Partners of the European Union-funded Agri-food Business Development Programme convened in Baghdad at a high-level event organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to review progress made across Iraq’s agri-food value chains and explore pathways for increasing private sector investment. The event brought together national authorities, international partners, and private sector… [Read More]
Building Skills in the Americas: PAHO Introduces Virtual Reality Laboratory for Respiratory Virus Monitoring
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has launched a virtual reality (VR) platform aimed at building capacity and enhancing preparedness in public health laboratories across the Americas for the surveillance of influenza and other epidemic-prone pathogens. The immersive tool was introduced at the Severe Acute Respiratory Infections Network (SARInet plus) regional laboratory meeting in Brasília,… [Read More]
Burundi Families Reclaim Stability and Security Amid Recovery Efforts
Almost two years ago, Gatumba village in western Burundi was devastated by heavy rains triggered by the El Niño climate phenomenon, which caused floods affecting nearly 300,000 people nationwide. Among those impacted was 39-year-old Jeanine Ndabazaniye, a mother of ten, who lost her home and belongings. Today, she and other displaced residents are gradually rebuilding… [Read More]
NZ-UAE Collaboration Accelerates Growth in Advanced Tech Sector
New Zealand has launched a science partnership with a leading UAE university aimed at enhancing the country’s advanced engineering and modelling capabilities. Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Dr Shane Reti said the collaboration will create high-value jobs, encourage economic growth, and improve climate risk management. By combining New Zealand’s research expertise with the UAE’s strengths… [Read More]
Hill Country Receives $28 Million Boost for Erosion Control Projects
The New Zealand Government has committed nearly $28 million to support erosion control projects in the country’s hill country, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced. This funding, provided under the Hill Country Erosion Programme (HCEP), is intended to protect productive land from the impacts of severe weather, maintain soil health, and limit downstream damage…. [Read More]
Expanding Opportunities for Decent Work: ILO Highlights Just Transition Integration
A new ILO report, “Mapping just transition in NDC 3.0: Global trends across 123 countries”, highlights a significant increase in references to just transition, employment, and decent work in the latest Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). While the report acknowledges this progress, it emphasizes the critical need to focus on implementation, including labour-related policies that support… [Read More]
Strengthening Youth Employment: ILO and WAEMU Forge Key Partnership
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) have reinforced their partnership to promote youth employment during a high-level meeting held on 3 February 2026 at the WAEMU Commission headquarters in Ouagadougou. The discussions centered on a joint ILO-WAEMU programme for 2026–2030, which is currently being developed to support… [Read More]
Mongolia Boosts SME Safety with New Occupational Health Training Programs
The International Labour Organization (ILO), in partnership with the OSH Center, conducted a comprehensive occupational safety and health (OSH) training for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Baganuur district of Mongolia. The program consisted of a two-day practical classroom session followed by in-factory consulting for four to six weeks, allowing participants to apply OSH… [Read More]
Second Chance Schools Gain Momentum as ILO and EU Collaborate Regionally
The International Labour Organization (ILO), with financial support from the European Union, held a webinar on 5 February 2026 to discuss the role of Second Chance Schools (E2C) in promoting inclusion and employability for young people not in employment, education, or training (NEET) across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. NEET youth account… [Read More]
Environment Agency Cautions Residents About Persistent Flood Threats
The Environment Agency has urged the public to remain alert to ongoing flood risks following Storm Chandra and subsequent heavy rainfall. Unsettled weather is expected to continue across the country, with a Met Office yellow rain warning currently in place for parts of South West England. Heavy rain is forecast to persist over the weekend,… [Read More]
New Fast-Track Apprenticeship Reforms to Strengthen Britain’s Workforce
The UK government is introducing accelerated reforms to apprenticeships and short courses, aimed at giving young people a faster route into high-quality jobs, particularly in major infrastructure, energy, and manufacturing projects. By streamlining the approval process, updates to existing apprenticeships or the development of new training can now be completed in as little as three… [Read More]
Bangladesh Acquires UK Survey Vessels to Strengthen Defence Partnership
The United Kingdom and the Bangladesh Navy have formalized a government-to-government sales agreement for the former HMS Enterprise, an Echo-class hydrographic and oceanographic survey vessel. The agreement was signed at the Bangladesh Navy Headquarters following extensive technical consultations between the Bangladesh Navy, the UK Ministry of Defence, and the Royal Navy. The vessel, renowned for… [Read More]
Government Pledges to Unlock Opportunities for Youth Ahead of National Apprenticeship Week
Young people across the country are set to benefit from clearer pathways into apprenticeships as the government unveils a series of reforms ahead of National Apprenticeship Week. Prime Minister Keir Starmer highlighted the commitment to “unlock opportunities for young people across the country” by making skills and apprenticeship routes more accessible, faster, and better aligned… [Read More]
Disaster Refuges in Palau: Protecting Lives and Building Community Resilience
Seth Techitong grew up in Palau, an archipelago of over 500 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, spending his childhood swimming above coral reefs and exploring the sea that defined his sense of freedom. For him, life on the islands was simple and safe, shaped by tides and seasons. Today, however, the ocean that once… [Read More]
Empowering Women Reporters: Khabar Lahariya’s Grassroots Journalism Revolution
Khabar Lahariya, meaning “news waves,” is an all-women media organisation founded in 2002 and run by rural reporters, many of whom are Dalit, Adivasi, and Muslim. The organisation dispatches stories from some of India’s most marginalised regions, challenging entrenched social norms and demonstrating that women can not only report but also cover stories others cannot…. [Read More]
Minister for Health and Foreign Affairs Announce Arrival of Gaza Children for Treatment
The Ministers for Health and Foreign Affairs and Trade, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Helen McEntee, have confirmed the arrival in Ireland of seven Palestinian children from Gaza to receive medical treatment. This marks the fifth medical evacuation since the Government approved the initiative in September 2024, following a World Health Organization (WHO) appeal to address… [Read More]
How U.S. Oil Companies Are Driving Energy Leadership Through Service
The United States is strengthening its position in global energy not only through domestic production but also by expanding strategically abroad. U.S. oil majors like ExxonMobil and Chevron are leveraging expertise in exploration and oilfield services to grow in OPEC and OPEC+ countries, aided by the Trump administration’s trade realignments and foreign policy initiatives. These… [Read More]
U.S. Oil Majors at the Forefront of Energy Dominance and Reliability
The United States is strengthening its position in global energy not only through domestic production but also by expanding strategically abroad. U.S. oil majors like ExxonMobil and Chevron are leveraging expertise in exploration and oilfield services to grow in OPEC and OPEC+ countries, aided by the Trump administration’s trade realignments and foreign policy initiatives. These… [Read More]
SDG Financing and Digital Solutions in the Kyrgyz Republic
This publication highlights how Joint SDG Fund-supported programmes in the Kyrgyz Republic are advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through integrated financing, strengthened local governance, and digital transformation. The programmes aim to translate national priorities into tangible results, aligning planning, budgeting, and service delivery with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Through the Integrated National… [Read More]
UK Provides Lifesaving Aid to Ukraine Amid Severe Winter Conditions
As Ukraine endures its harshest winter in a decade, the UK is providing vital humanitarian assistance, delivering generators, hygiene kits, and other essential supplies to support vulnerable civilians. In partnership with UNICEF and Ukrainian energy and water providers, the UK is helping restore heating and water services to communities severely affected by Russian attacks on… [Read More]
Traveller Healthy Childhood Initiative Receives €500,000 to Expand in Ireland
The Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD, announced that the Brighter Beginnings initiative, the HSE Traveller healthy childhood programme, will expand into two additional health regions. The initiative builds on the progress achieved through the Traveller Health Action Plan 2022–2027 and aims to reduce health inequalities among… [Read More]
Ukraine Health Care Protection: WHO Appeals for $42 Million Amid Fifth Year of War
The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched its 2026 Humanitarian Appeal for Ukraine, requesting US$ 42 million to protect health care access for approximately 700,000 people. The funding will strengthen emergency and trauma care, sustain essential primary health services, build national and local preparedness, and coordinate medical evacuations for patients requiring specialized treatment. Ongoing hostilities… [Read More]
NewCold Launches Romania’s First Automated Cold Storage with EBRD Financing
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a loan of up to RON 182.8 million (€36 million) to NewCold Romania SRL to support the development of the company’s first high-automation cold storage warehouse. This project represents a major expansion of NewCold’s innovative logistics network in Central and Eastern Europe, following the completion… [Read More]
