Policy Updates

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.

On October 29, 2024, Norway announced a contribution of approximately NOK150 million (US$14 million) to the GBFF, an international fund aimed at supporting countries in protecting vulnerable ecosystems.

These funds were confirmed by Norway’s Minister of Climate and Environment, Tore Sandvik, during the COP 16 in Cali, Colombia.

The GBFF was initially proposed during the UN biodiversity summit in Montreal two years ago, largely to address concerns raised by low-income countries. A key aim is to secure substantial funding for the preservation of global biodiversity, an effort to which Norway has been a significant contributor.

Norway’s Minister of International Development Anne Beathe Tvinnereim emphasized that small island states and other vulnerable nations often lack resources to effectively manage environmental challenges. The fund’s inclusive structure aims to mobilize public, private, and philanthropic capital, making it well-positioned to support these countries.

On October 28, 2024, 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 on 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.

Lammy reminded the House of Commons that at the start of October 2024, he announced GBP10 million (US$13 million) for the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon. The previous week, UK Minister for Development Anneliese Dodds announced further funding for the most vulnerable fleeing Lebanon and Syria.

On October 26, 2024, Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen concluded his participation at the 2024 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group, where he announced CAD20 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.

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 care 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.

The contribution brings US funding to the region to US$1.2 billion in FY2025.

On October 25, 2024, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong announced that Australia would contribute AUD10 million (US$7 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.

On October 25, 2024, Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen participated in the World Bank / 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:

• The EU signed a guarantee to allow Denmark to launch the Danish Sustainable Development Goals Investment Fund II ( SDG Fund II). The target size of the fund is EUR670 million (US$741 million), including EUR72 million (US$79 million) backed by EFSD+ guarantees. The SDG Fund II will invest in green and inclusive economic growth and focus on financial services, renewable energy, infrastructure, healthcare, and sustainable food systems;
• The EU signed a EUR15 million (US$17 million) contribution to the new IMF multi-donor fund GPFP. The funds will support developing countries' fiscal capacity development;
• The EU also provided EUR8 million (US$9 million) to support the second phase of the IMF- EU Public Financial Management - Partnership Programme 2. This EU-funded program helps partner countries strengthen their spending policies and PFM systems; and
• The EU also signed the AU component of the Regional Teachers Initiative for Africa, worth US$2 million, with the AUC. It is slated to enhance teacher’s professional development, regional teacher frameworks as well as regional coordination and teacher mobility.

On October 22, 2024, the G7 of the ministerial meeting on Development occurred in Pescara and took place until October 24, 2024.

In the communiqué released, the Ministers expressed support for a successful 2025 replenishment for Gavi and the GF.Furthermore, the communiqué focuses on multi-stakeholder engagement and innovation against malnutrition, focusing on childhood stunting and wasting. The Ministers call for a Nutrition for Growth Summit that will take place in Paris on 27-28 March, 2025, concerning development financing.

The G7 Ministers recognize the Fourth UN Conference on Financing for Development in 2025 as a crucial moment to forge a global consensus around a modernized development finance architecture that will accelerate progress on the SDGs.

The Civil Society engagement group, the C7, reacted with a statement in which they expressed appreciation for the political commitment of the G7 countries; nevertheless, they expressed concern about the lack of financial commitment to support the implementation of development policies and the increase of ODA.

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.

On October, 24, 2024, Australian 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.