Today, we took the opportunity of hearing from Simon O’Connor, Head of Secretariat for the Ukraine Donor Platform (UDP, https://ukrainedonorplatform.com), in a detailed discussion about the platform’s crucial role in supporting Ukraine. Simon, an official with over 25 years of experience in policy and communications, took up his role in July 2024 and provided invaluable … Read more
The 2025 Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC) emerged as a pivotal forum for advancing global sustainability agendas amid escalating geopolitical fragmentation and economic uncertainty. With 1,600 participants from 110 countries, the conference prioritized actionable outcomes, producing landmark agreements such as the Hamburg Declaration on Responsible AI for the SDGs and the Global Alliance against Inequality[1][2][3]. This … Read more
The European Union’s vision for sustainable global partnerships is embodied in two key frameworks: Team Europe Initiatives (TEIs) and the Global Gateway (GG) strategy. These frameworks aim to foster coordinated efforts among EU Member States, mobilize investments, and drive transformative impacts in partner countries. However, bringing this vision to life requires the expertise and innovation … Read more
Series Evaluation Insights for Policy and Programming Increasing Sierra Leone’s Competitiveness through Enhanced Productivity and Trade Compliance in Selected Value Chains Context Sierra Leone’s economy is heavily dependent on mining, making it structurally vulnerable to external shocks. Agriculture accounts for nearly half of GDP and employs more than three-quarters of the population, yet micro, small, … Read more
Karsten Weitzenegger is a member of Europa-Union Hamburg e.V. — the non-partisan association that has championed a united Europe for 75 years and counts approximately 17,000 members across Germany. As an international development consultant who works daily with European institutions — from the European Commission to EU Delegations worldwide — this membership is not a … Read more
Global Gateway: The EU launches new regional initiatives in Africa to boost youth mobility and skills, including the unique Africa-Europe Youth Academy Today at the Global Gateway High-Level Event on Education in Brussels, European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen launched new regional programmes boosting youth mobility and skills in Africa. The Team Europe Initiative on Opportunity-driven Skills … Read more
New partnership with the world’s largest youth organisations to support young people contributing to the SDGs The European Commission and the world’s largest youth organisations, the “Big Six”, announced a partnership to launch the EU Youth Empowerment Fund, to be implemented through the Global Youth Mobilization (GYM). It marks the first anniversary of the Youth Action Plan for … Read more
We had a discussion today among colleagues of INTRAC and other leading organisations on decolonising consultancy. Here are some thoughts about it. Please follow INTRAC and join the discussion: https://www.intrac.org/tag/decolonising-consultancy/ Is international development consulting colonial? In certain ways, international development consulting can be characterised as colonial, however it is crucial to emphasize that this definition … Read more
European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, announced a new EU programme worth €60 million to step up action against inequalities and to promote inclusive and equal societies in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Commissioner made the announcement at the EU – Latin America and Caribbean Forum bringing together civil society, youth and local … Read more
Series Evaluation Insights for Policy and Programming Context The Amazon rainforest faces accelerating deforestation driven by conventional agriculture, illegal land use change, and the absence of economically viable alternatives for local communities. As Brazil committed under the Paris Agreement to halt illegal deforestation by 2030, promoting sustainable production systems in Amazonia became both a national … Read more
Directorate-General (DG) International Cooperation and Development will officially become DG International Partnerships (DG INTPA) on 16 January 2021. The new title, mission statement and structure reflect the important role of international partnerships in shaping a stronger role for the EU globally, in eradicating poverty, advancing towards the Sustainable Development Goals and promoting democracy, human rights … Read more
Scientists call for urgent, targeted, action to avoid reversing the development gains of recent decades New relationship between people and nature is needed as climate change and biodiversity loss threaten progress New York, 11 September—Achieving human well-being and eradicating poverty for all of the Earth’s people—expected to number eight and a half billion by 2030—is … Read more
