Global Initiative Bi-Weekly Sites Newsletter
January 1 to January 15, 2026
Kenya
Rwanda
The refugees said that areas in eastern DRC from which they fled are now largely controlled by armed groups such as AFC/M23 and Twirwaneho, which they describe as relatively more stable than other regions. This has given them cautious hope that returning home could now be safe. On January 7, 2025, refugee representatives began their visit at the U.S. Embassy in Kigali and continued to the embassies of Qatar, China, Russia, France, the DRC, and others. They also visited offices of UN agencies in Rwanda and the European Union.
How Lebanon sealed off a Palestinian refugee camp and disrupted daily life
A decision by Lebanese authorities to close most of the side entrances to Beddawi refugee camp, citing security concerns, has intensified the suffering of around 23,000 Palestinian refugees living there.
What was initially presented as a temporary security measure has become a daily reality, severely affecting freedom of movement and disrupting livelihoods, education and access to healthcare inside the camp and in surrounding areas. Ahmed Ghanoumi, head of the Popular Committees in north Lebanon, told The New Arab that Beddawi camp has 23 side entrances, 19 of which have been closed. Four small entrances remain open, allowing passage only for motorcycles, tuk-tuks or pedestrians. The two main entrances that allow vehicles to enter the camp remain open.
More than half a million Syrians returned home from Lebanon last year
More than half a million Syrian refugees returned to their country from Lebanon over the course of 2025, in what Lebanese officials called a milestone in managing the long-running displacement crisis.
Lebanon’s Social Affairs Minister Hanin Al-Sayyed said on Friday that the scale of the return marked a first since the outbreak of the Syrian conflict some 15 years ago. “For the first time since the Syrian displacement crisis began in 2011, Lebanon can point to concrete figures that reflect an actual return,” she said in a post on US social media company X. Al-Sayyed said official data showed that 501,603 Syrian refugees left Lebanon during 2025, describing the process as safe, organized, and sustainable. She added that those who departed were removed from the registration lists of the UN refugee agency, confirming their effective return.
Malawi Implements Free Public Secondary Education from 2026
In a press release relayed on Friday, January 2, on its Facebook page, the Ministry of Education of Malawi confirmed the implementation of free public secondary education starting in 2026. The decision followed a commitment made by President Arthur Peter Mutharika in October 2025, which authorities reaffirmed during the opening of Parliament at the mid-year budget review.
Lebanon
Malawi
According to the official statement, authorities abolished examination fees and national identity card issuance fees charged by the Malawi National Examination Board for both primary and secondary national exams, with immediate effect. From January 1, 2026, the government assumed responsibility for the School Development Fund and all other costs previously borne by families in all public secondary schools. As a result, students enrolled in non-boarding public schools, known as day schools, no longer pay any school fees.
Investing in educational infrastructure in mountainous areas promotes equal access to education: PM
Investing in infrastructure for educational institutions in ethnic minority and mountainous areas is, in effect, an investment in equity in access to education, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính said on Sunday.
PM Chính made the statement while attending the ground-breaking ceremony in the northern province of Thái Nguyên for projects to upgrade facilities at Việt Bắc High School for Ethnic Minority Students and other preparatory universities under the Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs, which are the key works to welcome the 14th National Party Congress. The PM affirmed that the launch of three infrastructure investment projects for specialised institutions – Việt Bắc High School for Ethnic Minority Students as well as HCM City and Sầm Sơn university preparatory schools – along with the construction of 248 boarding schools in land border areas, carries great significance.
What’s next for Latin American international education in 2026?
Intra-regional and outbound mobility from Latin America are set to grow over the next five years, according to QS Student Flows data, though tighter visa restrictions in major destinations and shifting student priorities are transforming study decisions.
Vietnam
Latin America
“Outbound flows are being reshaped by affordability pressures and visa tightening in traditional destinations, pushing students toward Europe, especially Spain,” said Studyportals researcher Karl Baldacchino. “Sector analyses highlight affordability, employability and flexibility as the dominant decision drives for Latin American students,” he said, highlighting that post-study rights and labour-market relevance increasingly matter more than institutional brand. What’s more, international student caps in Canada and Australia, as well as stricter English requirements and dependents restrictions in the UK, and political volatility in the US, are accelerating a shift toward continental Europe, stakeholders noted.
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