Hi, this is Paula. Sandwiched between the inconclusive Cop27 climate summit last November and the next UN climate meet in Dubai, Davos’s elite took time to discuss the health of the planet and climate funding. But did the wealthiest of the planet agree on any targeted action?

Meanwhile, UN humanitarian affairs chief Martin Griffiths arrived in Kabul to add to the calls by women aid bosses last week, to get the Taliban to reverse a ban on female aid workers.

And annual fundraising was kickstarted yesterday by the head of the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency, who hopes that donors will contribute generously to overcome UNRWA’s “compounding challenges”.

25.01.2023

On our radar

Global warming or deep freeze on climate action in Davos? Participants walking between meetings at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, 17 January 2023. (Geneva Solutions/Paula Dupraz-Dobias)

Davos takes on climate finance. The World Economic Forum (WEF) had promised to put climate change at the top of its agenda ahead of the five-day meeting in Davos. Its new climate chief, Gim Huay Neo, scurried about the many related panels in the frozen Swiss ski resort. But talks featuring government and private sector representatives often returned to business arguments in favour of climate finance, rather than getting down to the nitty-gritty of where and how that money should be spent.

Geneva Solutions (EN)

Here's what else is happening

🧕🏽UN aid chief in Afghanistan seeking to reverse ban on women NGO workers.
AP News (EN)
🩺Brazil to urge WHO to protect indigenous people’s health after Bolsonaro ‘abandonment’ during Covid-19.
Health Policy Watch (EN)
💻What role has cyber warfare played in Ukraine war, journalist Imogen Foulkes asks in her latest podcast episode from Inside Geneva.
Swissinfo (EN)
🧑🏻‍⚕️Nurses federation slams wealthy countries for massive recruitment from poorer nations.
France24 (FR)
📈Covid-19 cut known human trafficking for first time in 20 years – Ukraine war could be causing new surge, UN report finds.
Reuters (EN)

In numbers

It’s the sum of money the UN’s Palestinian refugees agency has said it requires this year to cover the needs of some six million Palestinians in occupied territories as well as Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. UNRWA has been grappling with financial woes. The agency launched an appeal a year ago for the same amount, but fell over $800 million short. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini, who was in Geneva on Tuesday to make the appeal, called for a more sustainable finance model. “We cannot and should not be always scrambling to bring in funds to cover our contribution to human rights and stability,” he told reporters.

Al Jazeera (EN)

GS news is a new media project covering the world of international cooperation and development. Don’t hesitate to forward our newsletter!

Have a good day!

Avenue du Bouchet 2
1209 Genève
Suisse