japan and ranks among the ten most powerful since 1900. Within just ten minutes of the quake, UNESCO’s Pacific… [Read More]
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African Development Bank Backs Rural Youth Entrepreneurship in Burkina Faso
On July 15, 2025, the African Development Bank and the Government of Burkina Faso officially launched the third phase of the incubator program under the Support Project for Youth Employment and Skills Development in Rural Areas (PADEJ-MR) in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. The PADEJ-MR initiative aims to address rural unemployment and underemployment by… [Read More]
Africa Gears Up for Climate Action at ClimDev-Africa Phase II Planning Workshop
The ClimDev-Africa Phase II Planning Workshop is being jointly organized by the African Union Commission, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and the African Development Bank from 30 July to 1 August 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya. The event brings together technical experts, regional stakeholders, and core institutional partners to advance Africa’s climate resilience… [Read More]
African Development Bank Backs Chad’s New Circular Economy Strategy
Chad has officially joined Africa’s circular economy movement with the launch of its national Circular Economy Roadmap 2025–2035, supported by the African Development Bank’s Circular Economy Facility (ACEF). This roadmap aligns with the country’s “Vision 2030” development plan and aims to shift the national growth model from linear consumption to circular practices that enhance sustainability… [Read More]
Burkina Faso Advised to Better Utilize Domestic Resources for Development – 2025 Focus Report
The African Development Bank officially launched its 2025 Country Focus Report for Burkina Faso on 18 July 2025 in Ouagadougou. The report is the national edition of the African Economic Outlook and was unveiled during a virtual session attended by over 80 participants, including representatives from public administration, financial and technical partners, academia, the private… [Read More]
Serbia Partners with World Bank to Enhance Primary Education and Modernize Curriculum
The World Bank’s Board of Directors has approved a €66.3 million (approximately $75 million) loan to support Serbia’s ongoing educational reforms through the Inclusive Primary Education Improvement Project. This initiative aims to enhance learning environments for primary school children across the country. The project is expected to benefit around 250,000 primary-level students, including those from… [Read More]
JRS Builds Indigenous Partnerships to Boost Community Support in Kenya and D.R. Congo
Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) has initiated two new grants—EarthAcre and Wild Earth Allies—to support biodiversity informatics and conservation through Indigenous partnerships in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). These projects aim to enhance biodiversity data collection and research skills by integrating Indigenous ecological knowledge and practices into formal conservation efforts. In Kenya, EarthAcre… [Read More]
Romanian Youth Mental Health Boosted by UNICEF and Spotify Audio Collaboration
UNICEF has launched a Romanian-language version of its mental health podcast On My Mind on Spotify, aimed at supporting the emotional well-being of young people in Romania. The podcast features eight freely accessible episodes that provide practical exercises and information to help youth manage their mental health. The content was co-created with local young people… [Read More]
Morocco Proposes International Fund to Boost Africa’s Food Security
At the second stocktaking moment of the UN Food Systems Summit in Addis Ababa, Morocco called for the creation of an international fund to enhance food security in Africa. The proposed fund aims to bolster the continent’s food sovereignty and long-term resilience in the face of growing global food challenges. Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture, Ahmed… [Read More]
$8.7 Million in CDBG Grants Announced by Commerce to Support Local Development
The Kansas Department of Commerce has announced that over $8.7 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding has been awarded to support 16 community projects across the state. These projects aim to enhance public infrastructure and improve the quality of life in rural and low-to-moderate-income areas. The total federal funding of $8,749,350 is supplemented… [Read More]
Pakistan Signs WHO Agreement to Boost Childhood Cancer Survival Rates to 60% by 2030
Pakistan has officially joined the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines, becoming the second country in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to take part in this initiative. The program, co-founded by the World Health Organization (WHO) and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, aims to improve access to quality-assured cancer medications for children in low-… [Read More]
Tanzania Secures $25M Grant to Strengthen Pandemic Preparedness and Health Systems
The United Republic of Tanzania has secured a US$25 million grant from the Pandemic Fund to bolster its national health security and pandemic preparedness. This core funding is further supported by US$7 million in co-investment and US$6.7 million in co-financing, reflecting strong technical and financial partnerships dedicated to strengthening the country’s public health systems. The… [Read More]
Tanzania to Roll Out WHO’s “Beat the Heat” Initiative to Tackle Extreme Heat and Health Risks
The United Republic of Tanzania, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), is set to implement the “Beat the Heat” Initiative to address the growing risks of extreme heat and environmental hazards. This effort focuses particularly on protecting health in workplaces and during large-scale public events. Tanzania is one of the first countries globally… [Read More]
$260 Million Investment by Ontario to Boost Worker Protection and Training
The Ontario government has launched the sixth round of the Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream, allocating $260 million to support projects that hire, train, and upskill workers across sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, construction, and automotive trades. This initiative is part of a broader $2.5 billion provincial investment aimed at equipping workers with skills… [Read More]
Louisville Organizations Awarded Millions to Fight Homelessness
A coalition in Louisville has announced the allocation of significant funding aimed at addressing the growing crisis of family homelessness in the city. The funds will be used to support a range of services including rapid rehousing, expansion of family shelters, transitional housing, case management, and assistance with housing barriers for unhoused families. Due to… [Read More]
Austin Community Foundation Grants $2.3 Million to 99 Central Texas Nonprofits
The Austin Community Foundation (ACF) has announced the distribution of $2.3 million in grant funding from its Forever Austin Fund to 99 nonprofit organizations throughout Central Texas. This funding aims to support a broad spectrum of community needs, chosen from over 530 submitted proposals. The selected nonprofits represent a wide range of organizational sizes, geographic… [Read More]
IFAD and East African Development Bank Join Forces for Rural Growth
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the East Africa Development Bank (EADB) have signed a cofinancing agreement aimed at expanding their impact through joint investment in rural development and food systems transformation across East Africa. The agreement was formalized during the UN Food Systems Summit +4 Stocktake held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This… [Read More]
Ethiopia: IFAD to Support 5 Million Rural Residents in Strengthening Climate Resilience
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of Ethiopia have signed a financing agreement to launch Phase II of the Lowlands Livelihood Resilience Project (LLRP II). With total funding of US$424 million, this phase aims to support three million livestock herders in Ethiopia’s drought-prone lowlands to adapt to climate change, while indirectly… [Read More]
Empowering African Mothers: HIV Prevention at the Start of Life
Each year, Pan-African Women’s Day highlights the resilience and leadership of African women. Despite these celebrations, many pregnant and breastfeeding women remain underserved in HIV prevention efforts. These women play a central role in community wellbeing and intergenerational health, yet face systemic neglect in health systems. In 2025, the theme “Advancing Social and Economic Justice… [Read More]
Somalia Pledges to Enhance AfDB Project Delivery and Portfolio Performance
The Government of Somalia is prioritizing capacity building in procurement, financial management, disbursement, and anti-corruption to improve the performance of African Development Bank-funded projects. This initiative aims to strengthen the effectiveness of implementing agencies and increase disbursement rates across the country’s development portfolio. The 2025 Somalia Country Portfolio Performance Review was held over a week… [Read More]
AfDB and ESAAMLG Launch Project to Fight Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing in Africa
The African Development Bank Group and the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) officially launched a three-year regional support project on 25 July to strengthen efforts against money laundering and terrorism financing. Titled the “Regional Capacity Development Project for ESAAMLG on Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism,” the initiative aims to… [Read More]
African Development Bank and ESAAMLG Partner to Combat Illicit Financial Flows in Africa
The African Development Bank Group and the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) officially launched a three-year regional support project on 25 July to strengthen efforts against money laundering and terrorism financing. Titled the “Regional Capacity Development Project for ESAAMLG on Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism,” the initiative aims to… [Read More]
Federal Government to Begin Construction of Special Agro-Industrial Zone in Oyo, Nigeria
The Federal Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with the African Development Bank Group and the Oyo State Government, is set to launch the construction of the Oyo State Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) on Saturday, 2 August 2025. The groundbreaking ceremony will take place at the SAPZ Phase 1 site in Atan, Ijaiye, Akinyele Local… [Read More]
