The World Bank and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) have launched the next phase of the Sustainable Cities Integrated Program, expanding support to 40 additional cities across 20 countries. Announced in Rio de Janeiro ahead of COP30, the new phase will provide $170 million in grant financing under the GEF-8 cycle, alongside structured pathways to… [Read More]
USAID Funding Freeze Pushes African Nations Toward Homegrown Health Financing
The funding freeze imposed by the United States government in February 2025 led to the cancellation of a large number of USAID grants across Africa, placing critical health, sexual and reproductive rights, and gender equality programmes at risk. While a subsequent agreement committed US$1.6 billion to Kenya over five years, the broader reduction in global… [Read More]
CardinalStone Targets $120 Million Fund to Boost West African SMEs
CardinalStone Capital Advisers is preparing to raise $120 million for its second small and medium-sized enterprise-focused private equity fund, aimed at expanding access to growth capital across West Africa. The new vehicle, CardinalStone Capital Advisers Growth Fund II, is designed to support high-growth SMEs in markets where private equity financing remains limited and fragmented. The… [Read More]
Mastercard Foundation Backs Female-Led African Enterprises to Boost Inclusive Growth
Five35 Ventures has secured an anchor commitment from the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, a move that will strengthen support for women-led startups across Africa and expand the reach of gender-lens investing on the continent. The investment positions Five35 to scale its activities across East, West and Southern Africa while deepening engagement with early-stage women… [Read More]
AfDB Targets $25 Billion Funding Push to Maintain Affordable Lending Amid Reduced US Engagement
The African Development Bank has launched a donor-pledging conference to secure funding for the African Development Fund, which provides concessional loans and grants to low-income African countries, as it seeks to meet a $25 billion replenishment target amid reduced U.S. support. The move comes after the U.S. administration withheld a $197 million tranche pledged in… [Read More]
Bodossaki Foundation Announces 54th Annual Scholarships Supporting Academic Excellence
Alexandra is pursuing her passion for bio-entrepreneurship at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, Sophia is advancing her studies in microbiology within the multicultural academic environment of the University of Sorbonne, and Thodoris is focusing on socially impactful machine learning applications at MIT as part of his Master’s in Business Analytics. Their academic journeys were made… [Read More]
OPCW Syria Missions Receive €2 Million Contribution from Germany
The Government of Germany has contributed €2 million to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Trust Fund for Syria Missions, formalized on 15 December 2025 during a signing ceremony at the OPCW headquarters in The Hague. The agreement was signed by Germany’s Ambassador to the OPCW, H.E. Thomas Schieb, and OPCW Director-General… [Read More]
Flood Relief Efforts Underway in Calvin Township with Ontario Support
The Ontario government is providing the Township of Calvin with up to $405,000 in disaster recovery funding to help cover emergency response costs and critical infrastructure repairs following severe flooding in June 2025. This support is delivered through the Municipal Disaster Recovery Assistance (MDRA) program, which is part of Ontario’s broader plan to protect communities… [Read More]
ILO Initiative Boosts Employment Opportunities for Former Drug Users in Afghanistan
Kabul (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO) has supported 150 former drug users in Afghanistan with business and vocational skills, helping them achieve economic independence and long-term recovery. Implemented under the Recovery to Empowerment: Entrepreneurship and Employment Initiatives (REE-EEI) South-eastern Project 2025, the program provided entrepreneurship and technical training tailored to local market… [Read More]
Türkiye Workforce Set to Benefit from ILO’s Care@Work Initiative for Resilient Workplaces
The ILO Office for Türkiye has launched the “Care@Work Türkiye: Building Resilient and Care-Supportive Workplaces through Equality and Care Project” to promote equality, social justice, and decent work by supporting enterprises in designing workplaces that acknowledge and address employees’ paid work and care responsibilities. Funded by Sweden, the initiative aims to foster more inclusive, resilient,… [Read More]
Enhancing Job Quality Metrics: ILO and IFIs Advance Coherent Measurement Approaches
Leading international financial institutions convened at the ILO headquarters in Geneva on 1–2 December 2025 for the IFI Symposium on Measuring and Assessing Quality of Employment. The event focused on practical ways to assess not only the number of jobs generated by development finance operations but also their quality. Participants included major development banks such… [Read More]
Empowering Young Women in Moldova: ILO Drives Green Skills and Sustainable Opportunities
The International Labour Organization (ILO), through its project “Skills for an Environmentally Sustainable Transition in Moldova,” is empowering young women to lead the country’s green transition via the Girls4Green initiative. The program, funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and the Liechtenstein Development Service (LED), engaged 31 girls aged 13 to 17 in the Girls4Green… [Read More]
EIB Provides €25 Million Loan to Agricover Credit to Support Romanian Farmers
Romanian farmers will benefit from enhanced financing options through a €25 million loan provided to Agricover Credit IFN SA by the European Investment Bank (EIB). The funds are targeted at micro agricultural businesses seeking to boost productivity and adopt environmentally sustainable practices. This initiative aims to improve access to finance in a sector that is… [Read More]
€1.3 Billion Financing in Spain: EIB Group and BBVA Back Sustainable Housing and Small Businesses
The EIB Group, through the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), has invested a total of €714 million in two BBVA securitisation transactions in Spain. This investment is expected to mobilize approximately €1.3 billion to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), mid-cap companies, entrepreneurs, and sustainable housing construction. A portion of… [Read More]
EU and IFC Launch €5 Million Programme to Boost Afghanistan’s Private Sector
The European Union has signed a EUR 5 million Administration Agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, to implement the Afghanistan Private Sector Stabilisation Programme. This initiative represents the ongoing EU–WBG partnership in Afghanistan, aimed at stabilizing the economy and promoting inclusive, private sector-led recovery by creating livelihoods… [Read More]
Women in Montenegro Sustain Farms Despite Limited Land Rights
Women in Montenegro perform a significant share of the country’s agricultural work but remain largely excluded from land ownership and decision-making. Although they represent more than half of the workforce on family farms, only 12.9 percent hold ownership or secure rights to agricultural land. This disparity was highlighted in the new National Gender Profile of… [Read More]
One Health Workshop in Serbia Boosts Collaboration Across Human, Animal, and Environmental Health
Serbia advanced its health security and cross-sector collaboration during a two-day workshop titled “From theory to practice: Implementing the One Health approach holistically,” held in Belgrade on 1–2 December 2025. Organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in its role as the current chair of the Quadripartite, with support from… [Read More]
Innovative FAO Mesh Grid Technology Enhances Rural Energy Security in Jamaica
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through its Jamaica Country Office, hosted a webinar on Mesh Grid Systems for Innovative Rural Energy Communities (MIREC) on 15 December 2025. The virtual event brought together over 40 energy experts, policymakers, and development practitioners to explore resilient, low-emission rural energy planning. The session focused… [Read More]
Water Stress Intensifies: Renewable Water Per Person Falls 7% Over the Past Decade
Renewable water availability per person has declined by 7 percent over the past decade, while pressures on already scarce freshwater resources continue to increase, according to the 2025 AQUASTAT Water Data Snapshot released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The report provides an updated global overview of water availability and… [Read More]
Improving Premature Newborn Survival: Lithuania’s Policy Approach
Lithuania has launched a series of ambitious initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes for preterm and sick newborns, positioning the country as a leader in Europe’s efforts to secure the well-being of its youngest citizens. The announcement, made through a Call to Action at the Growing Europe 2025 summit in Vilnius, was attended by Lithuania’s… [Read More]
Saving Lives: The Role of Midwives in Central African Republic’s Maternal Health
Bangui — The Central African Republic faces one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, with 829 deaths per 100,000 live births recorded in 2023. Many women give birth far from health facilities, face long travel distances, and encounter limited resources, while cultural beliefs sometimes prevent access to care. Fewer than half of pregnant women… [Read More]
Building Zambia’s Health Future: Development Through Stronger Health Systems
Zambia continues to show strong political commitment to advancing health and well-being, recognizing that a healthy population underpins sustainable development. Increased investments in health financing, disease prevention, and system strengthening reflect this understanding, with the World Health Organization (WHO) partnering closely to support these efforts. Hon. Moses F. Moyo, Second Deputy Speaker of the National… [Read More]
Young Women Leading Peacebuilding: Stories from Tbilisi and Beyond
In a region long overshadowed by conflict, a new generation of women leaders is quietly reshaping peacebuilding efforts. At the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Youth Forum in Riyadh, young women from the South Caucasus showcased how reconciliation can be fostered not through formal negotiations, but through everyday conversations in courtyards, virtual sessions, and cross-border… [Read More]
