World Bank [to 6 February 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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World’s Largest Concentrated Solar Plant Opened in Morocco
Ouarzazate, February 4, 2016 – Today, Morocco launches the first phase of the largest concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in the world. When fully operational, the plant will produce enough energy…
Date: February 4, 2016 Type: Press Release

World Bank President: Support to the Middle East and North Africa Will Amount to US$20 billion in the Next Five Years
LONDON, February 4, 2016—World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim today announced that the World Bank Group will be tripling its commitment to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in the…
Date: February 4, 2016 Type: Press Release

Statement by World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim at the Syria Conference
I’d like to thank our host, the UK government, and the co-organizers Kuwait, Germany, Norway, and the United Nations, for bringing us here today. There is no shortage of reminders of the full cost of what…
Date: February 4, 2016 Type: Speeches and Transcripts

Economic Effects of War and Peace in the Middle East and North Africa
WASHINGTON February 4, 2016— The World Bank’s latest Quarterly Economic Brief for MENA has revised estimates of economic growth in MENA, at 2.6 percent in 2015, falling short of expectations from…
Date: February 3, 2016 Type: Press Release

Promoting Competition Could Lift South African Growth & Boost Poverty Alleviation
PRETORIA, February 2, 2016 — In times of weak growth and limited fiscal resources government policies that promote greater domestic competition and improve the regulatory environment could lift growth…
Date: February 2, 2016 Type: Press Release

IMF [to 6 February 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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February 05, 2016
Press Release: IMF Executive Board Discusses the 2015 Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report

February 05, 2016
Remarks by IMF Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Mitsuhiro Furusawa — London Conference on Supporting Syria and the Region

February 05, 2016
The Role of Emerging Markets in a New Global Partnership for Growth by IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde
By Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund
University of Maryland, February 4, 2016

African Development Bank Group [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/press-releases/

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04/02/2016
World’s largest concentrated solar power plant in Morocco showcases AfDB’s New Deal on Energy for Africa
– On Thursday, February 4, 2016, King Mohammed VI of Morocco inaugurated the first phase of the country’s Noor Ouarzazate Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant, ushering in a new era for Africa’s sustainable energy future.

AfDB approves US $16.5 million for Institutional Support Project for Good Governance in Tanzania
04/02/2016 – The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved on Wednesday, February 3 in Abidjan a loan of US $16.5 million to finance the Tanzania Institutional Support Project for Good Governance (ISPGG III). The objective of this project is to support the Government of Tanzania in promoting inclusive growth and macroeconomic stability by enhancing economic and financial governance through more effective public financial management and improved business environment.

AfDB Group approves US $91-million investment in water supply and sanitation for Uganda
04/02/2016 – In the African Development Bank Group’s bid to work for a continent free of poverty and water-borne diseases, the Board of Directors approved on Wednesday, February 3 in Abidjan a US $91-million loan to Uganda, for the provision of clean water and improved sanitation in the country.

Asian Development Bank [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.adb.org/news

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02 Feb 2016 | News Release
Asian Development Bank Institute Ranked Second Among World’s Government-Affliated Think Tanks
TOKYO, JAPAN — The Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) was ranked second among the world’s government-affiliated think tanks, after the World Bank’s Development Research Group. The 2015 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report, produced by the University of Pennsylvania’s Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP), is the result of a survey of 6,846 think tanks and 4,750 journalists, policy makers, public and private donors, and functional and regional area specialists. ADBI also ranked second in 2014…

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.aiib.org/html/NEWS/

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February 5, 2016
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank appoints 5 Vice-Presidents
BEIJING,– The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has today announced the following appointments:
– Sir Danny Alexander to the position of Vice President, Corporate Secretary;
– Dr. Kyttack Hong to the position of Vice President, Chief Risk Officer;
– Dr. D.J. Pandian to the position of Vice President, Chief Investment Officer;
– Dr. Joachim von Amsberg to the position of Vice President, Policy and Strategy; and
– Dr. Luky Eko Wuryanto to the position of Vice President, Chief Administration Officer.

Announcing the appointments, AIIB’s President Jin Liqun said “I am delighted to announce the appointment of the AIIB’s senior leadership team. This is an exceptionally strong and committed group who bring wide and varied experience and a wealth of expertise that will serve the Bank well as it commences operations. I look forward to working closely with them in the years ahead.”

Amref Health Africa [to 6 February 2016]
http://amref.org/news/news/

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Published: 01 February 2016
Huge boost for innovative health care in Kenya
By Carolyne Khamala
Amref Health Africa and PharmAccess will receive €9,950,000 from the Dream Fund of the Dutch Postcode Lottery. The Dream Fund grants funds trailblazing ‘dream’ programmes that catalyse structural change; in this case that programme is Amref Health Africa’s and PharmAccess’s M-Hakika, which makes money and quality healthcare accessible to women in Kenya directly via their mobile phone. M-Hakika cleverly combines healthcare knowledge, quality and financing, all through the mobile telephone.

The Postcode Lottery is the third largest private philanthropist in the world and it will be donating a record-breaking €328 million to charity in 2016. Amref Health Africa and PharmAccess are grateful to the Dutch Postcode Lottery and its 2.7 million loyal participants for the crucial support for this innovative programme…

CARE International[to 6 February 2016]
http://www.care-international.org/

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5th Feb 2016
‘Now turn pledges into action’ – civil society verdict on Supporting Syria donors’ conference
Syria
An international coalition of over 30 non-governmental organisations today welcomed the ambition demonstrated at the ‘Supporting Syria And the Region’ donor conference in London to increase the scale and scope of the humanitarian response to the Syria crisis, but said that overall pledges for 2016 fell more than $3 billion short of what was urgently needed. The NGOs, including Oxfam, Sawa Aid and Development, and Islamic Relief, applauded the generosity of some donors while encouraging others also to pledge their fair share. They also warned that many Syrians would continue to suffer unless more was done to ensure their protection inside and outside the country, and an end to the violence in Syria…

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Zika emergency highlights ‘double-injustice’ for world’s poor women
5th Feb 2016 USA
As concerns grow about the spread of the Zika virus worldwide, the humanitarian organization CARE says the medical emergency disproportionately affects poor women who bear the brunt of the disease and have the least resources to fight it.

Clubhouse International [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.clubhouse-intl.org/news.html

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[undated]
Phoenix Clubhouse in Hong Kong becomes 11th Clubhouse International Training Base!
Clubhouse International is pleased to announce that we have added Phoenix Clubhouse in Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China, as the 11th International Training Base in our worldwide network of Training Bases!

Phoenix Clubhouse is a longstanding Accredited Clubhouse, and for the last decade has served as a designated Orientation Site for new groups seeking to start Clubhouses in Hong Kong and mainland China. Phoenix Clubhouse is a high quality Clubhouse under the direction of Anita Chan. Anita has many years experience working in Clubhouses. The auspice organization, Queen Mary Hospital, has provided excellent leadership from Dr. Michael Wong, Mary Chu, Dr. Eileena Chui, and June Chao. The Friends of Phoenix Clubhouse Advisory Committee and founding Director, Eva Yau (now a Clubhouse International Consultant in China) are very supportive of this new initiative. We are thrilled to now have this new potential to bring Accredited Clubhouses to more Chinese-speaking communities, with Phoenix Clubhouse serving as our newest International Training Base. Visit their website at www.phoenixclubhouse.org

Danish Refugee Council [to 6 February 2016]
https://www.drc.dk/news

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04.02.16
Going to Europe: A Syrian Perspective
The Danish Refugee Council in the Middle East have conducted several informal discussion groups with Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey to canvass refugees’ perceptions and attitudes about going to Europe. Read about the findings and the full report here – and a link to how DRC think, the international community should address this.

Key findings from the report:
:: The preferred durable solution amongst Syrian refugees is safe and dignified return to a Syria that is free of conflict, though many are realizing that this option may not be possible for some time

:: Conditions in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey are the main driver for Syrians to consider onward movement, compounded by a prevailing sense of the protracted nature of the conflict in Syria. The pursuit of viable livelihoods (accompanied by the legal right to work), education, medical care, and increased aid are all motivations for the journey to Europe.

:: Syrian refugees have varied and sometimes idealized expectations of life in Europe. Information is passed primarily by word-of-mouth through community connections and is not always reliable.

:: The risks and challenges of the journey to Europe are known to Syrian refugees, though for many these risks are considered to be “worth it.”

:: For some Syrians, concerns about cultural differences in Europe and the distance from Syria make the trip an undesirable option.

:: Syrian refugees are spending considerable sums of money, including going into debt, to take boat journeys to Europe

The information compiled in this report draws on over 50 focus group discussions and 444 household interviews with men and women in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan conducted in late 2015. Syrian refugees are the focus of this research.
To read the full report click here

ECPAT [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.ecpat.net/news

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Posted on 02/02/2016, 12:16
Interagency Working Group adopts global terminology guidelines for the sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children
An Interagency Working Group composed of the UN Special Representative to the Secretary General on Violence against Children, the UN Special Rapporteur on Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, ECPAT International and 13 other international organisations and agencies active in the field of children’s rights, took an important step to strengthen collaboration and address sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children by adopting new global terminology guidelines.

HelpAge International [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.helpage.org/newsroom/press-room/press-releases/

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Posted: 01 February 2016
Long term funding needed for Syria, including older people, says HelpAge International
Heads of state arriving in London this week for a high-level donor conference on Syria need to commit to long-term humanitarian funding for vulnerable people in Syria, including older people, says HelpAge International.

IRC International Rescue Committee [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.rescue.org/press-release-index

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04 Feb 2016
“Credit where it’s due, now let’s turn pledges into action” says David Miliband on conclusion of Syria Conference

01 Feb 2016
A million jobs needed for Syrian refugees to make ‘life worth living’ in the region, says humanitarian agency

ICRC [to 6 February 2016]
https://www.icrc.org/en/whats-new

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05-02-2016 | Article
Lebanon: ICRC and Rafik Hariri University Hospital in partnership to improve access to health care
Beirut (ICRC) –- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut and the Lebanese Ministry of Health today signed a memorandum of understanding that will set up a new hospital ward for reconstructive surgery…

Syria: How much longer will the fighting rage?
Before the war broke out, Syria was a middle-income country. But now, its development has been thrown back perhaps a generation, if not more.
04-02-2016 | Article

Syria Pledging Conference: ICRC President’s call to the international community
Speech given by Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, at the Syria Donors Conference 2016 in London.
04-02-2016 | Article

Syria: Food and medicine reach besieged town of Moadamiyeh
Joint teams of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) have managed to deliver food and hygiene items for more than twelve thousand people in the besieged town of Moadamiyeh near Damascus.
04-02-2016 | Article

The ICRC in Africa – key operations
Dropping food to hungry people in remote areas of South Sudan. Treating the injured in Mali. Supporting hospitals in Libya. All over Africa, the ICRC is helping people affected by war and other violence.
04-02-2016 | Article

Nigeria: ICRC helps families recover as they return from displacement
Thousands fled fighting in late 2014 between the Nigerian army and the armed opposition in Adamawa State, north-east Nigeria. Many homes were burned to the ground.
03-02-2016 | Video

Lebanon: Red Cross rescues snowbound Syrian families in mountains
During the harsh winter months, the treacherous journey on foot from Syria into Lebanon is fraught with even more danger than usual, as snow and ice leave people stranded with no food or shelter. Alaa Al Nabaa is head of the Lebanese Red Cross
01-02-2016 | Video

Myanmar: Helping people affected by floods – six months on
Monsoon rains, coupled with high winds and heavy rain from Cyclone Komen, caused devastating floods and landslides in several parts of Myanmar in July 2015. Together with the Myanmar Red Cross (MRCS), we focused our relief efforts on helping people
01-02-2016 | Article

Syria: Desperate population needs regular unimpeded aid, whatever talks outcome
Geneva/Damascus (ICRC) – The parties battling each other in Syria’s nearly 5-year-old conflict must allow a regular flow of aid to reach all those civilians suffering amid the fighting, whatever the outcome of peace talks getting under way in Geneva,
30-01-2016 | News release

Islamic Relief [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.islamic-relief.org/category/news/

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February 4, 2016
World leaders must deliver for Syrian refugees and host countries
Pressure has been placed on world leaders to support Syrian refugees and the countries hosting them at a high-level conference held in London.

A global coalition of more than 90 humanitarian and human rights groups, including Islamic Relief, say world leaders must commit to an ambitious and transformational new multi-billion-dollar deal for both the refugees and host countries…

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news-stories/press/press-releases

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Press Releases
MSF Study in Niger Shows No Significant Benefit from Routine Use of Antibiotics to Treat Malnutrition
February 03, 2016
The routine use of antibiotics in the treatment of severe acute malnutrition has minimal impact on the likelihood of recovery, according to a major study of more than 2,000 children by the medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and its research arm Epicentre, published today in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Press releases
There’s Still Time to Stop the TPP from Cutting Off the Critical Lifeline of Affordable Generic Medicines
February 03, 2016
New York—As representatives from the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim countries gather in New Zealand Thursday to sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, the fight to protect access to medicines in TPP countries is intensifying at the national level, with legislative processes starting that will determine if the deal is finally ratified and implemented.

Mercy Corps [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.mercycorps.org/press-room/releases

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Press releases
Syria: Syria’s Aleppo City on the Verge of Siege
February 4, 2016 Portland, Ore.— Intensified fighting and air strikes in and around Aleppo City in Syria have cut off the main – and most direct – humanitarian route into that city, according to the global organization Mercy Corps. Since yesterday (Wednesday), the organization’s operations in northern Syria have effectively been sliced in half. “We are cut off from Aleppo City,” says David Evans, Mercy Corps’ regional program director for the Middle East. “It feels like a siege of Aleppo is about to begin.”

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Press releases
Mercy Corps Pilots Refugee Cash Assistance Program in Serbia
February 3, 2016 Presevo, Serbia – The global organization Mercy Corps has launched a new pilot program to distribute MasterCard prepaid debit cards to an estimated 5,600 eligible refugees traveling through Serbia, in partnership with the Serbian Ministry of Labor. Families will receive cards of 210 Euros, and individuals will receive cards of 70 Euros, which can be used to purchase what they need most. It is the first such program in the region to use an international payment mechanism to help the tens of thousands of refugees and migrants seeking haven in Europe.

OXFAM [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressreleases

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5 February 2016
Civil society verdict on London Conference on Syria: ‘Now turn pledges into action’
Oxfam and more than 30 non-governmental organizations have welcomed the ambition demonstrated at the ‘Supporting Syria And the Region’ donor conference in London to increase the scale and scope of the humanitarian response to the Syria crisis, but said that overall pledges for 2016 fell more than $3 billion short of what was urgently needed.

Norwegian Refugee Council [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.nrc.no/

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London conference
What’s driving Syrian refugees to despair?
(01.02.2016)
As world leaders and international donors meet in London this week to pledge money for the Syria crisis, millions of refugees across the Middle East are being driven into further despair.

The Norwegian Refugee Council is publishing new data showing the protection failures with regard to Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan.

Among the figures showing the growing desperate situation for refugees we find that:
:: In Lebanon, an estimated 70 per cent of the refugee population, that is more than 700,000 people, has lost its legal stay
:: In Jordan, some 250,000 Syrian refugees in host communities are still estimated to be without an updated government registration
:: 30 per cent of Syrian refugee children in Jordan do not have birth certificates
:: More than 1 million people – or 7 out of 10 refugees from Syria – now live in poverty across Jordan and Lebanon
:: In Jordan, 50 per cent of Syrian refugees surveyed by NRC at the end of 2015 said that they were intending to leave Jordan because they saw no future…

Pact [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.pactworld.org/news

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February 4, 2016
Pact Institute appoints new executive director
Pact is pleased to announce that it has appointed Natasha Sakolsky to the role of executive director of Pact Institute, a Pact subsidiary that serves poor and marginalized communities across the world.

Sakolsky brings more than two decades of experience in international development and public health, with expertise in strategic planning, organizational design, operations and change management, resource mobilization and partnership development. She has worked extensively abroad, especially in Africa, in areas including HIV/AIDS, reproductive health and youth programming…

Pact Institute was established in 1998 to pursue strategic objectives that benefit Pact and the people it serves, namely through innovation, the exploration of new approaches and partnerships, and funding diversification. Like Pact, Pact Institute implements development programs around the world that are improving people’s lives in meaningful, lasting ways…

Partners In Health [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.pih.org/blog

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Feb 05, 2016
Faster, Better Care for Breast Cancer in Rwanda
Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence pilots an early detection program

Feb 04, 2016
The Path of a Breast Cancer Patient in Haiti
Women diagnosed with breast cancer feel the news like a heavy blow, yet they can take comfort in knowing they will receive the best cancer care in the country at University Hospital in Mirebalais.

Feb 04, 2016
How to Stop Epidemics: Spend Billions to Save Trillions
Without proper investment in health systems, global health experts forecast future pandemics.