The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Bank today signed a new Co-Financing Framework Agreement to expand joint investment in rural transformation and food systems. Signed during the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in Bangkok, the agreement will strengthen collaboration between the two institutions. It aims to build resilience and promote entrepreneurship and job creation in rural areas, at a time when the largest generation of young people in history is reaching working age amid slowing growth and increasing economic uncertainty.

“Together, the World Bank and IFAD bring the scale, reach and expertise to transform rural economies and agrifood systems,” said Alvaro Lario, President of IFAD. “This agreement will enable us to turn our shared ambition into greater investment, more jobs, stronger resilience and improved food security for millions of people.

Eighty-six students from Addis Ababa University Journalism school have completed a Mobile Journalism and Information Verification training programme delivered in four cohorts from September 28 to October 10, 2026, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The programme equipped aspiring journalists with practical skills in mobile storytelling, digital content creation, and information verification while creating opportunities for professional networking and career development.

The training concluded on October 10 with a certificate-awarding ceremony and a networking event that brought students together with media professionals and representatives from media organisations. The initiative aimed to strengthen participants’ practical journalism skills and connect them with potential opportunities in the media industry.

Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) Executive Secretary Claver Gatete urged African countries to turn the commitments of the Pact for the Future into development programmes backed by adequate financing and measurable results, as he addressed African leaders and senior United Nations officials in New York.

Speaking at a high-level meeting on 22 September, on the margins of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Gatete called for closer alignment between the Pact, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and national development plans and budgets, while addressing debt, high borrowing costs and other barriers to investment.

Adopted in September 2024, the Pact sets out 56 actions covering sustainable development, peace and security, science and technology, youth and future generations, and global governance.

The meeting assessed progress two years after its adoption and the challenges ahead of the 2028 review.

Government officials and experts concluded a three-day interregional workshop in Addis Ababa focused on translating multidimensional poverty evidence into more inclusive, sustainable and shock-responsive social protection systems. Discussions focused on translating evidence on multidimensional poverty and country experiences into practical reforms to expand coverage, improve coordination, and secure sustainable financing.

Held at the United Nations Conference Centre from 7 to 9 October, the workshop was co-organized by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), with technical support from the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI).

Participants, including representatives of Member States, emphasized the importance of stronger coordination across institutions and programmes to reduce fragmentation and improve social protection responses, particularly during shocks and crises.