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The global water crisis is increasingly concentrated in cities, as mounting evidence shows that major urban centres around the world are facing severe water stress. Data highlighted in recent reporting indicate that many of the world’s largest cities are withdrawing water at rates that approach or exceed available supplies, placing intense pressure on already strained… [Read More]

The International Finance Corporation has announced its first investment in Otokoç Otomotiv Ticaret ve Sanayi A.Ş., a leading automotive retail and car rental company in Türkiye, to support the transition toward cleaner and more resource-efficient transportation. The financing marks an important step in expanding the availability of hybrid and electric vehicles across the country while… [Read More]

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has acted as Co-Financial Adviser on the successful issuance of the first tranche of bonds under Nigeria’s Presidential Power Sector Financial Reforms Programme, marking a major milestone in efforts to stabilize and reform the country’s electricity sector. The issuance, valued at ₦501 billion, forms part of a broader ₦4 trillion Power… [Read More]

The African Development Fund (ADF), the concessional lending arm of the African Development Bank Group, is preparing to undertake its first-ever market borrowing of around $1 billion. This marks a significant shift for the fund, which has traditionally depended on donor contributions and loan repayments to finance long-term, low-interest support for Africa’s poorest countries. The… [Read More]

Children in Somalia are facing a catastrophic hunger crisis after four consecutive failed rainy seasons have devastated crops and livestock, leaving families with almost no food reserves. According to Save the Children, the coming months are critical to prevent avoidable child deaths as drought conditions intensify during the harsh dry season between January and March…. [Read More]

A new community-based initiative has been launched to address acute water scarcity and climate-related risks in Kabul, aiming to strengthen resilience for around 150,000 people in Afghanistan’s capital. Afghanistan is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, and Kabul province faces severe water stress driven by groundwater depletion, prolonged droughts, and increasing flood risks,… [Read More]

The partnership between the United Nations Development Programme and the Asian Development Bank continues to play a strategic role in supporting the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in advancing inclusive economic recovery, climate action, gender equality, and evidence-based policymaking. Anchored in a global Memorandum of Understanding, the collaboration provides a coordinated framework for joint action… [Read More]

Uzbekistan has launched an innovative GIS-based system designed to strengthen disaster risk reduction by improving real-time monitoring, forecasting, and emergency response capabilities. The system automates the collection and analysis of data on territorial conditions and emerging hazards, enabling scenario modelling through a unified digital mapping and information platform that supports faster and more informed decision-making…. [Read More]

The Peace Forest Initiative (PFI) Pilot Project has been officially launched in the Kyrgyz Republic with an inception workshop held in Bishkek on 30 January 2026. The initiative aims to strengthen climate resilience and social cohesion through nature-based solutions, addressing the interconnected challenges of land degradation, climate change, and community vulnerability. Implemented under the UNCCD… [Read More]

The Citi Foundation has announced a $35 million Community Finance Initiative for 2026 aimed at strengthening household financial resilience across the United States. Through this initiative, 70 nonprofit organisations will each receive grants of $500,000 to support low-income communities facing mounting affordability pressures related to housing, food, childcare, and other essential costs. The programme recognises… [Read More]

World Cancer Research Fund welcomes many elements of the newly launched US Dietary Guidelines for 2025–2030, particularly those that promote healthier eating patterns and aim to reduce the burden of diet-related disease. The guidelines’ strong focus on whole foods, increased intake of fruits, vegetables and wholegrains, and limits on highly processed foods and added sugars… [Read More]

Despite geopolitics dominating many headlines from the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos 2026, discussions among business leaders, investors, and non-profit organisations reflected a more grounded and solutions-oriented mindset. Conversations focused on innovation, collaboration, and long-term resilience, signalling a maturing approach to addressing complex global challenges, particularly for the impact investing and development community…. [Read More]

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Health Organization, and the World Organisation for Animal Health have renewed their Quadripartite Memorandum of Understanding on One Health, extending their cooperation through 2030. The renewed agreement reaffirms the four organizations’ shared commitment to advancing the One Health approach,… [Read More]

The UK government has announced a £3 million investment to advance diet and health innovation through a new collaborative research and development programme co-funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The initiative is designed to strengthen the UK’s global leadership in food innovation by… [Read More]

The United Kingdom and Japan have announced a major expansion of their science and technology collaboration, focusing on quantum technologies and next-generation digital connectivity. The new partnership aims to strengthen secure communications, improve network resilience, and ensure seamless digital access, while reinforcing both countries’ leadership in emerging technologies. The announcements were highlighted during the UK… [Read More]

A new study warns that continued cuts to international development aid could result in an estimated 22.6 million additional deaths by 2030 across 93 low- and middle-income countries, including 5.4 million children under the age of five. The research highlights the severe human cost of declining global aid at a time when many countries remain… [Read More]

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) invested a record €654 million in the Baltic states in 2025, surpassing its previous annual high of €540 million achieved in 2024. This milestone reflected the Bank’s expanding role in supporting economic resilience, sustainable growth, and energy security across the region, with particularly strong delivery in Latvia… [Read More]

For years, residents of Chak 13/1L village in Pakistan’s Okara district lived with the constant challenges posed by an untreated wastewater pond that received sewage from more than a hundred households. The stagnant water produced persistent foul odors, attracted mosquitoes, caused frequent illnesses—especially among children—and often overflowed during the monsoon season, sometimes entering nearby homes…. [Read More]

Devon Energy Corporation and Coterra Energy Inc. have announced a landmark all-stock merger valued at approximately $58 billion in combined enterprise value, marking one of the largest consolidations in the U.S. shale industry. Revealed on February 2, 2026, the deal is designed to create a premier independent shale operator with greater scale, diversified assets, and… [Read More]

The Government of Armenia, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme, and the United Nations Environment Programme, has launched a joint programme titled “Unlocking Sustainable Finance for Nutrition-Sensitive, Climate-Smart Food Systems Transformation in Armenia.” The initiative was officially introduced in Yerevan on 29 January 2026… [Read More]

Tánaiste Simon Harris is meeting with European Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration Piotr Serafin and European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen in Dublin as Ireland prepares to assume the EU Presidency later this year. The discussions focus on the European Union’s next long-term budget and the future of the Common Agricultural… [Read More]

The United Kingdom and Japan have announced a wide-ranging package of science and technology collaborations that significantly strengthens ties between the two countries and reinforces their roles as leading global innovation hubs. The initiatives, confirmed during the UK Prime Minister’s recent visit to Japan and detailed on 3 February, span life sciences, quantum technologies, and… [Read More]

Scotland has been selected as the latest UK AI Growth Zone, a key part of the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy, bringing more than 3,400 high-value jobs and significant investment to Lanarkshire over the coming years. Delivered by home-grown data centre company DataVita, in partnership with AI cloud firm CoreWeave, the initiative will focus on building… [Read More]