A major United Nations meeting in Doha has concluded with renewed momentum to support the world’s poorest nations in building long-term stability and economic resilience. Over three days, ministers, development partners and UN agencies focused on how Least Developed Countries (LDCs) can graduate from the LDC category—and crucially remain on a sustainable growth path once… [Read More]
Breaking Barriers: Thai Language Classes Empower Migrant Workers to Access Rights and Services
Basic language skills are proving to be a critical lifeline for migrant workers in Thailand, offering them greater confidence, independence and access to essential services such as healthcare and labour protections. A new series of Thai language classes is helping workers overcome daily communication challenges, from speaking with supervisors to navigating medical appointments. Migrant workers—many… [Read More]
Zimbabwe on the Rise: Economic Rebound Sparks Optimism for Investment and Jobs
Zimbabwe’s economy is poised for a strong rebound, with GDP expected to grow by 6.6 percent, driven by a recovery in agriculture, iron and steel production, and services—outpacing many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the newly released sixth Zimbabwe Economic Update (ZEU). The report highlights easing inflation and sustained growth momentum while urging continued… [Read More]
African Development Bank Approves $200 Million to Expand Nigeria’s Agro-Industrial Processing Zones
Nigeria’s agricultural transformation drive has gained major momentum, with the African Development Bank Group approving $200 million for the first tranche of funding under Phase II of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Program. The decision, endorsed on December 1st, marks the beginning of a multi-tranche facility that will ultimately support 27 additional states across… [Read More]
Australia Boosts Healthcare Innovation with $9.6M Investment to Improve Patient Support and System Efficiency
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has announced a $9.6 million investment into research aimed at improving the patient journey and strengthening the country’s capacity to meet rising healthcare demand. High rates of healthcare service use in Australia are strongly linked to an ageing population, complex medical needs, and challenges in accessing timely,… [Read More]
Calling Africa’s Digital Trailblazers: UNDP Launches New Forum to Scale Home-Grown Tech Solutions
UNDP, through its Resilience Hub for Africa, has announced an invitation for stakeholders across the continent to express interest in joining the African Digital Transformation Solution Forum — a new platform dedicated to showcasing and scaling digital innovations that enhance resilience, inclusion, and sustainable development. The Forum will unite governments, innovators, development partners, private-sector leaders,… [Read More]
Circular Economy Powers Up: Over 140 Million Jobs Driving a Greener Global Future
A groundbreaking new report reveals that between 121 and 142 million people around the world are currently employed in the circular economy, contributing through sectors such as repair, recycling, second-hand trade, and waste management. This accounts for roughly 5 to 5.8 per cent of global employment outside of agriculture, according to the study released jointly… [Read More]
Scaling Green Tech for a Cleaner Asia: How Smart Support Helps Nonprofits Turn Innovation Into Impact
Across Asia, nonprofits are pioneering the development of green technologies to combat water pollution, plastic waste, and hazardous air quality. With support from Google.org and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), AVPN’s APAC Sustainability Solutions Lab (SSL) is helping these organisations go beyond simply securing funding. SSL provides technical expertise, communication training, and visibility support, enabling… [Read More]
When Finance Meets Innovation: Lessons from the Joint SDG Fund
In recent years, the Joint SDG Fund set out to test a bold idea: instead of distributing grants in the traditional way, what if UN resources were used as catalytic investments to mobilize far greater levels of private and commercial capital for sustainable development? Working with various UN agencies, the Fund deployed $70 million across… [Read More]
AfDB Approves $19.7 Million Grant to Boost Urban Resilience for Displaced Communities in Somalia
The African Development Fund (ADF) has approved a $19.7 million grant to improve living conditions for 20,000 vulnerable households and support the local integration of over 128,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) in Doolow, one of Somalia’s most fragile border towns. The funding, part of the Transition Support Facility for Somalia’s Strengthening Urban Resilience Project, will… [Read More]
AfDB Approves €17.7 Million to Boost Cabo Verde’s Digital Transformation
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a €17.71 million loan to support the second phase of Cabo Verde’s E-Governance and Public Financial Management Reform Programme, continuing efforts to harness technology for economic growth and more efficient public administration. “The goal of this support is to stimulate growth through digitisation and private-sector competitiveness, while modernising… [Read More]
AfDB Greenlights $214 Million Phase II for South Sudan–Ethiopia–Djibouti Transport Corridor
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved $214.47 million to launch Phase II of the South Sudan–Ethiopia–Djibouti Transport Corridor Project, a strategic initiative to boost regional connectivity, trade, and economic development. The financing, drawn from the Bank’s concessional window, includes $181.5 million for Ethiopia, $29.71 million for Djibouti, $1.96 million for South Sudan, and an… [Read More]
African Development Bank Approves $1.78 Billion Strategy to Transform Namibia’s Economy and Create Jobs
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a landmark $1.78 billion Country Strategy Paper (CSP) to drive Namibia’s economic transformation and foster inclusive growth over the 2025–2030 period. The initiative aims to tackle some of the country’s most pressing challenges, including youth unemployment exceeding 40 percent and a decline in per capita income from $5,942… [Read More]
ADB Announces Emergency Flood Relief Grants for Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda has announced immediate emergency grant support in response to severe flooding across the region. Grants of up to $3 million for Sri Lanka, $2 million for Thailand, and $2 million for Viet Nam will be provided following requests from the respective governments. “I am deeply saddened by the… [Read More]
ADB Approves $100 Million Support to Strengthen Sri Lanka’s Power Sector Reforms
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $100 million policy-based loan to support Sri Lanka in advancing reforms in its power sector, building on previous efforts to ensure a financially sustainable and efficient electricity system. This financing, part of the second subprogram of ADB’s Power Sector Reforms and Financial Sustainability Program, will accelerate the… [Read More]
EU Provides €3 Million to Strengthen WFP Emergency Preparedness Across MENAEE Region
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has received a €3 million contribution from the European Union (EU) to enhance its ability to respond rapidly and effectively to humanitarian crises across the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe (MENAEE), one of the world’s most crisis-prone regions. The funding, provided through the EU’s Directorate General… [Read More]
Local Food Procurement from Smallholder Farmers Boosts Food Security and Nutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean
A new report by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) highlights the transformative potential of public food procurement from smallholder farmers to strengthen food security, nutrition, and inclusive economic growth across the region. Smallholder farmers account for… [Read More]
Republic of Korea Pledges USD 17 Million to Support WFP’s Lifesaving Work Worldwide
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a USD 17 million core contribution from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (ROK), bolstering its ability to deliver lifesaving assistance to vulnerable communities around the world. Core funding allows WFP to allocate resources where they are needed most, enabling rapid and… [Read More]
UK Businesses Get £1.1 Million Boost to Transform Freight and Logistics
The UK government is providing nearly £1.1 million in funding to support British businesses trialling cutting-edge technologies that could revolutionize the freight and logistics sector. Through the Freight Innovation Fund, up to £130,000 each will be awarded to nine small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) exploring solutions to key industry challenges, from decarbonisation and efficiency to… [Read More]
UK Artists Get Boost to Go Global as £1.6 Million Music Export Scheme Opens
The Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS), which has helped propel UK artists to international acclaim, has opened a new funding round with £1.6 million available to support emerging talent in taking their music to global audiences. Backed by the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, MEGS has invested… [Read More]
UK Pledges £10 Million to Keep Ukraine Warm Amid Winter Crisis
At the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Brussels on 3 December, the UK Foreign Secretary pledged an additional £10 million to the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, making Britain the largest donor to the fund this year. The contribution will support urgent repairs to Ukraine’s energy, heating, and water infrastructure damaged by Russian attacks, helping hundreds of… [Read More]
Sudan’s Civilians Struggle Amid Siege Conditions as Aid Falls Short
Civilians across Sudan’s Kordofan region are enduring extreme hardship as conflict escalates, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned on Wednesday. Communities in Dilling and Kadugli in South Kordofan are effectively trapped in “siege conditions,” while sustained attacks in West Kordofan further threaten safety, UNICEF reports. The situation remains dire in… [Read More]
UN Warns of Rising Landmine Deaths as Funding Shortfalls Threaten Lives
The deadly legacy of conflicts from Afghanistan to Sudan continues to maim and kill civilians, with children disproportionately affected, UN mine action experts warned at a high-level meeting in Geneva on Wednesday. According to the UN-partnered Landmine Monitor report, 77 per cent of all casualties in Afghanistan last year were children. Some 54 people die… [Read More]
