African Union [to 6 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 05, 2016
Chad becomes 30th AU Member State to ratify the Protocol on the establishment of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights

February 04, 2016
5th Intergenerational Dialogue: The responsibilities of youths towards the development of the continent reaffirmed

New edition
African Integration and Development Review, Vol.8 No.2, July 2015

ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations [to 6 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]

ASEAN Leaders Programme Demonstrates True Potential of the ASEAN Community
JAKARTA, 1 February 2016 – Demonstrating how the potential benefits of the ASEAN Community are more than just economic, a new initiative has been launched to bring together senior leaders from all ten ASEAN countries. The ASEAN Leaders Programme is being launched to bring together 70 senior leaders from across the ASEAN, from all sectors and walks of life, to work on a challenge relevant to the region. The inaugural programme will be held in Singapore in May 2016 and will pose the challenge: “What makes a city smart?”

The programme will act as a catalyst, bringing together leaders from the world of finance, manufacturing, civil service, statutory bodies, academia, the not-for-profit sector and more, to spark a robust exchange of ideas. It aims to help leaders build strong connections, share knowledge and develop the Cultural Intelligence needed to grow ASEAN both in the context of its cities and as a region…

European Union [to 6 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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Questions and Answers about Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C)
Date: 05/02/2016
European Commission – Fact Sheet Brussels, 5 February 2016 Female genital mutilation consists of the (partial or complete) removal of the external female genitalia, and the infliction of other injuries to the female genitalia for no medical reasons. The EU contributes to eliminating FGM/C globally.

EU support in response to the Syrian crisis
Date: 05/02/2016
European Commission – Fact Sheet Brussels, 5 February 2016 The Syrian crisis has become the world’s worst humanitarian disaster. The EU is the leading donor in the international response to the Syrian crisis, with over €5 billion from the EU and Member States collectively in humanitarian, development, economic and stabilisation…

Statement by European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, on new mass displacements in Aleppo, Syria
Date: 05/02/2016
European Commission – Statement Brussels, 5 February 2016 Yesterday the international community came together in London to express its solidarity with the people of Syria and pledged more than $10 billion in support of the people of Syria suffering from nearly five years of war.

Joint Statement on the International Day against Female Genital Mutilation
Date: 05/02/2016
European Commission – Statement Brussels, 5 February 2016 High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Commissioners Vĕra Jourova and Neven Mimica call for zero tolerance against Female Genital Mutilation. Ahead of the International Day of Zero Tolerance against Female Genital Mutilation (6 February 2016) High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs…

EU pledges more than €3 billion for Syrians in 2016 at the London conference
Date: 04/02/2016
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 4 February 2016 The European Union and its Member States pledged today more than €3 billion to assist the Syrian people inside Syria as well as refugees and the communities hosting them in the neighbouring countries for the year 2016.

EU-Turkey Cooperation: Commission welcomes Member State agreement on Refugee Facility for Turkey
Date: 03/02/2016
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 3 February 2016 EU-Turkey Cooperation: Commission welcomes Member State agreement on Refugee Facility for Turkey The European Commission today welcomed the agreement by Member States on the details of the €3 billion Refugee Facility for Turkey, which the Commission proposed on 24 November in…

Commission adopts Schengen Evaluation Report on Greece and proposes recommendations to address deficiencies in external border management
Date: 02/02/2016
European – Press release Commission Strasbourg, 2 February 2016 Commission adopts Schengen Evaluation Report on Greece and proposes recommendations to address deficiencies in external border management Following a positive opinion by the Schengen evaluation committee on Friday, the College of Commissioners has today adopted the Schengen Evaluation Report on Greece…

Commission presents Action Plan to strengthen the fight against terrorist financing
Date: 02/02/2016
European – Press release Commission Strasbourg, 2 February 2016 The European Commission is today presenting an Action Plan to strengthen the fight against the financing of terrorism. The recent terrorist attacks in the European Union and beyond demonstrate the need for a strong coordinated European response to combatting terrorism.

OECD [to 6 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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4-February-2016
Political finance needs tighter regulation and enforcement
Many economically advanced countries are failing to fully enforce regulations on political party funding and campaign donations or are leaving loopholes that can be exploited by powerful private interest groups, according to a new OECD report.

Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.oic-oci.org/oicv2/news/

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03/02/2016
Madani stresses the importance of multiculturalism to counter violence and intolerance in Australia
The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Iyad Ameen Madani stressed in his meetings with officials in Australia on the importance of multiculturalism in countering violence and intolerant discourse…

Group of 77 [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.g77.org/
[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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Rethinking and strengthening social development in the contemporary world (New York, 3 February 2016)
Statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China by H.E. Mr. Virachai Plasai, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Thailand to the United Nations, at the Fifty-fourth Session of the Commission for Social Development on Agenda Item 3 (a)

IPU Inter-Parliamentary Union [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.ipu.org/english/news.htm

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3 FEBRUARY 2016
Halting spread of WMDs in Africa
IPU and the Parliament of Côte d’Ivoire are organizing a workshop to deliver vital information on how parliaments can stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). The event will give MPs from across Africa practical training on the risks posed by WMDs, the role of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 in dealing with the threat, and the pivotal role of parliaments in implementing the resolution. It is being organized in partnership with the 1540 Committee, which oversees implementation of the resolution, and the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs.
WMDs are most likely to spread in areas of fighting and terrorist activity, making this a key issue for a number of countries across Africa which are dealing with the challenges of conflict and terror groups operating across national borders.

Resolution 1540 (PDF) obliges governments to implement effective laws, rules and regulations to prevent terrorists and other groups from acquiring WMDs. The seminar will include information on practical steps to achieving this, such as closing loopholes in national laws and regulations, and will examine the strengths and weaknesses of existing laws. It aims to strengthen parliaments’ ability to assess and lower the risks posed by WMDs, and to trigger informal cross-border networks and contacts between the MPs who attend…

World Bank [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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

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

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

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

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

IMF [to 6 February 2016]
http://www.imf.org/external/news/default.aspx
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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