Improving solid waste management in Sri Lanka, and other news (13 December 2019)

Each week we highlight some of the international development stories from across the globe that have caught our attention:

• USAID have launched their ‘Clean Cities, Blue Ocean’ programme in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The five year programme aims to improve solid waste management and reduce plastic waste and pollution in riverine and coastal areas, with activities targeted towards the private sector, tourism and economic development, sustainable urbanisation, and disaster risk reduction, amongst others. Read more in ColomboPage.

• Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) will receive $5 billion of loans over the next year from the Development Bank of Jamaica, facilitated by the Credit Enhancement Facility, which works to increase access to credit for MSMEs that lack collateral to otherwise secure loans. Read more in Jamaica Observer. The French Development Agency is also providing $30 million to credit small and medium-sized enterprises across Africa. Read more in Modern Ghana.

• The Ethiopian government’s Health and Transformation Plan will receive additional funding from the European Commission to support implementation over the next three years, aiming to reduce health inequality and improve the quality of and access to health facilities. Funding will also be given to support trade and economic integration, and to ensure accountability and transparency in the 2020 elections. Read more in Ezega News.

• USAID have agreed to provide €200,000 in assistance to fund the World Health Organisation’s response to a measles outbreak in Samoa. The funding will support vaccination across the island and Hawaiian doctors already on the ground in Samoa. The WHO is also providing technical assistance and training to Samoan health workers. Read more in Nigeria News.

• The Azerbaijani government has announced $7 million of their budget will be allocated to membership in international donor organisations, including the Asian Development Bank and European bank for Reconstruction and Development. Read more in Azer News.