Development news round-up: Bill Gates’ annual letter, aid workers rescued in Somalia, Global Fund leadership changes, and more

Today, we reported:

• American, Danish kidnap victims rescued in Somalia

• Bill Gates writes ‘innovation’

• Civil society rolls out guides for development

• Just in: Leadership changes at the Global Fund

• UK reveals priorities for partnership with Caribbean region

• German aid worker found guilty of child abuse

• Africa top investment choice for next 10 years – survey

• In Bangladesh, what’s a promising sector for investors?

• U.N. envoy returns to Somalia

Other must-reads:

• Josette Sheeran heads to WEF annual meeting

• Bill Gates, EU innovation chief discuss potential aid project

• EU injects funds in Yemeni child protection programs

• Germany opens dialogue on drugs industry’s business model

• New Germany position paper on land grabbing in poor countries

• UNHCR working closely with Ethiopian health ministry, WHO, UNICEF to confirm polio cases in camps

• FAO says cooperatives, producer organizations vital in hunger fight

• Urgent action needed to stem full-scale food emergency in the Sahel – UN expert

• Bangladesh doctor wins Gates Vaccine Innovation Award

• IFAD to provide $43.7M in loans and grants to boost food security in Malawi

• UNICEF: Children with disabilities must not be forgotten in times of conflict and crisis

• Brazil to open center supporting disaster-risk reduction-strengthening efforts

• UNICEF regional director says inaction means 500,000 Yemeni children could die from malnutrition

• Senior US official says Khartoum must accept foreign aid or face unilateral assistance operation

• Rio+20 shifts focus from climate change to sustainable development

• Social mobilization only thing that can save Rio+20, activists say

• JICA grants $2.3M for Philippine national industry cluster enhancement program

• In Philippines, $101M Clean Technology Fund for solar generation initiative diverted to e-tricycles

• EU to sign $18M financial agreements to promote human rights, child protection, sustainable employment generation in Yemen

• IsDB to give $3B for Pakistan’s socio-economic development

• Philippines receives $20M grant from Australia for enhancing financial management system

• Red Cross to double Typhoon Washi response in the Philippines

• Peace Corps volunteer uses solar energy to power health center in Malawi

• In the US, nonprofit sector adding jobs faster than businesses

• China to produce TB vaccines for developing countries

• ALNAP warns of danger in using rural models to deal with urban disasters

• Feeding children affected by drought, conflict should be US’ top foreign policy goal for 2012

• Discussion on developing countries’ issues should highlight good and bad

• MFAN lists 2011’s foreign assistance milestones, 2012 priorities

• USAID recruits academe to help solve development problems

• Davos part of the process that could end world hunger

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