UN Division for Sustainable Development [to 5 December 2015]
http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/
SDGs: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics

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Join the SDGs natural language processing and data visualization challenge!
4 Dec 2015 – An open challenge to identify and visualize the relations among the recently adopted sustainable development goals (SDGs) has been launched by the Division for Sustainable Development and Unite Ideas. The challenge consists of building an automated tool that extracts from a set of UN publications all the messages that relate to the relationships between urban development (SDG 11) and all the other SDG areas, and then visualizes the results.

The winning solution will be announced on 15 February 2016. The best solution or solutions will be showcased on the UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform and on the Unite Ideas website, and may be featured in the Global Sustainable Development Report. More information

UN Statistical Commission :: UN Statistics Division [to 5 December 2015]
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/default.htm
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/statcom/commission.htm
http://unstats.un.org/sdgs/

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Open consultation on proposed global SDG indicators coded as ‘grey’ to be launched on 9 December 2015
An open consultation will take place on the proposed SDG Indicators that currently coded as ‘grey’, indicating that further discussion on them is still needed. The consultation will be open from Wednesday, 9 December to Tuesday, 15 December to both observers (non-IAEG Member States and representatives of regional commissions and regional and international agencies) and other stakeholders (civil society, academia and private sector) for technical comments.

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme [to 5 December 2015]
http://www.unep.org/newscentre/?doctypeID=1
Selected Press Releases

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Commitments Made to Reduce Black Carbon, Methane and Hydrofluorocarbons
Cutting Short-Lived Climate Pollutants Critical to Success of Global Climate Response
05/12/2015

Significant Efforts to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Across UN – New Report
The report details the emissions from 65 United Nations organizations, covering over 250,000 personnel around the world.
04/12/2015

UNEP Releases Full Version of Emissions Gap Report
The full Emissions Gap Report can be downloaded from UNEP Live.
04/12/2015

‘Whole System’ Approach Needed to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Experts Say at Climate Meeting
Appropriate Management of Natural Resources at Centre of Solutions to Climate Change, Says International Resource Panel
30/11/2015

RSPO Commits to Orangutan Crisis via GRASP
An estimated 70,000 orangutans remain in the wild, but the majority are found on Borneo. The fires shattered already fragmented populations and left orangutan rehabilitation centers overwhelmed by rescued apes.
30/11/2015

UNISDR UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction [to 5 December 2015]
http://www.unisdr.org/archive
Selected Press Releases

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Lawmakers link global development agenda
4 Dec 2015
Hundreds of legislators from around the world have gathered on the sidelines of the COP21 climate summit to focus on harnessing low carbon development to eradicate poverty and better protect people against disasters.

Central Java acts on forest fires
3 Dec 2015
Thirty-five cities and districts in one of the world’s most disaster-exposed countries, Indonesia, have come together to declare their commitment to reduce disaster risk following months of devastating forest fires which have released huge quantities of greenhouse gases into the

Vulnerable States call for zero emissions
1 Dec 2015
Leaders of the world’s most climate fragile states have issued a call for full decarbonisation of the world economy, 100% renewable energy by 2050, and zero emissions by 2050 to keep the world on track for below 1.5°C warming and to reduce disaster risk.

UNESCO [to 5 December 2015]
http://en.unesco.org/news
Selected Press Releases

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International Expert Meeting on the Responsibility to Protect as applied to the Protection of Cultural Heritage
04 December 2015
UNESCO organized an International Expert Meeting on the Responsibility to Protect as applied to the Protection of Cultural Heritage from 26 to 27 November 2015. The primary purpose of the meeting was to discuss the concept of Responsibility to Protect and its possible application to the protection of cultural heritage.

Participants included 22 distinguished specialists and practitioners representing various international governmental and non-governmental organizations in this field, including Mr Adama Dieng, UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide as well as the Secretariat of the 1954, 1970 and 1972 Conventions.
The meeting was opened by Francesco Bandarin, Assistant Director-General for Culture a.i. and continued with an exchange of views on relevant aspects of the topic with a focus to operationalize this concept on a bilateral and multilateral level. Mechtild Rössler, Director of the Division for Heritage, closed the meeting, by highlighting the need for broad cooperation and complementaries among organizations.

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UNESCO and The Nippon Foundation join forces to promote the human rights of persons with disabilities through ICTs
03 December 2015

President of UN General Assembly welcomes UNESCO’s leadership in 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda
02 December 2015

Participants of UNESCO symposium call to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions in Iraq
01 December 2015

UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [to 5 December 2015]
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/press/allpress.html?ref=fp

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Statement on the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
Vienna 2 December 2015 –

Today is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, an important day to reflect on the suffering of human trafficking victims who may be enslaved by this pitiless crime.
Human trafficking directly effects fragile societies and communities and has the reach to undermine attempts at promoting sustainable development. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the UN General Assembly this year, specifically recognises the challenge of human trafficking.

Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals on gender equality seeks the elimination of trafficking and sexual and other forms of exploitation, while Goal 8 stresses the need to take measures to eradicate human trafficking.

Our efforts must protect vulnerable young people, especially women and girls, from human trafficking and assist the victims, so they can become survivors.

The platform for our resistance is the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime and its protocol on human trafficking, as well as the UN Convention against Corruption.

Using the convention and the protocol, information can be shared, joint operations undertaken, and victims protected and supported.

Sufficient funding is a priority particularly through the UN Trust Fund for trafficking victims. Data is essential for action and we must chase down criminals’ profits wherever they flow.

Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals underscores the importance of ending trafficking and all forms of violence and torture of children.

We must work collectively to ensure this outcome. Otherwise, we risk a lost generation of girls and boys whose lives have been utterly destroyed by human trafficking.

A generation separated from their loved ones and cruelly exploited by criminals. Children traumatised and living without education, without healthcare and often without hope.

On this day, I call on every country and person to do their utmost to rid the world of human trafficking.

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Statement on World AIDS Day
01/12/2015

UN-HABITAT United Nations Human Settlements Programme [to 5 December 2015]
http://unhabitat.org/media-centre/news/
[Selected Announcements]

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Guiding Principles for Climate City Planning Action
Posted December 4, 2015

Africities 2015 kicks off with urbanisation taking centre stage
Johannesburg 01 December 2015—The Africities 2015 kicked off in Johannesburg on Sunday with urbanisation taking the centre stage. In his official opening speech, South Africa’s Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation gave UN-Habitat a vote…
Posted December 1, 2015

UN-Habitat and UNAIDS present new report at Africities
Johannesburg, 30 November 2015—Cities have a primary role to play to Fast-Track the end of the AIDS epidemic by 2030 says report by UN-Habitat and UNAIDS.
Posted November 30, 2015

FAO Food & Agriculture Organization [to 5 December 2015]
http://www.fao.org/news/archive/news-by-date/2015/en/
Selected Announcements

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New knowledge-sharing initiative to measure and reduce food loss and waste
FAO, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the CGIAR research program on Policies, Institutions and Markets (PIM) today launched a new initiative to enhance global cooperation on measuring and reducing food loss and waste.
4-12-2015

Soils are endangered, but the degradation can be rolled back
The Status of the World’s Soil Resources produced by FAO’s Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils brings together the work of some 200 soil scientists from 60 countries. Its publication coincides with World Soil Day which is celebrated on 4 December and also the end of the UN International Year of Soils 2015 an initiative which has served to raise global awareness on what has been described as “humanity’s silent ally”.
4-12-2015

Council highlights climate change and SDGs for FAO’s work in 2016-17
FAO’s executive council today closed its 151st session today, welcoming the Organization’s budgetary focus and renewed emphases on themes such as climate change and nutrition that cut across traditional disciplines and technical divisions. The Council, the equivalent of FAO’s board of directors, also welcomed FAO’s work with the Sustainable Development Goals approved at the United Nations this autumn.
4-12-2015

Food prices fall in November amid robust global inventories
Major food commodity prices fell in November, reversing about half of their rise in the previous month, as the cost of internationally-traded staples fell across the board except for sugar. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 156.7 points in November, down 1.6 percent from its revised October average and 18 percent below its value a year earlier.
3-12-2015

Google and FAO partner to make remote sensing data more efficient and accessible
Google and FAO have agreed to work closely together to make geospatial tracking and mapping products more accessible for countries. The three-year partnership between Google and FAO is designed to foster technological innovation and expertise and enhance capacity building efforts by working to make applications of digital tools easier to use and apply.
1-12-2015

IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development [to 5 December 2015]
http://www.ifad.org/media/press/index.htm

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Top media fail to connect climate change, migration and food security, says new report
Paris, 4 December 2015 – Top news media are failing to identify climate change as a contributor to some of the world’s biggest crises, including migration, food insecurity and conflict, says a new research report funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and presented at the 21st UNCCD Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris today.

“The media, whether local or global, are among the world’s most influential institutions and how they shape the climate change narrative remains vitally important,” said IFAD President, Kanayo F. Nwanze, about why his organization sponsored the research. “If the world becomes aware of how climate change threatens our food security or why it is a catalyst for migration and conflict, then we can expect better support for policies and investments that can pre-empt future crises.”

The report, “Food, Migration and Climate Change: The Untold Story,” was prepared by Sam Dubberley, a journalist and Director of Kishnish Media Ltd. The research was conducted in September and includes an analysis of eight popular and highly influential news outlets in the United Kingdom and France, including the BBC, Channel 4, TF1, The Guardian, Daily Mail, Le Monde, Libération and France 2…

WMO World Meteorological Organization [to 5 December 2015]
https://www.wmo.int/media/?q=news

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Climate Risk Early Warning Systems initiative launched at COP21
2 December 2015
The governments of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Luxembourg and The Netherlands have agreed to give more than US$80 million to equip up to 80 countries with better climate risk early warning systems.
Countries from Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and, more broadly, nations in Africa will be the first to be supported from the so-called Climate Risk Early Warning Systems (CREWS). They are on the frontline of the most dramatic consequences of climate change and the least equipped with efficient early warning systems.

UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization [to 5 December 2015]
http://www.unido.org/en/news-centre/news.html

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Technology can deliver inclusive and sustainable industrial development: Industrial Development Report 2016
VIENNA, 2 December 2015 – The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) today launched its flagship publication, the Industrial Development Report (IDR) 2016…

New open data platform adds further transparency to UNIDO’s inclusive and sustainable industrialization work
VIENNA, 2 December 2015 – A new platform launched this week by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) as part of its transparency initiative provides details on all ongoing programmes and projects.

UNIDO forum focuses on partnerships as a way to move Sustainable Development Goal 9 into action
VIENNA, 1 December 2015 – The fourth Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development Forum that ended today in Vienna focused on ways the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) can contribute to advancing…

UNIDO and the EU launch new report on joint cooperation
VIENNA, 30 November 2015 – A new report on the cooperation between the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the European Union (EU) from 2005 to 2015 was today launched in Vienna.

Inclusive and sustainable industrialization key driver of Agenda 2030, say participants at UNIDO General Conference
VIENNA, 30 November 2015 – Inclusive and sustainable industrial development lies at the core of UNIDO’s mandate, it is one of the main drivers for sustainable development and will be crucial for achieving the 2030 Agenda…

ITU International Telecommunications Union [to 5 December 2015]
http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/index.aspx?lang=en#.VF8FYcl4WF8

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ITU statistics symposium underlines enormous untapped potential of ICTs to improve socio-economic development
Global statistics experts focus on power of big data, ICT innovation and the emerging ‘Internet of Things’
Hiroshima, 3 December 2015 – More than 600 participants from 88 countries, including Deputy Prime Ministers, government ministers, vice-ministers, Directors-General and leaders from business, academia and United Nations agencies met in Hiroshima, Japan, from 30 November to 2 December to attend ITU’s World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Symposium (WTIS-15).

The event opened with a special ceremony commemorating ITU’s 150th anniversary, followed by a Ministerial Roundtable focusing on ICT as a driver of sustainable development, and a Leaders Dialogue on the topic of future ICT trends, policies and measurement challenges.

Participants addressed a wide range of topical issues including big data, progress in measuring the socio-economic impact of ICTs, ICT statistics and the Sustainable Development Goals’ monitoring framework, strategies to measure ICT innovation, and the use of data generated by the Internet of Things to drive ICT development…

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ITU supports Zimbabwe to deliver health care services through ICTs
Geneva, 1 December 2015 – The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Postal and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) signed a cooperation agreement on 25 November for the extension of telemedicine services to rural and remote clinics and hospitals in Zimbabwe.
Through this new project, the Ministry of ICTs Postal and Courier Services of Zimbabwe will receive assistance from ITU in the development of e-health sector policies and regulations. The overall objective of the project is to use ICTs to improve delivery and provision of quality, cost effective, affordable and accessible health services, particularly to remote and disadvantaged areas…

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ITU releases annual global ICT data and ICT Development Index country rankings
Korea ranks in first place in global ICT Development Index (IDI)
Geneva, 30 November 2015 – ITU’s flagship annual Measuring the Information Society Report, released today, reveals that 3.2 billion people are now online, representing 43.4% of the global population, while mobile-cellular subscriptions have reached almost 7.1 billion worldwide, with over 95% of the global population now covered by a mobile-cellular signal.

The report also notes that all 167 economies included in the ITU’s ICT Development Index (IDI) improved their IDI values between 2010 and 2015 – meaning that levels of information and communication technology (ICT) access, use and skills continue to improve all around the world.

The Measuring the Information Society Report is widely recognized as the repository of the world’s most reliable and impartial global data and analysis on the state of global ICT development, and is extensively relied upon by governments, international organizations, development banks and private sector analysts worldwide.

“ICTs will be essential in meeting each and every one of the 17 newly-agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao, “and this report plays an important role in the SDG process. Without measurement and reporting, we cannot track the progress being made, and this is why ITU gathers data and publishes this important report each year.”…
:: ICT Development Index [interactive site]
:: Pdf Full Report http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/publications/mis2015.aspx

US Department of State [to 5 December 2015]
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/index.htm
Selected Announcements

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-12/04/15 U.S. Pledges Additional Humanitarian Assistance for Refugees and Migrants in Europe; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC
The United States today announced a contribution of nearly $24 million in new humanitarian assistance from the United States to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that will help the UN organization to assist refugees and migrants throughout Europe who now face the onset of winter, especially those in Greece, the Balkans, and other parts of Europe. UNHCR’s critical assistance includes providing food, water, and temporary shelter, as well as establishing areas to screen and process arriving refugees and migrants who may need assistance or legal protection.

12/01/15 Cultural Heritage Risk Reduction Program for Libya; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC
As part of its ongoing efforts to help Libya preserve its cultural heritage, the U.S. Department of State sponsored a workshop for Libyan museum professionals, November 29–December 1, in support of Libya’s national inventory of museum objects. The workshop was held in Tunis and was organized by Oberlin College with the participation of the Tunisian Institut National du Patrimoine (National Heritage Institute).
This workshop was the first of five sessions being organized to address critical cultural preservation and protection needs in Libya. Future sessions will cover the looting and illicit trafficking of cultural objects, advanced archaeological site documentation methods, and community engagement in the protection of Libyan cultural heritage…

11/30/15 Joint Statement on Donors’ Pledge of $248M USD to Least Developed Countries Fund to Support Climate Change Adaptation; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC

USAID [to 5 December 2015]
http://www.usaid.gov/news-information/press-releases

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Statement by Acting Administrator Lenhardt on the Confirmation of USAID Administrator Gayle E. Smith
November 30, 2015
Today, the United States Senate confirmed Gayle E. Smith to be the seventeenth Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Gayle’s confirmation comes at a unique time when we have the tools, technologies and approaches to end extreme poverty and its most devastating corollaries, widespread hunger and preventable child and maternal deaths.

DFID [to 5 December 2015]
https://www.gov.uk/government/latest?departments%5B%5D=department-for-international-development
Selected Announcements
Iraq crisis: UK humanitarian response factsheet
Updated 4 December 2015 Promotional material DFID

International Day of Persons with Disabilities: New Disability Framework
Published 3 December 2015 Speech DFID

DFID Disability Framework 2015
Published 3 December 2015 Policy paper DFID

Three more countries pledge to join Africa’s solar revolution
Published 2 December 2015 Press release DFID

ECHO [to 5 December 2015]
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/en/news

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EU supports earthquake affected population in Kyrgyzstan
04/12/2015
The EU is providing €75 810 in humanitarian funding to the Red Crescent Society of Kyrgyzstan to assist families, who have been affected by the earthquake of 17 November in Osh province, Kyrgyzstan.

EU mobilises €125 million for countries affected by ‘El Niño’
02/12/2015
The EU is today announcing a contribution of €125 million to finance emergency actions in countries affected by the extreme weather phenomenon ‘El Niño’ in Africa, Caribbean, Central and South America.

Mapping disaster risk: INFORM releases 2016 results
02/12/2015
Understanding why and where humanitarian crises and disasters are likely to occur is a fundamental step in saving lives. The European Commission supports and utilises INFORM, a global open-source risk assessment tool.

€200 million humanitarian package for Syria crisis and Iraq delivered by European Commission
01/12/2015
The European Commission has successfully delivered the €200 million humanitarian package for the Syria crisis and Iraq, which was announced in September this year by the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.”

African Union [to 5 December 2015]
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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Dec.04.2015
Africa and China Leaders meet to Advance their Strategic Partnership

Dec.04.2015 to Dec.05.2015
Second Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit, The Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa

Dec.03.2015
Member States review catalytic framework to end AIDS, TB and malaria by 2030

Dec.02.2015 | Press Releases
Global Heads of State and Government Summit on the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and Sahel Initiative (GGSSI) and Lake Chad Basin

Dec.01.2015 | Press Releases
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission congratulates Burkina Faso for the holding of peaceful presidential and general elections

Nov.30.2015 to Dec.01.2015
Meeting of the Task Force for the Establishment of the African Volunteer Health Corps (AVoHC)

The African Development Bank Group [to 5 December 2015]
http://www.afdb.org/en/news-and-events/press-releases/
[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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ADF12 & 13: Is the AfDB delivering on its commitments?
04/12/2015 – The African Development Bank (AfDB) delivers on its commitments; produces important documents, tools, and structures; and launches initiatives, but attention needs to focus also on full implementation according to three new evaluations from Independent Development Evaluation (IDEV).

New adaptation support for Global Environment Facility a welcome infusion for Africa, says AfDB
03/12/2015 – The African Development Bank (AfDB) welcomes the new infusion of US $248 million for the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which was announced Monday at the global climate summit in Paris. The new money, pledged by 11 donor countries (Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States of America) in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meeting, opens the door for new critical support for adaptation in the world’s most vulnerable countries, including a majority of African countries.

Multilateral Development Banks Join Forces to Ramp up Climate Action in Transport
03/12/2015 – Eight multilateral development banks today issued a joint statement, committing to accelerate their efforts to mitigate transport emissions and recognizing the need for more action on the resilience of transport to climate change. The sector accounts for about 60% of global oil consumption, 27% of all energy use, and 23% of world energy-related CO2 emissions.

AfDB to support electricity access for all by 2030 with African Renewable Energy Initiative
02/12/2015 – Africa has launched an ambitious Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) as the continent’s major contribution to Conference of Parties (COP21) taking place in Paris, France.

Development banks vow to mobilize collective resources to confront climate change
01/12/2015 – The heads of the world’s largest development banks have pledged to work together to substantially increase climate investments and ensure that development programs going forward consider climate risks and opportunities.

Multilateral Development Banks pledge increased funding to tackle climate change
01/12/2015 – Multilateral development banks (MDBs) identified climate financing for development action as a crucial step in putting the world on the pathway for sustainable development at the 21st Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris on Monday.

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank [to 5 December 2015]
http://www.aiib.org/html/NEWS/

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Mr. Nhlanhla Nene, Minister of Finance of South Africa signed the Articles of Agreement of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
AIIB News 2015-12-04
Mr. Nhlanhla Nene signed the Articles of Agreement of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) on December 3, 2015 in Johannesburg. South Africa is the 55th signatory of the Articles.

European Union [to 5 December 2015]
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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Refugee Crisis: Greece activates EU Civil protection mechanism, agrees Frontex operation at border with former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and triggers RABIT mechanism
Date: 03/12/2015
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 3 December 2015 Greece has today taken three actions to address the refugee crisis, activating EU mechanisms designed to assist in crisis situations. Greece has today activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to benefit from material support to help cope with the influx of…

EU Internet Forum: Bringing together governments, Europol and technology companies to counter terrorist content and hate speech online
Date: 03/12/2015
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 3 December 2015 EU Internet Forum: Bringing together governments, Europol and technology companies to counter terrorist content and hate speech online

State of Play: Measures to Address the Refugee Crisis
Date: 03/12/2015
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 3 December 2015 State of Play: Measures to Address the Refugee Crisis Updated on 3 December The European Agenda on Migration adopted by the Commission in May 2015 set out the need for a comprehensive approach to migration management.

European Agenda on Security: Commission takes action to combat terrorism and illegal trafficking of firearms and explosives
Date: 02/12/2015
Commission – Press release European Brussels, 2 December 2015 European Agenda on Security: Commission takes action to combat terrorism and illegal trafficking of firearms and explosives The European Commission adopted today a package of measures to step up the fight against terrorism and the illegal trafficking of firearms and explosives.

Syrian refugee crisis: EU Trust Fund launches single biggest EU response package ever for €350 million, helping up to 1.5 million refugees and their host communities in Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq
Date: 01/12/2015
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 1 December 2015 Today’s € 350 million aid package under the EU Trust Fund is the single biggest EU measure in response to the Syrian refugee crisis to date.