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J. Tuyet Nguyen, a journalist with years of experience, has covered major stories in New York City and the United Nations for United Press International, the German Press Agency dpa and various newspapers. His reports focused mostly on topics with international interests for readers worldwide. He was president of the United Nations Correspondents Association (2007 and 2008), which is composed of more than 250 journalists representing world media with influence over policy decision makers. He has chaired the organization of the annual UNCA Awards, which seeks to reward journalists around the world who have done the best broadcasts and written reports on the UN and its specialized agencies. He has traveled the world to cover events and write stories, from politics to the environment as well cultures of different regions. But his most important reporting work has been with the United Nations since the early 1980s. He was bureau chief of United Press International office at the UN headquarters before joining dpa in 1997. Prior to working at the UN, he was an editor on the International Desk of UPI World Headquarters in New York. He worked in Los Angeles and covered the final months of war in Vietnam for UPI.

US severe cuts in funding will devastate global development and humanitarian programs, UN chief warns

New York, February 28, 2025 – The Trump administration’s abrupt cancellation of the US foreign aid will have damaging impact on critical programs ranging from lifesaving humanitarian work, development projects, counterterrorism and initiatives to combat drug trafficking, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned.

“The consequences will be especially devastating for vulnerable people around the world,” Guterres told reporters at the UN Headquarters the day after the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) confirmed that the US has cut $377 million worth of funding to the UN reproductive and sexual health agency.

UNFPA said it was informed that nearly all of its grants – 48 as of now – with USAID and the US State Department have been terminated and the cut will lead to potentially “devasting impacts” on women and girls worldwide.

.“This decision will have devastating impacts on women and girls and the health and aid workers who serve them in the world’s worst humanitarian crises,” the UN specialized agency said.

It said the USAID grants were meant to provide critical maternal healthcare, protection from violence, rape treatment and other lifesaving care in humanitarian settings. This includes UNFPA’s work to end maternal death, safely deliver babies and address horrific violence faced by women and girls in places like Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine.

UNFPA said it has partnered with 150 countries to provide access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services and its goals had been to  prevent maternal death, gender-based violence and harmful practices, including child marriage and female genital mutilation by 2030.

“These termination notices include grants for which we had previously received humanitarian waivers, as they were considered lifesaving interventions for the world’s most vulnerable women and girls,” UNFPA said.

The grants funded programs in countries including Afghanistan, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Mali, Sudan, Syria and its neighboring countries, as well as Ukraine.

UN chief thanks US “leading role” in humanitarian and development aid.

The UN chief expressed the UN’s gratitude for the US “leading role” in foreign aid thanks to US taxpayers’ dollars and other donors, which had provided humanitarian assistance to more than 100 million people each year through UN programs. But he pointed that the cuts came at a time when global crises are intensifying, leaving millions at risk of hunger, disease and displacement.

Guterres said more than nine million people in Afghanistan could lose access to health and protection services, as hundreds of mobile health teams and other critical programs face suspension because of the US aid cuts. The cuts will affect 2.5 million people in northeast Syria who require humanitarian assistance and already are creating difficulties to inhabitants in Ukraine, South Sudan and Sudan and others countries where humanitarian programs depended on US aid.

The cuts will force the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to halt many counter-narcotics operations, including those targeting the fentanyl crisis and dramatically scale back its activities against human trafficking. They will also cancel health programs combatting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and cholera, Guterres said.

“The generosity and compassion of the American people have not only saved lives, built peace and improved the state of the world. They have contributed to the stability and prosperity that Americans depend on,” Guterres said and urged the US Government to reconsider the funding cuts and warned that reducing America’s humanitarian role would have far-reaching consequences, not only for those in need but also for global stability.

“Going through with these cuts will make the world less healthy, less safe, and less prosperous,” he said. “The reduction of America’s humanitarian role and influence will run counter to American interests globally. We look forward to working with the United States in this regard.”  (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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Ballooning Debt Service Payments in Poorest Countries Reach Alarming Levels, UNDP warns


In advance of the G20 Finance Ministers meeting in South Africa, the UN Development Programme has released a new policy brief Development Gives Way to Debt, which offers a call for urgent and immediate debt stress relief for the poorest countries. The new analysis found that interest payments of 56 development countries exceed 10 percent of their government revenue, while 17 countries among them pay more than 20 percent. Development spending trade-offs for staggeringly high debt servicing demands is having devastating consequences for the world’s poorest countries.  UNDP recommends an urgent debt restructuring and an overhaul of the borrowing system to address debt stress. It calls for an immediate fiscal lifeline for developing countries and urgent overhaul of the borrowing system.

Cape Town, 25 February 2025 – The debt crisis facing many developing countries is reaching new heights not seen in more than two decades resulting in devastating development trade-offs, according to a new policy brief by UNDP. 

A new policy brief, released ahead of the G20 Ministers of Finance and Central Bank Governors meeting in Cape Town, warns that debt vulnerability indicators remain alarmingly elevated, and are only worsening. Debt servicing is consuming a high and growing share of national revenue in developing countries-, particularly in Least Developed Countries.

Currently, interest payments exceed 10 percent of government revenue in 56 developing countries – nearly double the number from a decade ago. Among them, 17 countries spend more than 20 percent on interest payments, a threshold strongly linked to default risk.

“The debt-development trade-offs threaten a lost decade of development progress for many of the world’s poorest nations,” said Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator. “The international community must not wait until the last minute to provide tangible financial lifelines. A new debt relief initiative makes financial and political sense.” 

The total external public debt for the 31 poorest countries currently in or at high risk of debt distress is estimated at $205 billion – less than a third of the 2021 IMF Special Drawing Rights allocation, which predominantly went to wealthy countries, and less than one year of total official development assistance (ODA) from the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee.

UNDP’s analysis stresses that without better access to more effective debt relief, many developing countries risk long-term solvency crises.

In 2023, developing economies’ total external debt servicing reached a record $1.4 trillion. The poorest countries have been hit hardest, with debt servicing costs tripling and interest payments quadrupling over the past decade, totaling an estimated $36 billion.

Looking ahead to the International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain, this June, UNDP is urging policymakers to prioritize three key debt policy reforms:

  • A more effective and orderly debt restructuring framework – ensuring all developing countries access when needed.
  • A systemic debt relief initiative – to support the poorest countries in breaking the vicious cycle of underinvestment in development. 
  • Reducing excessively high borrowing costs – to allow developing countries to invest in long-term growth.

“Forums like the G20 have an important role in shaping long-term financing solutions that promote sustainable growth opportunities” UNDP Administrator Steiner said. “Critical priorities like debt stress are reaching a tipping point that require bold, immediate action to create a path towards growth and stability for those who need it most.”

To read the full Policy Brief, visit www.undp.org/publications/undp-debt-update-development-gives-way-debt

 Press release (English / French / Spanish): https://www.undp.org/press-releases/ballooning-debt-service-payments-poorest-countries-reach-alarming-levels-undp-warns

Media contacts:

Anna Ortubia | Communications Specialist | anna.ortubia@undp.org

Lesley Wright | Communications Specialist | lesley.wright@undp.org

Victor Garrido Delgado | Media Specialist | victor.garrido.delgado@undp.org

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UN supports Ukraine’s demand for Russia to withdraw troops, a peaceful resolution of the 3-year-old war

New York, February 24, 2025 – The UN marked the third anniversary of the war in Ukraine with its two main bodies – the General Assembly and Security Council – holding discussion and votes on resolutions that called for an end to the war.

The assembly voted to support a European Union-backed Ukrainian resolution that demanded an immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine as the war in that country entered a fourth year.

However, the 193-nation assembly dismissed the brief resolution submitted by the United States, which said, “The General Assembly, Mourning the tragic loss of life throughout the Russian Federation-Ukraine conflict, Reiterating that the principal purpose of the United Nations, as expressed in the Charter of the United Nations, is to maintain international peace and security and to peacefully settle disputes, Implores a swift end to the conflict and further urges a lasting peace between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.”

The assembly adopted the Ukrainian text with a 93-18 vote while 65 countries abstained. The resolution called for a “de-escalation, an early cessation of hostilities and a peaceful resolution of the war against Ukraine.” It said the war resulted in enormous destruction and human suffering, including among the civilian population.

It reiterated “the urgent need to end the war this year, and to redouble diplomatic efforts to reduce the risks of further escalation and achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, consistent with the UN Charter, including its principles of sovereign equality and territorial integrity of States.

It recalled “the need for full implementation of its relevant resolutions adopted in response to the aggression against Ukraine, in particular its demand that the Russian Federation immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, and its demand for an immediate cessation of the hostilities by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, in particular of any attacks against civilians and civilian objects.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a statement reminding that the war was caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

“Monday 24 February marks three years since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in clear violation of the United Nations Charter and international law,” Guterres said.

“On this tragic occasion, I reaffirm the urgent need for a just, sustainable and comprehensive peace – one that fully upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, in accordance with the UN Charter, international law, and resolutions of the General Assembly.

“Eighty years after the end of the Second World War, the war in Ukraine stands as a grave threat not only to the peace and security of Europe but also to the very foundations and core principles of the United Nations.

“Enough is Enough. After three years of death and destruction, I once again call for urgent de-escalation and an immediate end to the hostilities. I welcome all efforts towards achieving a just and inclusive peace. The United Nations stands ready to support such efforts.”

Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said one third of the current Ukrainian population are in desperate need of humanitarian aid.

“Their plight should be uppermost in everyone’s minds, even as political events take centre stage.”

Grandi said about 10.6 million people have been forced from their homes, seeking safety either within Ukraine or abroad. “Most fled during the terrifying early stages of the Russian invasion, but massive and incessant aerial attacks continue to kill, injure and displace people every day. In the last six months alone, more than 200,000 people have been evacuated from frontline areas in the east and north,” he said. Grandi said the relentless attacks on critical civilian infrastructure, including energy plants, have left many without heat and electricity. More than 2 million homes across the country – 10 per cent of the housing stock – have been damaged or destroyed.

The UN said the war in Ukraine has killed more than 12,000 civilians and injured more than 20,000 others.

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UN supports a sovereign Palestinian state, rejects any form of ethnic cleansing in Gaza

New York, February 5, 2025 – In remarks to a UN conference on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres renewed support for a two-state solution to end the crisis in the Middle East and rejected any suggestion to relocate the Palestinians.

Guterres’ remarks followed statements made by US President Donald Trump to relocate Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan and for the US to “take over the Gaza Strip,” which has suffered heavy human losses and destruction in the enclave during the Israel-Hamas war that started on October 7, 2023. A ceasefire reached by both sides appeared to have ended the conflict.

Trump said during a press conference held with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on February 4 that

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip. I do see a long-term ownership position, and I see it bringing great stability to that part of the Middle East, and maybe the entire Middle East.”

Guterres said, “In the search for solutions, we must not make the problem worse. It is vital to stay true to the bedrock of international law.  It is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing.”

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric was asked at the daily briefing at UN Headquarters in New York whether Trump’s statements regarding the Palestinians amounted to ethnic cleansing. He said, “Any forced displacement of people is tantamount to ethnic cleansing.”

At the meeting of the UN Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Guterres said “at its essence, the exercise of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people is about the right of Palestinians to simply live as human beings in their own land.”

“Of course, nothing justifies the horrific Hamas attacks of October 7. And nothing justifies what we have seen unfold in Gaza over these last many months. We all know too well the catalogue of destruction and unspeakable horrors,” he said, referring to the nearly 50,000 people — 70% of them women and children — who have been reported killed and the destruction of most of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure.

“I thank the mediators —Egypt, Qatar, and the United States— for the continued efforts to ensure implementation. Now is the time to be crystal clear about objectives going forward,” he said.

He urged governments, donors and the international community to fully fund humanitarian operations in Gaza and the essential work of the UN refugee agency known as UNRWA.

Ambassador Riad Mansour, the Permanent Representative of the State of Palestine, said the ceasefire must become permanent and cover the entire Occupied Palestinian Territory, UN News reported. It said Mansour called for all the provisions in the ceasefire to be implemented, including the reconstruction of Gaza and freedom for people to return to areas where they were displaced from.

Mansour also highlighted responsibilities and objectives to be achieved by the end of the year, starting with defending UNRWA “because it is the most successful story of multilateralism and the United Nations since its inception.”

The UN agency provides healthcare, education and social services for more than five million Palestine refugees in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and elsewhere in the Middle East. (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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US closes agency for international development, withdraws from UN agencies

New York, February 5, 2025 – With a brief announcement on its website, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has abruptly ended its role as the world’s largest donor to humanitarian activities that have assisted millions of at-risk people in over 130 countries. USAID, with an annual budget of $40 billion, also funded major UN humanitarian programs, but those money may dry out quickly.

On February 7, most of the more than 10,000 direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally. The announcement on the USAID website said simply, “Thank you for your service.”

“On Friday, February 7, 2025, at 11:59 pm (EST) all USAID direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs. Essential personnel expected to continue working will be informed by Agency leadership by Thursday, February 6, at 3:00pm (EST),” the announcement said.

It said plans are being worked out to allow USAID personnel working overseas to return to the US within 30 days and their contracts with the agency will be terminated if it is determined that they are not essential.

The Trump administration has decided to withdraw from the World Health Organization, the UN Human Rights Council, the Paris Climate Agreement and is considering to exit the UN Population Fund and the UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It has stopped funding the Palestinian relief agency UNRWA.

UN humanitarians have decried the Trump administration’s funding pause of billions of dollars and warned of deadly consequences if life-saving assistance is terminated for millions of people. USAID has supported programs from education and development to health and environmental protection around the world for decades.

Pio Smith, the regional director for Asia and the Pacific of the UN Population Fund, told journalists in Geneva that his agency “has suspended services funded by US grants that provide a lifeline for women and girls in crises, including in South Asia” as a result of the US decision, UN News reported.

Smith warned that the absence of US financial support will likely result in 1,200 additional maternal deaths and 109,000 additional unintended pregnancies between 2025 and 2028 in Afghanistan. He said his agency was seeking “more clarity” from the administration “as to why our programs are being impacted, particularly those which we would hope would be exempt” on humanitarian grounds.

Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said his agency’s country offices were “in close contact” with local US embassies to better understand how the situation will unfold, UN News said.

Laerke said the US government funded around 47 per cent of the global humanitarian appeal across the world last year; “that gives you an indication of how much it matters when we are in the situation we are in right now, with the messaging we’re getting from the government”.

 “Women give birth alone in unsanitary conditions,” Laerke said. “The risk of obstetric fistula is heightened, newborns die from preventable causes; survivors of gender-based violence have nowhere to turn for medical or psychological support.”

“We hope that the US Government will retain its position as a global leader in development and continue to work with UNFPA to alleviate the suffering of women and their families as a result of catastrophes they did not cause.”

UNFPA said the lack of US funds in Afghanistan will affect more than nine million people who are expected to lose access to health and protection services.

“Every two hours, a mother dies from preventable pregnancy complications, making Afghanistan one of the deadliest countries in the world for women to give birth. Without UNFPA’s support, even more lives will be lost at a time when the rights of Afghan women and girls are already being torn to pieces,” the agency said.

The agency said 1.7 million people in Pakistan, including 1.2 million Afghan refugees, will suffer from the USAID closure as these people will be cut off from lifesaving sexual and reproductive health services with the closure of over 60 health facilities. It said nearly 600,000 people in Bangladesh, including Rohingya refugees, face losing access to critical maternal and reproductive health services.

The agency said it needs more than $308 million to sustain essential services in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan in 2025.

(By J. Tuyet Nguyen)


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Global Leaders Call for Action on AI and Regional Reforms at World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025

  • The DRC announced the creation of the world’s largest tropical forest reserve.
  • Other leaders who addressed the meeting included the prime ministers of Malaysia and Spain, UN secretary-general, foreign ministers of the Palestinian Authority and Syria, and Iran’s vice-president for strategic affairs.
  • Social media reform in Europe and closer regional integration in Asia were among the key themes, with optimism expressed for Middle East progress.
  • Follow the Annual Meeting here and on social media using #WEF25. (Following is a News Release from WEF)


Davos, Switzerland, 22 January 2025 – President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo announced today at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 the creation of the world’s largest tropical forest reserve. The Kivu to Kinshasa Green Corridor Reserve will protect over 550,000 square kilometres of forest throughout the Congo River Basin.
 
This historic, unprecedented initiative will transform not only our natural landscapes, but also the livelihoods of millions of our citizens,” he said, adding that the initiative goes far beyond environmental preservation and includes economic development.
 
As he prepares to assume the ASEAN chairmanship, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed optimism about the 10-nation union’s future and Malaysia’s role in it. “The spirit of collaboration and esprit de corps between [ASEAN] leaders is unique,” he said, pointing to the contributions that closer regional integration in green energy has made to Malaysia’s emergence as a high-tech manufacturing powerhouse.
 
Anwar noted that while the US remained the largest single investor in Malaysia, the nation’s “closeness, investment and trade with China” are growing. Stressing the importance of dialogue over conflict, he remarked: “We don’t go to war or threaten – we discuss, get a little angry, but focus on economic fundamentals and move on.”
 
In a special address, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for a reform of social media governance across the European Union to curb misinformation and cyber harassment. He urged for stronger enforcement of the Digital Services Act and expanded powers for the European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency. He emphasized that “the values of the European Union are not for sale” and called for increased funding for research into social media algorithms to ensure Europe’s brightest minds address this critical challenge.
 
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a stark warning about two escalating global threats: the unchecked expansion of artificial intelligence and the climate crisis. These challenges, he warned, pose unprecedented risks to humanity and demand immediate, unified action from governments and the private sector.
 
On artificial intelligence, Guterres acknowledged its immense potential but cautioned against the risks of leaving AI ungoverned. He emphasized the need for international collaboration, pointing to the Global Digital Compact adopted at the United Nations as a roadmap for harnessing digital technology responsibly. “We must collaborate so that all countries and people benefit from AI’s promise and potential to support development and social and economic progress for all,” he said. He also called on the private sector not to backtrack on their climate commitments, and for governments to “keep their promise to produce new, economy-wide national climate action plans this year.”
 
Palestinian Authority Foreign Affairs Minister Varsen Aghabekian expressed cautious optimism following the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. ”Optimism is not a choice; it is a must,” adding that she hopes the ceasefire brings something more sustainable in the future. Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Aghabekian underscored the need for immediate relief efforts and long-term planning. “We have to ensure that the aid is reaching the people,” she said.
 
Weeks after the sudden collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hasan AlShaibani outlined the new government’s plans. “We will not look to the past. We will look to the future. And we promise to our people that this misery will not be repeated,” adding that the government will respect the rights of women and reject the sectarian division that has long plagued the country.
 
He also urged the removal of remaining sanctions, assuring the world Syria would no longer be a source of threats. “Thousands are returning to Syria and they need to help rebuild the country. Now we open a new page…We need Syria to be a country of peace.”
 
In a conversation with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Iranian Vice-President for Strategic Affairs Javad Zarif expressed hope that a second Trump presidency would reconsider his withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JPOA or the Iran nuclear deal) in 2018, during his first administration, and would be “more serious, more focused, more realistic” about the cost of his withdrawal from the agreement.
 
“In terms of being able to dissuade Iran, [the withdrawal from JCPOA] has failed,” he said. “It has imposed heavy economic costs on the Iranian people. Of course, the Iranian government is suffering, but the Iranian people and the most vulnerable groups in Iran are suffering the most,” Zarif said.
 
About the Annual Meeting 2025
The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025, taking place in Davos-Klosters from 20 to 24 January, convenes global leaders under the theme Collaboration for the Intelligent Age. The meeting will foster new partnerships and insights to shape a more sustainable, inclusive future in an era of rapidly advancing technology, focusing on five key areas: Reimagining Growth, Industries in the Intelligent Age, Investing in People, Safeguarding the Planet, and Rebuilding TrustClick here to learn more.
 
Notes to editors
Read Forum Stories also in Spanish Mandarin Japanese
Learn about the Forum’s impact
Follow the Forum on social media: X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | TikTok | Weibo | Threads | WhatsApp | YouTube | WeChat
Check out the Forum’s Strategic Intelligence Platform and Transformation Maps
Watch Forum videos at wef.ch/videos | YouTube
Get Forum podcasts at wef.ch/podcasts | YouTube
Subscribe to Forum news releases


The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. (www.weforum.org).

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Healthier Women, Stronger Economies: The Case for Investing in Women’s Health

New World Economic Forum research finds that closing the women’s health gap could unlock $400 billion in global GDP annually by 2040, highlighting the vast potential of investing in health equity.
Addressing nine key health conditions could cut the global disease burden by 27 million disability-adjusted life years annually, adding 2.5 healthy days per woman each year.
The Forum launches a new Women’s Health Impact Tracking platform, a publicly accessible tool designed to monitor and bridge the health gaps faced by millions of women worldwide.
Read the new report here and learn more about the Women’s Health Impact Tracking Platform here.
Follow the Annual Meeting here and on social media using #WEF25 (Following is a press release from the annual World Economic Forum taking place in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland)

Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 21 January 2025 – New research from the World Economic Forum reveals that addressing nine key health conditions could transform millions of lives and unlock $400 billion in global GDP annually by 2040, highlighting the vast economic opportunities of investing in women’s health.
 
The new report, Blueprint to Close the Women’s Health Gap: How to Improve Lives and Economies for Allpublished in collaboration with the McKinsey Health Institute (MHI), highlights that women live 25% more of their lives in poor health compared to men and shows how targeted action around nine key health conditions could reduce the global disease burden by 27 million disability-adjusted life years and add the equivalent of 2.5 healthy days per woman per year.  The nine conditions are divided into lifespan conditions, related to a total number of years lived (maternal hypertensive disorders, postpartum haemorrhage, ischemic heart disease, cervical cancer and breast cancer) and health span conditions, related to how many of those years are healthy (endometriosis, menopause, migraine and premenstrual syndrome).

As part of this initiative, the Forum, in collaboration with MHI, launches the Women’s Health Impact Tracking (WHIT), a publicly accessible tool designed to measure and address global health gaps and promote equitable, scalable solutions worldwide. By providing data-driven insights on health outcomes and economic opportunities, the platform highlights the urgent need for investment in three underfunded conditions: menopause, premenstrual syndrome and migraine, representing a $315 billion GDP opportunity.

“Measuring progress is essential for driving meaningful change and developing effective healthcare strategies tailored to women,” says Shyam Bishen, Head of the Centre for Health and Healthcare and member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum. “Despite the opportunity to add 2.5 additional healthy days to women’s lives, they are often overlooked due to a lack of sex-specific research – only 10% of clinical trials for ischemic heart disease and migraine report such data. The WHIT platform provides a vital tool to identify these gaps and offers actionable insights to close them.”

“It is time to count women, study women, care for women, invest in women and include all women,” adds Lucy Pérez, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and Co-leader of the McKinsey Health Institute. “Addressing these nine conditions can not only improve the lives of millions of women and unlock $400 billion of economic uplift – it provides a blueprint for scaling and tracking progress to close the broader women’s health gap.” 

The new report highlights critical disparities in women’s health outcomes, driven by gaps in data collection, research funding, clinical practice guidelines and healthcare delivery systems. The report emphasizes that improving data accuracy, increasing research funding for women-specific conditions and enhancing sex-based clinical guidelines could significantly reduce these disparities. Notably, while 54% of the women’s health burden occurs in low- and middle-income countries, only 23% of clinical trials focus on these regions.

The research identifies five key actions for stakeholders to address these imbalances and unlock the vast, untapped potential of greater health equity: Count women: Invest in better data collection to reveal the real burden of women’s health conditions. Study women: Fund research into female-specific health concerns and sex-based differences. Care for women: Ensure clinical guidelines reflect best practices tailored to women’s unique needs. Include all women: Address disparities affecting marginalized groups for broader health equity. Invest in women: Mobilize funding for innovative healthcare solutions and delivery models. “Healthier women form the foundation of stronger families, productive workplaces and resilient economies, and yet profound gender gaps in research and scientific innovation continue to deny women the basic tools, treatments and services they need to remain healthy,” says Anita Zaidi, Board Co-Chair of the Global Alliance for Women’s Health and President of Gender Equality at the Gates Foundation. “The Women’s Health Impact Tracking Platform fills a critical need by providing data that is both comprehensive enough to capture the complexity of women’s lives and simple enough to act on.”

The report issues a call to action to governments, the private sector, researchers, civil society and communities worldwide, while the WHIT platform and its data aggregation provide a practical resource to set agendas and allocate resources. Now is the time to act and ensure that every woman and girl can live healthier, more productive lives

About the Annual Meeting 2025
The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025, taking place in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, from 20 to 24 January, convenes global leaders under the theme, Collaboration for the Intelligent Age. The meeting will foster new partnerships and insights to shape a more sustainable, inclusive future in an era of rapidly advancing technology, focusing on five key areas: Reimagining Growth, Industries in the Intelligent Age, Investing in People, Safeguarding the Planet, and Rebuilding Trust. Click here to learn more.
 
Notes to editors
Read Forum Stories also in Spanish Mandarin Japanese
Learn about the Forum’s impact
Follow the Forum on social media: X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | TikTok | Weibo | Threads | WhatsApp | YouTube | WeChat
Check out the Forum’s Strategic Intelligence Platform and Transformation Maps
Watch Forum videos at wef.ch/videos | YouTube
Get Forum podcasts at wef.ch/podcasts | YouTube
Subscribe to Forum news releases
The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. (www.weforum.org).

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Global growth to remain subdued amid lingering uncertainty, warns UN report

Lower inflation and monetary easing offer relief, but trade tensions, high debt burdens, and geopolitical risks cloud the outlook. Following is a press release from the UN Department of Global Communications

New York, 9 January 2025 – Global economic growth is projected to remain at 2.8 per cent in 2025, unchanged from 2024, according to the United Nations flagship report, World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2025, released today. While the global economy has demonstrated resilience, withstanding a series of mutually reinforcing shocks, growth remains below the pre-pandemic average of 3.2 per cent, constrained by weak investment, sluggish productivity growth, and high debt levels.

The report notes that lower inflation and ongoing monetary easing in many economies could provide a modest boost to global economic activity in 2025. However, uncertainty still looms large, with risks stemming from geopolitical conflicts, rising trade tensions and elevated borrowing costs in many parts of the world. These challenges are particularly acute for low-income and vulnerable countries, where sub-par and fragile growth threatens to further undermine progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

The report is available on https://www.bit.ly/UN_WESP2025 and desapublications.un.org 
Hashtag: #WorldEconomyReport

“Countries cannot ignore these perils. In our interconnected economy, shocks on one side of the world push up prices on the other. Every country is affected and must be part of the solution—building on progress made,” said António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, in the foreword to the report. “We’ve set a path. Now it’s time to deliver. Together, let’s make 2025 the year we put the world on track for a prosperous, sustainable future for all.”

Regional economic outlook: Diverging growth prospects

Growth in the United States is projected to moderate from 2.8 per cent in 2024 to 1.9 per cent in 2025, as the labour market softens, and consumer spending slows. Europe is expected to recover modestly, with GDP growth increasing from 0.9 per cent in 2024 to 1.3 per cent in 2025, supported by easing inflation and resilient labour markets, though fiscal tightening and long-term challenges such as weak productivity growth and an ageing population, continue to weigh on the economic outlook.

East Asia is forecast to grow by 4.7 per cent in 2025—driven by China’s projected stable growth of 4.8 per cent—supported by robust private consumption across the region. South Asia is expected to remain the fastest-growing region, with GDP growth projected at 5.7 per cent in 2025, led by India’s robust 6.6 per cent expansion. Growth in Africa is forecast to rise modestly from 3.4 per cent in 2024 to 3.7 per cent in 2025, thanks to recoveries in major economies including Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa. However, conflicts, rising debt-servicing costs, lack of employment opportunities and increasing severity of climate-change impacts weigh on Africa’s outlook.

Trade rebound and monetary easing

Global trade is expected to grow by 3.2 per cent in 2025, following a rebound of 3.4 per cent in 2024 driven by improved exports of manufactured goods from Asia and strong services trade. However, trade tensions, protectionist policies, and geopolitical uncertainties are significant risks to the outlook. Global inflation is projected to decline from 4 per cent in 2024 to 3.4 per cent in 2025, providing some relief to households and businesses. Major central banks expected to further cut interest rates in 2025 as inflationary pressures continue to ease. While continuing to moderate, inflation in many developing countries is expected to remain above recent historical averages, with one in five projected to face double-digit levels in 2025.

Threats from high debt-servicing burdens and elevated food inflation

For developing economies, easing global financial conditions could help reduce borrowing costs, but access to capital remains uneven. Many low-income countries continue to grapple with high debt-servicing burdens and limited access to international financing. The report emphasizes that Governments should seize any fiscal space created by monetary easing to prioritize investments in sustainable development, especially in critical social sectors.

Despite easing global inflation, food inflation remains elevated, with nearly half of developing countries experiencing rates above 5 per cent in 2024. This has deepened food insecurity in low-income countries already facing extreme weather events, conflicts, and economic instability. The report warns that persistent food inflation, coupled with slow economic growth, could push millions further into poverty.

Critical minerals: A vital opportunity for accelerating sustainable development

The report highlights the potential of critical minerals for the energy transition—such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements—and also for accelerating progress towards the SDGs in many countries.

For resource-rich developing countries, rising global demand for critical minerals presents a unique opportunity to boost growth, create jobs, and increase public revenues for investment in sustainable development. However, the report warns that these opportunities come with significant risks. Poor governance, unsafe labour practices, environmental degradation, and over-reliance on volatile commodity markets could exacerbate inequalities and harm ecosystems, undermining long-term development gains.

“Critical minerals have immense potential to accelerate sustainable development, but only if managed responsibly,” said Li Junhua, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. “Governments must adopt forward-looking policies and comprehensive regulatory frameworks to drive sustainable extraction, equitable benefit-sharing, and investments in building productive capacities to maximize the development gains from these resources.”

Call for bold multilateral action

The report calls for bold multilateral action to address the interconnected crises of debt, inequality, and climate change. Monetary easing alone will not be sufficient to reinvigorate global growth or bridge widening disparities. Governments must avoid overly restrictive fiscal policies and instead focus on mobilizing investments in clean energy, infrastructure, and critical social sectors such as health and education.

Stronger international cooperation is also essential to manage the environmental, social, and economic risks associated with critical minerals. Harmonized sustainability standards, fair trade practices, and technology transfers are needed to ensure that developing countries can harness these resources responsibly and equitably.

~

The report is available on https://www.bit.ly/UN_WESP2025 and desapublications.un.org 
Hashtag: #WorldEconomyReport

Media Contacts:

Alex del Castello, UN Department of Global Communications, alexandra.delcastello@un.org

Helen Rosengren, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, rosengrenh@un.org

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2024 is one of worst years for children, over 473 million now live in conflict zones: UNICEF

New York, December 28, 2024 – The number of children affected by conflicts worldwide has doubled in the past 10 years with more than 473 million, or more than one in six globally, are now living in conflict zones or displaced due to violence, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said in a study.

The study said the number is expected to increase with ongoing conflicts like those in Haiti, Sudan, Gaza, Myanmar and Lebanon. It said 47.2 million children had been displaced by conflict and violence by the end of 2023 with trends in 2024 indicating additional displacement because of those conflicts. It said the percentage of children living in conflict zones has doubled from was around 10 percent in the 1990s to 19 percent this year.

“By almost every measure, 2024 has been one of the worst years on record for children in conflict in UNICEF’s history—both in terms of the number of children affected and the level of impact on their lives,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “A child growing up in a conflict zone is far more likely to be out of school, malnourished, or forced from their home—too often repeatedly—compared to a child living in places of peace. This must not be the new normal. We cannot allow a generation of children to become collateral damage to the world’s unchecked wars.”

The study said thousands of children have been killed and injured in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, and in Ukraine there had been more child casualties during the first 9 months of 2024 than during all of 2023.

In Haiti, it said there has been so far in 2024 a 1,000 percent increase in reported incidents of sexual violence against children. In situations of armed conflict, children with disabilities also tend to be disproportionately exposed to violence and rights violations.

It said children in the Gaza, and a significant portion of those in Sudan, have missed out on more than a year of education, while in countries such as Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Syria, schools have been damaged, destroyed or repurposed, leaving millions of children without access to learning.

“Education has been severely disrupted in conflict zones,” the study said. “More than 52 million children in countries affected by conflict are estimated to be out of school. The destruction of educational infrastructure and insecurity near schools have exacerbated an already dire situation for children’s education in these regions.”

Malnutrition has also risen to “alarming levels” for children living in zones of conflict and armed violence. The study said famine was declared in North Darfur, Sudan, the first famine since 2017 and this year over half a million people in five conflict-affected countries are estimated to be living in the most extreme food insecurity situations. Conflicts also deprived access to health care for children and around 40 percent of unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children live in countries that are either partially or entirely affected by conflict.


Russell said, “Children in war zones face a daily struggle for survival that deprives them of a childhood. Their schools are bombed, homes destroyed, and families torn apart. They lose not only their safety and access to basic life-sustaining necessities, but also their chance to play, to learn, and to simply be children. The world is failing these children. As we look towards 2025, we must do more to turn the tide and save and improve the lives of children.”

UNICEF is calling for all parties to conflict, and for those with influence over them, to take decisive action to end the suffering of children, to ensure their rights are upheld, and to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law, Russell said.

(By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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UN calls for defense of international humanitarian law as delivery of aid to Gaza Is almost impossible

Amman/New York, December 23, 2024 – The top UN coordinator for humanitarian affairs said civilians in Gaza desperately need massive humanitarian aid but it is now “almost impossible” to deliver the live-saving supplies while Israel continues to deny “meaningful access” to those in need and armed local gangs looted the supplies.

Tom Fletcher, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said in Amman following his first visit in some Middle East regions that the constant and sustained intensity of violence in Gaza has reduced schools, hospitals and civilian infrastructure to rubble.

“We deal with tough places to deliver humanitarian support,” Fletcher said. “But Gaza is currently the most dangerous, in a year when more humanitarians have been killed than any on record.

As a result, despite the massive humanitarian needs, it has become almost impossible to deliver even a fraction of the aid that is so urgently required. The Israeli authorities continue to deny us meaningful access – over 100 requests to access North Gaza denied since 6 October. We are also now seeing the breakdown of law and order and the systematic armed looting of our supplies by local gangs.”

“I call on the international community to defend international humanitarian law, demand protection of all civilians, insist that Hamas release all hostages, defend UNRWA’s vital work, and break the cycle of violence. I pay tribute to the humanitarians working to save the lives of civilians in these conditions.”

UN warns Gaza has become a graveyard

The UN and its humanitarian partners are warning that living conditions for Palestinians in Gaza have become worse as heavy winter rains, hunger and war have transformed the enclave into what they called “a graveyard.” The aid workers said people are dying from hunger and diseases as well as from military strikes since the Israel-Hamas war that broke out on October 7, 2023.

The head of the UN aid coordination office in Gaza, Georgios Petropoulos, issued on December 19 a harrowing update on the dire situation in Gaza, describing it as “the most dangerous place on earth right now,” UN news reporte

Speaking to correspondents on December 19, the senior official of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs underscored the grim reality facing over two million people trapped in Gaza, where basic necessities like food, shelter, and safety have become scarce.

“Dying hungry and in pain” is an increasingly likely outcome for children, mothers, aid workers, and teachers alike, he said. “We’re there to support the people who for more than 14 months have struggled to stay alive. But we’re not allowed to do our jobs.”

The humanitarian office has been striving to deliver food, healthcare, and safe drinking water to Gaza’s besieged population, but fuel shortages and blocked access routes have exacerbated the crisis. Petropoulos said these efforts have been opposed by what he referred to as “blanket prohibitions” from Israeli authorities.

“When we raise these things with Israeli authorities, they reject virtually every single practical solution that we table,” Petropoulos said, adding that “the aid system has been weaponized.”

He further revealed that aid delivery often becomes a race against time, with insufficient supplies to meet the growing needs of the population.

“As an aid worker in Gaza, you’re forced to make horrible decisions,” he described. “Should I let people die of starvation or of the cold? Do we bring in more food to ease hunger or more plastic sheets for some shelter from the rain at night?”

Echoing that warning, the UN Children’s Fund highlighted widespread and dangerous malnutrition levels in the enclave, where more than 96 per cent of women and children in Gaza “cannot meet their basic nutritional needs,” said Rosalia Bollen, the UNICEF communication specialist.

Speaking from Amman, Bollen noted that the most northerly part of Gaza has been under a near total siege for 75 days. This has largely prevented humanitarian assistance from reaching youngsters in need there “for more than 10 weeks”, she said.

“The suffering is not just physical, it is also psychological…Children are cold, they’re wet, they’re barefoot; I see many children who still wear summer clothes and with cooking gas gone, there’s also lots of children I see scavenging through piles of garbage looking for plastic they can burn.”

Louise Wateridge, the senior Emergency Officer of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said, “The world is not seeing what’s going on with these people, it’s impossible for families to shelter in these conditions.”

Speaking from Nuseirat in central Gaza after heavy winter rains, Wateridge insisted that “an entire society here is now a graveyard…Over two million people are trapped. They cannot escape. And people continue to have basic needs deprived and it just feels like every path here that you could possibly take is leading to death.”

The UN said since war erupted on October 7, 2023, after Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel, at least 45,059 Palestinians have been killed with 107,041 injured. Citing the Israeli military, the UN humanitarian office noted that between October 7, 2023 and December 17, 2024, more than 1,586 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed, the majority on October 7, 2023 and its immediate aftermath. This number includes 386 soldiers killed in Gaza or along the border in Israel and 2,488 injured since the beginning of the ground operation. It is estimated that 100 Israelis and foreign nationals remain hostage in Gaza, including those declared dead and whose bodies have not been released. (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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