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Add to Preferred SourcesThe ‘Global Goal: Unite for our Future’ Summit brought an additional €6.15 billion of funding under the Coronavirus Global Response, EU mobilised an overall pledge of €6.9 billion for 2020 and beyond for Syrian crisis, coronavirus will cost global tourism at least $1.2 trillion. Here is what you missed from last week’s headlines in the international development sector:
Breakdown of the pledges made at the Global Goal Summit
The ‘Global Goal: Unite for our Future’ Summit brought an additional €6.15 billion of funding under the Coronavirus Global Response, bringing the total pledged under the initiative since 4 May to almost €16 billion.
‘Team Europe’ contributed significantly to the success of the pledging summit – the European Commission, EU Member States, the European Investment Bank, as well as the Croatian Presidency of the EU.
“The world will only be freed from this pandemic when vaccines, tests and treatments are available and affordable to everyone who needs them. Team Europe’s pledge of €4.9 billion brings us closer to this global goal. Europe is in this for the long haul. We will use all of our convening power for the common good. There is a strong alliance out there to beat this virus, together,” said President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
EU mobilised an overall pledge of €6.9 billion for 2020 and beyond for Syrian crisis
At the fourth Brussels Conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the Region”, the international community pledged a total of €6.9 billion for Syria and the main countries hosting Syrian refugees for 2020 and beyond.
Of this amount, the European Union overall pledged 71%, or €4.9 billion, with €2.3 billion coming from the European Commission and €2.6 billion from EU Member States. The EU and its Member States are the largest donor addressing the consequences of the Syrian crisis with over €20 billion of humanitarian, stabilisation, development, and economic assistance mobilised since 2011.
High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell said: “Almost 10 years of war have meant that half of the Syrian population have had to flee their homes. Over half a million people have died. An entire generation of Syrian children has only known war. Their future and the future of their country is still being held hostage. Europe cannot and will not look away. All Syrians deserve a better, peaceful future. Today, we have brought together all relevant international actors to confirm our commitment to supporting the Syrian people and UN efforts to find a comprehensive and lasting political solution to the Syrian conflict.”
Coronavirus will cost global tourism at least $1.2 trillion
The world’s tourism sector could lose at least $1.2 trillion, or 1.5% of the global gross domestic product (GDP), having been placed at a standstill for nearly four months due to the coronavirus pandemic, UNCTAD said in a report.
The UN’s trade and development body warned that the loss could rise to $2.2 trillion or 2.8% of the world’s GDP if the break-in international tourism lasts for eight months, in line with the expected decline in tourism as projected by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
“These numbers are a clear reminder of something we often seem to forget: the economic importance of the sector and its role as a lifeline for millions of people all around the world,” said UNCTAD’s director of international trade, Pamela Coke-Hamilton.
DevelopmentAid Editorials
Isolated by a threat. The extreme crisis facing indigenous communities
The lack of decent sanitary conditions, limited access to health services, poorly equipped and overburdened hospitals within striking distance have exposed indigenous communities to the novel coronavirus and the lockdown restrictions have made the situation worse. With cases of contagion already having been reported, the further spread of the virus is imminent and could decimate entire indigenous communities.
Obligatory coronavirus vaccines – what are governments around the world saying?
In a recently released list revealing the current situation regarding coronavirus vaccine development, the World Health Organization listed 10 candidate vaccines that are undergoing clinical evaluation. The British-Swedish drug-maker, AstraZeneca/Oxford University, tops the list with testing of their AZD1222 vaccine currently having been rolled out to more than 10,000 adults. With such developments in evidence this article reviews the current state of affairs regarding the development of a coronavirus vaccine together with statements from certain governments regarding its deployment.
Top private philanthropies and their influence in international development
Private philanthropy is increasingly shaping the development landscape. The amounts that foundations provide for philanthropic purpose have steadily grown in the last decade and have been laser-focused on specific areas. Consequently, foundations have come to play a significant role in specific sectors of the development realm. This article reviews the top private foundations in the development sector and where their financial flows are directed.
Here’s what else has happened
AfDB: The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund approved nearly $8.9 million in grant funding to bolster COVID-19-related control measures in six Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. Separately, the Board approved $683,000 in grants to São Tomé & Príncipe, to support the two-island nation’s response to the pandemic and its impacts. The grant funding comes under the Bank’s COVID-19 Response Facility.
WHO: Nearly six months after the new coronavirus first emerged, the COVID-19 pandemic is “not even close to being over”, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned.
EC: The European Commission and the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group have delivered on their pledge to mobilise €500 billion in investment under the Investment Plan for Europe.
UNICEF: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Food Programme (WFP) have launched a three-year partnership in Ethiopia to support the Government in preventing acute malnutrition in children and mothers and provide school-based nutrition and health services.
Reports
5 things you didn’t know about practices that harm girls
Every day, hundreds of thousands of girls around the world are harmed physically or psychologically, with the full knowledge and consent of their families, friends and communities. And without urgent action, the situation is likely to worsen. These are the findings of UNFPA’s flagship 2020 State of World Population report. The report examines the origin and extent of harmful practices around the world, and what must be done to stop them.
Read the UNFPA’s flagship 2020 State of World Population report.
As jobs crisis deepens, ILO warns of uncertain and incomplete labour market recovery
The number of working hours lost across the world in the first half of 2020 was significantly worse than previously estimated, while the highly uncertain recovery in the second half of the year will not be enough to go back to pre-pandemic levels, even in the best scenario, and risks seeing continuing large scale job losses, warns the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Read the report: ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the world of work: 5th Edition
Unlocking entrepreneurship opportunities for youth could lower unemployment and bring social benefits
Tearing down barriers that prevent more young people from becoming successful social entrepreneurs will contribute to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and tackling the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, according to a new report released by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
Read the report: 2020 World Youth Report “Youth Social Entrepreneurship and the 2030 Agenda.
Events
Financial Management and Disbursement for World Bank Projects Workshop in Dubai, UAE
? 14 – 17 September 2020
Training course
Financial Management is one of the major aspects of any commercial activity. The process of financial management refers to the strategic planning, organizing, directing, and controlling of financial undertakings in an organization or an institute. Timely and precise financial data are indispensable for effective decision-making, as well as for corrective action by project management staff, to enhance the prospects of timely completion of deliverables within the planned project budget and scope. This short-term intensive training course will focus on the financial management of World Bank Funded Projects and provide the full in depth information regarding the World Bank documentation requirements, Financial Management Cycle, Planning, Budgeting & Reporting.
Webinar | Higher Education and GSDR entry points: Integrating the SDGs in the classroom in the COVID-19 era
? 13 July 2020 ?9:00 AM-10:30 AM (EST)
Webinar
The Division for Sustainable Development Goals, at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA/DSDG) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) are organizing the 2020 edition of the SDGs Learning, Training & Practice – a series of capacity building and knowledge workshops held at the HLPF, featuring speakers and experts from academia and other sectors on crucial topics related to the implementation of the SDGs under review in 2020.
Virtual | World BioEconomy Forum (WCBEF)
? 10 September 2020
Virtual event
This year’s third World BioEconomy Forum (WCBEF) will be broadcast live from Ruka on September 10th, 2020. Due to the current global pandemic, the Advisory Board has decided to take a cautious approach and will provide delegates with a high-quality, interactive virtual event which will be moderated from Ruka in Finland. The event will deliver the usual high-level content, while at the same time as providing a unique experience for all bioeconomy stakeholders from around the world.
Webinar | COVID-19 and Education: The disruptive effect of the pandemic on higher education
? 16 July 2020 ?11:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Webinar
What additional challenges did the pandemic create for higher education? What will be the impact of the economic crisis on higher education enrollment and graduation rates, especially for the most disadvantaged students? How has digitalization accelerated in higher education institutions since the COVID-19 pandemic began? How can blended learning be delivered efficiently in universities and technical-vocational institutions? Will the economic crisis lead to the development of new business models and cost structures? How can higher education adapt to the new post-pandemic labor market?
Join to discuss these questions with experts from Chile, UCLA and Columbia University.