Tarawa, Kiribati 23 June 2026 – The Government of Kiribati has successfully completed a series of bilateral consultations, technical workshops and a stakeholder retreat to advance the establishment of the proposed Kiribati Otabwanin Fund (KOF). The KOF is a national environment fund designed to increase financing to address local environmental issues and support inclusive sustainable development in the small Pacific island nation of Kiribati.   

The name “Otabwanin” meaning “environment” in the Kiribati language (i-Kiribati), reflects the Fund’s intended role in supporting local action to address environmental challenges in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable atoll nations. 

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) supports the Government of Kiribati to establish the proposed KOF through Phase 2 of the Low Emission Climate Resilient Development (LECRD) Programme.  

The LECRD programme, which was co-developed by GGGI and the Government of New Zealand, supports Pacific Island Countries (PICs) to develop and implement, in partnership with GGGI, projects that will support each country to pursue their key individual low emission, climate resilient development objectives. The current Phase 2 of the LECRD programme focuses on six countries – Fiji, Kiribati, PNG, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu. Phase commenced implementation in 2024. It is funded by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAI). 

Since 2024, the LECRD project in Kiribati aims to support the Government to establish an environment fund. In 2025, GGGI prepared a series of technical reports for the Government of Kiribati examining options for the Fund’s legal, financial, governance and management arrangements. Earlier this year, the i-Kiribati Cabinet established the Otabwanin Steering Committee (OSC) to guide the establishment of the proposed Fund, with the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development (MELAD) serving as Secretariat to the OSC.  

The June 2026 consultations, workshops and retreat built on this earlier work and brought together OSC members, government ministries, development partners, civil society organisations, financial institutions, the private sector and community representatives. The process supported stakeholders to consider key design features for the proposed Fund, including its strategic objectives, intended beneficiaries, legal form, financial and capitalisation structure, fiduciary standards, governance arrangements and accountability mechanisms. The process was designed to promote broad stakeholder ownership and ensure that the Fund reflects Kiribati’s national priorities and local environmental needs. 

Opening the workshop series, MFAT representative Angela Melling highlighted the importance of establishing a nationally driven financing mechanism for environmental and climate action. “We understand the importance of the KOF as a national financing vehicle that, if set up right, can strategically deploy resources for environment and climate resilience in a way that is nationally driven, transparent, and responsive. I want to thank you all for your attendance today and for the next workshops and encourage all of you to continue to engage in this important work. All your perspectives and contributions are important,” she said. 

The process began with targeted bilateral consultations with KOF Steering Committee members to build awareness of the proposed Fund and gather initial feedback. This was followed by five workshops held between the 10th and 21st June 2026, which guided participants through key questions relating to the Fund’s strategic direction, beneficiaries, support modalities, capitalisation, financial structure, legal form, governance, and founding principles. Across the workshops, stakeholders expressed support for a Fund that would initially focus on priority areas such as water resource management, waste management and pollution reduction, food security and sustainable agriculture, coastal erosion and climate resilience, and community empowerment and capacity building. Participants also emphasised the importance of making the Fund accessible to communities, including through phased access, partnerships with civil society organisations, non-government organisations and local government, and the provision of both financial and technical support. 

Participants also discussed options for ensuring the proposed Fund is transparent, accountable, and financially sustainable. Workshop findings included support for a phased and mixed-source capitalisation approach, a hybrid financial structure that could include sinking, endowment and revolving fund elements, and strong fiduciary controls. Stakeholders also expressed a preference for a legal and governance model that would support national ownership, transparency, accountability and inclusive participation, while ensuring appropriate government oversight and alignment with public finance requirements. 

The workshop series concluded with a two-day retreat in North Tarawa, where participants consolidated feedback and refined recommended directions for the proposed Fund. As part of the retreat, participants took part in a coconut planting exercise, symbolizing the long-term vision of the KOF: making strategic investments today that can deliver environmental, social, and economic benefits for future generations.  

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Deputy Secretary for MELAD, Mr. Kaateti, thanked participants and development partners for their commitment throughout the process. “We extend our sincere appreciation to all participants for their active engagement and valuable contributions throughout this workshop series. We also express our heartfelt gratitude to the Government of New Zealand, the Government of Ireland, and GGGI for their continued support and commitment to this important initiative. Their partnership has been instrumental in advancing the development of the Kiribati Otabwanin Fund, and we look forward to its establishment as a sustainable financing mechanism to help address Kiribati’s environmental challenges and strengthen the resilience of our communities for generations to come.” 

Kirstin Morrison, GGGI’s Senior Programme Manager for the LECRD programme who attended the retreat said the consultations marked an important step in supporting Kiribati to develop a nationally owned and inclusive environmental finance mechanism. “GGGI is pleased to support MELAD and the OSC through the LECRD Programme. The proposed KOF has the potential to help Kiribati mobilise and manage resources in a more coordinated, transparent and sustainable way, while supporting local action on environmental protection and climate resilience.’ 

The findings from the bilateral engagements, workshops and retreat will now be submitted to the Otabwanin Steering Committee for review and consideration. Subject to OSC guidance and further Government decision-making, the next phase will focus on refining the proposed Fund’s design and establishment roadmap, including legal, governance, financial and operational arrangements. 

Follow us on X | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram   

For more information, visit:  https://gggi.org 

Kiribati

Emeruti Mataiti, Communication Associate – emeruti.mataiti@gggi.org

GGGI Pacific

Kelly Vacala, Regional Communications & Knowledge Sharing Lead| Kelly.Vacala@gggi.org