The Ontario government is investing $2.25 million through the Forest Biomass Program to help CHAR Technologies commercialize biocoal, a low-carbon fuel derived from forest mill by-products and underused wood. This investment aims to develop a new supply chain for made-in-Ontario forest products, create revenue streams for the forestry sector, and enable heavy industries to adopt… [Read More]
Industry
$400 Million ADB Loan to Boost Business Environment and Competitiveness in the Philippines
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $400 million policy-based loan to support government reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business and positioning the Philippines as a leading investment destination in Asia and the Pacific. The Business Environment Strengthening with Technology Program (BEST) Subprogram 1 focuses on private sector development reforms that… [Read More]
$60 Million ADB Loan to Boost Malaysia’s Paper Recycling and Circular Economy Initiatives
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Jingxing Holdings Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Zhejiang Jingxing Paper Joint Stock Co., Ltd., have signed a $60 million financing package to expand Jingxing’s advanced wastepaper recycling and packaging paper facility in Selangor, Malaysia. The loan will support the installation of a state-of-the-art recycling and packaging paper line… [Read More]
Strengthening Labour Rights and Violence Prevention in the Cotton Industry
From 1 to 3 December 2025, Jizzakh city hosted a three-day Training of Trainers (ToT) programme that brought together representatives from the Government, employers’ and workers’ organizations, as well as farmers and agricultural workers involved in cotton cultivation. The training focused on promoting fundamental principles and rights at work (FPRW) and fostering appropriate workplace behaviour,… [Read More]
$85 Million Investment to Strengthen Ontario’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector
The Ontario government has welcomed an $85 million investment from Sandvik, a global engineering group, to establish a state-of-the-art maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility in Greater Sudbury. The project will sustain 400 existing jobs and create more than 60 new positions, reinforcing Northern Ontario’s leadership in next-generation tools and technologies to support critical mineral… [Read More]
$5 Million Funding Boost for Indigenous Community Economic Development in Northern Ontario
The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for FedNor, announced the Northern Ontario Indigenous Clean Energy Initiative (NOICE) and a total FedNor investment of $4,774,515 in 10 Indigenous economic development projects across Northern Ontario. The NOICE program, funded through the Government of Canada’s Strategic Partnerships Initiative and delivered by FedNor,… [Read More]
€35 Million Funding Boost for Advanced Digital Infrastructure Across Ireland
The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, announced €35 million in funding for cutting-edge digital infrastructure projects in Ireland under the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The CEF is a key EU funding instrument aimed at promoting growth, jobs, and competitiveness through targeted infrastructure investments at a European level. The projects… [Read More]
Algeria Strengthens Growth Amid Climate Challenges and Economic Diversification
Algeria’s economy showed resilience in the first half of 2025, expanding by 4.1 percent, with GDP growth projected at 3.8 percent for the full year, according to the World Bank’s Fall 2025 Algeria Economic Update. Non-hydrocarbon sectors drove much of this momentum, growing 5.4 percent, while inflation eased to 1.7 percent over the first nine… [Read More]
World Bank and Korea Launch Global Digital Knowledge Hub to Power AI-Driven Transformation
The World Bank Group (WBG), in partnership with the Republic of Korea, has unveiled the Korea-WBG Global Digital Knowledge Center, a state-of-the-art hub aimed at accelerating digital transformation and harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for inclusive growth and job creation. The center seeks to equip countries with the knowledge, tools, and strategies needed to thrive in… [Read More]
European Commission Faces Backlash for Plans to Weaken Water Protections
The European Commission has sparked alarm among environmental groups by announcing plans to review and revise the Water Framework Directive (WFD) by the second quarter of 2026 under the RESourceEU Action Plan, citing the goal of promoting “access to critical raw materials in the EU.” Critics warn that this move could seriously undermine European water… [Read More]
UK Recognises Cryptocurrency as Personal Property, Strengthening Legal Protections and Boosting Fintech
The UK has become one of the first countries in the world to formally recognise digital assets, including cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), as personal property, offering millions of owners stronger legal protection. The Property (Digital Assets etc) Act, which recently received Royal Assent, clarifies that digital assets are to be treated like traditional property,… [Read More]
IFC Makes First-Ever Global Green Hydrogen Investment, Selecting Uruguay as Regional Clean Energy Pioneer
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, has chosen Uruguay for its first global investment in green hydrogen, partnering with Grupo Santander to develop Kahirós—Uruguay’s first major project in the sector. The initiative is set to generate new jobs and position the country as a regional leader in scalable clean energy… [Read More]
UK Businesses Get £1.1 Million Boost to Transform Freight and Logistics
The UK government is providing nearly £1.1 million in funding to support British businesses trialling cutting-edge technologies that could revolutionize the freight and logistics sector. Through the Freight Innovation Fund, up to £130,000 each will be awarded to nine small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) exploring solutions to key industry challenges, from decarbonisation and efficiency to… [Read More]
UK Artists Get Boost to Go Global as £1.6 Million Music Export Scheme Opens
The Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS), which has helped propel UK artists to international acclaim, has opened a new funding round with £1.6 million available to support emerging talent in taking their music to global audiences. Backed by the Department for Business and Trade and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, MEGS has invested… [Read More]
How the Création Africa Fund Is Transforming Kenya–France Creative Partnerships and Empowering East Africa’s Creative Future
Alliance Française Nairobi recently convened a diverse gathering of cultural leaders, government representatives, innovators, and creative entrepreneurs to celebrate the progress and future direction of Kenya–France collaboration in the creative industries. The event brought together H.E. Arnaud Suquet, Ambassador of France to Kenya, senior officials from Kenya’s State Department of Culture and Heritage and State… [Read More]
EU Agri-Food Days 2025: Shaping the Future of Europe’s Food and Agriculture
The 2025 edition of the EU Agri-Food Days is set to take place from 15 to 17 December in Brussels, bringing together key stakeholders to explore the theme “Securing Europe’s Food and Agriculture.” Now in its third edition, the three-day event will gather farmers, policymakers, academics, civil society representatives, and industry leaders to discuss the… [Read More]
Global Momentum Grows: Bayer and Pernod Ricard Join ILO’s Disability Inclusion Network
Bayer and Pernod Ricard have become the newest multinational members of the ILO Global Business and Disability Network (GBDN), marking a significant step in expanding global commitment to disability inclusion and workplace equality. Their membership, formalized in the last quarter of 2025, reinforces the growing recognition that inclusive workplaces contribute to stronger business performance and… [Read More]
ILO–EU Partnership Fuels Hands-On Safari Guide Training in Zambia With USD 46,000 Land Cruiser Donation
The International Labour Organization (ILO), under the European Union-funded Skills Development for Increased Employability Programme (SDEP), has donated a Toyota Land Cruiser worth USD 46,000 to the African College for Community-Based Natural Resource Management, Nyamaluma. The investment aims to strengthen safari guide training and boost youth employment opportunities in Zambia’s growing tourism sector. Located in… [Read More]
Domestic Solar Manufacturing Set for Significant Expansion
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced up to $151 million in conditional funding under the Australian Government’s $1 billion Solar Sunshot Program to establish a 500 MW per annum solar module manufacturing facility in the Hunter Valley, NSW. The Hunter Valley Solar Foundry, led by Sunman Group founder Dr Zhengrong Shi, will develop… [Read More]
Strengthening Safety and Health in Brazil’s Coffee Sector: Unions and Cooperatives Lead the Way
In Minas Gerais, Brazil, coffee cooperatives, smallholder farmers, and rural unions participated in capacity-building activities organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) through its Vision Zero Fund, in collaboration with Brazil’s Ministry of Labour and Employment and the National Confederation of Rural Salaried Workers (CONTAR), with co-financing from the European Union. Held between 28 and… [Read More]
How Agent Networks Are Transforming Access to Financial Services in Ethiopia
In the bustling Piassa neighborhood of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, mobile money agent Ziyada Seid is helping her community engage with the digital economy. Operating from her small grocery store, she assists customers with paying utility bills, settling traffic penalties, and other digital financial services. Supported by Highlight Trading, a leading Ethiopian distributor collaborating with telecoms,… [Read More]
Jordan Launches National Initiative to Empower Women in the World of Work
Jordan is intensifying efforts to expand economic opportunities for women through strengthened labour legislation, enhanced social protection, and targeted employment programmes, highlighted during the three-day national conference “Towards a Fair and Inclusive Agenda for Women.” The event brought together government authorities, employer and worker representatives, and experts in international labour standards and women’s labour-market inclusion…. [Read More]
Iraq’s Kurdistan Region and Ninewa Benefit from ILO Support for Job Services and Labour Links
The International Labour Organization has concluded the final round of an advanced training programme aimed at strengthening Public Employment Services (PES) and improving labour-market intermediation in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region and Ninewa province. The second workshop brought together over 45 participants, including employment counsellors from MoLSA’s PES offices, university-based Career Development Centre teams, and employer representatives… [Read More]
