EIB Global has committed €40 million to Speedinvest’s first dedicated Africa-focused investment vehicle, aimed at financing high-growth technology startups across the continent. This initiative strengthens EU–Africa ties, promotes digital transformation, and supports inclusive economic growth, enabling African innovators to scale regionally and globally. At least 30% of the fund’s capital will target companies advancing gender… [Read More]
Nearly 30 New Initiatives Preserve Central Asia’s Cultural Heritage
The European Union and ALIPH have launched 29 new cultural heritage projects across Central Asia, co-funded with a total of EUR 1.5 million—EUR 1.1 million from the EU and the remainder from ALIPH. These projects will be implemented in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, aiming to safeguard both tangible and intangible heritage threatened by… [Read More]
EU Pledges €458 Million in Humanitarian Aid for Middle East
The European Commission has confirmed €450 million in humanitarian aid for 2026 to support Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt, ensuring life-saving assistance continues amid a challenging regional context and the withdrawal of major donors. The funding addresses urgent humanitarian needs and reinforces compliance with International Humanitarian Law while sustaining critical support for millions affected… [Read More]
Hildegarde Naughton Launches €100k Funding for Music Education
Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton TD has announced the opening of applications for a €100,000 grant fund to support organisations delivering non-mainstream music education. The funding is designed for groups with limited or no access to other public funding and can be used to cover music classes, instruments, and equipment for out-of-school programmes…. [Read More]
Major Funding Boost Aims to Divert Women from Crime
The UK government has announced a £31.6 million funding boost to provide vulnerable women caught in cycles of crime with targeted support, including drug rehabilitation, employment assistance, and housing. The investment will enable women’s centres and charities across the country to deliver specialist help to female offenders, most of whom are themselves victims of crime…. [Read More]
£50m Boost to Help Families with Rising Heating Oil Costs
The UK government has confirmed over £50 million in targeted support for low-income households that rely on heating oil to help tackle surging fuel prices. The price of kerosene, used for heating oil, has risen sharply due to the conflict in the Middle East and is currently double the cost of crude oil. Unlike gas and… [Read More]
UK Announces Urgent Aid Package to Support Lebanon
The UK Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has announced over £5 million in additional emergency humanitarian funding to support vulnerable and displaced civilians across Lebanon. The funding will be delivered through partners including the World Food Programme (WFP), the Lebanese Red Cross via the British Red Cross, and the UN OCHA Lebanon Humanitarian Fund. Cooper warned… [Read More]
UK Unleashes £1.4bn to Protect Homes and Businesses from Floods
The UK government has announced a £1.4 billion investment in flood defences for 2026/27, aimed at protecting tens of thousands of homes and businesses across England. This funding, part of a record £10.5 billion programme running from 2024 to 2036, will support the construction of new flood schemes and upgrades to existing defences, including flood… [Read More]
Rising Energy Costs Highlight Need for Renewables, Says UN
At the 2026 Green Growth Summit in Brussels, Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), highlighted the strategic importance of renewable energy amid global energy volatility. Speaking to European climate ministers, investors, and stakeholders, he emphasized that renewables offer countries energy independence, reducing reliance on vulnerable shipping routes and… [Read More]
Middle East Conflict Fuels Rising Civilian Toll
The fighting in the Middle East has intensified into what experts describe as a regional “spiral of conflict,” involving Iranian drone and missile attacks on Gulf States and Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. On 28 February, the US and Israel launched a major aerial campaign against Iran, targeting military and nuclear sites. Over… [Read More]
Glimmer of Hope in Haiti as Gang Frontlines Shift
At least 1.4 million people, mostly in the capital Port-au-Prince, have been forced to flee their homes due to escalating gang violence, creating what the UN’s Designated Expert on human rights in Haiti, William O’Neill, describes as an “unprecedented level of internal displacement.” Speaking from UN Headquarters in New York after a 10-day mission to… [Read More]
Breaking the Cycle of Addiction: Ontario’s Community Action
The Ontario government is ending provincial funding for seven drug injection sites located in communities already served by Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs, part of a broader strategy to prioritize treatment, recovery, and public safety. With nearly $550 million invested to establish 28 HART Hubs across the province, these centers provide integrated mental… [Read More]
Kyrgyzstan Expands Healthcare Access for Communities
Nuria Ziyadinova’s newborn daughter, Sofia, recently benefited from Kyrgyzstan’s expanding digital healthcare services when a family doctor diagnosed prolonged jaundice during a routine home visit. Thanks to the UN-supported telemed.kg platform, Nuria was able to consult remotely with a neonatologist in Bishkek, who confirmed the diagnosis and adjusted treatment, avoiding a long journey to the… [Read More]
ILO Warns of Job Risks as Nepal Approaches LDC Graduation
A new ILO report highlights that Nepal’s graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in November 2026 could pose risks to employment, particularly for women and informal workers, while also affecting exports in key sectors such as apparel and textiles due to the gradual loss of trade preferences. The Employment Impact Assessment, developed jointly by… [Read More]
ILO and Cuba Partner to Support Persons with Disabilities in Zambia
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Government of Cuba have taken steps to strengthen support systems for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Zambia following high-level talks in Lusaka. ILO Country Office Director for Zambia and Malawi, Mr. Wellington Chibebe, met with Cuban Ambassador Mrs. Marileydis Duenas Morales to explore cooperation aimed at improving the… [Read More]
Air Quality in Uttar Pradesh to Improve Through World Bank Initiative
The World Bank, the Government of India, and the Government of Uttar Pradesh have signed a $299.66 million agreement to support the state’s Clean Air Management Program, aimed at improving air quality while creating job opportunities for youth and women. The program targets key sectors such as transport, agriculture, and industry, and will install nearly… [Read More]
Boosting Competitiveness and Mining Sustainability in Peru
The World Bank has approved a US$200 million project to help Peru enhance competitiveness, transparency, and sustainability in its mining sector, aiming to create more and better jobs across the value chain. The initiative will generate advanced geoscientific data, modernize permitting systems, and strengthen institutional capacity, addressing regulatory bottlenecks and governance challenges that have slowed… [Read More]
New Trade Finance Initiative Strengthens Angola’s Economy
A new trade finance guarantee facility in Angola is set to support businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), by improving access to critical inputs, ensuring timely deliveries, and sustaining and creating jobs across key value chains. Provided to Banco de Fomento Angola (BFA) through the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) Global Trade Finance Program (GTFP),… [Read More]
INITIATE²: West Africa Boosts Outbreak Preparedness in Dakar
Fourteen West African countries convened in Dakar for a four-day regional simulation exercise (SIMEX) aimed at strengthening preparedness and response to filovirus outbreaks such as Ebola and Marburg. Hosted by the Senegal Ministry of Health and Africa CDC at the WHO Regional Emergency Hub, the exercise brought together over 40 experts in case management, WASH,… [Read More]
CSW70: Advancing Girls’ Education for Peace in Africa
The African Union International Centre for Girls and Women’s Education in Africa (AU CIEFFA), in collaboration with the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), hosted a high-level side event during the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) at the AU Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations. The event focused on… [Read More]
Pandemic Fund: Strengthening Global Health Security
In just over three years, the Pandemic Fund has become the world’s largest dedicated platform for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response in low- and middle-income countries, with a portfolio of $11.5 billion supporting 67 projects across 128 nations. The Fund’s catalytic financing model leverages grants to mobilize domestic and international co-investment, unlocking over $10 billion… [Read More]
Uganda NGOs Face Uncertain Future Amid Funding Cuts, Tight Regulations, and Donor Exit
Uganda’s non-governmental organisation sector is entering a period of uncertainty as declining donor support, increased regulatory scrutiny, and operational challenges threaten its long-term sustainability. These concerns were highlighted during the NGO Symposium 2026 held in Kampala on March 11, where government officials, civil society leaders, development partners, and financial experts gathered to evaluate the state… [Read More]
$80 Billion at Risk as Global TB Funding Declines, Study Reveals
More than a year after the second Trump administration began scaling back the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the global health impact of reduced international aid is becoming increasingly evident. A new study led by a researcher from Boston University School of Public Health reveals that cuts to USAID funding, along with broader reductions… [Read More]
