Designing new climate projects

The Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) has made significant strides in accessing climate finance for its member states, particularly benefiting the African islands.

The IOC has been accredited by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), a regional organization now authorized to submit adaptation and mitigation projects to the GCF, headquartered in Incheon, South Korea. This accreditation, approved by the 39th GCF board meeting following an independent assessment panel’s recommendation, allows the IOC to request up to USD 50 million for climate projects.

With this accreditation, the IOC can design new climate initiatives with significant environmental impacts across various sectors. The funding will also support climate cooperation and early warning systems.

The IOC is now one of the few intergovernmental organizations in Africa to have received GCF accreditation. This achievement is a result of ongoing capacity-building and institutional transformation efforts aligned with the IOC’s Strategic Development Plan for 2023-2033. The initiative is supported by the French Development Agency and the European Union.