Ramping up support to country partners in developing projects and programmes for consideration by the GCF Board will be the focus of a “readiness week” that GCF is organizing from 25 to 29 April at its headquarters in the Republic of Korea.

The five-day event will facilitate knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer learning, to develop country-driven projects and programmes that work towards low-carbon and climate-resilient development. Participants will include the 13 national and regional entities that the GCF Board has accredited for direct access and National Designated Authorities and Focal Points from 25 countries.

Through interactive working sessions, the main outcomes of the week will be the development of initial country programmes and entity work programmes. These documents will include priority projects and programmes with corresponding action plans, and may outline the use of readiness and preparatory support where required.

The Fund will also convene international partners providing GCF readiness support to countries in order to strengthen coordination and explore synergies.

The last day of the readiness week will spotlight south-south experience sharing among participants on projects and programmes they have implemented in the past.

Also on the agenda is a one-day training session on gender and climate change, organized by GCF and UN Women, to underscore the importance of a gender-responsive approach to climate action.

GCF’s readiness week will come just days after the high-level signing ceremony for the Paris Agreement on 22 April in New York, demonstrating how the Fund is already responding to the mandate of helping countries meet their intended climate action commitments.