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In the small village of Al Jabalain in Sudan’s White Nile State, the reopening of the local secondary school marks a powerful step toward community healing. Once dilapidated and empty due to years of conflict, the school now welcomes students into freshly renovated classrooms equipped with new desks, windows, and doors. For local families and… [Read More]

In recent years, cyber incidents have demonstrated the severe economic and societal consequences of digital vulnerabilities. The 2017 global ransomware outbreak caused an estimated $10 billion in damage to businesses, while a 2022 cyberattack in Costa Rica forced the government to declare a national state of emergency, resulting in losses of up to 2.4% of… [Read More]

In Rwanda’s conservation landscapes, people, wildlife, and nature are deeply interconnected. Around Volcanoes National Park (VNP), pressures from land use, climate variability, and livelihoods intersect daily with biodiversity protection. In 2025, AWF Rwanda focused on people-centered conservation that is practical, locally led, and sustainable, emphasizing that lasting gains occur when landscapes are treated as socio-ecological… [Read More]

UNICEF launched its new Digital Education Strategy on 24 January in Helsinki, highlighting its collaboration with Finland and other global partners during the International Day of Education at Educa, Finland’s largest education and training event. The strategy aims to scale innovative, AI-enabled teaching and learning programs across 18 countries, building on UNICEF’s digital education experience… [Read More]

Armenia’s electricity transmission network faced significant challenges due to aging Soviet-era infrastructure. Frequent outages, equipment failures, and limited capacity hindered the system’s ability to meet growing domestic demand, reducing reliability and increasing costs for households and businesses. These weaknesses disrupted industrial and commercial production, threatened operational continuity, and highlighted the need for modernized substations and… [Read More]

Dr. Marianna Wetherill, an ACLM member and associate professor at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, shared insights from her leadership of NOURISH-OK, a five-year NIH-funded study exploring the relationship between food insecurity and metabolic health. Partnering with Tulsa CARES, a nonprofit HIV service organization, the study aimed to understand how food insecurity affects… [Read More]

The SUNCASA Project (Scaling Urban Nature-based Solutions for Climate Adaptation in sub-Saharan Africa) is entering its third and final year, having already planted over 2 million trees and shrubs and revitalized degraded urban river catchments across Ethiopia, Rwanda, and South Africa. In Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, the project has exceeded agroforestry targets by restoring more than… [Read More]

England’s water sector experienced one of its most severe hydrological challenges in 2025, as an unusual combination of prolonged dry conditions and above-average temperatures led to a significant drought. The government report, 2025 drought: how it developed in England, published on 26 January 2026, provides a detailed analysis of the event, offering crucial insights for… [Read More]

This study investigates the effectiveness and efficiency of public procurement processes in IFAD-supported agricultural projects in Zimbabwe, with a focus on the Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project (SACP). Public procurement accounts for approximately 60% of Zimbabwe’s national budget, yet challenges such as corruption, political interference, capacity limitations, and insufficient transparency undermine its effectiveness. Using surveys and… [Read More]

Sustainable development has become an urgent necessity, particularly in countries facing compounded crises like Yemen. Over the period 2023–2025, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has continued to deliver results for Yemeni communities, demonstrating both the resilience of the people and UNDP’s commitment to supporting recovery and sustainable development. Despite ongoing humanitarian needs, economic fragility,… [Read More]

Illicit financial flows (IFFs) pose a significant challenge to sustainable development by reducing domestic resource mobilization, weakening institutions, and undermining the rule of law. By diverting financial resources from essential public services such as health, education, and infrastructure, IFFs exacerbate inequality, constrain inclusive economic growth, and hinder long-term development outcomes. Addressing IFFs is a key… [Read More]

India’s ambitious net zero target for 2070 requires annual energy sector investments to triple to around US$200 billion. However, the country’s current annual state expenditure for all renewable energy is only US$1.8 billion, with minimal international capital support. Despite these financial constraints, India has successfully expanded its green industrial policy, particularly in the solar power… [Read More]

In August 2025, Nusrat Mahmud Ananna met 19-year-old Aysha Siddik in Jamalpur, Bangladesh. Pulled out of school early and raising a young daughter with no stable income, Aysha had faced a life full of obstacles. Despite her challenges, she demonstrated remarkable determination not to let her circumstances define her future, expressing a strong desire to… [Read More]

UNDP’s Greening Moonshot initiative aims to reduce the organization’s corporate carbon footprint by 50 percent by 2030. To achieve this goal, UNDP country offices are investing in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable transport, making operations cleaner, more reliable, and resilient, including in fragile and remote contexts. After five years, UNDP has implemented 194 projects… [Read More]

International Day of Clean Energy, celebrated on 26 January, highlights the crucial role of climate-friendly energy in building a sustainable future. In Djibouti, a joint programme led by the United Nations is transforming the country’s abundant sunlight into affordable, reliable, and clean energy, creating both new economic opportunities and improved access to electricity. Djibouti, one… [Read More]

In 2025, refugee settlements across Uganda reported more than six disease outbreaks, while stock-outs of essential medicines and medical supplies reached up to 30%, severely limiting health facilities’ ability to provide care. Acute malnutrition rose from 5.4% to 7.8% in 12 of Uganda’s 14 refugee settlements, putting thousands of children at risk of illness, long-term… [Read More]

The International Finance Corporation has announced a $166 million investment program to support Sri Lankan businesses and help the country move from economic stabilization toward sustainable and inclusive growth. The investment, unveiled in Colombo, reinforces IFC’s long-standing commitment to Sri Lanka’s private sector and is designed to strengthen the financial system at a critical moment… [Read More]

Women-led and women-engaging enterprises (WLEs) play a vital role in Nepal’s agriculture and forestry sectors, sustaining rural livelihoods and strengthening community-level climate resilience. Nearly 70% of Nepali women are engaged in agriculture, acting as key stewards of forests, land, and ecosystems. Embedded across farming value chains as producers, workers, cooperative members, and suppliers, these enterprises… [Read More]

Microsoft has launched its 2026 Community Fund for south and west Dublin at a special community event held at Áras Chrónáin in Clondalkin, attended by Minister of State and Dublin South West TD Colm Brophy. The event also celebrated the achievements of recipients of the 2025 Community Fund, bringing together local schools, community groups, NGOs,… [Read More]

The plea of a child from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to be protected from violence reflects the harsh reality faced by thousands of children caught in armed conflicts worldwide in 2025. A recent report submitted to the Human Rights Council by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict highlights… [Read More]

Nine innovative projects across Mid and North Wales have secured a combined £2.95 million in Collaborative Research and Development funding from Innovate UK, reinforcing the region’s growing agri-tech and food-tech innovation ecosystem. The funding has been awarded through the Agri-tech and Food Technology Cluster for Mid and North Wales, a programme designed to drive technological… [Read More]

A new £1.5 million awards scheme has been launched by the Freelands Foundation to strengthen education programmes at arts and culture organisations across the UK. Founded by media executive Elisabeth Murdoch, the philanthropic foundation will provide £100,000 in unrestricted funding each year to three organisations over the next five years, with the aim of reinforcing… [Read More]

Millions of pounds in external funding have been secured and managed by Aberdeenshire Council over the past year, enabling the delivery of a wide range of projects that are having a tangible impact on communities across the region. A new report outlining the work of the council’s Investments and Projects Team within the Economic Development… [Read More]