This week, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Acting Vice President Jason Small visited Abidjan to mark the successful closeout of the U.S.-Côte d’Ivoire transport and workforce development compact and to sign a new regional energy compact. The visit highlighted the U.S.’ commitment to partnerships that promote shared prosperity, advance American interests, and create opportunities for U.S…. [Read More]
Bank of Agriculture Launches $1 Billion Financing Programme to Support Farmers
The Bank of Agriculture (BOA) has partnered with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to mobilize up to $1 billion in financing aimed at supporting smallholder farmers and strengthening the agricultural value chain in Nigeria. The agreement was finalized during the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2025 in Algiers, Algeria, highlighting a strategic effort to enhance productivity,… [Read More]
Ivanhoe Mines Engages Sovereign Funds Following Qatar Investment, Says Friedland
Ivanhoe Mines is actively engaging with sovereign wealth funds to attract investments that would support its expansion in copper and other critical minerals, Co-Chairman Robert Friedland told Reuters. The company recently announced a $500 million investment from Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, aimed at developing and sustainably supplying minerals essential for the global energy transition and… [Read More]
The Papas’ Club: Nigerian Fathers Unite to Tackle Hunger
In northeast Nigeria, where men traditionally make key household decisions but often remain uninvolved in family health, Papas’ Clubs are changing the narrative. Supported by the Nigerian Red Cross and the IFRC, these clubs bring fathers into community efforts to improve nutrition, child health, and household wellbeing. By engaging men in discussions on gender equality,… [Read More]
How Cooperatives in Senegal Connect Farmers to Finance and Markets
The International Trade Centre (ITC) supports farmers in Senegal and other countries by helping them establish farm cooperatives, enabling small producers to gain more value from their products rather than selling raw goods. One notable example is the Agricultural Cooperative Society for Inclusive Development of the Niayes (COOPADIN), which operates in four towns near Dakar… [Read More]
South Asian Communities Mobilize $250,000+ for Punjab Flood Relief
South Asian communities have come together to raise over $250,000 to support victims of the recent devastating floods in India and Pakistan. The heavy monsoon rains have caused widespread destruction, claiming hundreds of lives and displacing millions across the subcontinent. In India, the state of Punjab, a major agricultural hub producing staples like wheat and… [Read More]
DBS and Franklin Templeton Partner to Launch Tokenized Money Market Fund Solutions with Ripple RLUSD
DBS, Franklin Templeton, and Ripple have partnered to offer accredited and institutional investors innovative trading and lending solutions through tokenised money market funds on the XRP Ledger blockchain, using stablecoins like Ripple USD (RLUSD). Formalized via a memorandum of understanding, the collaboration combines DBS’s position as one of Asia’s largest financial institutions, Franklin Templeton’s expertise… [Read More]
Brazil Enacts Landmark Law to Safeguard Children Online
On September 17, 2025, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed the country’s first law dedicated to protecting children’s rights online. Known as ECA Digital, the legislation updates Brazil’s 1990 Statute of the Child and Adolescent to address the digital environment, ensuring that technology companies design products with children’s best interests, privacy, and safety… [Read More]
Taliban Blocks Education for Afghan Girls, Jeopardizing Their Future
September 17 marks four years since the Taliban imposed a ban on secondary education for girls in Afghanistan, a restriction that has had devastating social, economic, and human rights consequences. The ban abruptly halts the educational journey of girls aged 12 and above, undermining their dreams, silencing their voices, and limiting their potential. Without access… [Read More]
Uzbekistan Targets 6% Poverty Rate by End of 2025 with New Reforms
Uzbekistan is targeting a reduction of its poverty rate to 6% by the end of 2025, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced on September 17 at the III International Forum on Poverty Reduction “Road to Prosperity” in Namangan. Over the past eight years, the country has implemented comprehensive measures to protect human rights, provide decent employment, raise… [Read More]
Trump Plans to Label Antifa as a “Major Terrorist Organization”
Donald Trump announced early Thursday that he plans to designate antifa as a “major terrorist organization.” Antifa, short for “anti-fascists,” is an umbrella term for far-left activist groups that oppose fascists and neo-Nazis, particularly at demonstrations, rather than a single organized entity. The decentralized nature of antifa has raised questions about how the administration would… [Read More]
Global Change Award 2026: Nominations Now Open for Innovators Worldwide
The Global Change Award (GCA) 2026, launched by the H&M Foundation, is now accepting nominations for early-stage ideas aimed at reshaping the textile industry toward a net-zero future. This annual innovation challenge supports bold changemakers who seek to transform how fashion is made, used, and valued. Program Director Annie Lindmark highlights that each year brings… [Read More]
Advancing Health, Human Rights, and Sustainability in Global Drug Policies
At the launch of the third UNDP Discussion Paper on drug policy and development, Marcos Neto, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, highlighted the critical need to view drug policy through a development lens. He emphasized that drug issues are scarcely represented in the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable… [Read More]
EU Provides €250 Million in Macro-Financial Assistance to Support Jordan’s Economy
Today, the European Commission disbursed the first instalment of €250 million in Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. This payment is part of the €500 million EU MFA IV programme, approved by the European Parliament and the Council in April 2025. The disbursement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by… [Read More]
How AI Is Helping 38 Million Farmers With Advanced Weather Predictions
This summer, 38 million farmers in India received AI-powered forecasts predicting the start of the monsoon season, giving them vital information to decide the best time to plant crops. These forecasts were powered in part by NeuralGCM, a Google Research model that integrates physics-based weather modeling with machine learning to deliver more accurate and efficient… [Read More]
The Ndege Group Launches African Rare Earth Mineral Fund to Boost Continental Sovereignty
The Ndege Group, through Africa’s Sovereign Development Trust® (ASDT), has announced the launch of the African Rare Earth Mineral Fund, a landmark initiative aimed at advancing Africa’s economic sovereignty. This fund represents a strategic move to ensure that the continent directly manages and benefits from its valuable natural resources, securing wealth for its people and… [Read More]
AHF Applauds African Leadership in Advancing Public Health Systems
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has praised the Government of Zambia for raising its health budget allocation from 7% in 2021 to 12% today, reflecting a stronger political commitment to build resilient health systems and ensure sustainability. AHF also commended the broader efforts of African leaders and regional institutions for taking bold action on critical… [Read More]
Rockefeller Foundation Launches $50M Initiative Backed by Global Support for International Cooperation
The Rockefeller Foundation has released the findings of a landmark global poll revealing widespread but fragile support for international cooperation. Conducted across 34 countries, the survey of 36,405 adults highlights the desire for nations to work together in addressing shared threats, despite growing nationalist rhetoric and declining development aid. Alongside these findings, the Foundation launched… [Read More]
West African Development Bank Joins Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty
The West African Development Bank (BOAD) has officially joined the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, an initiative led by the Brazilian Presidency of the G20. The Alliance focuses on eradicating hunger and poverty while reducing inequalities by supporting low-income countries, aligning with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1, 2, and 10). BOAD’s membership,… [Read More]
Start-up Funding in East Africa: Insights on ‘Follow the Money’ and the African ‘Valley of Death’
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has launched a call for proposals, inviting applications by 3 October 2025 to conduct a comprehensive study on start-up funding in East Africa, with a particular focus on Kenya and Tanzania. Commissioned through the UK Kenya Tech Hub, the East Africa Research and Innovation Hub, and the… [Read More]
African Development Bank Approves Equity Investment in The Currency Exchange Fund
The African Development Bank Group’s Board of Directors has approved an equity investment of USD 25 million in The Currency Exchange Fund (TCX), a global leader in providing long-term local currency hedging solutions in emerging and frontier markets. This investment will strengthen TCX’s capital base, expand its risk-bearing capacity, and increase its ability to offer… [Read More]
WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies Officially Enters into Force
On 15 September, the World Trade Organization (WTO) marked a historic moment with the entry into force of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. This agreement aims to curb billions of dollars in annual subsidies that fuel overfishing and contribute to the depletion of marine resources, addressing one of the most pressing global environmental and… [Read More]
WTO Hackathon Highlights Youth-Led Solutions for Trade and Food Security
The World Trade Organization (WTO), in collaboration with the Geneva Trade Platform and CropLife International, held the finals of its first global policy hackathon on trade and food security on 16 September. The event gathered 58 student teams from over 30 countries, tasking them with designing innovative solutions on how trade rules could support the… [Read More]
