Diplomacy & Defense Think Tank News

Historical data shows putting leaders on trial is a healthy democratic practice.

With just five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the global financing gap has widened to $4.3 trillion per year. The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD), held in Sevilla in July 2025, sought to renew multilateral consensus around mobilizing resources for sustainable development.

This issue brief by David Mulet analyzes the Compromiso de Sevilla—the conference’s negotiated outcome—and the Sevilla Platform for Action (SPA), a voluntary registry of 130 coalitions and initiatives. It highlights how new mechanisms on sovereign debt, blended finance, and climate-linked instruments are translating commitments into action. 

At the same time, the brief underscores persistent gaps in systemic reform, including of the international debt architecture, international tax cooperation, the large-scale reallocation of special drawing rights, governance of the multilateral development banks, and climate finance. It argues that closing the global financing gap requires bridging intergovernmental commitments with voluntary innovation to ensure that experimentation accumulates into structural change. 

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The post The Financing for Development Agenda after Sevilla: Aligning Commitments and Actions appeared first on International Peace Institute.

Background Many Sub-Saharan African countries have shifted from fiscally unsustainable free healthcare models to contributory national health insurance schemes, which rely on payments from informal sector workers. Yet, enrolling these workers remains a key barrier to achieving universal health coverage. Using the case of Kenya’s Afya Care free healthcare pilot, this paper investigates whether earlier exposure to free healthcare influences informal sector workers’ later decisions to enrol and contribute to the national health insurance scheme (NHIS). Methods We used nationally representative household survey data from 2018 and 2020, collected before and after the Afya Care pilot. The analysis focused on 6,900 informal sector workers, applying a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences approach to estimate the effect of exposure to the free healthcare pilot on subsequent NHIS enrollment. Results Before the pilot, no significant differences existed between treatment and control groups. After the intervention, NHIS enrollment was 10.5% higher in intervention counties (p < 0.001). Informal sector workers exposed to Afya Care were 65% more likely to enrol in the NHIS compared to those in control counties (odds ratio = 1.65; 95% CI = 0.96–2.83). Heterogeneity analysis showed that the policy’s impact was stronger among the least educated (30% higher enrollment) and the poorest workers (18% higher). Conclusions Exposure to the Afya Care pilot positively influenced informal sector workers’ willingness to join the NHIS and improved equity in enrollment. However, overall participation remains low. To expand coverage, the government should intensify information campaigns to raise awareness, extend subsidies to make premiums more affordable, and fully finance those unable to contribute. Strengthening these measures will be crucial for advancing Kenya’s progress toward universal health coverage.

Background Many Sub-Saharan African countries have shifted from fiscally unsustainable free healthcare models to contributory national health insurance schemes, which rely on payments from informal sector workers. Yet, enrolling these workers remains a key barrier to achieving universal health coverage. Using the case of Kenya’s Afya Care free healthcare pilot, this paper investigates whether earlier exposure to free healthcare influences informal sector workers’ later decisions to enrol and contribute to the national health insurance scheme (NHIS). Methods We used nationally representative household survey data from 2018 and 2020, collected before and after the Afya Care pilot. The analysis focused on 6,900 informal sector workers, applying a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences approach to estimate the effect of exposure to the free healthcare pilot on subsequent NHIS enrollment. Results Before the pilot, no significant differences existed between treatment and control groups. After the intervention, NHIS enrollment was 10.5% higher in intervention counties (p < 0.001). Informal sector workers exposed to Afya Care were 65% more likely to enrol in the NHIS compared to those in control counties (odds ratio = 1.65; 95% CI = 0.96–2.83). Heterogeneity analysis showed that the policy’s impact was stronger among the least educated (30% higher enrollment) and the poorest workers (18% higher). Conclusions Exposure to the Afya Care pilot positively influenced informal sector workers’ willingness to join the NHIS and improved equity in enrollment. However, overall participation remains low. To expand coverage, the government should intensify information campaigns to raise awareness, extend subsidies to make premiums more affordable, and fully finance those unable to contribute. Strengthening these measures will be crucial for advancing Kenya’s progress toward universal health coverage.

Background Many Sub-Saharan African countries have shifted from fiscally unsustainable free healthcare models to contributory national health insurance schemes, which rely on payments from informal sector workers. Yet, enrolling these workers remains a key barrier to achieving universal health coverage. Using the case of Kenya’s Afya Care free healthcare pilot, this paper investigates whether earlier exposure to free healthcare influences informal sector workers’ later decisions to enrol and contribute to the national health insurance scheme (NHIS). Methods We used nationally representative household survey data from 2018 and 2020, collected before and after the Afya Care pilot. The analysis focused on 6,900 informal sector workers, applying a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences approach to estimate the effect of exposure to the free healthcare pilot on subsequent NHIS enrollment. Results Before the pilot, no significant differences existed between treatment and control groups. After the intervention, NHIS enrollment was 10.5% higher in intervention counties (p < 0.001). Informal sector workers exposed to Afya Care were 65% more likely to enrol in the NHIS compared to those in control counties (odds ratio = 1.65; 95% CI = 0.96–2.83). Heterogeneity analysis showed that the policy’s impact was stronger among the least educated (30% higher enrollment) and the poorest workers (18% higher). Conclusions Exposure to the Afya Care pilot positively influenced informal sector workers’ willingness to join the NHIS and improved equity in enrollment. However, overall participation remains low. To expand coverage, the government should intensify information campaigns to raise awareness, extend subsidies to make premiums more affordable, and fully finance those unable to contribute. Strengthening these measures will be crucial for advancing Kenya’s progress toward universal health coverage.

Das 28. Regime ist eine geplante einheitliche EU-Gesellschaftsform, die Unternehmensgründungen und -expansion über Ländergrenzen hinweg erleichtern soll.

Nach Angaben aus EU-Kreisen wird die Kommission in den kommenden Wochen verschiedene Finanzierungsoptionen für die Ukraine vorlegen.

Die EU drängt China seit Jahren, trotz seiner Entwicklungsländer-Klassifizierung aus den 1990er-Jahren offiziell mehr Verantwortung bei der Klimafinanzierung zu übernehmen.

Der prognostizierte Emissionsrückgang von zehn Prozent bis 2035 reicht nicht aus, um die Ziele des Pariser Klimaabkommens zu erreichen.

Kasachstan macht sein Potenzial an erneuerbaren Energien zu einem entscheidenden Faktor für die Energiewende in Europa.

Ein Kommissionssprecher stellte inzwischen klar, dass die Maßnahme innerhalb der EU vorerst nicht gelten solle. Dennoch enthält der jüngste Entwurf der EU-Position weiterhin den Verweis auf ein globales Filterverbot.

From 3 to 7 November 2025, EP committees will be discussing how to harness women’s talent through education, training and employment, to drive economic growth and progress.
Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

« La Commission européenne prend des mesures et fait des déclarations très chaotiques », a affirmé le ministre tchèque de l’Agriculture, Marek Výborný.

The post Simplification des règles anti-déforestation : la République tchèque critique le discours « chaotique » de la Commission appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Eine Zusammenfassung der Diskussionen der Themenlinie Neugestaltung der europäischen Sicherheitsordnung im Jahr 2024

Les engagements pris par les gouvernements pour la prochaine décennie devraient, pour la première fois, conduire à une baisse des émissions mondiales de gaz à effet de serre. C’est ce qu’a annoncé mardi 28 octobre l’organisme des Nations unies chargé du changement climatique, qui déplore toutefois une réduction trop lente pour permettre de respecter les objectifs fixés par l’accord de Paris.

The post Les émissions mondiales devraient reculer pour la première fois, mais le rythme reste insuffisant, estime l’ONU appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Willkommen bei Rapporteur! Jeden Tag liefern wir Ihnen die wichtigsten Nachrichten und Hintergründe aus der EU- und Europapolitik. Need-to-knows: Niederlande: Vor den Parlamentswahlen am Mittwoch ist der Wahlkampf von Polarisierung geprägt – die politische Mitte bemüht sich um ein Bündnis Spanien: Bröckelndes Bündnis – Katalanische Separatisten entziehen Pedro Sánchez die Unterstützung Gesundheit: EU erwägt Ausstieg […]

L’organe d’audit a sévèrement critiqué la mise en œuvre des réformes économiques financées par le plan de relance post-Covid de l’UE, pointant une mauvaise conception, un déploiement lent et incohérent, et des effets concrets encore limités.

The post Les réformes économiques post-Covid ont peu d’impact sur l’environnement des entreprises, selon la Cour des comptes européenne appeared first on Euractiv FR.

Qu’est-ce qui détermine le calendrier à Bruxelles ? Les vacances scolaires ou les institutions européennes ? C’est l’histoire de l’œuf et de la poule. Quelle que soit la réponse, la ville est remarquablement calme cette semaine. Bienvenue dans Rapporteur. Je suis Eddy Wax, avec Nicoletta Ionta. Vous voulez me tenir occupé ? Envoyez-moi un message, […]

The post Frans Timmermans stimulé par la controverse sur les jeunes homosexuels appeared first on Euractiv FR.