Weekly roundup: Top international development headlines

Millions of children risk being pushed into poverty and hunger, a new study highlights the investments needed to strengthen health systems and vaccinated Europeans now outnumber those infected by COVID, but ‘threat remains present’. Here is what you missed from last week’s headlines in the international development sector:

Millions of children risk being pushed into poverty and hunger as India’s deadly COVID crisis spirals

The number of children living in poverty and hunger in India could soar by millions as a result of the ongoing record surge in COVID-19 cases, warns Save the Children.

With the number of deaths surpassing 200,000 this week, strict lockdowns could control the spread of the virus, but also risk pushing many children and their families into poverty, the charity said. The research published last month found that India’s poverty rate could rise by up to 0.6 percent with limited control measures in place for at least 12 months and by almost seven percent if strict control measures are introduced. Several states in India have already imposed strict lockdowns in a bid to control the virus.

While children are at a lower risk of contracting COVID-19, they are not immune to the consequences as their families, teachers, and community leaders are infected and unable to support them. India already has the largest population facing food shortages globally, with an estimated 189 million people in India already undernourished before the pandemic began. Save the Children fears that due to the impact of the pandemic, these shortages might increase further.

Rising poverty, a lack of access to food, and the stretched health system could have a devastating effect on millions of children, Save the Children warned. Children who are sick might not get the treatment they need because hospitals are overwhelmed by Covid cases, and children might be forced to drop out of school and find work to supplement lost family incomes.

As COVID-19 vaccines begin reaching conflict and crisis settings, a new study highlights the investments needed to strengthen health systems

On April 27 the International Rescue Committee (IRC) released a new study examining the challenges –and best practices — of integrating refugees into national health systems. Supported by The Pfizer Foundation, the study outlines case studies from countries across three different continents – Jordan, Bangladesh, and Chad – and provides concrete recommendations for advancing inclusive health programs and policies that address the unique needs of vulnerable populations.

As COVID-19 vaccines begin reaching conflict and crisis-affected settings, health systems must be further strengthened to reach the last mile, while continuing to deliver other life-saving health services.

In Jordan, dwindling donor funds and limited resources hinder access to affordable health services for more than 1.3 million Syrian refugees – with 80% of Syrian refugee households in urban areas living below the poverty line. Responding to these urgent needs has led to the creation of parallel health systems, with refugees and vulnerable host populations largely dependent on free aid services. Ultimately, this inhibits efforts to integrate refugees into the national health system. The health system and already-limited funding have become even more stretched by COVID-19, with more than 700,000 infections and 8,600 deaths reported as of mid-April 2021. Still, Jordan has continued efforts to meet the needs of vulnerable populations and was the first country to include refugee and asylum seekers within its COVID-19 vaccination plans.

Vaccinated Europeans now outnumber those infected by COVID, but ‘threat remains present’

Just over 460 days since the first COVID-19 cases were reported in Europe, more citizens living in the region have now been vaccinated, than the number infected, and although new cases and hospitalizations are falling, “the threat remains present”, a senior UN health official said on April 29.

Based on confirmed cases, 5.5 percent of the entire European population has now had COVID-19, while 7 percent has completed a full vaccination series. But WHO Regional Director for Europe, Hans Kluge said in a video message, “the virus still carries the potential to inflict devastating effects”.

“As a matter of fact, close to half of all COVID-19 infections in the Region since January last year were reported to WHO during the first 4 months of this year”, he added.

Although new cases fell significantly last week, for the first time in two months, infection rates across the region remain “extremely high”, according to Dr. Kluge, who noted that individual and collective public health and social measures in most countries remain “dominant factors in shaping the pandemic’s course”.

DevelopmentAid Editorials

State of human rights worsening amid coronavirus pandemic – report

Aside from healthcare challenges, the coronavirus pandemic has also hit the issue of human rights hard according to a report by Amnesty International. Violations of the rights to life, health, and social protection, gender-based violence, threats to sexual and reproductive rights, and the repression of dissent all witnessed an upsurge in 2020, particularly in less well-off countries. Covering data from 149 countries, the report reveals that those marginalized, including women and refugees as well as health workers and those involved in the informal sector, were the most exposed to inequities.

Check the full article here.

Climate changes endanger ability of low, middle-income countries to repay debt

The lack of proper assessment of the impact of climate shocks on economies may lead to a debt crisis in low- and middle-income countries, Oxford University researchers have warned. The risk is even higher now that they have borrowed billions to fight the spread of COVID-19 spread, they state.

Check the full article here.

30 developing countries to join efforts to reduce waste in seas and oceans

Thirty countries from Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Pacific will benefit from training and technical assistance to diminish plastic pollution in seas and oceans. The 30 countries have joined the GloLitter project which aims to reduce the amount of litter coming from the maritime transport and fisheries sectors. The GloLitter project, launched by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), will be funded with US$4.5 million by Norway for the first three and a half years.

Check the full article here.

Norway’s aid budget at record high in 2020

Norway’s aid development budget hit a record high of NOK 39.5 billion (US$4.72 billion) in 2020, increasing by NOK 1.7 billion (US$204 million) compared to 2019, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) has reported.

Check the full article here.

Here’s what else has happened

UNAIDS: The government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) has informed UNAIDS that funding for UNAIDS for 2021 is confirmed at GBP 2.5 million, compared to the GBP 15 million received by UNAIDS from the UK for 2020.

FAO and BADEA: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) have formalized their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

EBRD and JICA: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) are planning to scale up investments in sustainable energy and infrastructure, as well as in sectors identified in the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The two institutions are planning to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of their operations in countries where they both are active.

Switzerland: The Federal Council is committed to ensuring equitable access to vaccines, tests, and medicines worldwide in order to combat the COVID-19 pandemic sustainably. Accordingly, it decided at its meeting on April 28 to support the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator initiative with CHF 300 million. This initiative aims to improve access to immunization, testing, and medication in developing countries and bolster local healthcare systems.

Reports

Seven countries account for two-thirds of global gas flaring

In an unprecedented year for the oil and gas industry, oil production declined by 8% in 2020, while global gas flaring reduced by 5%, according to satellite data compiled by the World Bank’s Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership (GGFR).

Oil production dropped from 82 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2019 to 76 million b/d in 2020, as global gas flaring reduced from 150 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2019 to 142 bcm in 2020. Nonetheless, the world still flared enough gas to power sub-Saharan Africa. The United States accounted for 70% of the global decline, with gas flaring falling by 32% from 2019 to 2020, due to an 8% drop in oil production, combined with new infrastructure to use gas that would otherwise be flared.

Improve quality of life, economic opportunities in cities to build sustainable future

Improving the quality of life, and social and economic opportunities in Asia’s fast-growing cities are instrumental in fulfilling their potential as engines of economic prosperity and hubs for sustainability, says Creating Livable Asian Cities, a new book released on April 29 by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The publication examines the region’s urbanization challenges and presents solutions across five priority areas: smart and inclusive urban planning; sustainable transport that provides equitable access to services and opportunities; sustainable energy sources that are less polluting; innovative finance to bridge resource gaps; and greater climate and disaster resilience.

ILO calls for resilient occupational safety and health systems for future emergencies

The report, Anticipate, prepare and respond to crises. Invest now in resilient OSH systems, examines risk prevention and management relating to the pandemic, and analyses other health and safety risks associated with the changing work arrangements arising from virus control measures.

Events

? 06 May 2021 ? 3 PM (Brussels Time) /9 AM (Washington DC Time)
Virtual

Join DevelopmentAid for this free webinar.

The speakers at the webinar are legal officers from the Contracts and Finance at European Commission DG DEVCO. The conversation is going to focus on the 2020 version of the Practical Guide to procurement and grant award procedures for European Union external actions (PRAG 2020) and more specifically on:

• Novelties
• “What’s next” and
• Taking part and practical advice

You will have the possibility to ask questions directly at the webinar.

HOST: Sergiu Casu, Business Development Director, DevelopmentAid.
Speaker: Nicolas Provençal – Head of Sector, Finance and Contracts – DG INTPA Legal Affairs
Speaker: Isabel Fajardo Soria, Legal Officer, Finance of Contracts – DG INTPA Legal Affairs

How to Win Contracts Funded by the Multilateral Development Banks – Stories From Real Businesses! | Webinar

? 19 May 2021 ? 4 PM (Brussels Time) /10 AM (Washington DC Time)
Virtual

Join DevelopmentAid for this exciting free webinar on How to Win Contracts funded by the Multilateral Development Banks— stories from real businesses! The PFD Group and its “7/3/1” golden formula—a close to 40% yearly average success rate!

The first speaker at this webinar is Spiros T. Voyadzis, President, Partnership for Finance and Development LLC. Mr. Voyadzis held up various distinguished functions for the World Bank Group in Washington D.C. and abroad as a staff member, manager, and senior manager.

The second speaker is Hokuma Karimova, Business Development Manager who brings over 8 years of experience of working on projects funded by the multilateral development banks such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, as well as other donor agencies such as the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the European Union.

The third speaker is Patrick Young, Business Development Manager with 5+ years of experience including community development for USAID, technical and competitive research for Chemonics International, as well as supporting the launch of education development advocacy group NISSEM.

The overall conversation is going to focus on the following topics:

• The MDBs and their USD yearly commitments -The market
• MDBs: Are they complicated to work with – as an example: the World Bank, but all are about similar
• The market in volume and sectors of operation – one MDB as an example
• Contract Awards by country of origin – one MDB as an example: To open the appetite and face reality
• The two ways to win MDB funded contracts
• The PFD Group methodology – the 7/3/1 Formula
• The cost of preparing and submitting proposals – is this market open to all companies, large or small?
• What makes a good expression of interest and tender?
• Are there differences in tendering between Anglo-Saxon and other nationality companies?
• What are the 3 main conclusions/recommendations retained by the participants?

You will have the possibility to ask questions directly at the webinar during our Q&A session.

HOST: Sergiu Casu, Business Development Director, DevelopmentAid

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2021 UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15)

? 17 – 30 May 2021
Kunming, China

The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the tenth Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (Cartagena Protocol COP/MOP 10), and the fourth Meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing (Nagoya Protocol COP/MOP 4) are expected to address a series of issues related to the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols.

SAMEA Online Capacity Building Workshops | Virtual

? 1-3 June 2021
Virtual

SAMEA’s popular online Capacity Building Workshops are taking place from 1 to 3 June 2021! The theme for this year’s workshops is: “Monitoring and Evaluation in the context of Global Crises”.