India has become the first country in the world to develop genome-edited rice varieties using CRISPR-Cas (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats and CRISPR-associated proteins) technology. This landmark technology development offers a replicable model for the Global South, where the dual challenges of food insecurity and climate stress demand transformative agricultural solutions. The two new rice varieties, DRR Rice 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1 represent a significant advance in sustainable crop improvement. "These varieties have been developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research–Indian Institute of Rice Research (ICAR-IIRR), Hyderabad, and the ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI), New Delhi, using precise genome-editing techniques without introducing any foreign DNA , ensuring both biosafety and consumer acceptability.
At the 3rd Africa High-Level Forum on South-South and Triangular Cooperation held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) and DAKSHIN – Global South Centre of Excellence highlighted India’s development journey and its expanding partnerships across Africa and the wider Global South.
The Government of Sierra Leone, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme and UN Sierra Leone, has signed a landmark $990,000 agreement to support economic empowerment for persons with disabilities. The funding has been provided by the Government of India through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund initiative. Minister of Social Welfare, Melrose Karminty, shared that the initiative took root during a high-level discussion last year in New York with India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Minister of External Affairs of India Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi signed two memoranda of understanding at the end of the 20th Iran-India Joint Commission Meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Thursday.The agreements include a memorandum of understanding on customs cooperation and another on regulations related to pharmaceutical products. They also signed the minutes of the joint commission meeting.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro met with his Burkinabé counterpart, Ibrahim Traoré, to enhance South-South cooperation, continuing diplomatic efforts first established under Comandante Hugo Chávez. For the past two decades, Venezuela and Burkina Faso have engaged in strategic partnerships in energy, mining, and education, forging 27 bilateral agreements across sectors including politics, scientific collaboration, military cooperation, security, agriculture, civil protection, and education. Currently, both nations are negotiating 14 new projects, reinforcing their commitment to non-intervention, respect for international law, and opposition to unilateral U.S. sanctions.
As a significant gesture of friendship and goodwill, Ambassador of India to Nepal, Shri Naveen Srivastava handed over 15 electric vehicles to Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Government of Nepal, Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba as a gift of India for logistical support to the Government of Nepal for facilitating the effective organization of the first edition of the ‘Sagarmatha Sambaad’ in Kathmandu on 16-18 May 2025 on the theme of 'Climate Change, Mountains and the Future of Humanity'. These vehicles are being handed over at the request of Government of Nepal and would prove to be useful in further augmenting the logistical arrangements for conducting the Sambaad.
Malaysia and Namibi9a have reaffirmed their strong bilateral ties with both countries expressing commitment to strengthen trade cooperation through Global South Cooperation. In a statement, Chargé d' Affaires of Malaysia to Namibia, Datuk Dr. Mohamad Rameez Yahaya, said this was conveyed during a courtesy call on Namibia’s new Minister of International Relations and Trade, Ambassador Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, in Windhoek. According to Mohamad Rameez, Selma also expressed keen interest in visiting Malaysia to learn from its experience in information technology and oil and gas sectors.
The United Arab Emirates will contribute to the financing of the estimated $25 billion project to build a natural gas pipeline linking Nigeria to Morocco and then stretching north to Europe. Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development Leila Benali told parliament about the UAE decision, adding that the project has already received the backing of several institutions. “As for finance, she said, the project has won the support of IDB, OPEC Fund, EIB and the UAE”. She added that “Morocco has completed all preliminary feasibility and engineering studies for the planned gas pipeline that will connect Nigeria to Morocco”.
Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo met with Foreign Ministers of Caribbean Community this week in St. Kitts and Nevis, a historic engagement affirming the Philippines’ broadening ties with the global community. The COFCOR is an organ of the Caribbean Community, a 52-year old grouping promoting economic integration and policy coordination among its 15 member states and six associate members. It has the mandate to promote relations with international organizations and third states. Secretary Manalo’s address highlighted the commonality of interests between the Philippines and Caribbean states as maritime nations with shared challenges and which have growing influence in shaping action on global issues.
Agriculture development agency AGRA has reiterated its commitment to transforming African agriculture, emphasizing the need for enhanced investment in smallholder farmers against a backdrop of increasing global instability and evolving development support. The recent shift in global development policy has upstaged the decades-long development financing framework with far-reaching consequences. The agency said these global funding adjustments, which according to the Institute for Security Studies could potentially push an additional 6 million Africans into extreme poverty by 2026, will likely jeopardize progress in agriculture, climate resilience, health, and education.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Brazil, represented by the Ministry of Social Development and Assistance, Family and Fight Against Hunger (MDS), and the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), launched the project "Strengthening the Regional Food Systems Agenda for the Urban-Rural Continuum in Latin America and the Caribbean," within the framework of the Brazil-FAO International Cooperation Program. The project’s launch ceremony took place in Lima, Peru, during the International Forum on Urban Agrifood Systems, which brought together national and subnational teams from seven Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, and Peru.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has unveiled the Kenya National Public Health Institute (KNPHI), marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to enhance Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through preventive healthcare to strengthen national health security. The institute is expected to streamline public health functions, eliminate duplication, and improve Kenya’s readiness and capacity to respond to health threats. Speaking during the launch at the KICC, Duale emphasized the importance of investing in resilient institutions capable of responding swiftly and effectively to public health challenges.
The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY) at its headquarters in Riyadh has signed an agreement with the Yemeni Ministry of Public Health and Population. The agreement aims to establish a fund to support specialized healthcare facilities in Yemen, build the ministry's institutional capacity, and boost cooperation between these facilities and their counterparts in the Kingdom. The agreement was signed by the Yemeni Minister of Public Health and Population Dr. Qassem Mohammed Bahaibah, Saudi Ambassador to Yemen and SDRPY Supervisor General Mohammed bin Saeed Al Jaber.
Laos is ready to take its nationwide digital ID card system to the next stage. The Southeast Asian country’s Department of Mass Media announced that it is moving forward with the initiative via its official Facebook page, reportes The Laotian Times. An exact timeline has not been disclosed. A centralized database will be established along with infrastructure to manage citizens’ personal data securely with the aim of creating a robust digital identity system. The project is part of a broader governmental push to modernize public services and build DPI.
This initiative reflects ECOWAS’s commitment to a results-driven, people-centred digital transformation agenda. By laying the groundwork for a unified and inclusive digital market, the Commission aims to boost access to information, spur job creation, and enhance economic participation for millions across West Africa. A high-level gathering brought together delegates from ECOWAS Member States, telecommunications regulators, regional institutions, development partners, and private sector stakeholders for a focused dialogue on accelerating broadband access and regulatory harmonisation across the region. The workshop is a major step in implementing Axis 2 of the ECOWAS Digital Strategy, which focuses on building digital infrastructure and making broadband more affordable.
Three foundational digital public infrastructure systems have been introduced by Somalia’s National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) and federal government to operationalize the country’s biometric and digital ID systems. The three pillars of DPI unveiled are the HUBIYE identity verification platform, the CDS (Certificate Delivery System) and the eAqoonsi app, which provides a mobile device-based digital ID for access to online and offline services. NIRAs national ID records include fingerprint and face biometrics, which are used to issue a National Identification Number (NIN).
