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]
Africa’s Growth Hindered by Mindset, Says UN Special Adviser
The 2025 Academic Conference on Africa at UN Headquarters convened African scholars, ministers, and activists to discuss why many countries on the continent feel off course and to explore pathways for Africa to assert its role in a changing global landscape. In an interview following the conference, UN Special Adviser Cristina Duarte highlighted that mindset… [Read More]
Global Fight Against Corruption: Lessons from the UN Summit in Doha
Heads of State, civil society representatives, and private sector leaders are convening this week in Doha, Qatar, for the 11th session of the UN Conference of the States Parties (COSP11) to discuss pressing issues surrounding corruption and strategies to combat it. The conference, taking place from December 15–19, is the largest international gathering dedicated to… [Read More]
Smart Agribusiness in the Philippines: One Young Farmer’s Success Story
Maria Joyce Escosa, a 24-year-old farmer from Igbaras, Philippines, has successfully grown her organic farm despite a general trend of young people showing less interest in agriculture. Combining traditional farming with modern techniques, she cultivates and sells vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants, chillies, and okra, while also retailing produce from fellow farmers and offering home… [Read More]
EU and UNDP Advance Albania’s Local Democracy with ReLOaD Phase 3 for EU Accession Support
The Regional Programme on Local Democracy in the Western Balkans 3 (ReLOaD3), funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP, has officially launched its third phase in Albania, covering 2025–2029. The launch event, attended by Ervin Demo, Minister of State for Local Governance, Ritva Heikkinen, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Albania,… [Read More]
Inclusive Community Center Opens in Divjaka Backed by the Government of Switzerland
A modern Community Center providing specialized social care services for children with disabilities, older persons, and other vulnerable groups was inaugurated in Divjaka, Albania. The center was established under Phase 2 of the United Nations Joint Programme “Leave No One Behind” (LNB), funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by… [Read More]
Building Resilience for Refugees and Host Communities: Humanitarian and Development Solutions
At the Global Refugee Forum Progress Review, UNDP highlighted how development-focused approaches help both refugees and host communities recover and rebuild amid growing displacement. Conflict, disasters, and climate shocks are driving unprecedented levels of displacement, yet displaced people and their host communities continue to work toward restoring dignity, livelihoods, and stability. UNDP supports these efforts… [Read More]
