The government of Bangladesh signed three financing agreements totaling $1.04 billion with the World Bank to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and to build resilience to future crises, including vaccination against COVID-19, expand electronic procurement and accelerate economic recovery. The $500 million additional financing to the COVID-19 Emergency Response and Pandemic Preparedness Project will help Bangladesh vaccinate about 54 million people against COVID-19. It will help the government … [Read more...] about Over $1 Billion World Bank financing to Bangladesh for Vaccination and Responding to COVID-19
Massive Disruption to Health Care Caused by COVID-19 in Africa and Asia: Global Fund Report
A new report by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria shows COVID-19 has massively disrupted health systems and health service delivery for HIV, TB and malaria in low- and middle-income countries in Africa and Asia in 2020. The report highlights the urgent need to scale up the adaptive measures that health facilities adopted to continue the fight against HIV, TB, malaria, to ramp up delivery of critical supplies for the COVID-19 response, and prevent health care systems and … [Read more...] about Massive Disruption to Health Care Caused by COVID-19 in Africa and Asia: Global Fund Report
Germany, Indonesia, and Global Fund join forces to support Tuberculosis Programs in Indonesia
Germany, Indonesia, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria signed a new agreement that will increase support to tuberculosis programs in Indonesia. That will be achieved by converting €50 million of debt owed by Indonesia to Germany into investments in public health programs supported by the Global Fund in Indonesia. This agreement is an example of Debt2Health, an innovative financing mechanism that is designed to increase domestic financing in health by converting debt … [Read more...] about Germany, Indonesia, and Global Fund join forces to support Tuberculosis Programs in Indonesia
IFC boosts SME Access to Finance in Southeast and Central Europe
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Southeastern Europe will have improved access to finance, in the wake of an investment by IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, that aims to provide strategic and operational support to SMEs in the region. IFC has invested €20 million in the Evolving Europe Principal Investments Fund I (Fund)—managed by Integral Venture Partners (Integral). SMEs, which drive economic development, innovation, and employment in the region, continue to face … [Read more...] about IFC boosts SME Access to Finance in Southeast and Central Europe
IFAD-IsDB jointly raise US$500 million to tackle rising Hunger and Climate Change
The UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB) signed a US$500 million cooperation and co financing agreement to tackle rising hunger and the devastating impact of climate change in some of the world’s most vulnerable countries. The agreement, signed by Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of IFAD, and Dr Bandar Hajjar, President of IsDB, will strengthen the two institutions’ four decades-long collaboration in support of the world's … [Read more...] about IFAD-IsDB jointly raise US$500 million to tackle rising Hunger and Climate Change
Featuring Food Security on G20 Agenda leads to several Food Coalition
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Italian Government, "Worsening hunger levels and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic called for a fresh approach and a strengthened commitment to global action ahead of the Group of 20 (G20) to prevent a food crisis." Italy's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Marina Sereni joined FAO at an informal virtual briefing to promote the Food Coalition , a global alliance … [Read more...] about Featuring Food Security on G20 Agenda leads to several Food Coalition
UNWTO, ONCE, and ENAT continuing their Partnership to deliver Accessible Tourism for All
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) will continue to build on its successful partnership with the Spanish ONCE Foundation and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT). The three parties have agreed to extend their partnership agreement for a further four years to ensure that their work to improve accessibility, in every part of the tourism value chain, continues during and beyond the pandemic. The joint work will continue to focus on the promotion of good practices during the … [Read more...] about UNWTO, ONCE, and ENAT continuing their Partnership to deliver Accessible Tourism for All
ADBI-Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Roundtable on Sanitation and Development
The interactive ADBI-Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Roundtable on Sanitation and Development will convene from 20 - 21 April 2021, in collaboration with the Institute for Fiscal Studies to assess the outlook for sanitation services delivery, financing, and its socioeconomic impacts in the region via a TV show format suitable for a mainstream, non-technical audience. Sanitation gaps are a global problem that continue to affect large segments of developing Asia and the Pacific, despite the … [Read more...] about ADBI-Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Roundtable on Sanitation and Development
Supporting equity in access to Learning Opportunities for young Canadians
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the everyday lives of Canadians, particularly young people who are facing unprecedented challenges, with fewer jobs, disruptions in their studies and overall uncertainty of the future. Building a stronger Canada for generations to come depends on young people getting the right education, the right experience and the right job opportunities. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting youth-serving organizations, including those that focus on … [Read more...] about Supporting equity in access to Learning Opportunities for young Canadians
New Humanitarian Aid of €54.5 million to Africa’s Great Lakes Region
The EU has announced new funding of €54.5 million in humanitarian aid to support most vulnerable people affected by human-made or natural disasters, epidemics, and displacement in the Great Lakes region of Africa. The aid will address the needs of the most vulnerable in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Republic of Congo and Burundi, and will support Burundian refugees in the DRC, Rwanda and Tanzania. Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič said, "Many people in the … [Read more...] about New Humanitarian Aid of €54.5 million to Africa’s Great Lakes Region
