West Sussex County Council, in partnership with Brighton & Hove City Council, has secured a £15.6 million grant from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to deliver the Connect to Work programme. This new employment initiative, rolling out across England and Wales, aims to help up to 100,000 people nationally, including 3,950 residents in… [Read More]
EIB Provides €25 Million Loan to Patria Bank to Support Romanian Businesses
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has provided a €25 million loan to Romania-based Patria Bank SA to expand financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and Mid-Cap companies across the country. The funding aims to make credit more accessible to businesses, particularly in less-developed regions, helping to strengthen economic cohesion and support inclusive growth. A… [Read More]
€100 Billion for Social Programs: Key Details and Controversies
Mental Health Europe, together with the European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD) and over 50 European networks, has issued a joint statement expressing serious concerns over the European Commission’s proposal for the EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034. The statement, titled “100 billion Euros for social spending? The devil’s in the… [Read More]
New £1M Funding Establishes Connector Project for Transatlantic Slavery Studies
National Museums Liverpool has been awarded a £1 million grant to launch the Connector project, a new initiative aimed at establishing an international network for researching the history and legacies of transatlantic slavery. The project seeks to bring together museums, heritage organisations, universities, creative practitioners, businesses, and community groups from around the world to foster… [Read More]
Global Gateway Forum: Finland Highlights Strengths in Green and Digital Transition
Finnish Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio will attend the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels on 9–10 October 2025, an event gathering high-level representatives from EU Member States, partner countries, financial institutions, and the private sector. The forum highlights the European Global Gateway strategy, which aims to strengthen modern and secure links in… [Read More]
Boosting Climate Finance: Regional Validation of Resilient Agricultural Initiatives
A regional workshop has been convened to mobilize investors and partners around a portfolio of climate-resilient agricultural projects, enhance the capacity of national and regional stakeholders, and foster collaboration among actors involved in climate finance. The initiative also emphasizes the commitment of National Designated Authorities to align investments with climate objectives and national priorities. Draft… [Read More]
Guterres Urges Countries to Act as Global Renewable Energy Use Hits Record Growth
The latest reports highlight a rapid acceleration in the global shift towards renewable energy, with solar and wind power surpassing coal for the first time in electricity generation, according to analysis by Ember. This milestone indicates that clean energy is beginning to meet the world’s growing electricity demand, marking a crucial turning point in the… [Read More]
£200,000 Boost from AKG’s Community Investment Fund Supports Local Initiatives
AKG has announced the Round 3 awardees of its Community Investment Fund, a £200,000 programme designed to drive sustainable local change. This funding round supports four community-led projects that help people in East Central England move closer to employment and realise their potential through innovative and practical approaches. The Community Investment Fund was established under… [Read More]
€430 Million EU Package to Accelerate Vietnam’s Clean Energy and Just Transition
During the Global Gateway Forum, European Commissioner Síkela met with Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Bùi Thanh Sơn, where the European Commission and Team Europe announced a €430 million package to advance the Bac Ai Pumped Hydro Storage Project. This project is a flagship investment under Vietnam’s Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), co-led by the EU… [Read More]
€100 Million Funding for Italian Small and Medium Agribusinesses from EIB and Banca di Asti
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Banca di Asti have signed a new €100 million agreement to support small and medium agribusinesses in Italy, focusing on the agriculture and bioeconomy sectors. This agreement, signed at the 11th Annual Conference on Financial Instruments of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) in Milan, marks the… [Read More]
EU-Guatemala Collaboration Boosts Green Transition and Development in Petén
The “More Sustainable Petén” initiative, part of the Global Gateway Investment Agenda, seeks to promote economic growth in Petén while safeguarding the environment and ensuring responsible use of natural resources. Funded and implemented by Team Europe—which includes the European Union, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, and Sweden—and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the program also… [Read More]
Team Europe Pledges €12 Billion to Support South Africa’s Sustainable Development
On 9 October, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa unveiled a Team Europe investment package worth nearly €12 billion. This initiative aims to support South Africa in becoming a global leader in the just energy transition, sustainable infrastructure, digital connectivity, and pharmaceutical value chains. The package reflects a… [Read More]
EU Pledges €6.6 Million to Strengthen Ukraine’s Independent Media Sector
At the opening of the Donbas Media Forum, the European Union announced three new projects worth €6.6 million aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s independent media sector. Building on more than €110 million in EU support for Ukrainian media since 2017, including €57.5 million provided since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, these initiatives seek to help journalists… [Read More]
At Least 20 Dead in El Fasher Mosque and Hospital Attacks in Sudan
On Thursday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group attacked a Saudi hospital and a local mosque in El Fasher on Tuesday and Wednesday, where displaced families had sought refuge. The Saudi hospital, described as the last functioning medical facility in the city,… [Read More]
UK Provides Support to Enhance Lebanon’s Social Protection Efforts
The British Ambassador to Lebanon, Hamish Cowell, hosted a reception with Minister of Social Affairs Haneen Sayed and a visiting research team from the University of Sussex’s Institute of Development Studies, reaffirming the UK’s longstanding partnership with Lebanon on social protection and gender equality. The event gathered Members of Parliament from both countries, civil society… [Read More]
Minister Jim O’Callaghan opens new domestic violence refuge accommodation in Dublin city
Minister Jim O’Callaghan officially opened a new domestic violence refuge in Dublin 4, designed to provide safe accommodation for women and children experiencing domestic violence. The nine-unit facility, funded and supported operationally by Cuan, the national Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency, can accommodate approximately 36 families per year, or up to 62 people at… [Read More]
£84 Million Funding Boost to Combat Homelessness Across the UK
The UK government has announced a new £84 million funding package to support people facing homelessness, with a particular focus on children and families in temporary accommodation ahead of winter. The funding will help families cover essential costs such as food, school travel, laundry, and other basic needs, ensuring that children can continue their education… [Read More]
Philippines Mental Health Advocate: Emmanuel’s Inspiring Journey
Jesus Emmanuel A. D. Sevilleja, an epidemiologist at the National Center for Mental Health in the Philippines, describes the mental health sector as both a scientific challenge and a human mission, emphasizing its role in promoting equity, empowerment, and human rights. His work focuses on generating evidence about the burden, risk factors, and outcomes of… [Read More]
Strengthening Ebola Preparedness: Uganda’s Proactive Health Measures
Uganda’s Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, has intensified efforts to strengthen Ebola outbreak preparedness amid the ongoing outbreak in Kasai Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The measures include enhanced surveillance, traveler screening, and updated contingency planning to reduce the risk of cross-border transmission. Using WHO’s… [Read More]
Mauritius Advances Climate-Resilient Health Systems with WHO Support and Institutional Framework Validation
Mauritius has reached a strategic milestone in building a climate-resilient health system through the validation of its Gap Analysis Report, the draft Institutional Framework, and the Terms of Reference (ToR) for establishing a Climate and Health Technical Unit (CHTU). This progress is part of the project “Building Health Systems Resilience to Climate Change,” funded by… [Read More]
Dr. Moses Ongom on Why Mental Health Is Essential for Overall Health in South Sudan
This year’s World Mental Health Day, themed “Mental health in humanitarian emergencies,” highlights the pressing realities faced by people in South Sudan. For many, life is shaped by conflict, displacement, floods, disease outbreaks, and daily survival challenges, all of which take a profound toll on mental well-being. Humanitarian workers, often living under the same conditions,… [Read More]
Ecuador Leads Migration Governance with New GCM Implementation Strategy
The UN Network on Migration and the Government of Ecuador convened a high-level dialogue on 9 October 2025 with GCM champion countries, donors, and partners to discuss the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) through National Implementation Plans. The forum highlighted how cooperation, partnerships, and targeted support are helping… [Read More]
First IOM Humanitarian Flight Returns Syrians from Libya Safely
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) facilitated the voluntary return of 152 Syrians in vulnerable situations from Libya to Damascus on 8 October 2025, marking the first Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) flight to Syria organized by IOM this year. The operation, departing from Tripoli, was conducted at the request of the Syrian Ministry of Foreign… [Read More]
