The Green Climate Fund will be able to tap into Japanese expertise in developmental assistance with the signing today of an Accreditation Master Agreement (AMA) with the country’s aid agency.

The signing of the agreement marks a strengthening of GCF’s ties with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which became a GCF Accredited Entity in July last year. The AMA is a prerequisite for GCF to approve Accredited Entity-led mitigation and adaptation projects in developing countries.

Signing the AMA, GCF Executive Director Howard Bamsey said Japan has a strong track record in promoting positive change in developing countries, marked by an increasing focus during the past few years on climate change. He pointed to the Japanese Government’s funding of a Pacific climate change centre, due to begin construction in Samoa this month, as a sign of Japanese support of regional and national efforts dealing with climate change.

“We look forward to seeing the result of the rich experiences JICA has developed in setting up climate projects on the ground in the form of funding proposals to GCF,” he said. “There is great potential in deepening cooperation between our two organisations to drive a broad range of climate actions. This includes areas where JICA already has experience - such as disaster risk reduction, generating new energy solutions and supporting REDD+.”

“The signing of the AMA between GCF and JICA is a very important step towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient society,” Shigeru Maeda, Senior Vice-President of JICA, said while signing the document. “To achieve targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, we will strengthen our partnership with GCF, make effective projects, and enhance synergies.”

The Japanese Government has been a major supporter of GCF, with pledges to the Fund totalling USD 1.5 billion.