Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: APO – Report:

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The World Bank is expanding support for Zambia’s watershed management and forest conservation, approving the second phase of the Transforming Landscapes for Resilience and Development (TRALARD II) project aimed to improve sustainable management of over 680,000 hectares of land and enhance livelihood resilience for over 650,000 people in targeted vulnerable communities of Zambia’s Miombo ecoregion.

With investments of $137 million, TRALARD II builds on the successes of TRALARD and will help the Zambian government expand its efforts to address highly vulnerable regions, including the Southern Province to promote climate-resilient livelihoods and support green jobs in priority sectors.

“TRALARD II is a powerful example of how climate action can be community-driven and inclusive. By investing in climate-smart agriculture, restoring degraded landscapes, and modernizing hydromet services, it will help Zambian communities enhance resilience to climate change,” said Achim Fock, World Bank Country Manager for Zambia.

The project also promotes sustainable, rural economic activities with a focus on strengthening value chains and market access to promote livelihoods that reduce exploitation of natural resources. Through TRALARD II, the World Bank is contributing to Zambia’s National Green Growth Strategy (NGGS) which guides Zambia’s transition to a low carbon, resource efficient, resilient, and socially inclusive economy by 2030.

TRALARD II will also contribute to government efforts to improve participatory land-use and water resource planning, weather monitoring and forecasting, enhancing the quality and reliability of meteorological data to support timely and accurate climate forecasts. It will also support strengthening institutional and technical capacities within the Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) and other relevant institutions. It will work with local communities to protect existing forest reserves and support establishment of new Community Forest Management Groups (CFMGs).

A new jurisdictional Emission Reduction Program will also be developed to strengthen Zambia’s capacity to participate in carbon markets and generate additional resources that can be re-invested in the landscape to improve rural livelihoods.

“TRALARD II reflects the World Bank’s commitment to support Zambia’s efforts to combat climate change through inclusive, community-driven solutions. TRALARD II deploys a whole-of-society approach to promote socioeconomic development needs of local communities and nature-based solutions within the broader landscape by integrating ecological, social, and economic factors. This approach helps protect ecosystems and create economic opportunities for rural communities,” said Elisson Wright, World Bank Senior Environmental Finance Specialist.

The project financing includes an International Development Association (IDA)* grant in the amount of $100 million and the following grant resources: $3 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), $7 million from the Least Developed Countries Fund for Climate Change (LDCF), $10 million from the Africa Climate and People Trust Fund (ACP) funded by the Nordic Development Fund (NDF), $10 million from the Strategic Climate Fund (SCF)/Climate Investment Fund (CIF), and $7 million from the Scaling Climate Action by Lowering Emissions Multi-Donor Trust Fund (SCALE).

*The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 78 poorest countries, 40 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.3 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960, IDA has provided $563 billion to 116 countries. Annual commitments have increased steadily and averaged about $34.5 billion over the last three years (FY22-FY24), with about 70 percent going to Africa. Learn more online: IDA.worldbank.org. #IDAworks

– on behalf of The World Bank Group.

Source: APO – Report:

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Systemic racism against Africans and people of African descent in criminal justice systems around the world is pervasive and deeply entrenched, the UN International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement published a new report today.

The report identifies twelve key elements needed for criminal justice systems to eliminate racism and discrimination against Africans and people of African descent. These elements include the elimination of violations such as racial profiling or discrimination in access to bail and parole, and fundamental issues such as adequate training, the use of disaggregated data and the diversity and fair representation of Africans and people of African descent across the justice chain. Other highlighted promising practices include racial and cultural impact assessments, sentence reviews, and restorative justice measures with alternatives to incarceration.

“The overrepresentation of people of African descent in prisons and detention facilities across multiple countries is both a consequence and a symptom of systemic biases in criminal legal systems,” the report said. “Racial stereotypes falsely portraying Africans and people of African descent as inherently criminal not only influence individual decisions by police, judges and prosecutors but also distort entire justice systems.”

“The historical origins of many legal and law enforcement institutions – established during colonial rule or rooted in racially oppressive systems – continue to shape contemporary practices,” the report said. “These disparities are part of a pattern of institutional racism rooted in the enduring legacies of colonialism, enslavement and segregation.”

“All these violations are at high risk of continuing to increase in the current global context. We call on all States to implement these recommendations. We need to work together to overcome systemic racism against Africans and people of African descent in the criminal justice system,” Akua Kuenyehia, the Chair of the Expert Mechanism said.  

The Expert Mechanism will present its report to the Human Rights Council on 1 October 2025 in the Assembly Hall of the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, together with its report of the country visit to Belgium.

– on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Source: APO – Report:

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The UN’s Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan has condemned in the strongest terms a deadly drone strike allegedly carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the Al-Safiya Mosque and adjacent homes in El Fasher, North Darfur, on 19 September. Calling for immediate action to protect civilians, the Mission warned that El Fasher remains under siege and at grave risk of further attacks, with civilians facing extreme danger.

The attack, which took place during dawn prayers, reportedly killed at least 75 worshippers, including children, and injured many others. It is the latest, and the most devastating, in a series of assaults on religious and cultural sites during Sudan’s ongoing conflict.

“Killing civilians, including children, while in prayer in a mosque shows a blatant disregard for the most fundamental principles of international law,” said Mohamed Chande Othman, Chair of the Fact-Finding Mission. “Those responsible must be held accountable.”

In its report presented to the Human Rights Council on 8 September, the Mission indicated its receipt of credible allegations of similar attacks on other places of worship by both warring parties, including the shelling of churches in El Fasher by the RSF and the bombing of mosques and of a Baptist church in Wad Madani and Khartoum by the Sudanese Armed Forces.

“Places of worship should be sanctuaries, not targets,” said Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, expert member of the Fact-Finding Mission. “This strike deepens the trauma of communities already suffering starvation, displacement and sexual violence. The world cannot look away while civilians are attacked in their most sacred spaces.”

The Mission stressed that attacks directed against cultural property and religious sites are flagrant violations of international humanitarian and human rights law that may amount to war crimes. It underscored that intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated inter alia to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, and historic monuments constitute war crimes, provided these sites are not military objectives. The onus falls on the attacking side to prove the military objective.

“Sudan’s rich and diverse religious and cultural tapestry forms part of its shared heritage,” said Mona Rishmawi, expert member of the Mission. “Deliberate attacks on worshippers, mosques, churches, and cultural sites risk erasing identity and dignity. The International Criminal Court has already condemned individuals for the intentional destruction of religious and cultural sites in other conflicts. The Fact-Finding Mission will continue to investigate these grave acts and seek accountability.”

The Mission called for concrete measures by all parties to protect civilians and safeguard and protect religious and cultural buildings.

“Every day of delay results in more bloodshed,” Othman said. “Justice and protection demand immediate action.”

– on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Source: APO – Report:

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The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) (https://IsDBInstitute.org/) is pleased to announce opening of nominations for the IsDB Prize for Impactful Achievement in Islamic Economics (Knowledge Contribution) for the year 1447H (2026).

This cycle of the Prize is in the Knowledge Contribution category, aimed to recognize, reward, and encourage significant knowledge contributions in areas related to Islamic economics that have the potential to solve major economic and financial challenges of IsDB Member Countries.

Individuals and institutions are invited to nominate other individuals and institutions whose contributions to knowledge are groundbreaking and have a substantial effect on people’s lives and economic progress in accordance with Islamic principles. Self-nomination is not accepted for this category of the Prize.

The prize comes with a US$ 50,000 award for the first-place winner, US$ 30,000 for second place, and US$ 20,000 for third place.

The nominated contributions should have been made within the previous seven years and be potentially replicable elsewhere.

The nomination is a two-step process that can be initiated by visiting the ‘How to Apply’ (http://apo-opa.co/4mvmSVi) page on the  IsDB Prize Portal (http://apo-opa.co/3Vv7I7B). The first step is the registration of the nominator/applicant, which is open until 11 December 2025. The second step is for the nominator/applicant to upload the nomination form details and any relevant files before 14 December 2025.

For more information about the prize and nomination procedure, visit the IsDB Prize Portal (http://apo-opa.co/46DGL6T) or contact us on isdbprize@isdb.org.

The prize winner and runners-up will be honored at a ceremony during the 2026 IsDB Group Annual Meetings on a date to be announced in due course.

– on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI).

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About the Islamic Development Bank Institute:
The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) is the knowledge beacon of the Islamic Development Bank Group. Guided by the principles of Islamic economics and finance, the IsDB Institute leads the development of innovative knowledge-based solutions to support the sustainable economic advancement of IsDB Member Countries and various Muslim communities worldwide. The IsDB Institute enables economic development through pioneering research, human capital development, and knowledge creation, dissemination, and management. The Institute leads initiatives to enable Islamic finance ecosystems, ultimately helping Member Countries achieve their development objectives. More information about the IsDB Institute is available on https://IsDBInstitute.org/