Regional presence

Since 2013, GCF has been headquartered in Songdo, Republic of Korea, while steadily working to be closer to countries and partners. This shift was reflected in the 2024 organisational design, which introduced regional departments and is now reinforced through the establishment of a regional presence. Together, these efforts aim to enhance responsiveness, deepen country engagement, and accelerate impact on the ground. 

At its forty-first meeting (B.41), the GCF Board took the strategic decision to establish a regional presence. This was further advanced at B.44, where the Board confirmed the locations of regional offices. 

GCF’s regional presence is structured as follows: 

• Asia: global headquarters in Songdo, Republic of Korea, covers East, Southeast and South Asia 
• Latin America and the Caribbean: regional office in Panama City, Panama 
• Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East: regional office in Amman, Jordan 
• Africa: A two-location regional office:  
  • Nairobi, Kenya: covers East and Southern Africa 
  • Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire: covers Central, North and West Africa 
• Pacific: sub-regional office in Suva, Fiji  

For further details, see the GCF press release on the B.44 meeting. 

Following the adoption of the terms of reference for selecting host countries/cities at its forty-second meeting (B.42/14), the GCF Secretariat is pleased to launch a call for proposals to host GCF regional offices.

Non-Annex I Parties to the UNFCCC with cities classified as A or B per the International Civil Service Commission hardship classification are invited to submit proposals to host GCF regional offices and an outpost by 19 September 2025.

The objective is to select an initial set of host countries/cities in which to establish regional offices and an outpost as part of GCF regional presence.

Proposals will be assessed based on eligibility and evaluation criteria outlined in the terms of reference.

• To facilitate planning and effective coordination of the selection process, countries that intend to submit a proposal are kindly requested to notify the Secretariat of their intention to do so by 15 August 2025.
• Final proposals must be submitted by 19 September 2025.

• Proposals should be submitted via email to regionalpresence@gcfund.org
• Please refer to the Terms of Reference for the selection of the host countries/cities for GCF regional presence and the submission form for detailed guidance.

This sample Host Country Agreement (HCA) template outlines the legal framework for establishing a GCF Regional Office or an Outpost in a country that does not yet have a privileges and immunities agreement with GCF.

This template serves as a foundational, necessary, legal instrument to facilitate GCF’s expansion and operational effectiveness in new regions, ensuring alignment with its Governing Instrument, the GCF risk appetite statement, and international standards.

Note that this template is for reference only at this stage and should not be completed / submitted as part of the submission process. The template is provided so that countries submitting bids have an indication as to what the Host Country Agreement would entail. The process of concluding a Host Country Agreement, which countries are required to commit to as part of the regional presence bid eligibility criteria, would start only when countries have been selected to host GCF Regional Presence.

Should you have any questions, please reach out to regionalpresence@gcfund.org.