A two-day Training on the No-Objection Letter procedure and proposal pipeline development for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Country Programme was held in Honiara at the Heritage Park Hotel on Tuesday 9th August 2022.
Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP) as the delivery partner is supporting the MECDM as the National Designate Authority (NDA) to the GCF to implement the GCF Readiness programme.
Speaking during the opening of the workshop on Tuesday 9th August 2022, Permanent Secretary for MECDM Dr Melchior Mataki acknowledged and thanked the Finnish Consulting Group (FCG New Zealand) for accepting the country’s request through SPREP as delivering partner to implement the Readiness and Preparatory Support project on the “Strengthening the NDA capacity and Strategic Engagement of Solomon with the GCF”.
“MECDM as the National Designate Authority (NDA) to GCF warmly welcome you to the Training on the No-Objection Letter procedure and proposal pipeline development for the GCF Country Programme,” Dr. Mataki said.
Furthermore, SPREP representative, Mrs. Kaisami thanked the Finnish Consulting Group and the Readiness 1 Solomon Islands Team for support to the NDA and said that SPREP will always be supportive to Solomon Islands Government in its prioritise sectors.
The Green Climate Fund– a critical element of the historic Paris Agreement – is the world’s largest climate fund, mandated to support developing countries raise and realize their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) ambitions towards low-emissions and climate-resilient pathways.
Dr. Mataki further stated that the SPREP GCF Readiness programme seeks to strengthen the capacity of the NDA and key partners in the Solomon Islands to access and deploy GCF resources efficiently and effectiveness to scale up transformative adaption and mitigation investments to achieve the NDC and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
Under the GCF Readiness 1 Project Solomon Islands, Dr. Mataki told the participants that there were 5 core outcomes which includes
He further added that the workshop today (yesterday) is identified under Outcome 2: Stakeholders engaged in consultative processes. “The Green Climate Fund Country Programme and the No Objection Letter Procedure of Solomon Islands will provide the strategic direction and operational foundations for Solomon Islands to access finance from GCF.”
Meanwhile, this training workshop will present the draft Solomon Islands Country Programme and No Objection Procedure for review and stakeholder feedback.
Dr Mataki added that the first purpose of the country programme is to engage and coordinate stakeholders in the Solomon Islands in the design and prioritisation of GCF activities in the Solomon Islands.
“The Solomon Islands Country Programme puts forward prioritised programming areas and sectors, including priority mitigation/adaption investments, readiness actions to strengthen the enabling environment, and provides timeline for implementation,” he explained.
Secondly, he added that the No Objection Procedure is to ensure that climate change funding proposals are consistent with national climate change policy, strategies and plans are consistent with national climate change policy, strategies and plans, country-driven approaches, and to provide for effective direct and indirect public and private sector financing by GCF.
“Hence, through the discussion and sharing of information, stakeholders and key partners will provide valuable inputs to these 2 important documents.
“Allow me to remind us that country ownership is core in the development of Country Programme and No-Objection Letter. Let the deliberations for these two days be in the best interest of the country, founded on national priorities,” Dr Mataki told the participants and stakeholders.
He further emphasised that the outcome of this workshop will strongly demonstrate country ownership.
Solomon Islands GCF Readiness Programme Workshop targeted participants from
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