The Caribbean Development Bank’s Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) is set to launch the Caribbean’s first online certified community engagement course for development practitioners on October 22, 2025. The course aims to equip community-development professionals and civil society leaders with the tools needed to strengthen community participation throughout project cycles. Participants will learn how to… [Read More]
The Impact of Organized Crime on Human Development in Latin America: A Call for Structural Solutions
Latin America and the Caribbean face a complex and persistent challenge as organized crime consolidates its influence while countries strive to advance development goals. Criminal organizations have diversified their activities, including illegal mining, human trafficking, and extortion, extending their control over institutions, territories, and communities. This expansion has profound consequences for human development, as these… [Read More]
In Zambia, African Development Fund Drives Major Reforms in Agriculture and Education
Concessional financing from the African Development Fund (ADF) has played a transformative role in reshaping Zambia’s agriculture and education sectors, fostering peace, prosperity, and regional competitiveness. During a recent visit to Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, ADF deputies gathered for discussions on the Fund’s 17th replenishment and toured two major project sites — the Nitrogen Chemicals of… [Read More]
African Development Bank Leads Regional Initiative to Tackle Toxic Pollution in Africa’s LDCs
The African Development Bank successfully concluded a two-day virtual workshop focused on launching a regional initiative aimed at helping Africa’s least developed countries (LDCs) manage hazardous chemicals and waste more effectively. Supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the initiative—known as AFLDC-2—was approved by the Bank’s Board of Directors in December 2024. It seeks to… [Read More]
African Development Bank Approves $8.9 Million GEF Grant to Strengthen São Tomé and Príncipe’s Agriculture and Fisheries
The African Development Bank Group’s Board of Directors has approved an additional grant of $8.9 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to support São Tomé and Príncipe in building resilience against climate change and improving agricultural productivity. This new financing increases the total project funding to $18.9 million, combining the earlier $10.05 million African… [Read More]
Tracking Climate Action: Africa Introduces New Systems to Monitor Green Commitments
A decade after the adoption of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global temperature rise to below 2°C and ideally 1.5°C, African nations are intensifying their efforts to ensure accountability and progress in meeting their climate commitments. In a landmark move, the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS), in collaboration with the Pan African… [Read More]
$25 Million Solar Investment Announced to Accelerate Mongolia’s Clean Energy Transition
India’s investment in Mongolia’s solar energy sector marks a major milestone in Mongolia’s efforts to diversify its energy sources and reduce its dependence on coal. Currently, about 90% of Mongolia’s electricity is generated from a single coal-fired power plant. The new solar power plant, backed by Indian funding and technology, represents a crucial step toward… [Read More]
Turning the Tide: How Global Movements and Youth Activism Are Tackling Poverty
Around the world, campaigns, festivals, and grassroots engagement are combining music, education, and activism to draw attention to global poverty, its causes, and solutions. Ongoing initiatives emphasize the role of youth and education, highlighting practical ways citizens and policymakers can make a difference. Key Takeaways Global poverty rates have dropped significantly, but large-scale efforts remain… [Read More]
North Macedonia Hosts World Energy Forum from 28–30 October 2025
The 14th International Forum on Energy for Sustainable Development (14-IFESD) is scheduled to take place from 28–30 October 2025 in Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia. The event is jointly organized by the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources of North Macedonia, UNDP North Macedonia, and the five United Nations Regional Commissions, including UNECE, UNESCAP,… [Read More]
Minsk Forum Unites Stakeholders to Build Belarus’ Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem
The forum in Belarus represents a significant step in the country’s systematic development of artificial intelligence by fostering partnerships between the public sector, private enterprises, and academia. AI is increasingly recognized as a critical element of the global agenda, with experts highlighting its potential to advance Sustainable Development Goals in areas such as healthcare, education,… [Read More]
Protecting Communities and Economies with Climate Data and Early Warnings
As extreme weather events intensify due to climate change, anticipating hazards before they strike has become critical for saving lives and protecting economies. Central to this capability is climate information, collected through weather stations, gauges, and sensors, which is transformed into actionable knowledge about climate trends, vulnerabilities, and impacts. This data supports reliable weather forecasts,… [Read More]
Caribbean Schools Embrace Climate-Smart Education Initiatives
The 2024 Hurricane Beryl underscored the urgent need for climate-resilient planning in Caribbean education, particularly in Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, where infrastructure losses were catastrophic. Loraine St. Louis Nedd, Permanent Secretary of Grenada’s Ministry of Education, highlighted that nearly all school structures on Union Island, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique were destroyed, disrupting… [Read More]
Second Phase of UNESCO Initiative Tackles Antisemitism in Europe, Ensures Safe Learning Spaces
The rise of antisemitism across Europe poses a serious threat not only to Jewish communities but also to the democratic fabric of societies, which depend on transparency, accountability, and freedom of expression. In response, UNESCO has launched the second phase of its “Addressing Antisemitism through Education in Europe” programme in 2025, supported by 1 million… [Read More]
UNESCO Strengthens Protection of Traditional Knowledge in Balkan Communities
The UNESCO Balkan regional workshop, held in Sarajevo on 8-9 September 2025, focused on harnessing Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) to address climate change, disaster risk reduction, and biodiversity protection. Experts from diverse fields—including biodiversity, ILK, and disaster risk management—gathered to explore how traditional knowledge can complement scientific approaches to environmental challenges. The workshop built… [Read More]
Amazon Announces €20,000 Fund to Break Barriers for Irish Creatives
Amazon has launched the Regional Creatives Fund Ireland to open new pathways into creative careers for underrepresented individuals across the country. The fund offers grants of up to €20,000 to registered Irish charities that help people pursue careers in publishing, music, gaming, film, TV, fashion, visual arts, podcasting, and other creative sectors. The initiative aims… [Read More]
Report Finds Japan and South Korea Underperforming in Climate-Focused Central Banking
A new report by Positive Money finds that Japan and the Republic of Korea are underperforming in implementing green central banking policies relative to the size of their economies and historic contributions to global carbon emissions. The East and Southeast Asia Green Central Banking report assessed 13 countries, including ASEAN+3 nations, evaluating how central banks… [Read More]
Sweden Pledges $15 Million to Boost Vietnam’s Business Growth Fund
Swedfund, the Swedish government’s development finance institution, has invested $15 million in the Excelsior Capital Vietnam Fund II, a new initiative supporting the growth of medium-sized businesses in Vietnam. The fund targets sectors including healthcare, education, consumer goods, and technology, aiming to strengthen companies that have high growth potential. This investment forms part of a… [Read More]
Cultural Revival: EU and Jordan Inaugurate Mechareus and Abila Heritage Projects
The European Union, in partnership with Italy and Jordan, has inaugurated rehabilitation works at the ancient sites of Mechareus and Abila, supported through a €10 million EU-funded project aimed at enhancing cultural heritage and promoting sustainable local development. The initiative brings together H.E. Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas, EU Ambassador to Jordan, H.E. Luciano Pezzotti, Italian Ambassador, and… [Read More]
Urban Rainforest Restoration Receives $1.98 Million Funding
Lismore is set to benefit from a $1.98 million initiative aimed at restoring its critically endangered urban rainforests and improving the health of local waterways. The Rainforest to River project will enhance 42 hectares of lowland rainforest across 16 sites, protect native wildlife, and strengthen the community’s connection to nature. Mayor Steve Krieg described the… [Read More]
Singapore Urged by UN to Halt Execution of Malaysian Citizen, Warns of Arbitrary Deprivation of Life
GENEVA – The UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, Morris Tidball-Binz, has called on Singapore to immediately halt the planned execution of Malaysian national Pannir Selvam Pranthaman, scheduled for 8 October, and commute his death sentence. He emphasized that drug-related offences do not meet the “most serious crimes” threshold under international human… [Read More]
Disturbing Human Rights Conditions in Cambodia Highlighted by UN Expert
The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia, Vitit Muntarbhorn, has voiced serious concerns over the increasingly restricted civic and political space in the country. He highlighted that opposition parties have been consistently undermined by elections that were neither free nor fair, allowing a single political clique to maintain monopolistic power despite intergenerational changes…. [Read More]
UN Warns of Mass Displacement Amid Renewed Conflict in Northern Mozambique
The conflict in northern Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, now in its eighth year, has reached a critical point, with more than 100,000 people displaced during 2025 alone. The violence, initially driven by armed groups locally known as al-Shabaab, has been exacerbated by repeated cyclones, floods, and droughts, devastating livelihoods and increasing humanitarian needs. For the… [Read More]
Conflict Prevention Critical as Africa Confronts Growing Security Threats
Parfait Onanga-Anyanga addressed the UN Security Council on the key challenges facing Africa and the importance of UN-AU cooperation. He highlighted ongoing concerns about the number and complexity of conflicts across the continent, which are often exacerbated by weak state authority, violent extremism, inequitable natural resource management, organized crime, climate change, acute food insecurity, and… [Read More]
