Development Policy
El Salvador leads the world into cryptocurrency, adopting bitcoin as legal tender
El Salvador became the first country in the world to adopt bitcoin as legal tender, a real-world experiment proponents say will lower commission costs for billions of dollars sent home from abroad but which critics warned may fuel money laundering.
EU, UN, US condemn the coup d’état in Guinea
The EU, the UN and the United States on Sunday (5 September) condemned what appears to be a military coup d’état in Guinea.
Ministers call for OSCE-type conference for the Mediterranean
The 2015-2016 refugee crisis must not repeat itself in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, foreign ministers of Mediterranean countries stressed at Bled Strategic Forum on Thursday (2 September), calling for more cooperation in the region.
Why Norway’s efforts to curb deforestation abroad is a PR stunt
Norway’s investment of billions in fighting overseas deforestation follows the West’s hypocritical relationship with climate change, once again shifting the blame on developing nations whilst diverting attention away from the West’s culpability in environmental destruction, writes Muhammed Magassy.
Facing backlash, EU says import of J&J vaccines from South Africa is temporary
The European Commission said it had reached a temporary agreement with South Africa to use a plant there to bottle Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines that are being imported into the EU, after criticism of the arrangement.
Lebanon donor conference exceeds aid target
An international donor conference collected hundreds of millions of dollars in urgent aid for Lebanon on Wednesday (4 August), exceeding an initial target, co-hosts France said.
Assist developing countries to find solutions to migratory causes
Debate on the external dimensions of migration and asylum, including effective ways to address the root causes, should not be taboo in the EU, the world’s largest donor of development aid, writes Tomas Tobé.
Cohesion Policy – Dialogue between key actors
Cohesion Policy is the EU’s main investment policy. It targets all regions and cities in the European Union in order to support job creation, business competitiveness, economic growth, sustainable development, and improve citizens’ quality of life.
More than 350,000 people in Ethiopia’s Tigray in famine: UN analysis
More than 350,000 people in Ethiopia's Tigray are suffering famine conditions, with millions more at risk, according to an analysis by United Nations agencies and aid groups that blamed conflict for the worst catastrophic food crisis in a decade.
G7 leaders at UK summit target plan for donating 1 billion jabs
G7 leaders on Friday (11 June) open a three-day summit aimed at helping to end the Covid-19 pandemic and forge a climate-centric economic recovery, after pledging to donate one billion vaccine doses for the world's poorest countries.
Harris takes on graft in Guatemala and tells migrants ‘do not come’
US Vice President Kamala Harris said on Monday (7 June) she had “robust” talks with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei on fighting corruption to deter immigration from Central America and bluntly warned migrants to not come to the United States.
South Sudan starts to draft its constitution
South Sudan began Tuesday (25 May) to draft a final constitution in the aim of cementing a fragile peace almost a decade after it won independence.
WHO urges rich countries to donate shots instead of vaccinating children
The World Health Organization urged rich countries on Friday (14 May) to reconsider plans to vaccinate children and instead donate COVID-19 shots to the COVAX scheme that shares them with poorer nations. The WHO is hoping more countries will follow...
Bill and Melinda Gates to divorce, but charitable foundation to remain intact
Billionaire benefactors Bill and Melinda Gates, co-founders of one of the world’s largest private charitable foundations, filed for divorce on Monday (3 May) after 27 years of marriage but pledged to continue their philanthropic work together.
EU Parliament approves reform of civil protection mechanism
The European Parliament approved on Tuesday (27 April) a strengthened legal framework for the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to ensure that the EU is better prepared "to respond to future large-scale emergencies".OpinionPromoted content
Ensuring that no one and no place are left behind thanks to local governments
“Local and regional governments represent a key partner for the EU Delegations” writes Frédéric Vallier, Secretary General of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), on behalf of PLATFORMA. He signed the foreword of a study on EU Delegations...
EU aid spending surges amid COVID pandemic
Development aid from the EU increased by more than 25% last year as funding for programmes to combat COVID-19 and support poorer countries surged, according to data published by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development on Tuesday (13 April).
G20 agrees ‘final extension’ to $10 billion debt service suspension scheme
Developing countries stand to benefit from up to $10 billion in savings after the G20 group of wealthy nations announced on Wednesday (7 April) that it would extend its debt service suspension initiative (DSSI) which launched last May until the end of this year.
Lawmakers call for green ‘due diligence’ in Europe’s supply chains
Lawmakers in the European Parliament passed a resolution to tackle environmental and human rights issues in the supply chains of EU businesses by 504 votes to 79 on Wednesday (10 March) ahead of the Commission’s proposal on corporate due diligence later this year.
EU unveils new humanitarian aid tools amid pressure on donors
The EU will set up a new European Humanitarian Response Capacity to intervene directly in humanitarian crises, as part of a revamp of its humanitarian aid policy, it announced on Wednesday (10 March).
Global agreement on corporate tax rates needed, UN report states
The international community should agree on the establishment of a global minimum corporate tax rate, according to a new UN report published on Thursday. The proposal is part of a package of reforms to combat tax evasion and money laundering and ensure that cash strapped governments can boost their public finances in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
First vaccines delivered under global Covax scheme
Ghana became the first country to receive India-made vaccines from the global Covax scheme, paving the way for poorer nations to catch up with inoculation drives in wealthier parts of the world to stamp out the coronavirus pandemic.
Scaling up vaccination to save lives worldwide
It is time for Europe to show real vaccination solidarity to ensure that COVID vaccines are available to the Global South and COVAX in the volumes required and at cost price, write Udo Bullmann and Conny Reuter.