Monthly Archives: April 2016

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme [to 2 April 2016]

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UNEP United Nations Environment Programme [to 2 April 2016]
http://www.unep.org/newscentre/?doctypeID=1

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01/04/2016
Latin America and Caribbean Nations Pledge Coordinated Action on Climate Change, Air Quality and Chemicals Safety
On the Road to UNEA-2
Cartagena de Indias, 31 March 2016 – Latin American and Caribbean Ministers of Environment committed on Thursday to accelerate collective action on a set of priorities ranging from climate change and air quality to safe management of chemicals, ahead of the second UN

The ministers and high-level representatives of 33 countries adopted the Declaration of Cartagena, in which they pledged to promote the “healthy functioning of ecosystems as a global, crosscutting and comprehensive condition, key for a better and fairer future for all, fundamental to achieve sustainable development and the eradication of poverty”.

They also agreed to provide global leadership on delivering the environmental dimension of the universally agreed 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, by pushing for ambitious resolutions and decisions at the upcoming UNEA-2…

UNESCO [to 2 April 2016]

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UNESCO [to 2 April 2016]
http://en.unesco.org/news
Selected Press Releases/News

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1 April 2016
UNESCO Global Report ‘Re|Shaping Cultural Policies’ 2017: Call for proposals
UNESCO is inviting professional research institutes, companies, individuals or consortiums to submit a proposal for the collection, analysis and visualization of data to be included in the second edition of the UNESCO Global Report on the implementation of the 2005 Convention, to be published in December 2017.

UN-HABITAT United Nations Human Settlements Programme [to 2 April 2016]

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UN-HABITAT United Nations Human Settlements Programme [to 2 April 2016]
http://unhabitat.org/media-centre/news/
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global announcement and initiatives]

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Posted March 31, 2016
Major opportunities for improving global urban health outcomes, despite persistent inequities
Kobe, Geneva – New data on the health of city-dwellers in almost 100 countries show that as the world’s urban population continues to grow, health inequities – especially between the richest and poorest urban populations…

FAO Food & Agriculture Organization [to 2 April 2016]

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FAO Food & Agriculture Organization [to 2 April 2016]
http://www.fao.org/news/archive/news-by-date/2016/en/

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1-04-2016
UN General Assembly proclaims Decade of Action on Nutrition
The United Nations General Assembly today proclaimed a UN Decade of Action on Nutrition that will run from 2016 to 2025. FAO welcomed the decision, calling it a major step towards mobilising action around reducing hunger and improving nutrition around the world.

To reduce inequality, focus on hunger and extreme poverty
Absolute levels of hunger and poverty are the most dramatic issues when it comes to addressing inequality, FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva said today. “The most pressing priority in terms of inequality is to help those people that are still living in extreme poverty and suffering from hunger,” he said at the Special Meeting on Inequality held by the UN’s ECOSOC.
31-03-2016

FAO’s leader addresses UN Security Council on food and farming’s role amid conflicts
Improving food security can help build sustainable peace and even ward off looming conflict, as well as mitigating its impacts, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva told members of the United Nations Security Council.
29-03-2016

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) [to 2 April 2016]

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International Organization for Standardization (ISO) [to 2 April 2016]
http://www.iso.org/iso/home/news_index.htm

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1 April 2016
Shining a light on management consultancies with new standard in development
by Clare Naden
Management consultancies have the potential to help businesses fly… if they are used correctly. A new standard in development aims to help consultancies and their clients achieve the best from their consultancy projects.

USAID [to 2 April 2016]

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USAID [to 2 April 2016]
http://www.usaid.gov/news-information/press-releases
April 1, 2016
U.S. Announces Nearly $68 Million in Additional Humanitarian Assistance for Sudan
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced it is providing nearly $68 million for emergency food assistance, to reach approximately 2.5 million Sudanese as well as refugees from South Sudan and other neighboring states. This assistance will be delivered through the World Food Program, which will help address the complex emergency arising from conflict, natural disasters and widespread displacement in Sudan, including those severely affected by the impacts of El Niño. This contribution brings total U.S. humanitarian assistance for Sudan to nearly $351 million since FY 2015.

European Union [to 2 April 2016]

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European Union [to 2 April 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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EU to provide milk to 350,000 Syrian children
Date: 30/03/2016
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 30 March 2016 Today the European Commission adopted a €30 million programme to provide 350,000 Syrian children with drinking milk, as part of the already substantial aid provided by the EU to those in need as a consequence of the crisis in the region.

Press remarks by Commissioner Avramopoulos at the UNCHR high-level meeting on global responsibility sharing for Syrian refugees
Date: 30/03/2016
European Commission – Speech – [Check Against Delivery] Brussels, 30 March 2016

OECD [to 2 April 2016]

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OECD [to 2 April 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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1-April-2016
Rising tax revenues are key to economic development in African countries
Tax revenues in African countries are rising as a proportion of national incomes, according to the inaugural edition of Revenue Statistics in Africa. In 2014, the eight countries covered by the report – Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritius, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia – reported tax revenues as a percentage of GDP ranging from 16.1% to 31.3%.

30-March-2016
Consumer protection laws need updating to improve trust in e-commerce
Countries should modernise their consumer protection laws to address new risks posed by online commerce, including “free” apps and peer-to-peer Internet transactions, according to new OECD guidelines for member countries and emerging economies.

29-March-2016
Global mayors join forces to address inequalities and foster inclusive growth in cities worldwide
Mayors from cities across the United States, Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America gathered in New York to launch a global campaign to address rising inequalities and foster inclusive growth in their cities, in their countries and worldwide.

Organization of American States (OAS) [to 2 April 2016]

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Organization of American States (OAS) [to 2 April 2016]
http://www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_releases.asp

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March 28 2016
OAS and UNDP to Launch Practical Guide for Early Warning and Response Systems Design for Social Conflicts
The Organization of American States (OAS) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for Latin America and the Caribbean will present, on Thursday, March 31, the Practical Guide for “Early Warning and Response Systems Design for Social Conflicts,” which is intended for national and local governments, as well as civil society organizations in the region…

…In times of paralleled economic uncertainty and increasing social demands, the Guide offers a system for getting ahead of the outbreak and spreading of conflicts, with the premise that it is better to work in preventing conflict before it erupts and worsens.

Early Warning and Response Systems (EWRS) process data and issue warnings, provide recommendations on when and how to proceed and help identify institutions responsible for carrying out the responses.

IPU Inter-Parliamentary Union [to 2 April 2016]

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IPU Inter-Parliamentary Union [to 2 April 2016]
http://www.ipu.org/english/news.htm

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31 MARCH 2016
Central and East European Parliaments follow up on SDGs
MPs from Central and East European Parliaments will continue work on defining opportunities and challenges they and their parliaments face in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) when they meet in Romania next month. The gathering on 18-19 April follows on from a similar sub-regional meeting in June 2015 at which parliamentary action on a number of key areas, including addressing environmental risk and climate change, was called upon. Participating parliaments will report on what action they have taken on the SDGs since the 2015 meeting.
This year’s event will lay emphasis on SDG 16, which highlights the importance of effective institutions, including parliaments, in implementing all 17 goals through coherent policies that capture and build on synergies. Key issues such as effective governance, citizen engagement on the SDGs, inclusive political participation, as well as ways to tackle the risk to environmental security by reducing disaster risk and switching to green energy, will also be addressed…

New name for IPU women MPs’ group
31 MARCH 2016
IPU’s Meeting of Women Parliamentarians, which for more than 30 years has been a unique opportunity for women MPs globally to meet in person and provide input into international decision-making, has a new name – the Forum of Women Parliamentarians. Its organizing body, the Co-ordinating Committee of Women Parliamentarians will now be known as the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians. The changes were agreed by MPs attending the 134th IPU Assembly in Lusaka and were aimed at better communicating the remit and functioning of the group…

World MPs discuss boosting women in politics
31 MARCH 2016
MPs from across the world called for a paradigm shift in attitudes to women’s participation in political processes within parliaments, political parties and society. The call came at the 134th IPU Assembly in Lusaka last week during a session on women’s freedom to participate in politics and how genuine partnership with men can contribute to this. The debate, organized by IPU’s Committee on Democracy and Human Rights, explored the current obstacles to women’s participation, including discriminatory stereotypes, patriarchal culture and party concerns about whether seats are “winnable” with women candidates…

IMF [to 2 April 2016]

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IMF [to 2 April 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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March 28, 2016
Press Release: IMF Publishes Work on the State of the Global Financial Safety Net

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) today published the paper “The Adequacy of the Global Financial Safety Net,” which the IMF’s Executive Board discussed during an informal session as part of the Fund’s ongoing review of the international monetary system. The paper assesses the strengths, weaknesses and challenges of the Global Financial Safety Net (GFSN) –comprised of international reserves, central bank swap arrangements, regional financing arrangements, Fund resources (complemented by other multilateral and bilateral development partners), and market-based instruments.

The paper establishes that the GFSN today is much larger and more multi-layered than before, reflecting the accumulation of reserves, the expansion of bilateral and multilateral arrangements, and greater access to Fund resources. Several features of the GFSN have also been enhanced over time. Notably, the refinements to the IMF’s surveillance and lending frameworks have filled important gaps in the system. However, the study also recognizes that there is scope for improving the current configuration of the safety net, to enhance the predictability, reliability and speed of insurance and financing mechanisms against shocks, and provide the right incentives for countries to implement sound macroeconomic policies…

African Development Bank Group [to 2 April 2016]

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African Development Bank Group [to 2 April 2016]
http://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/press-releases/

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01/04/2016
AfDB Group announces US $549-million drought response package for Eastern and Southern Africa
– The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group President, Akinwumi Adesina, announced Friday a relief package of US $549 million in support of 14 countries most affected by the ongoing drought in Eastern and Southern Africa. The AfDB acknowledged the severe impact of the El Niño weather pattern that is associated with abnormally high temperatures and the worst drought the region has seen in decades, leaving almost 36 million people in need of food assistance.

AfDB scouts for viable energy models for power-starved Africa
01/04/2016 – A major preoccupation of the just-concluded visit to Asia by an African Development Bank team led by its President, Akinwumi Adesina, was the search for an efficient energy system that can be easily adapted in some of the most energy-starved African countries.

AfDB approves US $228-million loan to rehabilitate strategic road linking Kenya and Tanzania
31/03/2016 – The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank approved on Wednesday, March 30, a US $228-million loan to the Government of Kenya to rehabilitate 172-kilometre road, linking the towns of Isebania and Ahero, an axis located southeast of Lake Victoria. The renovation of this route will facilitate trade between Kenya and Tanzania, while the social aspects associated with the project will accelerate the socio-economic development of the regions along the road, benefitting nearly two million people.

Sudan government launches online stock market with support from the AfDB
30/03/2016 – The Government of Sudan inaugurated an online trading system of its stock market on March 24, 2016 in the country’s capital, Khartoum – a landmark development in the Sudan’s financial history.

Asian Development Bank [to 2 April 2016]

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Asian Development Bank [to 2 April 2016]
http://www.adb.org/news/releases

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1 April 2016
ADB Frankfurt Annual Meeting to Focus On Cooperating for Sustainability
Over 3,000 government, business, media, and civil society representatives will gather on 2-5 May in Frankfurt for the 49th Annual Meeting of ADB’s Board of Governors.

30 March 2016
Pacific Economic Growth Slowed by Fiscal, Disaster Related Challenges
Pacific economies face lower growth and tighter fiscal conditions this year due to low commodity prices and severe cyclones, says a new ADB report launched today.

30 March 2016
ADB, JICA Establish $1.5 Billion Fund to Invest in Private Infrastructure
ADB today has entered into an agreement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to establish a new fund to support private infrastructure investments across Asia and the Pacific.

BRAC [to 2 April 2016]

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BRAC [to 2 April 2016]
http://www.brac.net/#news

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Sunday, 27 March 2016 00:00
BRAC holds Frugal Innovation Forum 2016

BRAC held the fourth Frugal Innovation Forum from 23-24 March 2016 in Savar, Bangladesh with the theme of scaling resilience. The forum showcased financial, social, and technological innovations that non-governmental organisations and other implementers are using to strengthen communities that are facing the effects of climate change.

The forum was designed to explore effective innovations and create opportunities for dialogue among leaders in the global south…

Danish Refugee Council [to 2 April 2016]

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Danish Refugee Council [to 2 April 2016]
https://www.drc.dk/news

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27.03.2016
Yemen: After a year of war, the world must no longer ignore the human suffering
More than 80 percent of the population of Yemen has been severely affected by the ongoing and brutal armed conflict that further escalated one year ago.

The time is now for world leaders to push for a permanent ceasefire and a sustainable, inclusive political solution in Yemen before one year turns into many more years of war resulting in further violence, displacement and loss of life, the Yemen INGO Forum, of which the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is a member, says…

ICRC [to 2 April 2016]

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ICRC [to 2 April 2016]
https://www.icrc.org/en/whats-new
Selected News Releases and Articles

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Philippines: Largest mass screening for TB held in New Bilibid Prison
Manila (ICRC) – The largest mass screening for tuberculosis (TB) in the country is being held for about 5,700 inmates in New Bilibid Prison (NBP), Muntinlupa City, as part of efforts to end TB in Philippine jails and prisons. The mass screening in t
29-03-2016 | News release

Western Balkans: Deep concern over numbers of people still missing in Kosovo
The working group on persons unaccounted for in connection with events in Kosovo in 1998 and 1999 held its 42nd session in Belgrade today.
25-03-2016 | News release

Iraq: Aid reaches thousands of displaced people in war-ravaged west Ramadi
Baghdad/Geneva (ICRC) – International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) staff distributed aid today to more than 12,000 displaced people surviving in desperate conditions in west Ramadi, central Iraq, having fled fighting in the nearby city of Hit.
24-03-2016 | News release