The African Development Bank Group has approved a €25 million trade finance facility to support Crédit Communautaire d’Afrique-Bank (CCA-Bank) in expanding its services to small and medium-sized enterprises and other businesses across Cameroon. The financing was endorsed during a Board session held on 1 December in Abidjan. The facility will operate as a Transaction Guarantee,… [Read More]
Business
UEFA Teams Up with United Nations for Road Safety Campaign
UEFA has launched the fifth module of its Take Care programme, focused on road safety, highlighting football’s role in promoting health and well-being both on and off the pitch. Developed in partnership with the Office of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety (UN SSERS), the module builds on UEFA’s long-standing support for global… [Read More]
UK Government Pulls Financial Support for Mozambique LNG Project Amid Controversy
The UK government has decided to withdraw funding for a major and controversial gas development in Mozambique, a move welcomed by Friends of the Earth. Business Secretary Peter Kyle announced the reversal of a 2020 decision by Boris Johnson’s government to provide $1.15 billion in support for the liquefied natural gas project through UK Export… [Read More]
Apply Now: Funding Available for Sustainable Community Projects
The Sustainability Fund is now open for applications from community organisations, schools, social enterprises, and businesses for projects that align with Christchurch City Council’s climate change objectives and targets. The Fund seeks to support initiatives that address climate challenges, help communities understand and prepare for climate impacts, promote a just transition to a low-emission economy,… [Read More]
From Nature Lover to Rural Business Owner: A Success Story in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Biljana Topić, a biologist and ornithologist from Šipovo in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, transformed her passion for nature into a viable enterprise after completing the ILO “Start and Improve Your Business” (SIYB) training this year. She developed a business plan, launched her own company, and brought to market a line of natural, cold-pressed fruit juices… [Read More]
Wales to Receive £16 Billion Investment Boost, Thousands of Jobs Expected
Since the launch of the Summit, new investments in Wales have reached a total of £16 billion, spanning multiple sectors and creating thousands of jobs. Major international companies contributing to this investment include Vodafone, GE Aerospace Wales, Associated British Ports, RWE, Eni, Bad Wolf, and Vantage Data Centers, reflecting strong confidence in the Welsh economy…. [Read More]
Tajikistan Secures $50 Million ADB Grant for Green Jobs and Climate-Resilient Enterprises
The Asian Development Bank has approved a $50 million grant to help Tajikistan advance key structural reforms that promote green jobs and strengthen economic resilience, with a particular focus on improving opportunities for women. The support comes through the Asian Development Fund under subprogram 2 of the Enabling Climate-Responsive Business Environment Improvement Program. The reforms… [Read More]
Celebrating Diversity: Global Pluralism Award Recognizes Peacebuilders
Ottawa, Canada, 27 November 2025 – The 2025 Global Pluralism Award honoured three organisations for their efforts to foster inclusion and bridge divides in some of the world’s most fractured societies, while seven others received honourable mentions for their impactful work in building inclusive communities. The ceremony took place at the Delegation of the Ismaili… [Read More]
Tech SMEs Drive Growth with £4 Million Investment in Export Expansion and Job Creation
Seven SMEs in Belfast are collectively investing over £4.1 million to expand exports, advance research and development, and create 33 new jobs, Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald announced during a visit to Ormeau Labs. Highlighting the importance of supporting SMEs in Northern Ireland’s predominantly small business economy, the Minister noted that these companies have leveraged… [Read More]
Strengthening Integrity: Uzbekistan Rolls Out Anti-Corruption Training Across Regions
From 26 November to 24 December 2025, Uzbekistan is hosting a series of training sessions across all 14 regions, including the Republic of Karakalpakstan, aimed at strengthening the role of territorial anti-corruption councils. Organized by the Anti-Corruption Agency in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), funded by the European Union (EU), and supported… [Read More]
$12.6 Million Initiative Launched to Support Rural Enterprises in Atlantic Canada
In rural Atlantic Canada, small businesses play a crucial role in sustaining local economies, providing employment, and supporting essential community services, particularly during the holiday season. Many of these businesses operate in regions with limited access to banks and major employers, meaning that the closure of even a single enterprise can have widespread effects on… [Read More]
Defying Challenges: How Young Innovators Are Shaping Future Industries
Despite the high failure rate for startups, many young entrepreneurs remain undeterred, seeing the potential to make meaningful impact. Business management student Daniel Wu, for example, embraces the challenge, aiming to improve lives through his digital skills platform for rural youth, which teaches AI and software skills. His project reached the finals of the Innovation… [Read More]
€170 Million Boost for Irish Companies Through European Space Programmes
Ireland is investing over €170 million in European Space Agency (ESA) programmes through 2030, aiming to strengthen Irish companies’ presence in the rapidly growing global space industry. The investment was announced by Minister of State for Employment, Small Business and Retail, Alan Dillon, during an ESA meeting in Bremen, Germany, which brought together ministers from… [Read More]
New ILO-IOE Handbook Helps Businesses Combat Forced Labour
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) have released the third edition of Combating Forced Labour: A Handbook for Employers and Business. The handbook is designed to help companies identify, prevent, mitigate, and account for actual and potential forced labour risks in their operations and supply chains. It also provides… [Read More]
Solar Energy in Aquaculture: Securing the Future of Fish Farming
Mukhiya Fish Farms, located in Sahidnagar Municipality, Madhesh Province, Nepal, has been a pioneering institution in the country’s aquaculture sector for nearly 40 years. Established by Boyalal Mukhiya and now managed by his son Kanhaiya and daughter-in-law Manju Devi Mukhiya, the farm has grown from general fish farming to a high-demand hatchery business. Despite challenges… [Read More]
Cities as Engines of Employment: The New Geography of Jobs
Dire Dawa, Ethiopia’s second-largest city, exemplifies the evolving role of African secondary cities as engines of economic opportunity. Situated along the Addis–Djibouti trade corridor, the city has grown from a historic railway town into a logistics and manufacturing hub with a free-trade zone, a dry port, and a large industrial park. Its connectivity enables faster… [Read More]
Mauritania: World Bank Introduces EDGE Strategy to Accelerate Growth and Employment
The World Bank Group has launched a new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Mauritania covering fiscal years 2026 to 2030, aimed at accelerating Economic Diversification for Growth and Employment (EDGE). The five-year strategy focuses on four key outcomes: creating more and better jobs, strengthening institutions and governance, improving connectivity in communities, and enhancing population resilience…. [Read More]
Meghalaya Secures $77 Million ADB Loan to Strengthen Ecotourism and Climate-Resilient Livelihoods
The Asian Development Bank has approved a $77 million loan to support ecotourism and natural farming in Meghalaya, India, with the goal of creating sustainable livelihoods and strengthening environmental resilience. The Integrated Ecotourism and Sustainable Agri-Based Livelihood Development in Meghalaya Project will combine nature-based tourism with climate-smart agriculture and forest conservation to benefit more than… [Read More]
African Development Fund Grants Extra $28 Million to Strengthen Benin’s Private Sector
The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund has approved an additional $28 million in financing for Benin to advance the Economic Governance and Private Sector Development Support Programme (PAGE-DSP). This new funding, approved on 24 November 2025, follows the successful completion of phases I and II in 2023 and 2024. Its overall goal… [Read More]
Nigeria Secures $500 Million AfDB Loan to Boost Governance Reforms and Clean Energy Shift
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group has approved a $500 million loan to the Government of Nigeria to finance the second phase of the Economic Governance and Energy Transition Support Programme, covering fiscal years 2024 and 2025. This phase builds on earlier progress and aims to advance economic reforms while supporting… [Read More]
EU-Backed Guarantee: EIB Group and Inecobank Expand Financing for Armenian SMEs
The EIB Group, consisting of the European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund, is partnering with Inecobank to expand access to finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Armenia. Through the EU4Business Guarantee Facility, backed by the European Commission, the EIB Group will provide a partial portfolio guarantee that is expected to benefit… [Read More]
New Analysis Reveals Attempts to Weaken EU Water Regulations
A new report reveals how influential industry groups in Europe, including those in agriculture, energy, mining, and chemicals, are attempting to weaken the EU’s Water Framework Directive (WFD), which safeguards rivers, lakes, and groundwater from pollution. These sectors are pressuring the European Commission to use the upcoming Environmental “Omnibus” Package to roll back key protections… [Read More]
Floods in Southern Thailand Affect Hundreds of Thousands of Children, Claim Three Lives
Thailand is facing some of its worst flooding in a generation, with severe impacts across the southern provinces. Schools in the 12 most affected provinces have been shut indefinitely, and communities are struggling with rising floodwaters, power outages, and displacement. Save the Children has warned that children are at serious risk of electrocution from downed… [Read More]
