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Add to Preferred SourcesA forgotten crisis, a health crisis due to climate change, and the needed supplies reached displaced persons in the Gaza Strip. Here is what you missed from last week’s headlines in the international development sector.
Sudan: A forgotten crisis the world must pay attention to now
The war in Sudan which entered its ninth month continues to cause extreme suffering for millions across the country and in neighboring states, with women and children experiencing the conflict’s impacts most acutely.
Recent fighting in eastern and southern Sudan – including in areas that had been spared the worst of the conflict up until mid-December – has added to the trauma and displacement experienced by so many, and compounded fears for what’s next.
Speaking of the continuing impact of the war since last April, Marie David, CARE Sudan’s Acting Country Director said: “Loss of life, mass displacement, gender-based violence, hunger, and cholera are all on the rise and occurring at an alarming rate. Between 70 and 80 percent of hospitals in conflict-affected areas are no longer functional. This crisis demands more attention, and funding.”
More than 7.4 million Sudanese are currently displaced, both inside and outside the country. This includes at least 1.4 million people who have fled Sudan since mid-April to seek safety and protection in neighboring countries like Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt – though many still face the threat of violence and limited access to essential services. Internally, approximately six million are displaced, making Sudan the country with the largest number of IDPs in the world.
World Economic Forum warns of impending health crisis due to climate change
Climate change will “reshape health landscapes” over the next two decades, warns a report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in conjunction with the American management firm Oliver Wyman on the occasion, of this year’s WEF Davos conference. According to the document, climate change is “likely” to kill 14.5 million people by the year 2050 and result in $12.5 trillion in economic losses. Furthermore, healthcare systems might face $1.1 trillion in additional expenses to treat people impacted by changes in the climate.
Much-needed supplies reach internally displaced persons in the Gaza Strip
Since 7 October 2023, the ongoing hostilities in the Gaza Strip have led to the displacement of at least 1.7 million people who are seeking refuge in various shelters across Gaza and are in dire need of basic humanitarian assistance.
To help, UNOPS is procuring and delivering essential non-food items – blankets, foldable mattresses, pillows, bed sheets, and plastic mats – with savings under the Shelter Reconstruction Project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW Development Bank.
At least 2,500 kits are expected to be delivered to around 15,000 people, mostly women and children.
On 23 January, a convoy of 15 trucks will be crossing through Rafah from Egypt to the Gaza Strip carrying the essential items. The convoy, which traveled from Cairo, includes 660 bedding kits that were loaded onto the trucks and will be distributed inside Gaza. Another 14 trucks are expected to enter Gaza in the coming days. This delivery of items is part of the coordinated UN response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
See also: 🔴 LIVE UPDATES | Humanitarian response to Gaza crisis
DevelopmentAid Editorials
The benefits & challenges of being a consultant | Experts’ Opinions
“Freedom or uncertainty?” “Better work-life balance or fewer monetary benefits?” “More flexibility or less time to adapt?”. These are just some of the questions people ask themselves when considering becoming a consultant in the international development sector. While determining if consulting is right for you, it is important to consider the benefits and challenges associated with this. In this article, we provide some pros and cons of working as a consultant, collected straight from the source.
Key Takeaways:
- International consultants work mostly on deliverables in development projects, contributing their expertise, skills, and dedication.
- Among the greatest benefits of being a consultant, experts mention more flexibility, independence, higher income, and short-term travel.
- The challenges entail unstable income, the need to constantly adapt to changing environments, and paying taxes and investing in retirement plans yourself.
The biggest social issues that affect modern society
We live in a world that is witnessing remarkable progress in multiple fields, such as technology, commerce, and medicine. On a global level, societies have declared shared aspirations and common goals, such as eradicating poverty and achieving equality. However, despite various achievements, there still remains a complex wave of social issues that could shatter the very foundation of society.
The UN appeals for less money in 2024 amid escalating global needs | Experts’ Opinions
The war between Israel and Hamas, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and other conflicts around the world call for more humanitarian aid from international organizations. However, at the end of last year, the UN announced that only a third of the required funding had been received for aid purposes. In 2024, to address the needs-and-resources gap, the humanitarian organization plans to reach fewer people with less money and is appealing for US$46 billion compared to US$56.7 in 2023. According to the UN, this approach should allow organizations to focus on only the most life-threatening cases. We discussed this topic with several experts and invite you to check out their opinions below.
AI changes labor market, deepens inequality: IMF report
A newly published paper by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) states that AI is expected to impact the world of work and bring significant changes to the workplace, creating new jobs but at the same time replacing others. It is therefore time to develop and adopt targeted policies to ensure everyone harnesses the benefits that AI brings, the IMF suggests.
Here’s what else has happened
Pakistan: Faced with a growing demand for energy and a reliance on imported fossil fuels, Pakistan is beginning to tap its immense hydropower potential. In the approach to the International Day of Renewable Energy, the organization examines several projects backed by AFD and its partners that are boosting Pakistan’s hydroelectric power production and making the country’s energy supply cleaner and more sustainable.
USDA: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing approximately $11.5 million in 38 cooperative agreements that support innovative, scalable waste management plans to reduce and divert food waste from landfills.
Gates Foundation: Liberia has unveiled its inaugural Liberia Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Costed Strategic Plan (LMNCSP), a crucial initiative to address malnutrition in the country. Introduced on 7 December 2023, the plan spans from 2024-2028 and is the result of collaborative efforts among government bodies, international organizations, and stakeholders.
Afghan women: Hundreds of Afghan women were forced to quit their jobs or have been arrested and denied access to essential services in the last quarter of 2023, a UN report revealed, as Taliban officials continue undermining their basic human rights.
World Bank: The Kingdom of Tonga, one of the world’s most exposed countries to climate change and natural disasters, will receive a US$25 million (TOP$58.7 million) World Bank grant to strengthen financial and debt sustainability and to enhance climate and disaster resilience.
Reports
Joint World Bank, EU, UN report assesses damages caused by catastrophic flooding in Libya
Reconstruction and recovery needs following the catastrophic flooding in eastern Libya last September are estimated at $1.8 billion, according to a new report released by the World Bank, the United Nations, and the European Union. The disaster impacted approximately 1.5 million people – 22 per cent of Libya’s population – living in the coastal and inland cities that were hardest hit.
The Libya Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) analyzes damages and losses – as well as recovery and reconstruction needs – using a globally established methodology across almost all sectors of the Libyan economy. It finds the greatest impact has been on housing, the environment, Libya’s cultural heritage, as well as the transportation and water sectors. Housing was severely hit, with an estimated more than 18,500 houses destroyed or damaged, equivalent to seven per cent of the country’s housing stock, damaged or destroyed. The report estimates 70 per cent of the needed reconstruction costs would be for infrastructure, with housing the largest component.
New research reveals education’s potential in reducing violence and advancing peace
The Global Partnership for Education (GPE), and the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), have released new research providing compelling evidence of the strong relationship between education and peace. Released on the International Day of Education, the analysis demonstrates improvements in education levels are closely linked to more peaceful societies.
Clean sources of generation are set to cover all of the world’s additional electricity demand over the next three years
Renewables are growing rapidly and nuclear power is on track to reach a new all-time high next year, enabling low-emissions generation to outpace robust electricity demand growth.
Global electricity demand is expected to grow at a faster rate over the next three years as the clean energy transition gathers speed, with all the additional demand forecast to be covered by technologies that produce low-emissions electricity, according to a new report from the IEA.
Electricity 2024 is the latest edition of the IEA’s annual analysis of electricity market developments and policies, providing forecasts for demand, supply, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the sector through 2026. The report finds that while global growth in electricity demand eased slightly to 2.2% in 2023 due to falling electricity consumption in advanced economies, it is projected to accelerate to an average of 3.4% from 2024 through 2026. About 85% of the increase in the world’s electricity demand through 2026 is expected to come from outside advanced economies – most notably China, India, and countries in Southeast Asia.
Events
Exploring the Top NGO Roles Affected by AI | Webinar
As the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) expands across numerous industries, including NGOs, its impact on job roles within these organizations has become a significant topic of discussion. AI is reshaping critical functions such as program and grant management, compliance, advocacy, and communication. Nonetheless, despite its potential threat to jobs, AI can also serve as a tool of empowerment and cause a revolution in the workplace.
DevelopmentAid, in collaboration with Ali Al Mokdad, Senior Strategic Manager in the nonprofit sector, will be holding a webinar to delve into the transformative effects of AI on key roles within the NGO sector. The event aims to provide NGO professionals with insights into how, rather than replacing jobs, AI can enhance and revolutionize them, empowering workers to focus on the more strategic and impactful aspects of their roles.
Key takeaways:
- The Top Roles Impacted: A look at the NGO roles most likely to be influenced by generative AI between 2024 and 2025.
- Key Risks and Ethical Considerations: An exploration of the potential challenges and ethical dilemmas posed by AI integration in NGOs including data privacy, biases, and the balance between automation and human judgement.
Intensive Affordable Housing Programme
📅 22 April 2024
London
A practical learning experience in creating enabling conditions to expand the supply of affordable housing in emerging economies.
This is a one-week immersive training course and study tour hosted in London by Crown Agents and Altair. It is designed for high-level government officials, policymakers and private sector leaders working to deliver affordable housing across Africa and Asia.
The Intensive Affordable Housing Programme is an immersive training and study tour designed to provide practical learning on how to create and expand the supply of affordable housing whilst exploring policy frameworks, the distinctive role of government and private sector institutions in stimulating the supply of affordable housing, capital markets funding options, regulatory and legal frameworks to enable implementation of effective housing systems in emerging economies.
This comprehensive programme aims to equip high-level government delegates with the knowledge, skills, and networking opportunities necessary to tackle the affordable housing challenge in their respective countries more effectively.
EIT 2024 Summit – INNOVEIT
📅 20 February 2024
Brussels, Belgium
It’s starting INNOVEIT with the 2024 EIT Summit where participants will get to hear from a wide range of inspiring, high-level speakers across the policy, business, and innovation worlds. Also, get to see some of the best examples of new technology and innovation being developed within the EIT Community with the 2024 EIT Awards.
For the first time, the announcement of the finalists of the EIT & the EIC’s joint European Prize for Women Innovators will take place at the EIT Summit. The event is organized under the auspices of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.