World Bank [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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United Nations, World Bank Group Launch High Level Panel on Water
Call for Action on Water January 21, 2016—The Secretary-General of the United Nations and the President of the World Bank jointly announce their intention to form a new panel to mobilize urgent action…
Date: January 21, 2016 Type: Press Release

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Promoting Equality of Opportunity for Marginalized Roma is a Smart Economic Choice, says World Bank
WASHINGTON, DC, January 20, 2016 — Ensuring equal opportunities for marginalized Roma is a win-win for Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, says a new World Bank report Being Fair, Faring Better:…
Date: January 20, 2016 Type: Press Release

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Male Youth Who Don’t Work or Study Increase in Latin America
One in Five Youth are Ninis and most of them still women WASHINGTON, January 19th, 2016 – Despite Latin America’s strong performance in the 2000s—with vibrant economic growth and a significant reduction…
Date: January 19, 2016 Type: Press Release

IMF [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.imf.org/external/news/default.aspx
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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January 20, 2016
Press Release: IMF Executive Board Initiates Selection Process for Next Managing Director

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January 20, 2016
Press Release: New IMF Staff Paper Looks at How to Reap the Benefits and Curtail the Risks of Virtual Currencies
Virtual currencies (VCs) and especially their underlying technologies are a potentially important advance for the financial sector that could increase efficiency and financial inclusion, but can also serve as vehicles for money laundering, terrorism financing, and tax evasion. Achieving a balanced regulatory framework that guards against risks without suffocating innovation is a challenge that will require extensive international cooperation, says a new staff paper, “Virtual Currencies and Beyond: Initial Considerations,” released today by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during the World Economic Forum.

The report provides an overview of virtual currencies, how they work and how they fit into monetary systems, both domestically and internationally. It discusses the potential implications of the technological advances underlying virtual currencies, such as the distributed ledger system, before examining the regulatory and policy challenges posed by VCs, in the areas of consumer protection, financial integrity (money laundering and terrorism financing), taxation, financial stability, exchange and capital controls and monetary policy. The paper also sets out principles for the design of regulatory frameworks for VCs at both the domestic and international levels.

A key conclusion of the paper is that the distributed ledger concept has the potential to change finance by reducing costs and allowing for deeper financial inclusion in the longer run. This could be especially important for remittances, where transaction costs can be high, around 8 percent. Distributed ledgers can also shorten the time required to settle securities transactions, which currently take up to three days, as well as lower counterparty and settlement risks.

“Virtual currencies and their underlying technologies can provide faster and cheaper financial services, and can become a powerful tool for deepening financial inclusion in the developing world,” said IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, who presented the report at the World Economic Forum, in Davos, during the panel Transformation of Finance. “The challenge will be how to reap all these benefits and at the same time prevent illegal uses, such as money laundering, terror financing, fraud, and even circumvention of capital controls.”

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January 20, 2016
Press Release:IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde Presents New Staff Report on the Surge of Refugees to Europe at World Economic Forum
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is releasing today a new staff report looking at the refugee surge into Europe, aiming to provide a framework to inform discussions with member countries who have asked the Fund to bring its cross-country experience to contribute to the analysis of this important issue.

“The surge in refugees is a challenge facing many parts of the world. It also has many dimensions – social, political, and economic,” said IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde, who presented the report today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “Today we are publishing a new study from IMF staff which focuses on the economic dimension of the refugee challenge facing Europe. The study indicates that, with appropriate policies – especially effective integration into the labor market – the potential from refugees can be harnessed for the benefit of all. The circumstances facing each country are different and so should be the response but, ultimately, the refugee surge is a global challenge that must be met through global cooperation.”

African Development Bank Group [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/press-releases/
22/01/2016
African Legal Support Facility concludes capacity-building training on PPPs in infrastructure projects
The African Legal Support Facility (ALSF) and its partners concluded a five-day training focused on Public Private Partnerships (PPP) in infrastructure projects. Attended by PPP infrastructure experts from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Togo, Congo, Mauritania and Nigeria, the training was held under the ALSF’s flagship Nomadic PPP training programme that seeks to address institutional, legal, contractual and financial aspects of PPPs.

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AfDB presents New Deal on Energy for Africa and the Transformative Partnership on Energy in Davos
21/01/2016 – The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) presented its New Deal on Energy for Africa, and launched a Transformative Partnership on Energy at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 20, 2016.

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Rwanda wins US $840,000 SEFA grant to promote green mini-grids
21/01/2016 – At the end of 2015, the Government of Rwanda was awarded a US $840,000 grant from the African Development Bank-hosted Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) to promote green mini-grids (GMGs) and pave the way for private investments in this sub-sector. The project is expected to support Government efforts to provide electricity connection to at least 145,000 rural households and improve off-grid access rate from 5% to 22% by 2018.

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€89-million AfDB loan to finance Agricultural Value Chain Development Project in Cameroon
21/01/2016 – At its regular meeting in Abidjan on Wednesday, January 20, the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a €89.291-million loan to finance the development of an Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (AVC-DP) in Cameroon.

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AfDB approves US $76.7-million for Uganda’s agriculture programme
20/01/2016 – The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a US $76.7-million loan to finance phase two of the Uganda Farm Income Enhancement and Forestry Conservation Programme (FIEFOC-2).

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AfDB provides universal water supply and sanitation coverage for four towns in Ethiopia by 2020
20/01/2016 – Four Ethiopian towns will achieve universal coverage for water supply and sanitation by 2020 through a new loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Approved on Wednesday, January 13, 2016, the USD 76.11-million loan will improve the lives of nearly one million people in the towns of Adama, Adwa, Bichena and Gode and the nearby villages.

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Uganda awarded grant to prepare transformational Strategic Program for Climate Resilience
18/01/2016 – Uganda received approval on Thursday, January 14 of a US $1.5-million preparation grant from the Climate Investment Funds’ Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (CIF PPCR) to develop a national Strategic Program for Climate Resilience (SPCR). Once developed, the policy-based SPCR will pave the way for climate-resilient transformation in the country through a broad set of resilience projects to be implemented through a unique multi-stakeholder approach. The African Development Bank (AfDB) will support Uganda as the lead implementation agency for the SPCR

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.aiib.org/html/NEWS/

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January 18, 2016
Inaugural meeting of the AIIB’s Board of Directors
Beijing, – The inaugural meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank’s Board of Directors was convened in Beijing on January 17, 2016. The Board of Directors is made up of 12 Directors, of which 9 Directors represent regional members and the others non-regional members. Mr. Jin Liqun, President of the AIIB, chaired the meeting.

The Board approved key policies to enable the start of the Bank’s operations. These include: the 2016 Business Plan and Budget, and the Bank’s policies on compensation and benefits, finance and pricing, operational and corporate procurement, financing operations and the Public Information Interim Policy. The Board also discussed the Bank’s proposed environmental and social policy framework, anticipating final approval by late February, and the process and timetable for admitting new members into the Bank…

HelpAge International [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.helpage.org/newsroom/press-room/press-releases/

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Posted: 22 January 2016
HelpAge International calls on the African Union to challenge discrimination against older women
HelpAge International is urging African Union member states to protect the rights of older women across the continent as they meet at the 26th Africa Union Summit. (21-31 January) The summit marks the start of the Africa Year of Human Rights, with particular focus on the rights of women.

IRC International Rescue Committee [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.rescue.org/press-release-index

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22 Jan 2016
The International Rescue Committee urges Austria to reconsider decision to cap number of asylum seekers

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19 Jan 2016
Unmarried and Separated Syrian Refugee Men in Lebanon Struggle to Get Aid, Face Exploitation and Feel ‘Less of a Man’ Study Finds

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January 18, 2016
On Lesbos, much-needed reception center provides crucial services to refugees
Posted by The IRC on
The IRC has opened a refugee transit site in northern Lesbos, historically the first stop for exhausted refugees fleeing from countries affected by conflict. The site, named Apanemo, will make it easier to provide immediate assistance for new arrivals

ICRC [to 23 January 2016]
https://www.icrc.org/en/whats-new

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19 January 2016 – Article
Better serving people in need through cooperation with the World Economic Forum
Over the past few years, the ICRC has developed its engagement with the World Economic Forum (WEF): ICRC staff regularly attend WEF-organized events and take part in WEF initiatives. Since 2014, the president of the ICRC has been a member of the WEF Board of Trustees.

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18 January 2016 – Statement
Setting the record straight: the Palestine Red Crescent Society acted impartially
In the immediate aftermath of the 13 November 2015 attack against an Israeli family in the Hebron area, which resulted in the tragic death of two civilians, numerous reports referred to an alleged failure by the Palestine Red Crescent Society to provide due care to the victims…

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18 January 2016
Consultancy opportunity: Study on rainwater re-use for irrigation in Gaza
Article
Call for applications for a study on rainwater re-use for irrigation in Gaza’s border area.

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news-stories/press/press-releases

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Field news
Yemen: Airstrikes in Saada Wound Dozens, Kill An Ambulance Driver, Among Others
January 22, 2016
At roughly 4 p.m. local time on January 21, an airstrike hit the ambulance service of the Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)-supported Al Gomhoury Hospital in Yemen’s Saada governorate, killing one Ministry of Health (MOH) staff member.

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Field news
DRC: MSF Forced to Close Major Humanitarian Project in Mweso Following Abduction of Staff
January 20, 2016
Today Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) announces the closure of its project in Mweso, Masisi Territory, North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), after armed actors attacked one of our convoys and abducted two of our staff members from December 15 to 16, 2016.

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Field news
Yemen: Medical Supplies Reach Hospitals in Besieged Taiz
January 19, 2016
On Saturday, January 16, after five months of intense negotiations with officials, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) was able to get a delivery of two trucks full of essential medical supplies into the besieged area of the city of Taiz, in southern Yemen.

Checkpoints and intense fighting have hampered humanitarian aid from reaching the besieged enclave since August 2015, which was the last time that hospitals in the area received medical supplies in any quantity. Severe shortages meant that wound care and surgery had to be stopped on a number of occasions.

Field news
Yemen: Number of Dead Rises in Aftermath of Bombing of MSF-Supported Hospital in Northern Yemen
January 17, 2016
A patient critically injured last week in a projectile strike on a hospital supported by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontierès (MSF) in northern Yemen died Saturday night, raising the total number of people killed in the attack to six.

The blast that hit the Shiara hospital in Razeh on January 10, in northern Yemen, initially killed five people and injured eight, two of them critically. While those critically wounded were transferred to an intensive care unit in Saada, the rest were treated on the premises of the hospital in Razeh.

OXFAM [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressreleases

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20 January 2016
Struggles for a better world are all threatened by the inequality crisis – new alliance
As the world’s rich and powerful gather in Davos for the World Economic Forum, an alliance of top international charities, human rights campaigners, women’s rights groups, green groups, civil society organisations and trade unions has come together to fight the growing crisis of inequality.

In a joint statement, the alliance, including ActionAid, Amnesty International, Oxfam, Greenpeace and the International Trade Union Confederation warns that growing inequality threatens progress on development, environment, women’s rights and human rights.

The alliance statement says ‘“Struggles for a better world are all threatened by the inequality crisis that is spiralling out of control. Across the world, we are seeing the gap between the richest and the rest reach extremes not seen in a century.’

Bringing together powerful global networks and campaigning capacity, the organisations are committed to working together to fight for changes to tackle inequality globally and in countries across the world, and to reach out to others to build a global movement to counter balance the power and influence of the 1%.

“Extreme inequality is also frequently linked to rising restrictions on civic space and democratic rights. The right to peaceful protest and the ability of citizens to challenge the prevailing economic discourse is being curtailed almost everywhere.

“Even the future of our planet is dependent on ending this great divide, with the carbon consumption of the 1% as much as 175 times that of the poorest.

“We choose to imagine a better world than this, where everyone’s human rights are respected, protected and fulfilled. We believe humanity has the talent, technology, and brilliance to build that better world, where the interests of the majority are put first. And we believe the time has come to fight for it together.”

The signatories also include the Association for Women’s Rights in Development, global civil society alliance CIVICUS, faith-based networks ACT alliance and CIDSE.

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18 January 2016
62 people own the same as half the world, reveals Oxfam Davos report
Runaway inequality has created a world where 62 people own as much wealth as the poorest half of the world’s population – a figure that has fallen from 388 just five years ago, according to an Oxfam report published today ahead of the annual gathering of the world’s financial and political elites in Davos.

SOS-Kinderdorf International [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.sos-childrensvillages.org/about-sos/press/press-releases

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18.01.2016
Syria crisis: Urgent action is needed to secure children’s safety and care
Following is a statement by Alia Al-Dalli, SOS Children’s Villages International Director of Middle East and North Africa Region, on the crisis in Syria.
[Excerpt]
Deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the towns of Foah, Kefraya and Madaya are taking a profound toll on the population. The children who are caught up in this extreme situation are the most vulnerable group, and urgent action is needed to ensure their safety and care. The Syrian government, which ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1993, has an obligation to protect children in times of conflict by ensuring they have access to proper nutrition, healthcare, shelter and education…

…While we acknowledge the profound human suffering of all Syrians through nearly five years of conflict, children are among the most vulnerable to the physical, social and emotional trauma of wartime deprivation. In order to urgently provide for their needs, we call on the Syrian government, security forces and all conflict parties to immediately:

:: Allow the safe evacuation from Foah, Kefraya and Madaya of at-risk children and those without parental care to safe havens, including SOS Children’s Villages interim care centres in Syria

:: Ensure that humanitarian non-governmental organisations and international agencies have safe and unfettered access to these towns to assist children who are malnourished, at risk and without care, as well as provide assistance to the suffering population within the besieged areas

Such critical steps, along with demonstrated efforts to provide for the safety and well-being of affected children, their families and civilians across Syria, are fundamental to building confidence in forthcoming multiparty peace talks, and above all to ease the human toll taken by the protracted conflict.

Women for Women International [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.womenforwomen.org/press-releases

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January 19, 2016 | FLOW
FLOW 2016-2020 Selected Programmes
The Dutch government has awarded Women for Women International multi-year funding for programs in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria under its Funding Leadership and Opportunities for Women (FLOW) program.

The Elders [to 23 January 2016]
http://theelders.org/news-media

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Press release 19 January 2016
The Elders welcome the lifting of sanctions against Iran
The lifting of the sanctions against Iran is a diplomatic breakthrough fully supported by The Elders and proof that positive outcomes can be achieved through sustained political dialogue.

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Videos 19 January 2016
Kofi Annan: “We all have a responsibility to assist refugees; they have rights”
Speaking from Davos to BBC Newsnight, Kofi Annan highlights the need for leadership and cooperation, from Europe’s refugee crisis to resolving the Syrian civil war and tackling the Islamic State.

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Press release 17 January 2016
The Elders welcome UN High-Level Panel report on humanitarian funding
The Elders welcome the new report on humanitarian funding by the UN High-Level Panel and call on the world’s prosperous nations to show real ethical leadership to alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable.

Gavi [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.gavialliance.org/library/news/press-releases/

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22 January 2016
Gavi launches ‘INFUSE’ initiative to overcome barriers to immunisation
Call to entrepreneurs, corporations and implementers to innovate and improve vaccine delivery.

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20 January 2016
Ebola vaccine purchasing commitment from Gavi to prepare for future outbreaks
Agreement will help push vaccine towards regulatory approval.

Global Fund [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/

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22 January 2016
(RED) Marks 10 Years of Contributions to Fight AIDS
DAVOS, Switzerland – The Global Fund congratulates (RED) on 10 years of spectacular private sector engagement in the fight against AIDS, as (RED) celebrates its anniversary today at the World Economic Forum in Davos and announces that it has generated contributions of more than US$350 million

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Deal on Mosquito Nets to Yield $93 million in Savings
18 January 2016
GENEVA – As part of a new framework for procuring health products in the most cost-effective and sustainable way, the Global Fund has reached an agreement to purchase insecticide-treated mosquito nets that prevent malaria with projected savings of US$93 million over two years.

By achieving sharply lower prices for nets – a 38 percent reduction from 2013 – the agreement serves the Global Fund’s goal of accelerating progress against malaria, a preventable disease that most seriously affects young children and pregnant women. Building on the Global Fund’s large-scale purchasing power, the framework improves the supply of an important tool to fight the epidemic.

The Global Fund projects US$350 million in mosquito net purchases over the next two years through its Pooled Procurement Mechanism. A tender process has selected 10 suppliers and includes volume commitments from the Global Fund and performance contracts from the suppliers.

The agreement creates a level of certainty for suppliers, allowing them greater visibility and planning time to manufacture and deliver nets. That facilitates lower prices, and yields significant savings for the Global Fund partnership. The US$93 million in projected savings is equivalent to about 40 million additional nets…

CHS Alliance [to 23 January 2016]
http://chsalliance.org/news-events/news

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22/01/2016
The CHS Alliance welcomes a new chair
The CHS Alliance is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Tickner as the new chairperson of its board, effective 19 January 2016.

Robert is former Federal Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs in Australia, with a distinguished career at International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, most recently as the Acting Under Secretary General, Partnerships. He was the Chief Executive Officer of Australian Red Cross from 2005 to 2015.

He replaces Robert Glasser, who has stepped down to take up the position of UN Assistant Secretary General and Special Representative of the Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction…

Global Humanitarian Assistance (GHA) [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.globalhumanitarianassistance.org/

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Report Synopsis
Nigeria (Lassa fever)
Date: 2016/01/22
On 19 January 2016 we responded to a funding alert in response to the outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria.
The Southern and Northern regions in Nigeria have been affected with an outbreak of an endemic acute viral hemorrhagic illness known as Lassa fever for the past three months. Communities and villages where health facilities are poor or not available are at higher risk. Women, especially pregnant women, are most vulnerable to the fever.

According to UN OCHA’s FTS, donors committed/contributed US$155.5 million of humanitarian assistance to Nigeria in 2015. The UN-coordinated 2015 Strategic Response Plan (SRP) for Nigeria requests US$100.3 million from donors to respond to the crisis. The appeal is currently 58% funded at US$57.9 million, and a further US$97.5 million has been contributed or committed outside the appeal.
Read our full analysis of the current funding situation.

Center for Global Development [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Selected Press Releases, Blog Posts, Publications

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1/19/16
A US Law or Executive Order to Combat Gender Apartheid at Work in Discriminatory Countries
Charles Kenny
A number of countries worldwide have laws that specifically discriminate against women’s participation in the workforce, including bans on particular occupations, restrictions on opening bank accounts or taking jobs without a male family member’s authority, and restrictions on travel.

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1/19/16
Shine a Light on the Gaps
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Janeen Madan
If Africa’s smallholder farmers are going to lift themselves out of poverty, they need access to formal financial services instead of the unstable, inflexible, informal arrangements that they currently rely on and that keep them poor. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Janeen Madan review the ways in which digital technology is changing how financial services are delivered and made affordable. With the right investments and policies, farmers will be able to access credit, savings accounts, insurance, payment platforms, and other financial products that allow them to invest in their livelihoods without being exposed to exploitation or untenable risks.

ODI [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.odi.org/media

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News | 22 January 2016
Opening up China’s economy could offset the global trade slowdown – new ODI paper
A new ODI paper, “China’s Balancing Act: Why the internationalisation of the renminbi matters for the global economy” describes how the effects of increases in trade and investment after full RMB internationalisation could offset the global trade slowdown

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Gender and resilience: from theory to practice
Working and discussion papers | January 2016 | Virginie Le Masson
This BRACED working paper reflects on what progress has been made to link gender equality and resilience in development projects.

Aga Khan Foundation [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.akdn.org/pr.asp

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Press Releases
Aga Khan Foundation Sponsors Sessions on Writing, Reading and Economics at Jaipur Literature Festival
19 January 2016 – As part of its joint commitment to reading, learning and the exchange of ideas, the Aga Khan Foundation supports the ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival, the world’s largest free literature festival.

BMGF – Gates Foundation [to 23 January 2016]
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases

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JANUARY 19, 2016
Nigerian Governors Partner with Dangote Foundation, Gates Foundation, and USAID to Bring Life-saving Vaccines to Children
Four northern Nigerian governors, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Bill Gates, and U.S. Ambassador James Entwistle agree to Memorandum of Understanding to improve routine immunization and strengthen primary health care.

KADUNA (January 20, 2016) – In a ceremony at the Kaduna State Government House, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, chair of the Dangote Foundation; Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, joined governors from Kaduna, Sokoto, Yobe, and Borno to launch an ambitious new partnership committing political and financial resources to strengthen and sustain routine immunization programs that will save more lives and keep Nigeria polio-free.

The witnessing of new Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) served as an opportunity to review successes and lessons learned from existing programs in Kano and Bauchi states. To extend these efforts, the executive governor of Kano State signed a fourth-year extension to the state’s existing MOU.

Professor I.F Adewole, Nigeria’s health minister, congratulated the states and partners for making a significant investment in immunization. “These are tough financial times in Nigeria, but the health of children cannot wait. The country has an ambitious plan to introduce new life-saving vaccines over the next several years, and today’s commitments will ensure we can get those vaccines to the children who need them most.”

Through the MOUs, the governors commit to effective governance, leadership, and financial accountability to reduce child illness and death from diseases such as measles, pertussis, and hepatitis through increased routine immunization in their respective states. The other partners will bring the financial and technical support needed to operationalize the program. All signatories pledged to improve routine immunization coverage in northern Nigeria systematically and sustainably, where vaccine coverage rates are low.

“These agreements strengthen our partnerships with Nigerian states working to provide health services to all their citizens,” said Dangote. “Building on their recent success in eliminating polio from the region, Nigerian governors have and will continue to play a vital role in establishing a legacy of sustained commitment to routine immunization.”

The objective of the MOUs is to reach 80 percent of the target population in the signing states with the necessary life-saving vaccines by December 2018 to prevent common childhood diseases and ensure a polio-free environment. To achieve this, key components of the program include the operationalization of the ‘Primary Health Care Under One Roof’ policy that will see a single management body oversee the program. The implementation of regular audits and reports will ensure transparent funding and financial discipline is paramount during implementation. Contributions towards the costs of the program by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dangote Foundation, and state governments will be staggered across three years: 30 percent in year one, 50 percent in year two, and 70 percent in year three with the states taking progressive responsibility for financing immunization services.

“These commitments will improve immunization coverage and help provide reliable health services in Nigeria. The States will be able to reap the full return on their investment through the number of lives improved and saved, and communities will remain protected from vaccine-preventable diseases for years to come,” said Gates. “Nigeria’s governors have the opportunity to build health systems strong enough to stop future outbreaks.” “These MOUs offer the model platform to capitalize on the prospects of evidence-based approaches. Results will include stronger systems for immunizations, equal access to routine immunization services, and building capacity for Nigerian states to lead in developing solutions for its people,” said Ambassador Entwistle.