African Union [to 2 July 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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July 01, 2016 | Press Releases
AUC and FAO determined to promote agricultural mechanization
1 July 2016, Addis Ababa – The African Union Commission in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization, yesterday launched a project on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization in Africa.

This project is in line with the AU’s Africa Agenda 2063; the 2014 AU Malabo Declaration on Agricultural Growth and Transformation and the FAO’s new Strategic Framework of making agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable and also in promoting agricultural and rural development in Africa.

The main objective of the project is to contribute to the intensification of sustainable agricultural mechanization programmes in Africa by engaging stakeholders to take stock of the lessons and experiences derived over the years and most importantly, to discuss the need to support the integration of national and regional policies and strategies…

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June 28, 2016 | Press Releases
African Union Commission and FAO scale up efforts to ending hunger in the Horn of Africa new development project launched – “Ending Hunger in The Horn of Africa: Moving from Rhetoric to Action”
28 June 2016, Addis Ababa – The African Union Commission (AUC) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have reached a new milestone in the implementation of the 2014 AU Malabo Declaration on Agricultural Growth and Transformation through a new project titled, “Ending Hunger in the Horn of Africa: Moving from Rhetoric to Action.”

The objective of the project is to “implement a coherent set of activities intended to improve partnership and coordinated action on ending hunger, malnutrition and poverty in the Horn of Africa by 2025 through providing a consultative forum for governments, regional economic communities (RECs), development partners and stakeholders to discuss, review and develop new strategies on hunger eradication for the sub-region.”

The project is expected to take stock of policies and investments for ending hunger in the Horn of Africa (HoA), to establish national and regional partnership mechanisms for hunger eradication in the HoA; and to encourage advocacy and communication for ending hunger in the Horn of Africa…

European Commission [to 2 July 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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Facility for Refugees in Turkey: Commission proposes additional €1.4 billion in support
Date: 30/06/2016
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 30 June 2016 The European Commission has today proposed to mobilise an additional €1.4 billion in support for refugees in Turkey, with a view of raising the total amount allocated under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey to €2 billion by the end of..
[See Week in Review above for more detail]

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Commission brings together non-confessional organisations to discuss “Migration, integration and European values: putting values into action”
Date: 30/06/2016
European – Press release Commission Brussels, 30 June 2016 Today, European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans hosted a high-level meeting with ten representatives from philosophical and non-confessional organisations from across Europe to discuss “Migration, integration and European values: putting values into action” Today, European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans hosted…
[See Week in Review above for more detail]

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Commission proposes new rules to better protect children in cross-border family proceedings
Date: 30/06/2016
European – Press release Commission Brussels, 30 June 2016 Today, the European Commission is proposing improvements to the EU rules that protect children in the context of cross-border parental responsibility disputes related to custody, access rights and child abduction.

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Draft EU Budget 2017: Commission proposes a budget focused on priorities – growth, jobs and a solid response to the refugee crisis
Date: 30/06/2016
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 30 June 2016 Draft EU Budget 2017: Commission proposes a budget focused on priorities – growth, jobs and a solid response to the refugee crisis The Commission has today proposed the 2017 draft EU Budget of €134.9 billion in payments focusing on the two…

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Commission calls for renewed commitment to Roma integration
Date: 28/06/2016
European – Press release Commission Brussels, 28 June 2016 Today, the Commission adopted its annual report on Roma integration. This year’s assessment provides, for the first time, an overview of the measures put in place by Member States following the 2013 Council Recommendation on effective Roma integration measures, which required…

OECD [to 2 July 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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30-June-2016
First meeting of the new inclusive framework to tackle Base Erosion and Profit Shifting marks a new era in international tax co-operation
Representatives of more than 80 countries and jurisdictions have gathered in Kyoto, Japan to push forward ongoing efforts to update international tax rules for the 21st century, the latest step in the OECD/G20 Project to tackle Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS).

Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) [to 2 July 2016]
http://www.oic-oci.org/oicv3/news/?lan=en
[Selected Press Releases, Announcements]

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02/07/2016
OIC Strongly Rejects HRC Resolution on sexual orientation and gender identity
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly rejected the resolution on “protection against discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity” adopted during the recently concluded 32nd Session of the Human Rights Council. While reaffirming OIC’s strong commitment to combating all forms of violence and discrimination against any person or group on any ground, the OIC Secretary General, Iyad Ameen Madani reiterated OIC’s firm stance that the notion of sexual orientation is alien to the international human rights norms and standards as well as against the fundamental precepts of not only Islamic but many other religious and cultural societies.
[See Week in Review above for core coverage of this HRC resolution]

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26/06/2016
OIC Distributes Ramadan Aid to Rohingya Families in IDP Camps
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has distributed more than 550 bags of rice (50kg each) through the NGO HUMANiTi Malaysia during the month of Ramadan.

WTO – World Trade Organisation [to 2 July 2016]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm
[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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29 June 2016
ACCESSIONS
Afghanistan to become 164th WTO member on 29 July 2016
Afghanistan has notified the WTO that its Parliament has ratified its Protocol of Accession, clearing the final hurdle for its WTO membership. According to WTO rules, Afghanistan will become the 164th member of the Organization on 29 July, 30 days after its instrument of acceptance was deposited at the WTO.

International Criminal Court (ICC) [to 2 July 2016]
https://www.icc-cpi.int/

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1 July 2016
ICC launches #JusticeMatters social media campaign to mark 17 July, the Day of International Criminal Justice
…The Day of International Criminal Justice marks the anniversary of the adoption on 17 July 1998 of the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the ICC, which seeks to deter people from genocide, crimes against humanity and war crime. 17 July unites all those who wish to support justice, promote victims’ rights, and help prevent crimes that threaten the peace and security of the world.

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29 June 2016
State of Palestine becomes the thirtieth State to ratify the Kampala amendments on the crime of aggression
On 26 June 2016 the State of Palestine deposited its instrument of ratification of the amendments to the Rome Statute on the crime of aggression. The State of Palestine thus became the thirtieth State to have ratified the amendments on the crime of aggression.

The President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, H.E. Mr. Sidiki Kaba, welcomed Palestine’s ratification of the crime of aggression amendments as a vital contribution towards strengthening the rule of law and holding responsible those leaders who have committed ‘the supreme international crime’.

The Review Conference of the Rome Statute, held in 2010 in Kampala (Uganda), adopted, inter alia, a set of amendments relating to the definition of the crime of aggression and the provisions for the exercise of the Court’s jurisdiction.

The Court may exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression after 1 January 2017, once thirty States Parties have ratified the amendments, and subject to a decision by the Assembly to activate that jurisdiction….

World Bank [to 2 July 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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June 30, 2016
New World Bank Procurement Framework Promotes Strengthened National Procurement Systems
Flexible approach will help countries make the best use of public spending
The World Bank’s new Procurement Framework becomes effective tomorrow, July 1, 2016. Aimed at helping countries make the best use of their public spending, the new Framework will enhance the strategic role of procurement in development effectiveness.

“The new Procurement Framework reflects the views, knowledge, and expertise of a wide range of stakeholders from across the globe. The Bank can now offer a more modern and nimble procurement system to help promote sustainable development,” said Hart Schafer, World Bank Vice President for Operations Policy and Country Services.

The new Procurement Framework will allow the World Bank to better respond to the needs of client countries, while preserving robust procurement standards throughout Bank-supported projects. It provides an expanded range of procurement tools to enable a better fit for varying country contexts and client needs.

“With this modernization of the procurement system, the Bank looks forward to working together with its partner countries to strengthen efficiency in public spending and to strengthen procurement systems around the world. This will help assure that public resources are being well used, and countries can better deliver critical services such as education, health, and infrastructure” says Deborah Wetzel, Senior Director of the Governance Global Practice…

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WB/Argentina: Child Allowance Set to Reach an Additional 1.5 Million Children and Youth
WASHINGTON D.C., June 30, 2016 – The World Bank (WB) Board of Executive Directors approved a US$600 million loan today to support the Argentine government’s expansion of its Universal Child Allowance Program (AUH, in Spanish) to include 1.5 million children and youth up to 18 years of age who, despite being eligible, are currently excluded.

“We are proud to resume and strengthen the Social Development Ministry’s ties with international organizations so that we can deploy social protection networks that will help us achieve our goal of zero poverty and make them sustainable over time. Investing in childhood is a global priority, and by way of this joint project we will be taking a crucial step towards making sure that all Argentine children have the same opportunity to grow and develop healthily, happily and accompanied by a State that takes care of them, becoming a bridge towards their inclusion,” said Carolina Stanley, Minister for Social Development, the executing agency for the project alongside the National Social Security Administration (ANSES).

The AUH program was launched in 2009 and is part of a broader family allowance system implemented by ANSES, which the World Bank has supported in recent years. Thanks to this benefit, parents of children under 18 who are unemployed or earn less than a minimum salary at an informal job receive a monthly payment equivalent to 80 percent of the full benefit. The remaining 20 percent is accumulated and paid once every year following a certification of the child’s school attendance and fulfilment of medical checkups, including completion of a vaccination calendar. Currently, 3.7 million children from over two million families benefit from the AUH…

IMF [to 2 July 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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July 1, 2016
Paris Club 60th Anniversary—Keynote Address by Christine Lagarde Managing Director, International Monetary Fund
…From the IMF’s perspective, the Paris Club has played an invaluable role in resolving a number of difficult crises. However, with new emerging vulnerabilities, and structural shifts in the landscape of official finance, I see three major areas where it will be important for the Paris Club to continue to adapt. I believe it should (1) broaden its membership to include other major official creditors, (2) extend financing innovations in recent Paris Club agreements, and (3) address the issues raised by public holdings of sovereign bonds.

An indispensable partner in debt crises
As Finance Minister, I always saw the Club as an indispensable force for good in the international financial system. But the extent to which this was actually the case became even clearer when I assumed the role of Managing Director of the IMF.

As you know, the Fund’s principal responsibility is to maintain the stability of the international financial system. Healthy sovereign debtors are at the heart of this system. Thus, the Fund actively promotes prudent policies to ensure that its members maintain debt sustainability.

This said, circumstances can arise when sovereigns are unable to meet their full payment obligations. The Fund is often called upon to provide financial support in these situations, but because we can only lend when debt is sustainable, some form of debt restructuring is usually required. If and when official debt needs to be restructured in this context, the debtor needs to reach an agreement with each of its official creditors.

If there were no established forum for official creditor coordination, this process could be messy, protracted and costly for debtor, the creditors and the system. But thankfully, in the Paris Club, we have such a forum – one, that is established, that is reliably efficient and that has cultivated nimble practices over the years, such as the provision of “financing assurances” for debtors’ programs, that make it possible for the Fund to lend early in support of a member in need…

African Development Bank Group [to 2 July 2016]
http://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/press-releases/
[We generally limit coverage to regional or Africa-wide initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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Charting Africa’s Progress: African Development Bank launches MapAfrica 2.0
30/06/2016 – The African Development Bank has released a new online tool that enables anyone in the world to see at a glance how the Bank’s projects are boosting Africa’s economies and making Africans’ lives better.

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AfDB to improve performance, development impact under new Development and Business Delivery Model
27/06/2016 – – The African Development Bank is formally launched on a new path to deliver development impact for the people of Africa. On Friday, April 22, 2016, it reached a major milestone, with the approval by the Bank’s Board of Directors of the institution’s new Development and Business Delivery Model (DBDM). On Wednesday June 22, 2016, the Board went a step further by approving the updated Decentralization Action Plan in line with the DBDM.

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Call for Papers – African Economic Conference 2016: “Feeding Africa: Towards Agro-Allied Industrialization for Inclusive Growth”
From: 05/12/2016
To: 07/12/2016
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Jointly organized by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the African Economic Conference (AEC) 2016 will take place in Abuja, Nigeria, from December 5 to 7, 2016 under the following theme: “Feeding Africa: Towards Agro-Allied Industrialization for Inclusive Growth”.

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African Development Bank accelerates pace with ‘High 5’ priorities
27/06/2016 – The African Development Bank is stepping up the pace by focusing on five priorities that are crucial for accelerating Africa’s economic transformation. The Bank calls them the “High 5s”: Light up and power Africa, Feed Africa, Industrialise Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa.

Asian Development Bank [to 2 July 2016]
http://www.adb.org/news/releases
[We generally limit coverage to regional or Asia-wide initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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1 July 2016
Takehiko Nakao Nominated As Voting Opens For Next Term Of ADB President
The voting process opened today for the appointment of the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) President, for a 5-year term starting on 24 November 2016.

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28 June 2016
ADB $600 Million Loan Program To Help Pakistan Reform Public Enterprises
ADB has approved a $600 million loan program, with a first subprogram of $300 million, to help Pakistan roll out major structural reforms to improve the performance and financial sustainability of its public sector enterprises.

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28 June 2016
ADB $500 Million Loan To Indonesia To Continue Investment Reforms
ADB has approved the release of a $500 million loan to Indonesia following the roll out of agreed policy reforms to reduce barriers to investment and encourage more public-private partnerships (PPPs).

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank [to 2 July 2016]
http://www.aiib.org/html/NEWS/
[We generally limit coverage to regional or Asia-wide initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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AIIB’s Board of Directors establish a Project Preparation Special Fund China provides initial $50 million start-up contribution
06/25/2016
Beijing, June 25, 2016. AIIB President Jin Liqun and Chinese Vice Minister of Finance Shi Yaobin signed a Contribution Agreement today in Beijing on China’s $50 million contribution to the newly established AIIB Project Preparation Special Fund (the Fund). The Bank’s Board of Directors approved the Rules and Regulations for the Fund during its quarterly meeting on June 24, 2016. The Fund will support Bank members in preparing sound project proposals. China’s contribution, the first to the Fund, will allow it to be operational in the fall of 2016.

During the course of the Bank’s establishment, its members expressed a need for concessional resources to strengthen their project preparation capacity. The Fund is expected to provide grants to the Bank’s low and middle income member countries for preparation activities, including environmental, social, legal, procurement and technical assessments and analyses, and advisory services. The Bank will seek additional contributions to ensure the Fund’s sustainability…

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AIIB’s First Annual Meeting of its Board of Governors held in Beijing: Governors note progress during the Bank’s first 6 months of operation 06/25/2016

IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development [to 2 July 2016]
https://www.ifad.org/newsroom/press_release/list/tags/y2016

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30 June 2016
To reduce El Niño’s impact on Central America’s Dry Corridor, build resilience and invest in sustainable agriculture

:: INGO/Consortia/Joint Initiatives Watch
We will monitor media releases and other announcements around key initiatives, new research and major organizational change from a growing number of global NGOs, collaborations, and initiatives across the human rights, humanitarian response and development spheres of action.

This Watch section is intended to be indicative, not exhaustive. We will not include fund raising announcements, programs events or appeals, and generally not include content which is primarily photo-documentation or video in format.

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

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29.06.16
Danish Foreign Minister opens new community cente in Turkey
The Danish Foreign Minister Mr. Kristian Jensen has opened the newest of the four community centers run by the Danish Refugee Council in Turkey. The centre is funded by DG European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).

Heifer International [to 2 July 2016]
http://www.heifer.org/about-heifer/press/press-releases.html
July 1, 2016

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Heifer International Announces Bitcoin Donation Method
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.
Heifer International announced today that it is accepting bitcoin donations through a partnership with BitPay, the world’s leading bitcoin payment processor. Donors will have the option to select bitcoin, in addition to traditional payment methods, when they give through Heifer.org.

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

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Lebanon: Collection of biological samples renews hope for families of the missing
Beirut (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross has begun collecting Biological Reference Samples (BRS) from the families of people who went missing during the Lebanese civil war, in a step to help ease the suffering of relatives left in
01-07-2016 | News release

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Juan Arredondo wins Humanitarian Visa d’Or for photojournalism on children and conflict in Colombia
The jury of the sixth edition of the ICRC’s Humanitarian Visa d’Or has unanimously awarded the photojournalism prize to Juan Arredondo for his work entitled “Born into conflict: child soldiers in Colombia”. Between 2014 and 2016 the Colombian photoj
29-06-2016 | News release

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South Sudan: New fighting forces thousands of civilians to flee
Renewed clashes in and around Wau, in northwestern South Sudan, have forced thousands of civilians to flee their homes. The ICRC is seriously concerned by the immediate humanitarian consequences on the civilian population.
25-06-2016 | News release

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Sudan: ICRC postpones operation to transfer detainees
The ICRC in Khartoum has postponed an operation scheduled for 23 and 24 June, to transfer detainees held by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement – North (SPLM-N) in Blue Nile and South Kordofan states, to the Sudanese authorities in Khartoum.
25-06-2016 | News release

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Colombia: Cease-fire agreement major step towards peace
The ICRC shares the optimism regarding the partial agreement signed today by the Colombian government and FARC-EP, putting a permanent end to hostilities.
23-06-2016 | Statement

IFRC [to 2 July 2016]
http://www.ifrc.org/en/news-and-media/press-releases/

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27 June 2016
Stop the indifference: Unprecedented numbers making Mediterranean crossings likely to result in more tragic drownings

IRC International Rescue Committee [to 2 July 2016]
http://www.rescue.org/press-release-index
Selected Press Releases

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Press Release
Niger: Civilians caught in the crossfire and left behind
Victims of Boko Haram’s war urgently need protection and humanitarian assistance
Diffa, June 27, 2016 — Two of the largest attacks in the history of the current conflict in Niger killed unknown numbers of civilians and displaced over 40,000 people on May 19 and June 3, 2016. Three weeks later, families continue to live in the open, under trees, without adequate access to basic life-saving assistance.

The rains have started and children are at particular risk of illness and disease. Save the Children estimates that 60% of the displaced are children. Families are still not safe and those that fled faced a repeat attack on 16 June. 280,000 people are now living in displacement in Niger contributing to the 2.7 million people displaced across the Lake Chad Basin region…

IRCT [to 2 July 2016]
http://www.irct.org/

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Statements & declarations
Turkey: Sebnem Korur released from prison
01 July 2016

News
IRCT members from seven countries launch national reports on torture and Right to Rehabilitation
29 June 2016

Statements & declarations
NGOs strongly condemn new EU policies to contain migration
28 June 2016

Statements & declarations
IRCT and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights call on states in the Americas to make rehabilitation a priority
27 June 2016

Islamic Relief [to 2 July 2016]
http://www.islamic-relief.org/category/news/

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July 1, 2016
Q&A with Naser Haghamed, CEO of Islamic Relief Worldwide
IRW’s new leader speaks about his experience as a child refugee, the challenge of Islamophobia and his vision for the future.
Naser Haghamed joined Islamic Relief as an IT manager in 1993 and went on to help set up IRUSA, to spearhead the development of TIC and to lead the International Programmes Division.
He has lived in six countries and speaks English, Arabic and Tigrinya.
Today, he lives with his wife, Samia, and their five children in Yardley, Birmingham. Here, he speaks about his experience as a child refugee, the challenge of Islamophobia and his vision for the future as CEO of Islamic Relief Worldwide.