Increased commitment to tackle melting glaciers, and other news (5 November 2019)

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

• Jamaica have signed a memorandum of understanding with USAID for increased cooperation towards disaster risk reduction and disaster risk financing. Jamaica is currently partnered with the World Bank to develop a country-specific disaster risk finance policy, in order to ensure economic reforms made in the last five years aren’t reversed by natural disaster. Read more in Jamaica Observer.

• The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and NGOs for the Middle East and North Africa region held the first regional humanitarian consultation to build an effective crisis response and humanitarian preparedness. Read more in Africa News.

• USAID’s High Value Agriculture Activity in Moldova will provide around 1.4 million lei of grants to increase the number of irrigated areas in Moldova. The project runs until 2021 and aims to develop the agriculture sector to boost economic growth in rural areas. Read more in Moldpres.

• Nine international banks, including the Asian Development Bank, Korea Development Bank, and Netherlands Development Finance Company, have agreed to invest $453 million for expanding hydropower in Nepal which also aims attract increased foreign direct investment. Read more in My Republica (Nepal).

• Through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, USAID will provide 60,000 people living with HIV is Lagos, Nigeria, with treatment, with a particular emphasis on anti-retroviral treatment in the area. Read more in All Africa.

• The United Nations High Mountain Summit and World Meteorological Organisation have announced an increase in commitment and activity to manage the dealing with rapid melting of glaciers, snow fields, and permafrost ecosystems. Read more in Associated Press of Pakistan.