Digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are reshaping how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operate, offering significant opportunities to enhance productivity and improve working conditions, while also presenting challenges related to skills, inclusion, and decent work. This topic was the focus of a recent webinar organized by the ILO’s Global Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises… [Read More]
Business
Strengthening Indonesia’s Economy: ADB Supports Trade, Competitiveness, and Green Initiatives
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $500 million policy-based loan to support Indonesia’s efforts to strengthen competitiveness, promote green growth, and accelerate trade under the third subprogram of the Competitiveness, Industrial Modernization, and Trade Acceleration Program (CITA). The program aims to attract investment in sustainable businesses, reduce trade barriers, and empower local enterprises,… [Read More]
Asia-Pacific Natural Disaster Defenses Receive $10 Million Funding from UAE
The United Arab Emirates has committed $10 million to strengthen resilience against natural disasters in the Asia-Pacific region. This funding, announced under the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed through the UAE International Aid Agency, will be channeled to Emirates Nature-WWF to implement the Building Community Resilience to Natural Disasters (BCRND) initiative. The first phase of… [Read More]
$3.2 Billion Boost: U.S. Food Security Initiative Benefits Mid-Mississippi Delta Farmers
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is advancing efforts to protect wildlife habitats while boosting food security by encouraging farmers in the mid-Mississippi Delta to shift from commodity row crops to specialty food crops. This initiative, now organized under the Delta Ag Alliance, brings together farmers, startups, retailers, and investors to create a regional framework supporting… [Read More]
EU Commits €190m to Support Nigeria’s Agricultural Sector
Nigeria’s agricultural sector is set to benefit from a significant financial boost following the European Union’s approval of a €190 million (approximately ₦320.5 billion) credit line aimed at expanding access to finance for farmers and agribusinesses. The facility, provided by the European Investment Bank (EIB), was announced during a bilateral meeting between Nigerian officials and… [Read More]
Lagos Hosts the 2025 Création Africa Forum to Spotlight Africa’s Cultural and Creative Industries
From 16 to 18 October 2025, Lagos, Nigeria, will host the second edition of the Création Africa Forum, an event dedicated to advancing Africa’s cultural and creative industries. Organized by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Maison des Mondes Africains (MansA), the Institut Français, and supported by the Team… [Read More]
Yango Group Partners with Kenyan Fintech Zanifu to Strengthen SME Growth in Africa
Yango Group, a UAE-based technology company, has announced a strategic investment in Zanifu, a leading Kenyan fintech platform dedicated to improving access to working capital for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Beyond providing financial backing, Yango will support Zanifu in refining its long-term business model and growth strategy, leveraging its operational expertise from more than… [Read More]
Top 5 Ways to Fund Disaster Resilience and Build a Safer Future
Disasters are becoming increasingly frequent, intense, and costly, with the poorest countries suffering the greatest losses. Despite the growing threat, resilience—the ability of communities and economies to anticipate, withstand, and recover from disasters—remains severely underfunded. Investing in resilience is essential to protect lives, economies, and development progress, yet global funding continues to prioritize recovery over… [Read More]
World Bank Microloans in Cambodia Under Scrutiny Amid Rising Debt Traps
Cambodia has the highest microcredit debt per capita in the world, with debts concentrated among people living in poverty who rely on loans for small businesses or emergency expenses. In 2024, around 3.8 million households held more than 3 million microloans, totaling $18 billion. A recent Human Rights Watch report highlights how Cambodian microfinance institutions,… [Read More]
Faster Flood Protection for Vulnerable Communities Across the UK
The UK government has announced sweeping reforms to flood defence funding, aimed at protecting deprived communities and safeguarding homes and businesses across England. The previous rules, last updated in 2011, relied on outdated evidence and a complex application process that often disadvantaged councils with limited resources, leaving poorer areas without adequate flood protection. Under the… [Read More]
Expanding Digital Opportunities: CARE and HP Foundation Reach 300,000 Beneficiaries
CARE, in partnership with the HP Foundation, is expanding the Strive Women program from the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth to support women-led micro and small enterprises (W-MSEs) in Pakistan, Peru, and Vietnam. This 12-month collaboration aims to strengthen women entrepreneurs’ digital skills, broaden access to markets, and provide financial tools to help their businesses… [Read More]
Zambia’s Growth in Focus: How African Development Fund Investments Are Shaping Tomorrow
Under the scorching African sun in Kafue, Lusaka Province, farmer Grace Nyirongo Phiri tends to rows of thriving crops nourished by a modern irrigation system. Unlike a few years ago, when watering with hose pipes consumed entire days and left crops unevenly hydrated, she now benefits from a network that delivers water directly to each… [Read More]
Driving Farmer Productivity: UK Supports Agro-Industrialisation in Uganda
The first UK-Uganda Agro-Industrialisation Forum took place on 27 August 2025, bringing together representatives from the UK and Ugandan governments, farmers, businesses, and development partners to discuss strategies for boosting farm productivity, increasing exports to the UK, enhancing regional food trade, and improving climate resilience. The forum provided a platform to explore collaborative approaches to… [Read More]
Philippines Faces Productivity Challenge Amid Growth and Job Struggles
The Philippines has made steady progress in recent years, but its economic growth continues to lag behind regional peers. Between 2010 and 2024, the country’s GDP grew at an average of 5.3 percent—slower than Korea and Malaysia’s 7–10 percent growth during similar development phases. Most new jobs are concentrated in low-productivity, low-wage service sectors, and… [Read More]
Latin America Set to Receive USD 1.086 Billion from CAF for Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructure
CAF, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, held its Board of Directors meeting and approved USD 1.086 billion for strategic operations in Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, and Chile. This decision highlights the institution’s continued commitment to sustainable development, climate action, and the modernization of critical infrastructure across the region. In Brazil, CAF approved… [Read More]
Ontario Increases Investment in Student Nutrition Programs to $37.5 Million
The Ontario government has increased its investment in student nutrition programs by $5 million, bringing the total funding for the Student Nutrition Program (SNP) and the First Nations Student Nutrition Program (FNSNP) to $37.5 million for 2025–26. These programs serve over 800,000 students across the province, providing more than 140 million healthy meals and snacks… [Read More]
Private Sector Partnerships as Catalysts for Circular Economy Transition Through Bilateral Collaboration
The Netherlands has set an ambitious goal to fully implement a circular economy by 2050, targeting key sectors such as consumer goods, plastics, construction, manufacturing, biomass, and food. Under its Circular Economy Programme (2023–2030), the country has identified priority product value chains, including plastics, textiles, and electronic equipment, as critical areas for intervention. The urgency… [Read More]
Flood Action Week 2025: Environment Agency Calls on Public to Prepare for Floods
Millions across England are being urged to prepare for flooding as Flood Action Week 2025 begins, running from 13–19 October. The Environment Agency is encouraging people to take proactive steps such as checking their flood risk, signing up for flood warnings, and preparing a flood plan to protect homes, businesses, and communities. Despite a dry… [Read More]
Thailand’s Rubber Industry to Benefit from New ILO-Canada Initiative
The International Labour Organization (ILO), with funding from the Government of Canada, has launched a project to support labour rights and enhance competitiveness in Thailand’s rubber sector and supply chain. Named “Strengthening Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and Trade Readiness in Thailand,” the three-year initiative was inaugurated on 10 October 2025, bringing together the… [Read More]
Haiti Food Crisis: 5.7 Million People at Risk of Hunger
The latest analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a UN-backed index tracking hunger and malnutrition in crisis-affected regions, indicates that 5.7 million people in Haiti are facing worsening food insecurity. The study covers the period from September 2025 to February 2026, with projections extending to March through June 2026, highlighting a deteriorating… [Read More]
Uzbekistan’s Just Energy Transition: Strategies for a Sustainable Future
Uzbekistan is advancing toward a low-carbon, climate-resilient future through a new initiative focused on ensuring an inclusive and equitable energy transition. Backed by the UN Joint SDG Fund and implemented by UNDP, ILO, and UNECE, the Promoting a Just Energy Transition (JET) project aims to embed social dialogue, equity, and climate justice at the heart… [Read More]
Germany Receives €3 Million EU Funding to Help 915 Displaced Employees
On Wednesday, the European Parliament approved EU aid for 915 former Goodyear employees in Hanau and Fulda, Germany. With 577 votes in favour, 47 against, and 15 abstentions, MEPs endorsed Germany’s request for €3,085,166 from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) to support those laid off following the closure of Goodyear’s tyre… [Read More]
Women Entrepreneurs in Africa Face Funding Gaps in the Green Economy
Michelle Lingam’s experience as a solar installation entrepreneur in Africa highlights a persistent challenge: women-led businesses, despite being crucial for climate action, face systemic barriers to formal financing. Lingam found that banks routinely rejected her loan applications due to insufficient collateral—a common obstacle for new ventures lacking substantial assets. Her struggles mirror those of many… [Read More]
