UNDP United Nations Development Programme [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter.html

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Feb 19, 2016
UNDP at 50: Global Ministers meet to chart course for future
In 2016, UNDP will celebrate 50 years at the heart of international development. To mark the occasion, Ministers from across the world will meet in New York on February 24 to chart a course for the future of global development.

Colombia: The Government, the UN and the international community launch new fund for stabilization and post-conflict peacebuilding
Feb 17, 2016
A new Multi-Donor Trust Fund, “Colombia in Peace”, rooted in the financial structure established by the country, aims to catalyse resources in order to generate, from this very day, favorable conditions for peace, and eventually, support the implementation of the peace agreements.

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.unep.org/newscentre/?doctypeID=1

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18/02/2016
From Asthma to Zika: UNEP tackles links between health and environment
…UN Environment Programme Executive Director Achim Steiner stressed that the links between health and environment are fundamental, and that international action can have a profound impact.

“The spread of Zika, just as with Ebola, has sent a strong signal to the international community that there is a need for increased attention to the linkages between environment and health,” he said. “There is a growing awareness that humans, through their intervention in the environment, play a vital role in exacerbating or mitigating health risks.”

Mr. Steiner was addressing UNEP’s Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR), a group of 300 delegates representing over 140 countries and major groups. The CPR is meeting at UNEP’s Nairobi headquarters this week to prepare for the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment, which will convene at the end of May…

UN DESA United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news.html

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18 February 2016, New York
New website shares tools to strengthen sustainable development capacities
“Upon the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development last September, the demand for the use of modelling tools to support national governments to adapt their national plans or policies to the sustainable development goals has increased,” said Lenni Montiel, UN DESA’s Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development. “With this in mind, we are launching today the website Modelling Tools for Sustainable Development Policies,” he said, presenting the new platform at a workshop at UN headquarters in New York.
Website: https://unite.un.org/analytics/desa/modellingtools

UNESCO [to 20 February 2016]
http://en.unesco.org/news
Selected Press Releases/News

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19 February 2016
UNESCO Director-General calls on all parties to protect Yemeni heritage

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17 February 2016
Italy creates a UNESCO Emergency Task Force for Culture

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16 February 2016
UNESCO Director-General: “Protecting culture is a moral responsibility and a security issue”
On 16 February 2016, UNESCO’s Director-General, Ms Irina Bokova, and the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Paolo Gentiloni, signed an agreement for the establishment of an Italian Task Force for the protection of cultural heritage, in the framework of UNESCO Global Coalition “Unite4Heritage”. The Task Force members will be ready to deploy, at the request of UNESCO, to assist in safeguarding cultural heritage at risk.

…The establishment of a Task Force bringing together cultural heritage experts and members of the Italian Carabinieri specialized in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural property constitutes an innovative approach. It marks a significant step to reinforce our capacity to respond to future emergencies.”

The creation of this Task Force by the Italian Government comes as a direct response to the destruction of cultural heritage in the Middle East and across the globe in recent conflicts. UNESCO Member States have adopted a Strategy for the reinforcement of the protection of culture and the promotion of cultural pluralism. The Strategy was adopted by the General Conference in November 2015. It calls on Member States to contribute to its implementation, notably through the establishment of mechanisms for the rapid deployment of national experts in situations of emergency, under the coordination of UNESCO.
Irina Bokova expressed her confidence that “this Task Force, and the agreement signed in Rome with the Italian Government, will become a model for other countries.” The Italian Minister of foreign Affairs, M. Gentiloni undescored that “Terrorists targeting cultural heritage aim to destroy culture, education and the human capacity to grow with the full consciousness of what binds humanity in its cultural diversity and its pluralistic and inclusive vision.”

The recent large-scale and systematic destruction and looting of cultural sites has highlighted the strong connection between the cultural, humanitarian and security responses to conflict and terrorism. Attacks against cultural heritage and diversity are also attacks against people, their rights, and their security. Under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the deliberate destruction of cultural heritage is a war crime. In the face of these unprecedented challenges, the need was recognized for new and more effective approaches by UNESCO building on existing international legal instruments, notably the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, and enhancing the scope of their application, as well as the range of intervention of UNESCO…

FAO Food & Agriculture Organization [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.fao.org/news/archive/news-by-date/2016/en/

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17-02-2016
Agricultural Biotechnologies: Giving voice to family farmers’ needs and concerns
About 500 scientists, representatives of government, civil society, the private sector, academia, farmers’ associations and cooperatives took part in the symposium discussing agricultural biotechnologies much broader than genetically modified organisms.

FAO Director-General stresses UN agency’s role as a neutral forum
The meeting came following concerns expressed by civil society representatives that not all stakeholders were being given equal opportunity to have their voices heard at the symposium and that participation at the symposium was skewed in favour of the private sector.
16-02-2016

The potential of agricultural biotechnologies in assisting family farmers
Opening the FAO-hosted international symposium “The Role of Agricultural Biotechnologies in Sustainable Food Systems and Nutrition”, Graziano da Silva stressed the need for “a broad portfolio of tools and approaches to eradicate hunger, fight every form of malnutrition and achieve sustainable agriculture.”
15-02-2016

FAO and EL PAÍS join forces to improve coverage of food and agriculture
FAO and Grupo PRISA, publisher of Madrid-based daily EL PAÍS, have agreed to collaborate to improve public awareness of critical issues related to hunger, agriculture and food systems.
15-02-2016

IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.ifad.org/media/press/index.htm

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18 February 2016 –
Break the chain of desperation that leads to emergencies and humanitarian disasters, IFAD President tells development leaders in Rome
Arabic | French | Italian | Spanish
Rome, 18 February 2016 – Against a backdrop of new reports that show the number of refugees entering Europe has continued to skyrocket, senior government officials attending the final day of the International Fund for Agricultural Development’s 39th Governing Council, renewed their commitment to invest in smallholder agriculture and reduce poverty in developing countries.

Recognizing that rural development plays a fundamental role in stabilizing communities and reducing migration and conflict, IFAD President Kanayo F. Nwanze told leaders that “by working together to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – starting with zero poverty and zero hunger – we can break the chain of desperation” that leads to emergencies and humanitarian disaster.

Urgent calls for action in support of increased investment in smallholder agricultural to ensure food security, climate change adaptation, equitable prosperity and ultimately to remove the root causes that lead to conflict and migration, were shared throughout the two-day conference, held annually in Rome for senior government officials representing IFAD’s 176 member states…

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17 February 2016 –
Achieving new Global Goals will require increased investments in smallholder agriculture say development leaders at Rome conference
Arabic | English |French | Italian| Spanish

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16 February 2016 –
IFAD-support project in Swaziland helps farmers combat drought and boost food and nutrition security

ILO International Labour Organization [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/lang–en/index.htm

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International labour standards
ILO publishes the annual report on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations
05 February 2016
The Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, whose work constitutes the cornerstone of the ILO’s supervisory system on international labour standards, has just published its annual report.

WMO World Meteorological Organization [to 20 February 2016]
https://www.wmo.int/media/news

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Record heat continues in January
19 February 2016
Record heat experienced in 2015 continued in January 2016, fuelled by El Niño and long-term climate change…

Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology forecasts end of drought
18 February 2016
The drought conditions which have affected the Caribbean region since late 2014 / early 2015 are expected to subside by the start of the 2016 Hurricane season. But there may be a risk of landslides and flashfloods as the rains return…

Exceptionally strong El Niño has passed its peak, but impacts continue
18 February 2016
The powerful 2015-2016 El Niño has passed its peak but remains strong and will continue to influence the global climate, according to the latest update from the World Meteorological Organization.

UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.unido.org/news-centre/news.html

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17 February 2016
Global manufacturing increased modestly in 2015 as growth slowed in developing and emerging industrial economies – UNIDO report
VIENNA, 17 February 2016 – Global manufacturing production rose by just 2.8 per cent in 2015 as developing and emerging industrial economies registered reduced growth rates, according to the 2016 edition of the International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics released in Vienna today.

UNIDO providing electricity to displaced communities in Sudan’s Darfur region…
Tuesday, 16 February 2016
KHARTOUM, 16 February 2016 – The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), along with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other United Nations agencies, is working to implement the “Darfur Solar Electrification Project”. This US$5.7 million project will install and operate solar energy systems in areas serving the public, such community centres, hospitals, police stations, and schools in 70 settlements. It will also power street lighting in many urban areas. The project will directly benefit 7,000 households of returned refugees and indirectly another 20-30,000 returned refugees living in satellite villages…

CBD Convention on Biological Diversity [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.cbd.int/press-releases/

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2016-02-19
Press release: Gender-responsive biodiversity policy
For three days in Mexico City over 65 women and men working on issues related to gender and biodiversity in Mexico came together to share experiences and provide input into the development of a gender-responsive National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP).

2016-02-15
Nominations open for The MIDORI Prize for Biodiversity 2016
Tokyo/Montreal, 15 February 2016 – With the aim to encourage positive action for biodiversity and inspire others by showcasing the notable work of those it honours, nominations are now invited for the MIDORI Prize for Biodiversity 2016. The call for nominations remains open from 15 February to 30 June 2016.

DFID [to 20 February 2016]
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-international-development

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17 February 2016
UK leads humanitarian response to food crisis in Malawi
DFID and Scotland Office Press release
The UK is stepping up humanitarian support including food packages and medical supplies to help Malawi’s most vulnerable families survive one of the country’s worst food shortage crises in over a decade…

ECHO [to 20 February 2016]
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/en/news

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16/02/2016
Deadly attacks on hospitals and schools in Syria – Statement
High Representative and Vice President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini and EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides have released this joint statement…

EU launches new European Medical Corps to respond faster to emergencies
15/02/2016
The EU today launches the European Medical Corps to help mobilise medical and public health teams and equipment for emergencies inside and outside the EU…

African Union [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.au.int/en/
[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 18, 2016
1st Steering Committee Meeting of the Programme: ‘Building Disaster Resilience to Natural Hazards in Sub-Saharan African Regions, Countries and Communities’. 18 Feb 2016, AU Commission. Addis Ababa.

February 16, 2016 | Press Releases
Mining Indaba 2016: The African Union Commission Launches the Compact of the African Mining Vision (AMV)

ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.asean.org/news
[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 17th, 2016|ASEAN Secretariat News, Statement & Communiques
Joint Statement of the ASEAN-U.S. Special Leaders’ Summit: Sunnylands Declaration
We the Heads of State/Government of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United States of America gathered in Sunnylands, California, on February 15-16, 2016, for a Special Leaders Summit. This Special ASEAN – U.S. Leaders Summit was the first ever to be held in the United States and […]
Download the full statement here.

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February 15th, 2016|ASEAN Secretariat News, Press Release
ASEAN to Promote Biodiversity Conservation for Sustainable Development
BANGKOK, 15 February 2016 – More than 500 biodiversity stakeholders gathered today in Bangkok for the ASEAN Conference on Biodiversity 2016 (ACB2016). The Conference, with the theme “Biodiversity for Sustainable Development,” is held for the second time after the first Conference in 2009 in Singapore.

European Union [to 20 February 2016]
http://europa.eu/rapid/search-result.htm?query=18&locale=en&page=1
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives]

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Keynote Speech by Commissioner Avramopoulos at the 2016 Harvard European Conference: Europe at the Crossroads of the Migration and Security Crises
Date: 20/02/2016
European Commission – Speech – [Check Against Delivery] Cambridge, MA, 20 February 2016 Ladies and gentlemen, It is an honour to be with you here today, to speak at this historic institution of learning and excellence. The Harvard-Fletcher European Conference is testament to the bonds between our two continents.

EU-Turkey Cooperation: First meeting of the Steering Committee of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey
Date: 18/02/2016
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 18 February 2016 The first Steering Committee meeting of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey was held in Brussels on 17 February, chaired by the Commission The first Steering Committee meeting of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey was held in Brussels on 17…

EU approves additional €10 million to help the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia deal with the refugee crisis
Date: 15/02/2016
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 15 February 2016 Today, an additional €10 million programme in EU assistance was adopted by the European Commission to help the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia improve its border and migration management systems in the context of the refugee crisis.

EU launches new European Medical Corps to respond faster to emergencies
Date: 15/02/2016
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 15 February 2016 The European Union today launches the European Medical Corps to help mobilise medical and public health teams and equipment for emergencies inside and outside the EU Through the European Medical Corps, EU Member States and other European countries participating in the…

Joint statement by HR/VP Federica Mogherini and European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides on deadly attacks on hospitals and schools in Syria
Date: 15/02/2016
European Commission – Statement Brussels, 15 February 2016 Joint statement by HR/VP Federica Mogherini and European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides on deadly attacks on hospitals and schools in Syria Today’s deadly attacks against medical facilities and schools in Aleppo and Idlib in Northern Syria are…

OECD [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/publicationsdocuments/bydate/
[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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18-February-2016
Elusive global growth outlook requires urgent policy response
Achieving strong growth in the global economy remains elusive, with only a modest recovery in advanced economies and slower activity in emerging markets, according to the OECD’s latest Interim Economic Outlook.

Organization of American States (OAS) [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_releases.asp

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February 20,
OAS Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH) to be Presented on Monday in Tegucigalpa
The Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras (MACCIH) of the Organization of American States (OAS) will be presented on Monday in Tegucigalpa and will immediately begin its work to help address and tackle corruption in a concrete and decisive manner.

The presentation will detail the characteristics of the MACCIH, an unprecedented initiative designed to bring about a structural reform in the administration of justice in Honduras. The presentation will include an explanation of what will be the first steps of the MACCIH and an introduction to the coordinators of the various units that make up the Mission…

International Criminal Court (ICC) [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/icc/Pages/default.aspx

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16/02/2016
International Criminal Court and Inter-American Court of Human Rights sign Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation
The President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, and the President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR), Judge Roberto F. Caldas, signed yesterday a Memorandum of Understanding in order to strengthen cooperation between the two judicial institutions. The signature ceremony took place within the framework of the opening of the Inter-American Judicial Year 2016 in San José (Costa Rica).

16/02/2016
ICC-Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, participated in the 52nd Munich Security Conference to discuss the contribution of international criminal justice to international security and conflict prevention
The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (“ICC”), Mrs Fatou Bensouda, participated in the 52nd Munich Security Conference (“MSC”) held in Munich, Germany from the 12th to the 14th of February. The Conference, chaired by Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, assembled leaders from around the world to debate the state of international security and related challenges. The MSC, the largest independent high-level forum of its kind, is attended by Heads of States, Governments and international organisations; Ministers; high-ranking members of the Armed Forces and representatives of business, science, civil society and the media.

World Bank [to 20 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 Bank Provides $150 Million to Combat Zika Virus In Latin America and the Caribbean
Initial regional economic impact projected to be moderate but requires urgent action to halt virus spread
Date: February 18, 2016 Type: Press Release

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Forging a Shared Vision for Digital Transformation in Central and South Asia
ALMATY, February 17, 2016 – The World Bank’s new ‘World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends’ was launched today at the Kazakh-Britain Technical University in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Discussion…
Date: February 17, 2016 Type: Press Release

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Indigenous Peoples Benefited to a Lesser Extent from Latin American Boom
Half of region’s indigenous people live in urban areas
PANAMA CITY, February 15, 2016 – Indigenous peoples made significant social progress, experienced a reduction in poverty levels in several countries and gained improved access to basic services during the boom of the first decade of the century, but they did not benefit to the same extent as the rest of Latin Americans, according to a new World Bank study.

The study Indigenous Latin America in the Twenty-First Century, notes that thanks to a combination of economic growth and good social policies, over 70 million people were lifted out of poverty. Poverty of indigenous households decreased in countries like Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Ecuador, while in others, such as Ecuador, Mexico and Nicaragua, the educational gap that for decades excluded indigenous children was closed.

However, the report presented here today indicates that while indigenous peoples make up 8 percent of the population in the region, they represent approximately 14 percent of the poor and 17 percent of the extremely poor in Latin America. Also, they still face challenges to gain access to basic services and the adoption of new technologies, a key aspect of increasingly globalized societies…

Report: http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2016/02/24863854/indigenous-latin-america-twenty-first-century-first-decade

IMF [to 20 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 19, 2016
Statement by Christine Lagarde on her Second Term as IMF Managing Director
Press Release No.16/64
Ms. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement today:
“I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead the IMF as Managing Director for a second term of five years, and I greatly appreciate the continued trust and support of the Fund’s Executive Board and our 188 member countries.

“Over the past five years, the IMF has adapted and strengthened its capacity to respond to its members’ needs and is well-prepared to help them meet the challenges of the future. The global economy is undergoing a number of important transitions and we are focused on helping our membership navigate these successfully—with our excellent staff delivering policy advice, capacity building and, where needed, financial support. The Fund remains committed to its fundamental goal of helping to ensure global economic and financial stability through international cooperation.

“I look forward to serving our membership and carrying out our critical mission in the period ahead.”

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February 19, 2016
Press Release: IMF Executive Board Selects Christine Lagarde to Serve a Second Term as Managing Director