IMO International Maritime Organization [to 28 November.015]
http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/Pages/Home.aspx

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IMO Assembly elects new 40-Member Council
27/11/2015 40 States elected to be Members of IMO Council for the 2016-2017 biennium.

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IMO Assembly confirms Mr. Kitack Lim as Secretary-General
26/11/2015 IMO Assembly unanimously endorses appointment of Mr. Kitack Lim (Republic of Korea) as Secretary-General of IMO with effect from 1 January 2016 for four-year term.

WMO World Meteorological Organization [to 28 November 2015]
https://www.wmo.int/media/?q=news

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New Radio Regulations protect vital meteorological radio frequencies
27 November 2015
Radio frequencies which are vital for weather forecasts, disaster warnings and climate monitoring will remain available to the meteorological community and protected from interference from other applications thanks to decisions taken by the World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15).

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) today welcomed the outcome of WRC-15, which revised and updated the Radio Regulations, the international treaty governing the use of the radio-frequency spectrum. The month-long conference is sponsored by the International Telecommunications Union and takes place every four years.

UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization [to 28 November 2015]
http://www.unido.org/en/news-centre/news.html

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Vienna Ministerial Conference focuses on “graduation path” out of LDC category
VIENNA, 26 November 2015 – Operationalizing inclusive and sustainable industrial development in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) as a path to graduation out of the LDC category is the focus of a Ministerial Conference that…

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The Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth backed by UNIDO and other UN entities
VIENNA, 23 November 2015 – Of the estimated 200 million unemployed people in 2014, about 37 per cent (or about 73 million) were between the ages …

UNWTO World Tourism Organization [to 28 November 2015]
http://media.unwto.org/news

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World Committee on Tourism Ethics discusses the impact of web reviews
26 November 2015
The accuracy and reliability of online consumer reviews was the main focus of the 16th meeting of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics. The Committee also discussed the issue of child protection in tourism and all-inclusive holidays (Paris, France, 16-17 November 2015).

ITU International Telecommunications Union [to 28 November 2015]
http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/index.aspx?lang=en#.VF8FYcl4WF8

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World Radiocommunication Conference allocates spectrum for future innovation
Conference outcomes to spur long-term investments in ICT industry
Geneva, 27 November 2015 – The World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15) has concluded its deliberations as delegates sign the Final Acts that revise the Radio Regulations, the international treaty governing the use of radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits.
Around 3300 participants, representing 162 out of ITU’s 193 Member States attended the four-week conference from 2 to 27 November. Some 500 participants representing 130 other entities, including industry, also attended the conference as observers.

The Conference was steered under the Chairmanship of Mr Festus Yusufu Narai Daudu of Nigeria. He was assisted in the task by six Vice Chairmen: Mr A. Jamieson (New Zealand), Mr Y. Al-Bulushi (Oman), Mr D. Obam (Kenya), Ms D. Tomimura (Brazil), Mr A. Kühn (Germany), and Mr N. Nikiforov (Russian Federation).

New challenges, new opportunities
“As new technological innovations and applications emerge, they set new challenges as well as bring new opportunities for billions around the world,” said Mr Festus Daudu, Chairman of WRC-15. “This conference dealt with a large number of important and sensitive issues, ranging from mobile broadband communications and satellite systems to emergency communications and disaster relief, maritime and aeronautical communications, environmental monitoring and climate change, universal time and space research as well as radiocommunication services that the public relies on for health, information, education, security and safety.”

“This World Radiocommunication Conference will define new and better ways to regulate radio services and applications,” said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao. “In a world where radiocommunications are playing an increasingly important role in connecting people, I am convinced that the outcome of this conference will represent a major contribution in making the world a better – and safer – place for all.”

“A great deal has been achieved in the last four weeks and the results will have a major impact on the future of the telecommunication sector in general and radiocommunications in particular,” said Mr François Rancy, Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau. “The outcomes of WRC-15 are aimed at maintaining a stable, predictable and universally applied regulatory environment that secures long-term investments for the multi-trillion dollar ICT industry.”

WRC-15 addressed over 40 topics related to frequency allocation and frequency sharing for the efficient use of spectrum and orbital resources. The outcomes ensure high quality radiocommunication services for mobile and satellite communications, maritime and aeronautical transport, air and road safety as well as for scientific purposes related to the environment, meteorology and climatology, disaster prediction, mitigation and relief. The ITU Radiocommunication Sector has been set an ambitious studies programme for the next four years covering a wide range of services from amateur radio to broadcasting, mobile broadband, mobile satellite, fixed satellite, earth stations on mobile platforms, and space exploration services.

WRC-15 adopted a revised version of Resolution 12 on Assistance and Support to Palestine, which resolves to continue assistance to Palestine and to enable Palestine to obtain and manage the spectrum required to operate telecommunications networks and wireless services. This followed an Israeli-Palestinian agreement to facilitate cellular phone operations and the establishment of a modern and reliable telecommunication network in Palestine…

US Department of State [to 28 November 2015]
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2015/index.htm
Selected Announcements

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11/25/15 Myths and Facts: Resettling Syrian Refugees; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC

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11/23/15 Readout of the Plenary Meeting of the Global Coalition to Counter-ISIL; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC

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11/23/15 The U.S. Announces Additional Humanitarian Assistance for Sahrawi Refugees in Response to Severe Floods; Office of the Spokesperson; Washington, DC

DFID [to 28 November 2015]
https://www.gov.uk/government/latest?departments%5B%5D=department-for-international-development
Selected Announcements

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Leaving no one behind: Our promise
Published 24 November 2015 Policy paper DFID
[See Week in Review above]

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Chancellor George Osborne and Bill Gates to join forces to end malaria
Published 22 November 2015 News story DFID and HMT
A new £1 billion fund will be used to support the global fight against malaria and other infectious diseases.
Chancellor George Osborne and Bill Gates have announced they are to join forces as part of the global effort to end malaria.

A new £1 billion Ross Fund – named after Sir Ronald Ross, the first ever British Nobel Laureate who was recognised for his discovery that mosquitoes transmit malaria – will be used to support the global fight against malaria and other infectious diseases…

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have announced they will partner with the UK in this work, and have welcomed the Chancellor’s announcement.

The £1 billion will include a £300 million package focused on malaria and other infectious diseases. This will include:
:: a £90 million eradication of malaria implementation fund
:: £100 million support for research and development into products for infectious diseases
:: £115 million to develop new drugs, diagnostics and insecticides for malaria, TB and other infectious disease resistance
It will also fund work to target diseases with epidemic potential, neglected tropical diseases, and diseases with emerging resistance…

ECHO [to 28 November 2015]
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/en/news

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European Commission to increase humanitarian support to education for children in emergencies
25/11/2015
The European Commission is set to step up in 2016 its funding for education in emergencies to 4% of the EU’s overall humanitarian budget.

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International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: Responding to gender-based violence in humanitarian crises
25/11/2015
On the occasion of this international day, the European Commission joins the global community to put an end to violence against women and girls, which constitutes a blatant violation of human rights affecting one in three women worldwide.

African Union [to 28 November 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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Nov.26.2015 to Nov.27.2015
First African Girls’ Summit on Ending Child Marriage in Africa

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Nov.24.2015
Seeds without borders: Using and sharing plant genetic diversity to adapt to climate change in Africa

The African Development Bank Group [to 28 November 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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Pan-African conference for civil society organisations to promote public participation in natural resources policy
27/11/2015 – For two full days the African Natural Resources Center (ANRC) of the African Development Bank (AfDB) brought together 45 civil society organisations (CSOs) from 30 countries in Africa to discuss ways to foster inclusive and sustainable development through public participation in natural resources policy formulation.

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AfDB Transport Forum focuses on sustainable solutions for transport and integration on the continent
26/11/2015 – The first-ever African Development Bank Transport Forum (ATF) opened Thursday, November 26 at the Bank’s headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with lively debates on how to achieve sustainable solutions to the continent’s transport and integration challenges.

European Union [to 28 November 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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State of Play: Measures to Address the Refugee Crisis
Date: 27/11/2015
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 27 November 2015 State of Play: Measures to Address the Refugee Crisis Updated on 27 November The European Agenda on Migration adopted by the Commission in May 2015 set out the need for a comprehensive approach to migration management.

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EU signs program worth €3.6 billion with Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States
Date: 26/11/2015
European Commission – Press release Brussels, 26 November 2015 EU signs program to provide support in the areas of human and social development, environment and climate change, private sector development and peace and security across African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.

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European Commission to increase humanitarian support to education for children in emergencies
Date: 25/11/2015
Press release European Commission Brussels, 25 November 2015 More children to benefit from education in emergency situations. The European Commission is set to increase in 2016 its humanitarian funding for education in emergencies to 4% of the EU’s overall humanitarian budget.

OECD [to 28 November 2015]
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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Reducing inequalities and financing education remain key challenges
24-November-2015
Governments need to tackle persistent inequalities in education and focus on improving efficiencies in their education systems in order to ensure that every child, whatever their background, can realise their full potential and benefit from a good education, according to a new OECD report.

Education at a Glance 2015 reveals the rapid progress made in expanding education over the past 25 years, with around 41% of 25-34 year-olds now having a tertiary qualification. But inequalities still persist in education, with serious consequences for labour markets and economies. In 2014, less than 60% of adults without an upper secondary education were in work, compared to over 80% of tertiary-educated adults.

Educational inequalities also affect earnings, with adults who have attained tertiary education 23 percentage points more likely to be among the 25% highest paid adults than adults with an upper secondary education.

“The dream of ‘quality education for all’ is not yet a reality,” said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría at the launch of the report in Paris. “Lack of a quality education is the most powerful form of social exclusion and prevents people from benefitting from economic growth and social progress.” Read the speech.

Inequalities in initial education continue to unfold throughout people’s lives, notably in access to lifelong learning: about 60% of workers in the most skilled occupations participate in employer-sponsored education, while only 26% of workers in elementary occupations do.

This year’s edition of Education at a Glance also reveals the difficulties that governments face in financing education. Between 2010 and 2012, GDP began to rise again in most countries, and public spending on primary to tertiary educational institutions fell in more than one in three OECD countries, including Australia, Canada, Estonia, France, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and the United States.

Organization of American States (OAS) [to 28 November 2015]
http://www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_releases.asp

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OAS Council Highlights Value of the Social Charter of the Americas and Commemorates Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
FNE-18683
November 24, 2015

Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) [to 28 November 2015]
http://www.oic-oci.org/oicv2/news/
Selected Press Releases

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Encouraging Tourism to Al-Quds will Protect Al-Aqsa
Encouraging tourism to Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem) would support the Holy City, empower its people, and convey their sufferings and demands to the Muslim World in particular and to the international community in general, said OIC Secretary General Iyad Ameen Madani in a speech delivered on his behalf by Ambassador Hameed A. Opeloyeru, Assistant Secretary General for Economic Affairs, at a workshop entitled “Exploring Tourism Potential of Al-Quds Al-Sharif City” on 24-25 November 2015 in Istanbul, Turkey….
25/11/2015

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OIC Human Rights Commission Holds Intensive Debate To Draw Lines Between Hate Speech and Freedom of Speech
The Eigth Regular Session of the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), held at the OIC headquarters in Jeddah on Monday 23rd November, 2015, witnessed intense deliberations on its pivotal theme “Freedom of expression Versus Hate Speech”….
23/11/2015

UNCTAD [to 28 November 2015]
http://unctad.org/en/Pages/AllPressRelease.aspx

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25 Nov 2015 – What are “Least Developed Countries”?

25 Nov 2015 – Report proposes solution to failure of rural development behind poverty-driven migration from world’s poorest countries

24 Nov 2015 – Africa’s oil, gas and mining sectors must create more direct and indirect jobs to drive prosperity

24 Nov 2015 – Tackling high levels of joblessness among young people, UNCTAD and the commonwealth launch guide to youth entrepreneurship

23 Nov 2015 – Ireland’s President calls for reform of global debt architecture in light of new development agenda

World Bank [to 28 November 2015]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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World Bank Group unveils $16 Billion Africa Climate Business Plan to Tackle Urgent Climate Challenges
One third of funds expected to come from Bank’s fund for the poorest countries
Date: November 24, 2015 Type: Press Release

IPU Inter-Parliamentary Union [to 28 November 2015]
http://www.ipu.org/english/news.htm

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IPU President seeks more strategic partnership with Latin America region
27 NOVEMBER 2015
IPU President Saber Chowdhury is seeking to strengthen the partnership between IPU and the parliaments of the Latin American region during a visit to Panama on 25-28 November. Addressing the 31st General Assembly of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (Parlatino) on 27 November, President Chowdhury urged the representatives of 23 national parliaments from the region to work more closely with IPU in dealing with the global issues of the day, and on the impact of political violence on the safety of citizens, a major concern for Latin America. Parlatino is one of the 10 regional parliaments that have Associate Membership with IPU. The President, who held meetings with the Speaker of Parlatino, Blanca Alcala and Deputy Foreign Minister María Lusia Navarro during his visit, also discussed strengthening the Panamanian Parliament’s engagement on international affairs with the Speaker of Parliament Rubén de León Sanchez. With the adoption of the new global sustainable development agenda in September, including one on strong, inclusive and effective institutions to implement the Sustainable Development Goals, there were discussions on the need to interlock and integrate action on sustainable development, climate change and disaster risk reduction in national development plans. Partnerships at national and international levels would be key to success.

International Criminal Court (ICC) [to 28 November 2015]
http://www.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/icc/Pages/default.aspx

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Launch of new treatise on the Rome Statute by ICC Judge Sylvia Steiner
26/11/2015
On 25 November 2015, a new treatise on the Rome Statute was launched at a side event, as a part of the Assembly of States Parties (“ASP”) meeting in The Hague. The book, “O Tribunal Penal Internacional – Comentários ao Estatuto de Roma”, edited by Judge Sylvia Steiner of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or the “Court”) and Prof. Leonardo Brandt, is the first fully comprehensive commentary on the Rome Statute published in Portuguese. Renan Villacis, Director of the Secretariat of the ASP, Judge Steiner, the longest serving Judge at the ICC, and Sidiki Kaba, President of the ASP, all stressed the importance of disseminating the jurisprudence of the Court in languages that practitioners understand, in order to achieve the Court’s goal of universal ratification. Following the remarks, ASP delegates, ICC officials, staff, and practitioners enjoyed a brief reception, celebrating the creation of such an important text.
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Statement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
25/11/2015
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ICC President Silvia Fernández welcomes establishment of independent Africa Group for Justice and Accountability
25/11/2015
The President of the International Criminal Court, Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, met on Tuesday, 24 November 2015, with members of the Africa Group for Justice and Accountability, a newly formed independent group consisting of senior African experts on international criminal law and human rights. The Group’s objective is to support efforts to strengthen justice and accountability measures in Africa through domestic and regional capacity building, advice and outreach, and enhancing cooperation between Africa and the ICC…
The current members of the Africa Group for Justice and Accountability include Richard Goldstone (South Africa), Hassan Bubacar Jallow (Gambia), Athaliah Molokomme (Botswana), Betty Murungi (Kenya), Navi Pillay (South Africa), Fatiha Serour (Algeria), Femi Falana (Nigeria), Abdul Tejan-Cole (Sierra Leone), and Mohamed Chande Othman (Tanzania).

Amref Health Africa [to 28 November 2015]
http://amref.org/news/news/

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AMREF Flying Doctors Ambulance on Standby During Pope’s Visit to Kenya
Published: 26 November 2015 Carolyne Khamala
AMREF Flying Doctors ground ambulance is currently on standby at State House Nairobi as one of the official ambulances covering Pope Francis’ three days event in Kenya.
Our Ambulances are Mercedes Transit vans retrofitted by BINZ of Germany and equipped with High-tech medical equipment to handle critical care transfers, major trauma and resuscitation and advanced life support, crewed by professional, well trained critical care nurses and doctors who undergo rigorous and continuous education…

Handicap International [to 28 November 2015]
http://www.handicap-international.us/press_releases

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Landmine Monitor 2015: Mine-free world in a decade? States must keep their promise
Posted on November 26, 2015 4:00 AM
Silver Spring, MD—Handicap International is urging countries contaminated by landmines, and those home to victims of these barbaric weapons, to redouble their efforts to protect civilians. Landmine casualties rose 12% in 2014, according to the Landmine Monitor 2015[1] , an annual report that measures how States are meeting their obligations under the Ottawa Convention[2]. The report was released today in Geneva.

The 17th annual Landmine Monitor, coordinated in part by Handicap International, finds that demining operations are moving at a slow pace in several countries. Indeed, 27 of the 33 States Parties contaminated by mines have been granted extensions on their clearance deadlines. This throws into doubt the political will of certain States to meet their obligations.

“In 2014, States Parties to the Ottawa treaty committed themselves to ridding the world of mines by 2025,” explains Anne Héry, Advocacy director at Handicap International. “They have ten years to complete their demining programs, destroy existing stockpiles and provide victims with assistance. We are calling on States Parties whose territories are contaminated to be particularly unstinting in their efforts. We’re also asking funding bodies to stay fully engaged, and to reverse the loss of impetus in terms of funding for anti-mines action.”

More than 3,600 casualties in 2014
According to the Landmine Monitor 2015, mines or explosive remnants of war killed or injured 3,678 people in 2014, up 12% compared with 2013. The report also underlines a steady rise in the use of improvised explosive devices by non-State armed groups….