An international team of researchers led by Penn State University has received a six-year, $13.88 million grant from the European Research Council (ERC) to explore how human activity, climate change, and wildfires have shaped Africa’s landscapes and biodiversity over the past 6,000 years. The project, called Ecological Archaeologies of the Afrotropics (EcoArch), aims to provide… [Read More]
€1.1 Billion Impact+ Facility Launched at AFIS 2025 to Boost High-Impact African SMEs
At the Africa Financial Summit (AFIS) in Casablanca, Proparco and the European Union announced the launch of the Impact+ Facility, an innovative guarantee programme designed to enhance access to credit for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across Africa. The initiative aims to empower local financial institutions, strengthen their lending capacity, and promote inclusive and… [Read More]
Africa’s Mini-Grid Revolution: New Study Reveals Key Lessons to Accelerate Energy Access Through Smarter Financing
A new study by The Future of Energy, titled “Lessons Learned from 12 Years of Mini-Grid Results-Based Financing in Africa,” reveals crucial insights and future recommendations for scaling up energy access across the continent through more effective financing mechanisms. Despite collective commitments exceeding EUR 250 million for mini-grid development and ambitious goals to attract private… [Read More]
UNHCR Appeals for Funds to Sustain Safe Refugee Returns Across West and Central Africa
More than 42,000 refugees have voluntarily returned home across West and Central Africa this year, bringing the total number of returnees to over 272,000 since 2021. The majority have gone back to Nigeria and the Central African Republic (CAR), with an additional 10,000 Central African refugees expected to return from neighbouring countries by the end… [Read More]
UNDP Strategic Plan 2026–2029: Advancing People, Planet, and Prosperity
The UNDP Strategic Plan 2026–2029 was developed in a world vastly different from 2020, when the previous plan was conceived. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, many developing countries continue to face long-term economic challenges. Global cooperation is strained, financing for development is under pressure, and commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has weakened…. [Read More]
UNDP Mobilizes $2.7 Billion Through Biodiversity Finance Initiative to Advance Nature Conservation
The United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) has helped partner governments mobilize more than US$2.7 billion in finance for nature globally, marking a major leap from US$1.7 billion in 2024. This growth highlights how countries are increasingly integrating nature into their fiscal planning and redirecting funds from environmentally harmful to nature-positive policies…. [Read More]
Health Boost for Britain’s Forces as NHS Unveils New Support Programme
The UK government has launched a new £1.8 million NHS training programme designed to help healthcare staff across England provide more personalised care for the Armed Forces community. This initiative aims to ensure that veterans, serving personnel, reservists, and their families receive better healthcare in recognition of their service to the nation. The training will… [Read More]
Minister Foley Unveils €1.7 Million Funding for 2025 LGBTIQ+ Community Services Initiatives
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, has announced €1.7 million in funding for projects under the 2025 LGBTIQ+ Community Services Fund. The initiative aims to promote inclusion, protect rights, and improve the quality of life and wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ individuals across Ireland, ensuring their full participation in social, economic, cultural, and political life…. [Read More]
Jobs in a Changing Climate: How the Green Transition Is Reshaping Employment
A new World Bank report titled “Jobs in a Changing Climate: Insights from World Bank Group Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs)” reveals that investments in building climate resilience could generate benefits equivalent to 150 million jobs by 2050. Drawing on evidence from 93 economies—which together represent 64 percent of the population and 77 percent… [Read More]
Jamaica Receives Full $150 Million Payout from World Bank Catastrophe Bond Following Hurricane Melissa
Following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa, the Government of Jamaica will receive a full payout of $150 million under its catastrophe insurance coverage with the World Bank. The insurance is backed by a catastrophe bond issued in 2024 by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). The third-party calculation agent, AIR Worldwide Corporation,… [Read More]
Enhancing Public Financial Management in Lao PDR to Improve Efficiency and Public Service Delivery
The World Bank has approved the second phase of the Enhancing Public Financial Management through Information and Communication Technology and Skills Project to support the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) in strengthening the management of its public finances. The $17.5 million initiative, financed through a low-interest loan from the International Development Association (IDA), aims to… [Read More]
WFP Scales Back Aid in Conflict-Hit Eastern DRC Amid Growing Hunger and Funding Gaps
At a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Cynthia Jones, the World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), warned of a rapidly worsening hunger crisis across the country’s conflict-hit eastern provinces. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report shows that the number of… [Read More]
Asian Development Bank Provides $100 Million to Enhance Fiscal Stability and Transparency in Sri Lanka
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $100 million financing package to support Sri Lanka’s ongoing efforts to strengthen macroeconomic resilience, fiscal governance, and sustainable growth following its recent economic crisis. The program aims to reinforce public expenditure management, improve revenue mobilization, and foster greater private sector participation to help the country maintain stability… [Read More]
ADB, ReNew Partner on $331 Million Solar-Wind-BESS Project to Deliver Round-the-Clock Clean Energy in India
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a $331 million financing agreement with ReNew Vyoman Power Private Limited to develop an 837-megawatt (MW) wind-solar hybrid power plant with a 415-megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) in Andhra Pradesh, India. This large-scale renewable project will supply 300 MW of round-the-clock peak power and guaranteed baseload… [Read More]
ADF Approves $9 Million to Boost Climate Resilience and Flood Adaptation in Western Rwanda
The African Development Fund’s Board of Directors has approved a $9.4 million grant to the Republic of Rwanda to implement the Nature-Based Flood Adaptation Project. This initiative aims to strengthen climate resilience among communities and safeguard water infrastructure in the flood-prone western districts of Karongi and Rusizi. By focusing on nature-based solutions, the project will… [Read More]
Luxembourg, AfDB Deepen Collaboration to Drive Africa’s Sustainable Development
The African Development Bank Group President, Dr. Sidi Ould Tah, and Luxembourg’s Finance Minister, Gilles Roth, have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation as preparations continue for the seventeenth replenishment of the African Development Fund (ADF-17), the Bank’s concessional financing arm. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the 2025 World Bank and IMF… [Read More]
UNHCR Chief Urges Increased Support for Refugees Amid Funding Shortfalls
In his final address to the UN General Assembly, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi called for stronger protection and increased funding for displaced populations worldwide. Grandi highlighted that, for the first time in nearly a decade, the global number of refugees and people fleeing war, violence, and persecution has decreased—from 123 million at… [Read More]
Hurricane Melissa Devastates Jamaica, Wiping Out Nearly a Third of National Wealth
Hurricane Melissa has left 1.5 million Jamaicans affected and caused damage equivalent to 30% of the country’s GDP, marking it as the worst climate disaster in Jamaica’s history, UN officials said Thursday. The Category 5 storm generated nearly five million tonnes of debris across western Jamaica—roughly 500,000 truckloads—and has left communities struggling to recover. Authorities… [Read More]
UN Warns of Widespread Alleged Atrocities in Sudan’s El Fasher
The UN Special Adviser on genocide prevention has raised alarm over reports of widespread war crimes in Sudan’s El Fasher, as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia took control of the Darfuri capital after more than 500 days of siege. Chaloka Beyani, who recently assumed the role of Special Adviser of the UN Secretary-General for… [Read More]
UN: Israel Blocks Over 100 Humanitarian Aid Requests in Gaza Since Ceasefire
The United Nations reported on Thursday that Israeli authorities have rejected more than 100 requests to deliver relief materials to Gaza since a ceasefire took effect nearly a month ago. Deputy UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq told journalists in New York that 107 aid requests—including blankets, winter clothing, and equipment for water, sanitation, and hygiene services—have… [Read More]
UN Warns Armed Conflicts Are Devastating Ecosystems and Livelihoods Worldwide
From Gaza to Ukraine and beyond, ongoing conflicts are not only causing widespread human suffering but also wreaking havoc on natural resources, including forests, farmland, and water systems. The environmental damage disrupts livelihoods, drives displacement, and fuels instability, often persisting long after hostilities end. Speaking to the UN Security Council, Sierra Leone’s Deputy Foreign Minister… [Read More]
Brazil Launches Tropical Forests Forever Fund to Boost Climate Action
Brazil has launched the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, a new initiative designed to place forest protection at the center of global climate efforts. Announced during a summit in Belém ahead of COP30, the fund aims to reward countries that successfully halt deforestation, making standing forests more valuable than cleared land. The facility could channel up… [Read More]
Doha Summit Urges Countries to Turn Social Pledges into Action
The Second World Summit for Social Development concluded in Doha on Thursday with calls for countries to move from commitments to implementation, ensuring the Doha Political Declaration translates into measurable progress on poverty reduction, decent work, and social inclusion. Speaking at the closing press conference, UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock described the Summit as… [Read More]
