Innovative programme helps lift Venezuelan refugees out of poverty, UNICEF’s New Year appeal for Syria and Denmark sources record 47% of power from wind in 2019. Here is what you missed from last week’s headlines in the international development sector:
Innovative programme helps lift Venezuelan refugees out of poverty
The refugee integration and poverty prevention programme known as the Graduation Model aims to support the most vulnerable refugees—including single mothers, large families, and those who lack a support network in their host country.
Because steady income is one of the most crucial predictors of refugees’ success in their host countries, the programme aims to give participants the tools they need to make a living.
Selected beneficiaries are provided entrepreneurship and vocational training, seed money and mentoring to help them learn new skills and start small businesses, as well as psychological support to accompany them through this process. Since 2015, more than 3,150 refugee families in Ecuador have been through the programme, which is run by UNHCR partner the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society.
UNICEF’s New Year appeal for Syria: Cease fighting in the northwest and end the nine-year war
As a new year begins and the war in Syria approaches its tenth year, the situation for many children – especially in the northwest of the country – remains dire.
New Year’s Day is supposed to be a day of hope and a time to look forward to the year ahead. For families in Syria, any hope is all too often extinguished by heart-breaking violence.
Each day, nearly 4,500 children are forced to flee their homes, with many having been displaced multiple times already. At least 140,000 children have been displaced in the past three weeks alone because of heavy violence in and around Idlib in the northwest.
Attacks on basic civilian infrastructure providing services for children like schools and hospitals have become all too common. In 2019, the UN verified 145 attacks on schools and 82 attacks on hospitals and medical staff. More than 90 percent of these attacks were in the northwest including in Idlib.
Denmark sources record 47% of power from wind in 2019
Denmark sourced almost half its electricity consumption from wind power last year, a new record boosted by steep cost reductions and improved offshore technology. Wind accounted for 47% of Denmark’s power usage in 2019, the country’s grid operator Energinet said citing preliminary data, up from 41% in 2018 and topping the previous record of 43% in 2017.
European countries are global leaders in utilising wind power but Denmark is far in front of nearest rival Ireland, which sourced 28% of its power from wind in 2018 according to data from industry group WindEurope.
Here’s what else has happened
World Food Programme: Escalating hunger needs in sub-Saharan Africa dominate a World Food Programme (WFP) analysis of global hunger hotspots in the first half of 2020 with millions of people requiring life-saving food assistance in Zimbabwe, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central Sahel region in the coming months.
NIB: NIB and the Norwegian ferry operator Fjord1 ASA have signed a seven-year loan agreement of NOK 750 million (EUR 76 million) to finance the acquisition of twelve new hybrid-electric ferries that will operate on three of Norway’s busiest ferry lines.
EBRD: The EBRD is financing improvements to public transport in Novi Sad with the first project under the EBRD Green Cities programme in an effort to tackle environmental challenges in the city. A €7 million loan agreement, which was signed by the EBRD and the Public Transport Company of Novi Sad, will allow the company to purchase new buses that run on compressed natural gas (CNG), which, compared to diesel buses, significantly reduce pollution emissions.
Reports
World Food Programme forecasts global hunger hotspots as a new decade dawns
Escalating hunger needs in sub-Saharan Africa dominate a World Food Programme (WFP) analysis of global hunger hotspots in the first half of 2020 with millions of people requiring life-saving food assistance in Zimbabwe, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central Sahel region in the coming months.
The sheer scale and complexity of the challenges in Africa and other regions will stretch the resources and capacity of WFP and other agencies to the limit. Ramping up the humanitarian response will again require the generous support of donor governments to fund the assistance required to save lives and support development.
Read and download the report: WFP 2020 Global Hotspots Report
Events
Sustainable Energy for All Forum (SEforALL)
Kigali, Rwanda
26-28 May 2020
Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) Forum is an opportunity to foster a global dialogue about the challenges and opportunities of achieving SDG7 by 2030, and it provides a space for voices from across the global sustainable energy movement to share successes and visions of the future.
International Conference on Nuclear Security: Sustaining and Strengthening Efforts
Vienna, Austria
10–14 February 2020
The conference will provide a forum for ministers, policymakers, senior officials and nuclear security experts to formulate and exchange views on experiences and achievements, current approaches, future directions and priorities for nuclear security.
