UNCTAD has awarded investment promotion agencies (IPAs) from Costa Rica, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea for excellence in promoting investment in health sectors.
The winners of the United Nations Investment Promotion Awards were announced at a special ceremony during UNCTAD’s 7th World Investment Forum (WIF), held virtually from 18 to 22 October and attended by thousands of investment stakeholders from around the globe.
This year’s awards were given in recognition of the role that IPAs have played in supporting government efforts to strengthen the healthcare system in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has cost millions of lives and overwhelmed hospitals worldwide.
The agencies were recognized particularly for promoting new investment in health infrastructure; in the manufacturing of medical devices, pharmaceuticals and vaccines; in the production of personal protective equipment; in digital health; and in life science research.

Ethiopian Airlines Group and Aero HygenX executives, inventors of RAY an autonomous aircraft sanitization robot signed an intent of working together by outlining a plan for fleetwide deployment and regional marketing of Aero HygenX’s autonomous UV-C light disinfecting robot.
The signing of this MoU marks a first foray into the African market for Aero HygenX, a Canadian technology company taking aviation by storm with its safe, efficient, and chemical free solution designed for aircraft cabins and rail cars. Ethiopian Airlines has become the first African carrier to roll out the new technology that takes aviation safety to the next level.
It is the intent of the two parties to establish local final assembly capabilities for Aero HygenX’s autonomous UV-C disinfecting robot “RAY”, thus creating local employment opportunities and expediting rollout of the chemical-free, pathogen-killing solution for Ethiopian Airlines. The MoU further sets out to foster exchange of expertise and ideas between Aero HygenX and the Ethiopian Airlines Innovation Hub, which leads all innovation activities across Ethiopian Airlines.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is launching an emergency response as conflict, disease outbreaks such as Hepatitis E, and the worst flooding seen in 60 years in most parts of South Sudan leave well over 600,000 people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.
Caroline Sekyewa, IRC South Sudan Country Director, said “since May the impact of flooding has left over 450,000 people across 22 counties in South Sudan in need of food, water, shelter, hygiene, health services as well as protection services particularly for women, girls and children. This year, the effects of climate change have led to unusually intense rains, and flood waters from the Sudd floodplains have risen, forcing people from their homes and leaving them without sufficient food and water. For a country in such an unstable condition, the compounded effects of climate change and conflict have devastating consequences for already vulnerable populations. Cases of Hepatitis E in Bentui camp have risen to over 60% from 2019 to 2020, putting already vulnerable populations further at risk.”

Renewable energy employment worldwide reached 12 million last year, up from 11.5 million in 2019, according to the eighth edition of Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual Review 2021. The report was released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) at a high-level opening of IRENA’s Collaborative Framework on Just and Inclusive Transitions, co-facilitated by the United States and South Africa.
The report confirms that COVID-19 caused delays and supply chain disruptions, with impacts on jobs varying by country and end use, and among segments of the value chain. While solar and wind jobs continued leading global employment growth in the renewable energy sector, accounting for a total of 4 million and 1.25 million jobs respectively, liquid biofuels employment decreased as demand for transport fuels fell. Off-grid solar lighting sales suffered, but companies were able to limit job losses.
China commanded a 39% share of renewable energy jobs worldwide in 2020, followed by Brazil, India, the United States, and members of the European Union. Many other countries are also creating jobs in renewables. Among them are Viet Nam and Malaysia, key solar PV exporters; Indonesia and Colombia, with large agricultural supply chains for biofuels; and Mexico and the Russian Federation, where wind power is growing. In Sub-Saharan Africa, solar jobs are expanding in diverse countries like Nigeria, Togo, and South Africa.