The recent escalation of fighting in South Sudan has intensified risks for civilians and aid workers, with three humanitarian personnel killed between 7 and 16 February in Jonglei and Upper Nile states, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Despite repeated commitments by authorities to allow relief operations, access to… [Read More]
Ministers Celebrate Key Step Forward for Endangered Bird Conservation
A major milestone has been reached in Ireland’s efforts to protect vulnerable ground-nesting bird species, as 170 landowners have committed to conservation management through the Breeding Waders European Innovation Partnership (EIP). This initiative brings over 2,340 hectares of land under active management to support breeding waders, including the Eurasian Curlew, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Northern Lapwing, Common… [Read More]
20 Years of the Maritime Labour Convention: Ensuring Workers’ Rights at Sea
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006), a landmark treaty that has significantly improved working and living conditions for seafarers worldwide while promoting fair competition in global shipping. Adopted on 23 February 2006 through a unique tripartite consensus… [Read More]
Asia Migrant Workers Struggle in Fishing and Seafood Processing
A regional survey conducted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) highlights persistent challenges faced by migrant workers in Asia’s fishing and seafood processing industries, emphasizing the urgent need to ratify and implement international labour standards on recruitment, work in fishing, and forced labour. The study, titled “Towards fair seas: Recruitment and working conditions for migrant… [Read More]
Updated Report: Ukraine’s Recovery and Reconstruction Needs
Four years into Russia’s invasion, Ukraine faces unprecedented recovery and reconstruction needs, with the updated Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA5) estimating costs at nearly $588 billion (€500 billion) over the next decade, almost three times the country’s projected 2025 nominal GDP. This assessment, prepared jointly by the Government of Ukraine, the World Bank Group,… [Read More]
World Bank Partnership Boosts Job Creation in Papua New Guinea
PORT MORESBY, February 23, 2026 – The World Bank Group has launched a six-year partnership with Papua New Guinea to support key reforms and investments aimed at creating jobs, improving public services, and building long-term resilience. This collaboration, formalized through the approval of the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) on February 17, 2026, will guide World… [Read More]
Congo Basin Countries Chart Carbon Market Strategies
Six countries of the Congo Basin—Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Republic of Congo—have launched Strategic Roadmaps for Carbon Market and Climate Finance in the Forest Sector. Developed with support from the World Bank, these roadmaps aim to transform the region’s forest wealth into engines for climate-resilient growth, sustainable… [Read More]
Malawi Economy Outlook: Unlocking Private Sector Growth
LILONGWE, February 24, 2026 — Malawi’s economy faces persistent challenges after years of high inflation, widening fiscal and external deficits, and declining exports, according to the World Bank Group’s latest Malawi Economic Monitor (MEM), Getting Reforms Right. With 270,000 young people entering the labor market annually but only around 40,000 formal jobs created, generating employment… [Read More]
Timor-Leste Uses Data-Driven Census to Boost Social Protection and Reduce Child Stunting
The Government of Timor-Leste, in collaboration with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion (MSSI), and the National Institute of Statistics of Timor-Leste (INETL), has launched a major data-driven initiative to modernize the country’s social protection system and improve maternal and child nutrition outcomes. In 2026, INETL will… [Read More]
SME Success Stories Worldwide: Insights Nepal Can Adopt (II)
This second part of the analysis highlights additional global best practices that Nepal can adopt to strengthen its SME ecosystem. While Part I focused on financing and regulation, this section emphasizes digital infrastructure, public procurement, human capital, innovation, inclusion, and systemic measurement as key pillars for SME growth. Countries like the USA, Canada, Germany, Australia,… [Read More]
Small Grants, Big Lessons: Sustainability in Global Health
Philanthropy has long faced the challenge of ensuring that investments create lasting change rather than short-term results. This issue has become especially urgent in global health, where funding pressures and deep cuts make it critical for donors to support programs that local governments can sustain independently. Ensuring long-term impact requires strategies that promote local ownership… [Read More]
Lessons from Three Megadiverse Countries on Biodiversity Protection
GIZ is supporting eight partner countries in strengthening their capacity to implement national biodiversity targets, including Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), and Indonesia, which together host 60% of the world’s tropical forest ecosystems. These forests are critical for addressing biodiversity loss and climate change. To promote cooperation, the project organized study… [Read More]
RAIN Challenge Insights: Driving Innovation for Climate Resilience
Over the past three years, the Resilient Agriculture Innovations for Nature (RAIN) Challenge, in partnership with the Shockwave Foundation and Munich Re Foundation, has supported East African innovators in transforming early-stage, nature-positive agricultural ideas into scalable, investment-ready solutions. The initiative focuses on seed-level innovations that strengthen agricultural systems and advance climate resilience in local communities,… [Read More]
$10 Million Fund to Advance AI Designed By and For People
The MacArthur Foundation has announced $10 million in aligned grantmaking to support Humanity AI, a national initiative dedicated to building a human-centered future in which artificial intelligence (AI) is designed by and for people. Humanity AI brings together a coalition of funders across the arts, labor, democracy, education, and security sectors, aiming to drive more… [Read More]
Albania and UK Exchange Best Practices on Constituency Engagement
Listening and responding to constituency needs is a fundamental part of representative democracy and a core responsibility of any Member of Parliament (MP). A recent mentoring session brought together UK parliamentarians and first-time Albanian MPs to explore effective ways for representatives to connect with and respond to their constituencies. The exchange focused on strategies to… [Read More]
Why Strong Education Systems Drive Life Skills Development
In 2024, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Vodafone Foundation launched a Life Skills course under the Instant Network Schools programme to support displaced students’ learning. A recent evaluation of the course highlighted a key insight: life skills do not develop in isolation but emerge and are sustained through strong, structured, and inclusive education… [Read More]
Georgia Advances Aquaculture with National Fish Traceability Integration
Until now, most fish farms in Georgia have relied on paper notebooks to record information on feedings, health treatments, and production. This labor-intensive approach has limited disease prevention, slowed decision-making, and made traceability difficult. To address these challenges, Georgia is preparing to integrate its aquaculture sector into the National Animal Identification and Traceability System (NAITS)… [Read More]
FAO Assists Tuvalu in Launching First National Crops and Livestock Census
In Funafuti, Tuvalu, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is supporting the country’s first National Crops and Livestock Census by providing technical and methodological assistance in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources Development, the Central Statistics Division, and the Pacific Community (SPC). A training program has been launched to equip… [Read More]
Climate-Smart Equipment Strengthens Dryland Farming and Restores Landscapes
In Harare, Zimbabwe, the Government commissioned a new tranche of small-scale agricultural equipment to support climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land management, and rural livelihoods in dryland areas under the Drylands Sustainable Landscapes Impact Programme (DSL-IP). Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF-7) and supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the… [Read More]
Miombo Woodland Restoration in Zimbabwe Boosted by FAO Training
In Mudzi and Rushinga districts of Zimbabwe, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, concluded a week-long series of capacity-building workshops aimed at empowering traditional leaders to drive sustainable management and restoration of Miombo woodlands. The workshops,… [Read More]
Deaf Farmers in Egypt Boost Yields Through Adapted Field Schools
In the Kharga Oasis, a crescent of green in Egypt’s western desert, fifteen farmers gather under the shade of date palms, communicating entirely through sign language. This is the “Sound of Silence” Farmer Field School, funded by the Global Environment Facility, where deaf and speech-impaired farmers have turned communication barriers into collective strength, becoming among… [Read More]
WHO and Solomon Islands Collaborate on Health Security Initiatives
In a world increasingly threatened by climate change, zoonotic diseases, and natural or man-made disasters, the Solomon Islands is taking significant steps to strengthen its health security through collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). The country works under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005), which provide a legal framework for managing public health risks… [Read More]
Samoa Launches One Health Pandemic Preparedness and Response Project
The Government of Samoa, in partnership with the World Bank, FAO, and WHO, officially launched the One Health Pandemic Preparedness and Response project, supported by a US$4.8 million grant from the Pandemic Fund. The initiative adopts a One Health approach, recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, and aims to strengthen Samoa’s capacity… [Read More]
