Coastal sand mining warning: Banjul Mayor Lowe says sand mining is accelerating coastal erosion and raising flood risk, threatening homes, fishing and tourism, and calls for tighter, transparent permit controls to stop illegal operations. Urban climate resilience & land planning: UN-Habitat talks in The Gambia highlight pressure from rapid urban growth and informal settlements, with calls for stronger housing investment, secure land rights, decentralisation and climate-resilient urban financing. Governance support for accountability: UNDP and AfDB launched the $803,520 BRIDGE project to strengthen institutions, improve legislative frameworks, and boost women’s leadership and civil society oversight in Gambia’s governance transition. Regional energy integration: ECOWAS leaders signed the Intergovernmental Agreement for the Nigeria–Morocco African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, a 6,800 km project meant to deepen regional integration—also raising the stakes for environmental and regulatory planning. Migration tragedy at sea: UNHCR reports 144 dead or missing after a boat bound for Europe sank off Mauritania; survivors say the Atlantic route remains among the deadliest smuggling corridors. Tree planting partnership: UTG’s VC Robinson and a Turkish envoy joined mass tree planting at Faraba Banta, linking campus greening with long-term climate action.