Beirut’s largest park, Horsh Beirut, has taken a major step toward becoming an accessible, vibrant, and sustainable public space with the inauguration of its first revitalization phase under the EU-funded ENABLE Programme. Implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in partnership with the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Municipality of Beirut, and local organizations Nahnoo… [Read More]
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Global Fund Marks 70 Million Lives Saved, Warns Progress Against AIDS, TB and Malaria Is at Risk
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has released its annual Results Report, highlighting that 70 million lives have been saved since the organization’s inception in 2002. The report emphasizes that the combined death rate from AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria has fallen by 63%, while the incidence of these diseases has dropped… [Read More]
WFP Reports 80 Million More Children Now Reached by National School Meal Programmes Worldwide
Nearly 80 million additional children are now benefiting from government-led school meal programmes globally, marking a 20 percent increase since 2020 and bringing the total to at least 466 million, according to the latest edition of The State of School Feeding Worldwide, a biennial report released by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). The… [Read More]
IDB Recognizes Young Economists for Innovative Research in Latin America and the Caribbean
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has announced the winners of the 2025 IDB Young Economist Award, an annual honor that celebrates exceptional research by recent PhD graduates in economics focused on Latin America and the Caribbean. The award highlights rigorous and policy-relevant work that addresses pressing regional development challenges. First prize went to Pascuel Plotkin,… [Read More]
IDB Lab Names Winners of WeXchange Women STEMpreneurs 2025
IDB Lab, the innovation and venture capital arm of the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group), has announced the five women-led startups that have won the WeXchange Women STEMpreneurs 2025 competition. These entrepreneurs will showcase their solutions at the WeXchange Demo Day on December 2 in San Salvador, El Salvador, as part of the IDB… [Read More]
ADB Invests $41 Million to Strengthen Climate-Resilient Primary Care in Lao PDR
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $41 million financing package to enhance primary health care in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). The Green Primary Care Project aims to improve governance and service delivery at the primary care level while building resilience in health facilities and communities against the impacts of climate… [Read More]
Zambia’s Copper Boom: Can the Workforce Keep Pace?
Zambia aims to triple its copper production by 2031, driven by rising global demand and investments from major mining companies such as Anglo American, First Quantum Minerals, Barrick, and Kobold. Copper has long been a cornerstone of Zambia’s economy, contributing 15% of GDP and over 70% of exports. Despite this, production has remained around 800,000… [Read More]
A Decade of Resilience: Bhutan and the World Bank Strengthen Climate and Disaster Preparedness
Bhutan, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, is advancing a comprehensive approach to disaster and climate risk management, integrating resilience into policies, institutions, and infrastructure. With a decade-long partnership with the World Bank, the country is building a model framework for preparedness and sustainable development. In February 2025, Bhutan marked a significant milestone by… [Read More]
Ethiopia’s TVET Reforms Empower Young Women with Skills and Opportunities
In Ethiopia, major reforms to the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system are helping young women gain practical skills, pursue employment, and start small businesses. Supported by the World Bank–backed EASE and EASTRIP projects, the reforms aim to improve training quality, promote inclusion, and better align education with labor market demands. At Misrak… [Read More]
World Bank Raises AUD 1.5 Billion Through Dual Sustainable Bond Tap
The World Bank (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, IBRD, Aaa/AAA, Moody’s/S&P) has successfully raised AUD 1.5 billion by reopening its August 2028 and February 2035 Sustainable Development Bonds. The taps added AUD 800 million to the 3-year line and AUD 700 million to the 10-year line, bringing their outstanding amounts to AUD 1.7 billion… [Read More]
AfDB Showcases Industrialization and Trade Integration at IATF2025 in Algiers
The African Development Bank Group is using the continent’s largest trade and investment platform to highlight the critical role of industrialization and regional integration in driving Africa’s economic transformation. The fourth Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025), which opened yesterday in Algiers, has drawn more than 30,000 participants from 75 countries. Organizers expect the fair to generate… [Read More]
NEFA Awards $2.2 Million to Support 2025 National Dance Projects
The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) has announced $2.2 million in grants through its National Dance Project (NDP) to support the creation and touring of 20 new dance works across the United States. An additional $200,000 in Finalist Awards will recognize 20 other projects. Launched in 1996, NDP has become one of the… [Read More]
Mass Cultural Council Invests $3.4M to Expand Creative Experiences Across Massachusetts
The Mass Cultural Council has awarded $3,375,000 in Creative Experiences grants to support 708 cultural projects across Massachusetts, ranging from festivals and performances to residencies and school-based programs. The one-year grants, valued at $2,500 or $5,000 each, aim to make arts, humanities, and science programming more accessible and engaging for communities statewide. By funding creative… [Read More]
CSOs Demand Gender Justice as Climate Finance Institutions Pledge Support
Civil society leaders and financial institutions clashed over climate finance priorities during a side event at Africa Climate Week, raising sharp questions about who truly benefits from the billions pledged for Africa’s climate response. Memory Kachambwa, Executive Director of the African feminist network FEMNET, warned that women and youth — despite being on the frontlines… [Read More]
Motorbike Ambulances Transform Maternal Health Care in Rural Benin
In remote areas of Benin where poor roads often prevent access to hospitals, motorbike ambulances are helping save the lives of mothers and newborns. The specially designed vehicles are part of the “Two Hours to Life” programme, led by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and Benin’s Ministry of Health, with funding from Takeda Pharmaceuticals. The… [Read More]
Parkinson’s Advocates Rally in Washington to Push for Research Funding and Chemical Ban
More than 250 Parkinson’s patients, caregivers, and researchers from 45 states gathered in Washington this week, urging Congress to step up investment in Parkinson’s research and take stronger public health action. The advocates, attending the 2025 Parkinson’s Policy Forum, are calling for federal research funding to reach $600 million annually by 2028 to accelerate treatment… [Read More]
Pilot Program Aims to Strengthen Vermont’s African Diaspora Food Businesses
In Vermont, a new initiative is giving African diaspora food entrepreneurs the tools, resources, and visibility they need to thrive. The African Diaspora Foodways Institute of Vermont, launched as a one-year pilot, is a partnership between Clemmons Family Farm in Charlotte and the University of Vermont (UVM). Its goal: to support African diaspora-owned restaurants and… [Read More]
Multilateral Development Banks Deliver Record $137 Billion in Climate Finance in 2024
Multilateral development banks (MDBs) provided a record $137 billion in climate finance in 2024, up 10% from the previous year, according to a new joint report released today. The majority of the funding was directed to low- and middle-income economies, underscoring MDBs’ growing role in advancing global sustainable development. Private finance mobilised by MDBs for… [Read More]
Burkina Faso Secures $250 Million from Global Fund to Strengthen Disease Response
Burkina Faso will receive $250 million in funding from the Global Fund for the 2024–2026 cycle to reinforce its fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, amid growing pressure on the country’s health system. The announcement was made in Ouagadougou by Maria Kirova, the Global Fund’s country representative, during a meeting with Minister of Economy and… [Read More]
USDA Announces $221.2 Million Block Grant to Support North Carolina Farmers After Hurricane Helene
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Alexander Vaden visited North Carolina today to meet with agricultural leaders and producers, announcing a new $221.2 million disaster assistance package to help farmers recover from the impacts of Hurricane Helene. The funding, provided through a block grant agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the North… [Read More]
World Bank Launches New Program to Safeguard India’s Coastline and Boost Jobs in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a new $212.64 million project to protect India’s coastal ecosystems, curb plastic pollution, and create sustainable livelihoods for 100,000 people in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. India’s coastline stretches over 11,000 kilometers, with nearly one-third vulnerable to erosion and climate-related threats. About 250 million people rely on… [Read More]
IOM Strengthens Mpox Response Across West and Central Africa
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is intensifying its efforts to contain Mpox in West and Central Africa by reinforcing border health systems and ensuring that mobile and hard-to-reach communities are included in national and regional response plans. By working closely with government health authorities and international partners, IOM has deployed technical expertise, operational surge… [Read More]
IOM Resumes Operations in Khartoum as Over 2 Million Return Amid Sudan Conflict
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has reopened its office in Khartoum to expand humanitarian and recovery operations, marking the first UN agency presence in the city since conflict erupted in April 2023. This return comes at a critical time, as over two million people have come back to areas perceived as safer, with Khartoum… [Read More]
