The African Development Bank hosted a high-level delegation from the Green Climate Fund (GCF)'s Department of Africa Region (DAFR), led by its Director, Catherine Koffman, for strategic meetings in Abidjan from 13 to 15 April 2026.
The visit focused on accelerating the Bank's portfolio of GCF-funded operations through detailed reviews of the 11 active projects it currently manages. Discussions examined project-specific bottlenecks, identified practical solutions to implementation delays, and distilled lessons to strengthen future project design and delivery.
The meetings were highly constructive, fostering open dialogue on opportunities to improve implementation and maximise development impact.
During the closing session, the Bank's Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth, Dr. Kevin Kariuki, thanked the GCF delegation for engaging directly with the Bank's operational teams and reaffirmed the institution's commitment to building on the progress achieved and accelerating the disbursement of mobilised GCF resources.
Dr. Kariuki also welcomed the GCF Board's decision, taken during its 44th Meeting in March 2026, to establish regional offices in Nairobi and Abidjan. The move marks the GCF's first physical presence in Africa and is expected to strengthen the Fund's proximity to African partner countries and deepen collaboration with the Bank in two of its key operational hubs.
Beyond the current portfolio, the partnership is expanding to streamline access to climate finance. Earlier this year, GCF's Investment Services team visited the Bank's headquarters to explore the co-development of eligibility criteria and the establishment of data exchange and verification mechanisms to fast-track accreditation for eligible Bank clients.
This engagement builds on reforms introduced under GCF's revised accreditation framework in 2025, which seeks to improve efficiency, transparency and speed in onboarding Direct Access Entities. A key element of the reform is the expansion of the fast-track accreditation model, allowing the GCF to rely on due diligence and fiduciary assessments conducted by multilateral development banks, including the African Development Bank Group.
These ongoing engagements underscore the complementary roles of the African Development Bank and GCF in advancing climate action in Africa, mobilising resources for inclusive green growth, and supporting countries in delivering their commitments under the Paris Agreement.
