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Each week, Donor Tracker's team of country-based experts bring you the most important policy and funding news across issue areas in the form of Policy Updates.
May 13, 2023 | Netherlands, Climate | Share this update
From May 10-12, 2023, the Netherlands and Aruba hosted the first Caribbean Climate and Energy Conference in Aruba.
The conference led to new cooperation for sustainable, affordable energy and climate adaptation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and identified sustainability bottlenecks for Caribbean island countries that will be addressed by the next conference.
The first day of the conference focused on the six island countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands: Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, and the Caribbean Netherlands, which includes Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius. The sessions resulted in new cooperation agreements for sustainable, affordable energy in Aruba, Sint Maarten, and Curaçao, a four-country consultation, and a roadmap for the energy transition with the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The remaining two days of the conference focused on international cooperation for island climate action. Conversations occurred between representatives from Caribbean islands and Pacific Island States, UN agencies, knowledge institutions and financial institutions on the topics of climate transition, resilient ecosystems, and financing climate action. Key issues emerged that prevented further climate action on the islands: lack of capacity to create and realize climate plans and to go through complicated procedures to gain access to financing, and insufficient access to current and reliable data.
In a closing speech, Dutch Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy Rob Jetten invited the representatives to continue to work together to create tailor-made solutions to the identified problems, and to bring them to the UN, EU, financial institutions and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that islands get the climate justice they deserve.
Shortly after the conference on May 16, 2023, the Dutch government made available EUR200 million (US$214 million) through investment programs for economic and climate development in the six (island) countries within the Netherlands.
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October 29, 2024 | Japan, Gender Equality | Share this update
On October 29, 2024, Japan and the Philippines signed an agreement in Manila to provide up to JPY724 million (US$5 million) for a new project addressing women’s health and GBV in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The project will establish facilities to protect women from GBV and create an obstetrics and gynecology clinic dedicated to violence response. Additionally, the project will provide vocational training and support women’s advocacy in the region.
Japan’s support aims to promote peace, stability, and development in Mindanao by improving access to medical care, preventing violence, and empowering women.
October 28, 2024 | UK, Nutritious Food Systems | Share this update
On October 28, 2024, the UK foreign Secretary David Lammy gave a statement to the House of Commons on the Middle East, outlining the current situation in Israel, Gaza, Iran, and Lebanon.
On Israel, Gaza, and Iran he urged for de-escalation and for restrictions to humanitarian assistance to be lifted. Lammy said that the UK will be matching donations to the Disaster Emergency Committee’s Middle East Humanitarian Appeal, as well as restoring funding to UNRWA and urging Israel to ensure UNRWA's work continues.
He reminded the House of Commons that at the start of October, he announced GBP10 million (US$13 million) for the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon. Last week the Minister for Development Anneliese Dodds announced further funding for the most vulnerable fleeing Lebanon and Syria.
October 26, 2024 | Canada, Gender Equality | Share this update
On October 26, 2024, Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen concluded his participation at the 2024 Annual Meetings of the:abbrIMF and the World Bank Group (WBG) where he announced CA$20 million (US$14 million) over five years to the Toronto Centre to support LICs and LMICs.
The funding will support the Toronto Centre’s tailored training to financial regulators in developing countries, including for women to help break the cycle of gender-based poverty and increase women’s participation in the economy.
The project focuses on Sub-Saharan Africa, the Indo-Pacific region, and special assistance to Ukraine.
October 26, 2024 | US, WASH & Sanitation, Global Health | Share this update
On October 26, 2024, USAID Administrator Samantha Power announced that USAID will provide an additional US$572 million to help displaced people in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria.
The assistance will provide emergency assistance of food, water, shelter, and health car through USAID partners.
The region has been hit with multiple crises, including violence, flooding, and starving children. Other factors, including costs of transporting aid, blockades by extremists, the prohibition of cash transfers, and violence against citizens hinder the provision of humanitarian assistance.
Power called on all donors to contribute assistance and work towards a safe environment so that assistance can be provided.
With this contribution, the US has now provided US$1.2 billion in FY2025.
October 25, 2024 | Australia, Nutritious Food Systems | Share this update
On October 25, 2024, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong announced that Australia would contribute AUD10 million for humanitarian relief in Lebanon.
This would assist provision of health care, shelter, and food. The assistance will be delivered through partner organizations.
This brought Australia’s contribution for relief in Gaza and Lebanon to AUD95 million (US$63 million).
Save the Children Australia’s Melanie Book commented that Australia should have provided AUD20 million (US$13 million) to be more in line with other donors.
October 25, 2024 | EUI, Education | Share this update
On October 25, 2024, Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen participated in the WBG/ IMF Development Committee in Washington.
During her mission, the Commissioner reinforced the EU’s global partnerships with new investments in sustainability, public finance, and education:
October 24, 2024 | Australia, Climate | Share this update
On October, 24, 2024, Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy has announced AUD12 million (US$8 million) for research to assist African countries address food insecurity and adapt to climate change.
The new initiative is called the Africa-Australia Partnership for Climate Responsive Agriculture.
The ACIAR would deliver this assistance through bilateral projects over 6 years. This would be undertaken in partnership with local research organizations. It would also enable ACIAR to broaden its focus to north and western Africa.
October 24, 2024 | South Korea, Agriculture | Share this update
On October 25, 2024, the South Korean MAFRA established a five-year comprehensive plan for international cooperation projects in the agriculture sector in an ammendement to the Overseas Agriculture and Forest Resources Development and Cooperation Act.
Under the amendment, the MAFRA can designate supporting organizations with expertise to carry out international cooperation projects in the agriculture sector and provide agricultural equipment to develop overseas agricultural and forest resources.
This will allow South Korea to pursue agricultural projects in a more systematic manner.
October 24, 2024 | Japan, Climate | Share this update
On October 24, 2024, the JICA signed an ODA loan agreement worth JPY6.6 billion (US$43 million) with Ecuador's national electricity agency, CELEC EP, to finance the Chachimbiro Geothermal Development Project (Phase I) in Imbabura Province.
The project seeks to promote renewable energy use, diversify Ecuador's power sources, and increase power generation capacity while contributing to climate change mitigation. The loan will cover essential activities, including exploratory drilling, resource evaluation, and planning for the Phase II construction of a geothermal power plant. JICA’s support includes equipment procurement and consulting services to ensure the project's effective implementation, with completion expected by August 2029.
This initiative supports Ecuador's sustainable development goals, particularly in expanding affordable clean energy and fostering climate action.
October 24, 2024 | EUI, WASH & Sanitation, Climate | Share this update
On October 24, 2024, the EIB and the CDB announced a new initiative to support water supply and management, as well as the ocean ecosystem across the Caribbean.
EIB’s EUR100 million (US$111 million) loan will boost CDB support to projects in the area of clean water supply, collection and treatment of wastewater and solid waste, and flood prevention. The fourteen eligible Caribbean countries are Antigua & Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago. The funds will allow them to better adapt to periods of drought or intense rain and reduce ocean pollution thanks to this initiative.
The projects will also receive technical advice from experts, thanks to a EUR17 million (US$19 million) grant from the EC’s Caribbean Investment Facility, which fills the funding gaps by pooling resources from EU partners and attracting additional investment.
US$ amounts are cited directly from sources; in the absence of an official conversion, they are calculated using the previous week's average of the US Federal Reserve's daily exchange rates.
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