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The New Zealand Government has announced a new $30 million Solar on Schools programme aimed at helping schools lower energy costs while improving sustainability and energy resilience. The initiative, unveiled by Energy Minister Simeon Brown and Education Minister Erica Stanford, will provide up to 500 schools with solar panels and battery systems. Around 150 schools… [Read More]

Paris, June 2026 – The Foundation for GPE, a new entrepreneurial vehicle designed to support the Global Partnership for Education’s mission of transforming education in lower-income countries, was officially launched on the sidelines of GPE’s Board meeting in Paris. Backed by a coalition of seed funders and four pioneering partnerships, the Foundation marks a milestone in… [Read More]

Samarkand, June 2026 – The 71st Council of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) concluded in Uzbekistan with landmark decisions that will boost international environmental finance through 2030. Meeting alongside the Councils for the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF/SCCF) and the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), delegates approved $232.5 million in new financing across 24 projects in… [Read More]

A single emergency call can be the first step toward safety for survivors of domestic violence in Moldova. Authorities and support organizations continue to strengthen their coordinated response system, ensuring that victims receive immediate protection, assistance, and access to essential services. The national 112 Emergency Service plays a critical role in responding to domestic violence… [Read More]

Brisbane, June 2026 – Queensland’s state-owned investment arm QIC has opened bids for energy developers, generators, distributors, industrial customers, and local governments to secure funding for new generation and storage projects across the North West Minerals Province (NWMP). The North West Energy Fund, valued at AU$200 million, will support proposals ranging from renewable generation and gas… [Read More]

Thimphu, June 2026 – Five community-based organisations and one civil society organisation in Bhutan have received grants ranging from USD 33,000 to USD 50,000 under the UNDP, GEF-Small Grants Programme’s Operational Phase 8. The initiatives aim to strengthen ecological, social, and economic resilience to climate change across five districts, reflecting a growing emphasis on locally driven… [Read More]

June 2026 – The influential Banerjee and Newman (1993) model of poverty traps has long shaped development research and policy. Its elegant framework suggests that with borrowing constraints, households face two possible paths: subsistence activities requiring no capital, or more profitable occupations requiring lumpy investments. This dynamic produces the classic S-shaped curve, where starting assets determine… [Read More]

Washington, June 2026 – A new global study covering 132 countries reveals the hidden toll of disasters and extreme heat on employment, estimating that each year around 90 million full‑time job equivalents are lost worldwide. The report, Worldwide Job Losses Due to Natural Hazards, highlights how natural hazards undermine livelihoods, productivity, and economic stability far beyond… [Read More]

Lahore, June 2026 – Punjab is making a quiet but groundbreaking shift in urban infrastructure by introducing sewage pipes designed to last 100 years, replacing the reinforced concrete pipes that typically fail within 25. This technical upgrade, though unglamorous, could prove one of the province’s most consequential infrastructure changes in a generation. For decades, corrosion has… [Read More]

Nairobi — June 2, 2026 — Kenya has signed a landmark partnership with Google to drive its ambitious tourism strategy, Magical Kenya – The Origin of Wonder. The initiative aims to increase international tourist arrivals from 3 million to 5 million and boost tourism revenue by 50% by the end of 2026. The collaboration, signed by Tourism… [Read More]

Nairobi — June 3, 2026 — The Catalyst Fund has announced that it has crossed the $30 million mark to support early-stage climate-tech startups in Africa, scaling up its commitment to green innovation across the continent. The financing will be directed toward ventures developing solutions in clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and water management, with a strong focus… [Read More]

Abidjan, May 2025 – Africa now hosts about 230 special economic zones (SEZs) across 42 countries, a dramatic increase from just 20 in 1990. Yet despite this expansion, many zones remain underutilized. A new African Development Bank (AfDB) report, published in partnership with the African Union (AU) and UNIDO, highlights the need for stronger local linkages,… [Read More]

London — June 2, 2026 — A breakthrough study has identified a previously unknown species of bacteria strongly associated with noma, a devastating gangrenous disease of the mouth and face that primarily affects malnourished children in sub-Saharan Africa. The discovery could pave the way for earlier diagnosis, improved treatments, and a deeper understanding of one of the… [Read More]

Abidjan, June 2026 – Côte d’Ivoire is stepping up efforts to transform its diaspora into a stronger source of investment for the national economy. The government announced that it will hold investment roadshows in Milan on June 6 and Paris on June 26–27, aimed at strengthening ties with Ivorians abroad and channeling more remittance flows into… [Read More]

London — June 2, 2026 — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has unveiled its new Gender Equality and Human Capital (GEHC) Strategy for the period 2026–2030, setting ambitious priorities to boost growth, resilience, and equality of opportunity across its regions. The strategy focuses on four impact areas: expanding access to skills and sustainable livelihoods,… [Read More]

Istanbul — June 3, 2026 — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has lowered its forecast for Türkiye’s economy, projecting growth of 3.5% in 2026 and 4.0% in 2027, both revised down from earlier estimates. The adjustment reflects less favourable external conditions, including rising energy imports, persistent inflationary pressures, and potential spillovers from the Middle… [Read More]

Warsaw — June 3, 2026 — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) expects Poland’s economy to expand by 3.5% in 2026, before moderating to 2.8% in 2027, according to its latest Regional Economic Prospects report. The outlook has been revised down by 0.2 percentage points compared with February 2026, reflecting global headwinds including higher energy… [Read More]

Kyiv — June 3, 2026 — Ukraine’s economy continues to show resilience despite the ongoing war, with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) forecasting 2.2% growth in 2026, rising to 4.0% in 2027 if reconstruction begins. The latest Regional Economic Prospects report highlights that while wartime pressures weigh heavily on output, macroeconomic stability is being… [Read More]

Riga — June 3, 2026 — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has forecast that economic growth in the Baltic states will moderate in 2026 as the impact of the Middle East-related energy shock weighs on output. According to the Bank’s latest Regional Economic Prospects report, GDP is expected to grow by 2.1% in Estonia,… [Read More]

London — June 3, 2026 — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has lowered its 2026 growth forecast for its regions to 3.1%, down from 3.4% in 2025, citing the impact of the escalating conflict in the Middle East. The Bank’s latest Regional Economic Prospects report, titled Strai(gh)t talk, highlights rising oil and gas prices,… [Read More]

Astana — June 3, 2026 — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has projected that Central Asia and Mongolia will record the highest growth rates among its regions in 2026 and 2027. According to the latest Regional Economic Prospects report, economies in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are expected to grow by… [Read More]

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has forecast that economic growth across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) will slow to 4.7% in 2026, down from 5.2% in 2025, before recovering slightly to 4.8% in 2027. The slowdown is attributed to higher energy costs, trade disruptions, and weaker investment linked to conflict in the Middle East,… [Read More]

Brazzaville/Brussels/Copenhagen — June 2, 2026 — The European Union (EU) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have stepped up joint efforts to combat the ongoing Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, reinforcing surveillance, infection prevention, community engagement, and essential health services. The EU has allocated €15 million in humanitarian funding, including… [Read More]