is revitalizing public services and spaces in Lebanon – helping to strengthen local communities and foster greater resilience.
Economic Development
Earlier this year, Fatima, a resident of a remote village in Herat Province, received humanitarian cash assistance that provided much-needed relief. However, two local men seized the funds from 23 recipients, claiming they needed redistribution. Despite the risk of retaliation, Fatima contacted Awaaz Afghanistan, a nationwide platform for reporting issues related to humanitarian aid. The team acted on her complaint, leading to a field visit that confirmed the misuse of funds. Within ten days, each affected household received their full assistance. This case underscores the impact of speaking out and the responsiveness of humanitarian actors, facilitated by Awaaz Afghanistan, which has assisted nearly 600,000 calls and reached almost 4 million people.
Home to over 600 million people, the 32 Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) face a highly challenging pathway to sustainable development due to the lack of sea access, geographical isolation, and trade costs that are 30% higher than those of coastal countries. To raise awareness, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 6 August as the International Day of Awareness of the Special Development Needs and Challenges of Landlocked Developing Countries. The first celebration of this day coincides with the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, currently being held in Awaza, Turkmenistan.
Landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) face hurdles in trade, connectivity, and development due to their lack of direct sea access. Without coastal ports, they rely on transit nations, which results in higher trade costs and delays. Despite these challenges, LLDCs host vibrant communities with untapped potential. The Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, taking place from today through Friday in Awaza, Turkmenistan, offers a chance to explore solutions and forge partnerships, addressing challenges and unlocking their full potential for a more equitable and prosperous future.
Development has led to significant achievements like longer lives and less poverty, but these gains are threatened by deep global changes, including geopolitical tensions, shifting populations, and climate shocks. The UNDP's report "" urges the global community to prioritize risk reduction. It recommends three key actions: rethink development outcomes by incorporating measures of wellbeing and resilience beyond GDP, reimagine governance through empowering local institutions and data use, and reboot cooperation by investing in long-term, flexible solutions. These strategies aim to transform risks into opportunities for advancing development effectively.
On World Rural Development Day, we meet Khmayes from rural Tunisia, whose life was transformed by an IFAD-supported project that gave him the freedom to transport and sell his goods with a motorized tricycle.
People everywhere wish to live in peace and dignity, free from fear and from want. Yet today we face multiple overlapping crises that impact billions of lives and undermine our collective well-being. Identifying threats to human security is our first step towards a future of peace and prosperity. and see if you can spot the development challenges hidden in the scene.
Rural development goes beyond geographic boundaries and addresses critical challenges such as poverty, inequality, food insecurity, and sustainability. Celebrated on 6 July, World Rural Development Day promotes an integrated approach that values traditional knowledge, advances gender equality, and fosters digital inclusion. It calls on governments, international organizations and civil society to engage in tangible initiatives, informed policy dialogue, and community-led efforts to uplift and empower those who till the soil, harvest the seas, and nurture the land in the rural corners of the world.
Ahead of the Fourth World Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla, Mariangela Parra-Lancourt highlights how smart investments in individuals can drive progress for all of society.
Government leaders, together with international and regional organizations, financial and trade institutions, businesses and civil society have come together at the highest level to foster stronger international cooperation at the in Seville, Spain. The four day conference offers a unique opportunity to reform financing at all levels — including advancing reform of the international financial architecture and addressing financing challenges that hinder the urgently needed investment push for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Despite a headline rise in 2024, UNCTAD warns that global FDI is in decline for the second year, exposing a widening disconnect between capital flows and development needs.
Over the past decade, migrants have sent US$5 trillion in remittances to low- and middle-income countries, exceeding official development assistance and equaling foreign direct investment. More than one-third of these funds have reached rural areas, where they count the most. Remittances are more than financial transactions; they are a lifeline for millions of families. As part of its decade-long campaign highlighting the role of remittances in achieving the SDGs, the International Day of Family Remittances (16 June) focuses on showcasing how these transfers contribute to financing development.
It’s more than just a metal. It’s in our phones, our homes, our cars – quietly powering our daily lives. As demand increases for clean technologies, like solar panels and electric vehicles, copper is increasingly in the spotlight. But what are the costs and consequences of mining it – and who really benefits? Can we meet these demands without repeating past mistakes? In this episode of ’s , we speak with Professor Daniel Franks, Director of the Global Centre for Mineral Security at the University of Queensland. Listen now to learn about the global race for critical minerals, the environmental and social costs of extraction, and the urgent need for inclusive reforms in how we power our future.
The new annual Session of the (Geneva, 2-13 June) addresses several pressing challenges that are shaping the future of work. Key topics on the agenda include protecting workers from biological hazards, exploring strategies to formalize informal employment and providing input for the upcoming . As the ’s highest decision-making body, the Conference plays a central role in shaping international labour policy. This year’s focus reflects the need for responsive, inclusive approaches to evolving global labour realities.
The world faces interconnected crises—climate change, inequality, biodiversity loss, and financial instability—that demand unified action. Over 80% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are linked to climate action, yet siloed efforts hinder progress. From 27 to 28 May, the UN Climate and SDGs Conference 2025 convenes global leaders, experts and advocates in Copenhagen to explore integrated solutions for both climate and SDGs. Organized by UN DESA and , the event focuses on policy coherence, financing, innovation, and partnerships to drive transformative change.