Cote d’Ivoire, October 24, 2023 – As part of the GGGWeek activities, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Côte d’Ivoire office hosted a high-level panel on strengthening the capacity of public decision-makers to mobilize climate finance investments. The event was held at the Movenpick Hotel Plateau and brought together 37 participants from government, the private sector, and development partners to discuss the challenges and opportunities of mobilizing climate finance in Côte d’Ivoire.

The session started with a presentation on GGGI’s activities made by Ms. Sidonie Kouam, Africa Investment Lead at the GGGI Africa Regional Office. She provided insight on the relevance of climate finance for African    countries.  Ms. Kouam presented a brief overview of GGGI and its three main roles as trust advisor, green investment service provider, and technical assistance provider. She then discussed GGGI’s 2030 Strategy and its five components. She highlighted the importance of Ivorian public and private actors in accessing the various climate finance funds available to African countries and provided examples of bankable projects, National Financing Vehicles, and Sustainable Finance Instruments. She also  mentioned the different programs related to the Implementation of Article 6 (MATS, DAPA, and   SPAR6C).

The opening session was marked by the welcome remarks of Ms Olola Vieyra, Country Representative of GGGI, followed by Mr. Abdoulaye Toure, President of the General Assembly of the Belier region and the workshop was officially launched by Dr. Gustave Aboua, Director General of Environment at the MINESDET.

Ms. Ndeye Coumba Diop, Senior Program Assistant at GGGI Côte d’Ivoire, then gave a presentation on the financial mechanisms of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Ms. Diop began by providing the institutional background of climate finance. She defined it as all financing flows dedicated to climate mitigation and adaptation projects. She then discussed the different financing sources available to public and private sectors at both the international and  national levels. She also listed specific financial mechanisms, such as the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Fund, and the Global Environment Fund. Finally, she discussed the different eligibility criteria for each fund and  gave examples of eligible projects.

Following the presentations, participants engaged in a discussion panel on “Mobilizing Climate Finance in Côte d’Ivoire: Challenges and Opportunities.” The panel featured Mr. Yao Marcel, focal point at Global Climate Fund, Mme. Alimata Kone, focal point at the Global Environment Fund, Mr. Kouadio Fidele, specialist at the Interprofessional fund for research and advice on Agriculture and Mr. Guillaume Assy Head of sustainable development & gender unit at the National Investment Bank (BNI). The panel was a success and provided a valuable opportunity for participants to learn more about the challenges and opportunities of mobilizing climate finance in Côte d’Ivoire.