The first-ever Green Climate Fund (GCF) Structured Dialogue with Africa has started in Cape Town, South Africa, with 200 participants convening over the next three days to accelerate their strategic engagement with the Fund.

Taking place just two weeks ahead of the opening of the 22nd session of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP 22), in Morocco, the Dialogue aims to support African countries in developing a roadmap for their engagement with the GCF that is centred on concrete proposals and projects that can be submitted to the GCF Board for funding consideration.

Through a series of interactive sessions and presentations, the Dialogue format provides participants an opportunity to increase their understanding of GCF and how recent developments adopted by the Board can strengthen countries’ climate actions, in particular support for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and national adaptation planning processes.

The Dialogue also offers a platform for GCF National Designated Authorities (NDAs), or focal points, and entities accredited to the Fund to explore opportunities to partner in the design and development of low-emission and climate-resilient project and programme proposals.

Participating in the dialogue are Green Climate Fund NDAs and Focal Points, representatives of African ministries of budget, planning or finance, UNFCCC National Focal Points, accredited entities, and other partners at the international, regional and national levels.

The first Structured Dialogue with Africa was opened by the Co-chair of the GCF Board, Mr. Zaheer Fakir, representing the developing country constituency (South Africa), by the Chair of the African Group of Negotiators, Mr. Hussein Seyni Nafo, as well as Mr. Ousseynou Nakoulima, GCF Director of Country Programming.

Beyond this week’s Structured Dialogue, an additional milestone for Africa was marked just before the Fund’s October Board meeting after GCF made an initial disbursement of USD 5 million to the Acumen Fund, one of the 41 entities that have been accredited to GCF to date. This was a capital contribution to establish the KawiSawi Ventures Fund in East Africa, marking it the first GCF project to receive a disbursement. The funds will be used to make investments in solar energy solutions in Rwanda and Kenya.